Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2017 Honda Pilot: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 915 safety complaints about the 2017 Honda Pilot with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved September 7, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

915
Complaints
4
Recalls
4
Investigations
5★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 9 crashes, 5 fires, 6 injuries. No deaths have been reported.

Key findings
  1. Engine & cooling issues dominate. They appear in 51% of the 915 complaints on file — an unusually concentrated failure pattern.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 182 of the 915 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. Complaints peaked 5 years after the model year (233 filed in 2022) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  4. 4 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2017 Honda Pilot, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 915 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Engine & cooling
471
Electrical
264
Fuel & propulsion
139
Other / unspecified
136
Power train / transmission
121
Brakes & stability
33
Speed control
30
Driver assistance
27

"While driving car it lost power and was going only 35 mph then shut off completely while driving. Would not crank had car towed to Honda dealer and they said the engine was seized up. The car is at the Honda dealer now. No warning lights that I'm aware of. Honda dealer stated I would need a new motor."

Owner complaint filed September 2026 · Engine · NHTSA ODI 11761565

"when trying to accelerate car is yanking very bad seems like it is a very bad shutter or something with the transmission there is also a very bad squeak when you drive under the car"

Owner complaint filed August 2026 · Suspension,Engine · NHTSA ODI 11757503

When complaints were filed

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2017 Honda Pilot peaked later than usual, in 2022.

Complaints filed per year — 2017 Honda Pilot
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
23
43
38
73
82
233
94
111
119
99
17181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through September 7, 2026). A late peak is the signature of wear-out failures: parts that don't fail until the vehicle has years and miles on it.

How the 2017 compares with other model years

Across the Honda Pilot model years we track, the 2016 has the most complaints on file (1,691); the 2017 ranks 2 of 5.

Total complaints by model year — Honda Pilot
All complaints on file per model year, as of September 7, 2026
1,691
2017
915
437
894
483
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 4 recalls

4 recalls apply to some or all 2017 Honda Pilot vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

Nov 202121V-932
Structure:Body:Hood

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.

Dec 202323V-858
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…

May 202626V-332
Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 …

Jun 202626V-365
Structure:Frame And Members

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minne…

Does your car have an open recall?

Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.

★★★★★
Overall
★★★★☆
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★★☆
Rollover

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2017 Honda Pilot have?

As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 915 complaints about the 2017 Honda Pilot with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.

How many recalls does the 2017 Honda Pilot have?

The 2017 Honda Pilot has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2017 Honda Pilot safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2017 Honda Pilot an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.

Methodology & source

All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.

Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.

This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.