HONDA PILOT · model year

2020 HONDA PILOT

686 NHTSA complaints, 15 crash reports, and 9 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020HONDAPILOT carries 686 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 15 crashes, 7 fires, 21 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 PILOT is electrical system with 194 filings, followed by unknown or other (89) and engine (88). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 9 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 77 investigation files overlapping the 2020 PILOT, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

686
Complaints
15
Crashes
7
Fires
21
Injuries
0
Deaths
2020 HONDA PILOT — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2020 HONDA PILOT. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

686 filings

Crashes Reported

15 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM194
UNKNOWN OR OTHER89
ENGINE88
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING34
POWER TRAIN32
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS30
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM26
SERVICE BRAKES22
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE21
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL19
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL16
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING15
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST12
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)10
EXTERIOR LIGHTING7

Recalls (9)

19V78400031/10/2019

STRUCTURE:BODY

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Pilot and 2019 Passport vehicles. The front frame left and right side upper members may not have been welded completely to the unibody. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety S

20V43900028/07/2020

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selec

20V44000028/07/2020

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fa

23V85800018/12/2023

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, F

23V17400016/03/2023

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme

23V43100015/06/2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles

21V16500011/03/2021

TIRES

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

20V06700006/02/2020

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles. The certification label may have been printed with ink that can be wiped away with a solvent, removing the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information.

24V06400001/02/2024

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RD

Recent Complaints

20260215ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR WILL RANDOMLY LOSE ALL POWER AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD AND THEN FLICKER AND COME BACK ON. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE ON. NOTHING HAS BEEN INSPECTED YET BUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL

20260215ENGINE

Currently showing DTC P219B (O2 Sensor Signal Biased/Stuck Lean – Bank 2 Sensor 1) along with P0430 . For prior years thru 2019, Honda has issued Service Bulletins 19-072 and 20-100 covering DTCs P030x, P219A, and P219B, which may involve PCM software updates, a Cylinder A/F Test, and potential injector replacement. However, they have not issued bulletins for 2020. My car only has 58,000 miles.

20260215FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Currently showing DTC P219B (O2 Sensor Signal Biased/Stuck Lean – Bank 2 Sensor 1) along with P0430 . For prior years thru 2019, Honda has issued Service Bulletins 19-072 and 20-100 covering DTCs P030x, P219A, and P219B, which may involve PCM software updates, a Cylinder A/F Test, and potential injector replacement. However, they have not issued bulletins for 2020. My car only has 58,000 miles.

20260214FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

SUV check engine light for the emissions system came on 11/21/2025. The light does not stay on all the time, it goes on and off ever several days. During my state inspection, dealer diagnosed issue to a P0430 code and ran a cylinder AF test. It revealed that cylinders 2, 5 and 6 failed for rich conditions and stated the fuel injectors require replacement. Both the dealer and honda Corp. stated there is no coverage for this issue. I did find that this issue was found with previous years for my model and make, however my year is not covered for the warrenty extension. Honda service bulletin 20 - 100.

20260210FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

On or about January 7, 2026, we were driving through town and the dash cluster lit up with five separate warnings for safety features no longer operational. These are adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams. We cleaned the windshield and radar housing. Then the battery was replaced. None corrected the problem. An appointment was then scheduled at the dealership for 1/9/2026. It was determined the multi-purpose camera had an internal short. The only fix is a new camera ($1284) and re-aim process. The total repair cost, not including the $165 diagnostic fee, is $1727. In the meantime, the driver safety features are mostly unavailable, including the traditional cruise control. I say mostly because the system randomly works for a few minutes before overheating/shorting. I worry about fire and sudden emergency braking due to the short. I must note this system has never functioned well. In particular, the camer

20260210FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

On or about January 7, 2026, we were driving through town and the dash cluster lit up with five separate warnings for safety features no longer operational. These are adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams. We cleaned the windshield and radar housing. Then the battery was replaced. None corrected the problem. An appointment was then scheduled at the dealership for 1/9/2026. It was determined the multi-purpose camera had an internal short. The only fix is a new camera ($1284) and re-aim process. The total repair cost, not including the $165 diagnostic fee, is $1727. In the meantime, the driver safety features are mostly unavailable, including the traditional cruise control. I say mostly because the system randomly works for a few minutes before overheating/shorting. I worry about fire and sudden emergency braking due to the short. I must note this system has never functioned well. In particular, the camer

20260210FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

On or about January 7, 2026, we were driving through town and the dash cluster lit up with five separate warnings for safety features no longer operational. These are adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams. We cleaned the windshield and radar housing. Then the battery was replaced. None corrected the problem. An appointment was then scheduled at the dealership for 1/9/2026. It was determined the multi-purpose camera had an internal short. The only fix is a new camera ($1284) and re-aim process. The total repair cost, not including the $165 diagnostic fee, is $1727. In the meantime, the driver safety features are mostly unavailable, including the traditional cruise control. I say mostly because the system randomly works for a few minutes before overheating/shorting. I worry about fire and sudden emergency braking due to the short. I must note this system has never functioned well. In particular, the camer

20260209ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driving on the highway dash goes completely black. Can’t see speed. Cruise control shuts down. Have to pull off the highway shut the engine down and wait for a couple minutes then restart. I have had all recalls repaired at the dealership where purchased but this happens weekly. At 50,000 miles I noticed rough and abrupt transmission shifting and clunking with a lag in acceleration. This continues despite multiple transmission flushes. The problem continues to worsen and current mileage is at 71000

20260209ENGINE

Driving on the highway dash goes completely black. Can’t see speed. Cruise control shuts down. Have to pull off the highway shut the engine down and wait for a couple minutes then restart. I have had all recalls repaired at the dealership where purchased but this happens weekly. At 50,000 miles I noticed rough and abrupt transmission shifting and clunking with a lag in acceleration. This continues despite multiple transmission flushes. The problem continues to worsen and current mileage is at 71000

20260206CrashSEATS

In my Honda 2020 Pilot, the driver's side headrest in the 3rd row will no longer stay upright. It simply stays flat and will not lock into place. As the headrest will not stay upright, the seat is unusable. If someone used that seat or if the headrest would fail while a person is sitting in that seat, it would cause an injury risk. It looks like their is evidence that Technical Information and Support may be aware of the issue as indicated in a document on the nhtsa website.

20260205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My wife drives this vehicle daily with our 3 children all of sudden these warning lights come up: Trailer stability assist problem Road departure mitigation system problem Power steering system problem Emission system problem Vehicle stability assist problem Hill start assist problem The last time this happen was 1/28/2026 Took it to the dealer 1/31/2026 showed the association the video he said he has not heard of this but mostly caused by the battery. They looked at the battery all is well. If it happens again to bring it in he said. This was the 3rd time this happens the warning lights will go off. Took it to auto zone and they could not find the caused. This is dangerous to happen and unacceptable. Based on social media multiple people have this issue and causinga safety concern. What would it take for HONDA TO FIX THIS. PLEASE MAKE A RECALL!!

20260205LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

My wife drives this vehicle daily with our 3 children all of sudden these warning lights come up: Trailer stability assist problem Road departure mitigation system problem Power steering system problem Emission system problem Vehicle stability assist problem Hill start assist problem The last time this happen was 1/28/2026 Took it to the dealer 1/31/2026 showed the association the video he said he has not heard of this but mostly caused by the battery. They looked at the battery all is well. If it happens again to bring it in he said. This was the 3rd time this happens the warning lights will go off. Took it to auto zone and they could not find the caused. This is dangerous to happen and unacceptable. Based on social media multiple people have this issue and causinga safety concern. What would it take for HONDA TO FIX THIS. PLEASE MAKE A RECALL!!

20260205FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

My wife drives this vehicle daily with our 3 children all of sudden these warning lights come up: Trailer stability assist problem Road departure mitigation system problem Power steering system problem Emission system problem Vehicle stability assist problem Hill start assist problem The last time this happen was 1/28/2026 Took it to the dealer 1/31/2026 showed the association the video he said he has not heard of this but mostly caused by the battery. They looked at the battery all is well. If it happens again to bring it in he said. This was the 3rd time this happens the warning lights will go off. Took it to auto zone and they could not find the caused. This is dangerous to happen and unacceptable. Based on social media multiple people have this issue and causinga safety concern. What would it take for HONDA TO FIX THIS. PLEASE MAKE A RECALL!!

20260102ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2020 Honda pilot will sporadically turn off at highway speeds and at stop lights and will not turn back on until placed in park with foot on the brake. This is not to be confused with the start/stop feature used to save fuel. Additionally the 2020 pilot will lurch forward (like stuck in drive) while still in park.

20260102ENGINE

2020 Honda pilot will sporadically turn off at highway speeds and at stop lights and will not turn back on until placed in park with foot on the brake. This is not to be confused with the start/stop feature used to save fuel. Additionally the 2020 pilot will lurch forward (like stuck in drive) while still in park.

20260102POWER TRAIN

2020 Honda pilot will sporadically turn off at highway speeds and at stop lights and will not turn back on until placed in park with foot on the brake. This is not to be confused with the start/stop feature used to save fuel. Additionally the 2020 pilot will lurch forward (like stuck in drive) while still in park.

20251231ENGINE

There was a snap like sound under my hood while driving. Shortly after, the check engine light engaged and the vehicle lost all ability to accelerate. This happened while merging onto a fairly busy road, with rolling hills. If there were vehicles around there would have been potential for an accident. If this happened on the freeway in a middle lane, the vehicle would not have been able to successfully exit without causing extreme danger to the passengers and other vehicles. The vehicle stopped on the side of the road. When the ignition was briefly reengaged, there were rolling error codes, including vehicle stability, all wheel drive failure, etc. The engine was noticeably knocking. The vehicle was towed and inspected by an independent mechanic. The 3rd cylinder in the engine will no longer hold compression. I now need to get the vehicle to an engine specialist for further inspection and repair.

20251216FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 25-35 MPH and passing a vehicle on the left side of the vehicle, the vehicle stopped independently. The contact stated that the failure occurred while another vehicle was driving on the lane that was on the right side of the vehicle. The brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving, the message "Emissions Control" was displayed intermittently, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Part store, where DTC: P219B was retrieved, and the contact was informed that the fuel injectors had failed. The contact stated that the message "Emissions Control" would be displayed when the fuel tank was less than half full. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repa

Mileage: 98,000

20251216FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 25-35 MPH and passing a vehicle on the left side of the vehicle, the vehicle stopped independently. The contact stated that the failure occurred while another vehicle was driving on the lane that was on the right side of the vehicle. The brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving, the message "Emissions Control" was displayed intermittently, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Part store, where DTC: P219B was retrieved, and the contact was informed that the fuel injectors had failed. The contact stated that the message "Emissions Control" would be displayed when the fuel tank was less than half full. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repa

Mileage: 98,000

20251215FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My car has always had slight issue getting consistent fuel pressure causing the engine to rev abnormally when giving gas during acceleration. On 11/25, my car failed to start due to the fuel pressure being too low. I brought my car into two mechanics including a Honda certified dealership to inspect an issue with my fuel pump. I was informed that other Honda Pilots of the same year as mine have a recall on their fuel pump, but my VIN was not included. Both mechanics indicated that this is the exact issue that the other Pilots under the recall have and they were not sure why mine was not included. It is pulling the same codes, too, when it went under diagnostic testing as issue with the lower fuel pump.

Compare 2020HONDAPILOT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 HONDA PILOT have?
The 2020 HONDA PILOT has 686 NHTSA complaints, 15 crashes, 7 fires, 21 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 HONDA PILOT?
The 2020 HONDA PILOT received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 HONDA PILOT?
Yes, the 2020 HONDA PILOT has 9 recall(s). The most common affected component is STRUCTURE:BODY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 HONDA PILOT?
The most-complained component for the 2020 HONDA PILOT is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 194 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ENGINE.
Is the 2020 HONDA PILOT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 HONDA PILOT has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.