Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2025 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while reversing, the automatic emergency brake unexpectedly engaged. The check engine, ABS, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The transmission failed to shift into the intended gear. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to shift into the intended gear. Additionally, the transmission jerked while accelerating, the RPM failed to increase while accelerating. The contact stated that the doors failed to open immediately after pressing the fob key, and the infotainment screen was flashing. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle recently received routine maintenance by the dealer; however, approximately one month later while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power and came to a complete stop. The messages "Transmission Temperature -Avoid Heavy Acceleration and High Speeds", "Transmission System Problem", "Apply Parking Brake When Parked", "Emissions System Problem", and "Power May Be Reduced - See Your Dealer" messages were displayed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 52,646.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic signal, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle then jolted forward into gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but only occurred while stopped at a traffic signal. The contact turned off the engine START/STOP feature manually. The contact stated that the vehicle was restarted after failing to respond properly. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,100.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 12 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 90-seconds and then the vehicle operated as intended. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where was it diagnosed and determined that 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 22,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH up a ramp with an incline in the rain and merging onto the freeway, the accelerator pedal was depressed down to the floorboard, but the vehicle hesitated while responding and slowly accelerated. It was unknown whether a warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that it felt like the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,435.
Tonight, 11/8/2025 at 7pm MT, while traveling straight at 25-30 mph, power steering suddenly failed and vehicle reported that AWD failed with only front wheels powered. Many other failure warnings simultaneously appeared on dash (collision detection, LKAS, parking assist, etc). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My family's safety was put at risk. Sudden loss of power steering is very surprising to the driver, combined with the dash reporting a multitude of failure warnings all at once. If we had been driving on the freeway at speed or in the middle of a turn this would have been a very serious safety issue, easily leading to a collision given the sudden change in steering input needed. If traveling in snow or ice, losing AWD suddenly would also have been a serious safety issue. No one has inspected the vehicle since the incident, this just happened tonight. …
On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Assistance would not arrive for an estimated 60-90 minutes. It was brought to the local dealership. After an hour from incident to inspection at the local Honda dealership, the vehicle powered on normally of which no codes showed and the vehicle started with no issues. The manufacturer and dealer state they cannot replicate the problem and found no historical or pending diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). …
The message "emission system problem, power may be reduced, see your dealer" indicates a potential issue with your vehicle's emission control system, which may also be causing a reduction in engine power. I was told by the Honda Service Center, that i shouldn't drive it until it is serviced because the car might stall or engine damage may occur. The car only has 86 miles, I have had it less than a week. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Yes. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was told the car might stall Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? It has been reported Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? …
The steering wheel became extremely difficult for my husband to turn. Power steering went out on my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. Numerous warnings were then displayed on the vehicle's dashboard screen, it was impossible to drive, and caused us to have to get towed. We had it towed to a Honda dealer for repair, where it was discovered that the steering wheel had more turns in one direction than the other, the shaft boot was misplaced, non-factory pins on the steering rack were noted, and the clock spring was stuck reading 508 degrees. Furthermore, the steering wheel rack gearbox had to be replaced following a steering angle sensor failure in my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. This is a serious safety issue and should have never have happened in such a new vehicle. This incident not only put my family's lives at risk, but also everyone else on the roadway. …
After driving over a railroad crossing, all driver safety systems disabled, brake system error, AWD torque distribution stopped and stated only FWD worked, and power steering stopped working. Was unable to manuever vehicle and had to ease vehicle over. Was able to stop the vehicle and shut it off. Restarted vehicle and power steering came back but other lights remained. Another few minutes went by and systems all returned to normal. This issue caused driver to lose all control of vehicle and thankfully didn't crash since vehicle was only traveling roughly 20 mph. If this happened at highway speed, there would be no way to safely stop the vehicle.
Transmission complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2025 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2025 Honda Pilot, 10% of the model year's 214 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2025 Honda Pilot transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2025 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 2025 Honda Pilot transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 22,000 miles, and 60% before 25,000 miles.
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.