Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while depressing the hatchback release button to open the hatchback, the hatchback failed to open. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuse box had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic contacted the dealer to order the parts and was informed that the parts were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently drifted into another lane. The contact also stated that while driving, the vehicle stopped independently. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed accelerate as needed. The collision mitigation system, the ACC, and LKAS warning lights, the road mitigation warning light and the brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed and produced codes: by001c-swlka and u0104, indicating "A Loss of Communication with the Body Control Module) however, the contact was not provided a clear diagnostic result of what parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced various electrical failures while driving and stationary. The contact stated that the security alarm independently activated without incidence. The contact also stated that an abnormal crackling sound was coming from the engine with several warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. After replacing the battery, the headlights independently illuminated while the vehicle was shut-off. The contact restarted the vehicle and manually turned off the headlights however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuse box needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop, the auto idle stop system activated, turning the vehicle off. While attempting to continue driving, the contact became aware that the system had failed to restart the vehicle. After several attempts, the vehicle was able to be manually restarted. After restarting, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. However, the dealer replaced the battery as a precaution. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle previously had the battery and Auto Start/Stop button replaced; however, the while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was able to restart and no error codes were retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE22005 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 65 MPH on the freeway, the vehicle stalled due to battery failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced. After restarting the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal knocking sound consistent with a rod knock. Additionally, the trunk handle paint had chipped and was rusted. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while at a complete stop, the vehicle stalled due to a defect with the Auto STOP/START feature. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions where a software update was performed, the starter motor, starter switch, fuel injector and valve adjuster were all replaced; however, the failure persisted and worsened over time. The manufacturer was contacted and filed a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The Auto START/STOP system failed to operate as designed and the vehicle would stall and had to manually be restarted. The contact stated that occasionally several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle before the vehicle would perform as designed. The failure had occurred approximately 4-5 times. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and decelerating, the fuel saving feature malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to hesitate and almost stall. The contact was able to drive the vehicle off the road to turn off and restart the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the transmission erroneously shifted to neutral and failed to drive. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.
Horn stopped working which prevented notice to other car at stop backing up, resulting in a crash. Vehicle started turning itself on in accessory mode, flashing lights, disabling keyless entry and starting the vehicle and smelled of an electrical fire, was unable to disconnect battery due to unpredictable turning on and off at vehicles will. Brought vehicle to dealer who confirmed that it was a bad smart entry main control unit module which caused the horn to stop working and the vehicle to turn itself on.
Electrical complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2017 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 266 complaints about the electrical system of the 2017 Honda Pilot, 28% of the model year's 935 complaints. The component named most often is instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Honda Pilot electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2017 Honda Pilot, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Honda Pilot electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.