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 2020 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In two, separate, instances the vehicle exhibited sudden acceleration with the brake pedal depressed. The first instance was, as the 2020 Honda Pilot was pulling into a driveway and was approximately 10 feet behind another vehicle parked in the driveway. With the brake pedal being depressed, as one does when parking, the 2020 Honda Pilot suddenly accelerated and struck the rear of the other vehicle. The automatic braking system was never deployed. The second instance was when the 2020 Honda Pilot was on a city street and was parked behind another vehicle on the right side of the street against the curb. The 2020 Honda Pilot was approximately 10 feet behind another vehicle parked against the curb. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while turning left at an intersection, the vehicle stalled. Multiple unknown warnings illuminated. The v. The vehicle was restarted and no warning lights were illuminated. The failure was intermittent and was occurring at speeds lower than 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the stalling failures reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer who diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after another stalling failure, he drove the vehicle back to the same dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that upon arriving at the destination and attempting to reverse into a parking space, the transmission failed to shift into reverse even though the gear shifter was in reverse. The vehicle failed to shift back into drive, prompting the contact to turn off and restart the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality and the contact continued driving the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 20 MPH. The contact was able to reach her destination and turned the vehicle off, after which the vehicle was unable to restart. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing hard starts. Additionally, the contact stated that the Auto START/STOP function failed to engage automatically while attempting to drive from a complete stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred and the vehicle turned off while at a complete stop. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated while driving through an intersection, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that an ABS message was frequently displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that there was a miscommunication error with the front camera, which caused the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was not a safety issue and was given an estimate for the repair; however, the contact declined the repair. Since the failure, the contact received various messages on the instrument panel, with one message related to the transmission. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who confirmed the miscommunication error and that if not addressed, the failure could lead to other major safety issues. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the radio made an abnormal crackling and popping sound, and the instrument cluster flickered with the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), and the cruise control became inoperable while driving. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The contact associated the failure with TSB: 20-058 and 21-012, and NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V431000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 10.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message that the radio was shutting off was displayed. Additionally, the speakers made a crackling sound before the radio shut off, and the main screen became inoperable. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V431000 (Back Over Prevention); as a possible cause for the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer times; however, the technicians were unable to duplicate the issue. During the final visit, the dealer diagnosed the vehicle with an amplifier failure and replaced the part; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle shifted into park independently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while restarting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to restart for approximately 90-seconds, and then operated as intended. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where was it diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the the front camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the failure was not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, the Auto START/STOP feature activated; however, after releasing the brake pedal, the engine failed to restart. Additionally, the transmission had erroneously shifted into neural. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and shifted into park before pressing the START/STOP button to restart the vehicle. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a software update, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to lose automotive power, and failed to return to normal operation. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Electrical complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2020 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 214 complaints about the electrical system of the 2020 Honda Pilot, 43% of the model year's 492 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda Pilot electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2020 Honda Pilot, though it has 11 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 2020 Honda Pilot electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 2,000 miles, and 92% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 3 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.