Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2024 | 4 | 3% | — |
| 2023 | 6 | 4% | 18,000 miles |
| 2022 | 7 | 4% | — |
| 2021 | 5 | 1% | 7,000 miles |
| 2020 | 7 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 12 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2018 | 17 | 4% | 23,000 miles |
| 2017 | 15 | 2% | 5,000 miles |
| 2016 | 54 | 3% | 15,000 miles |
| 2015 | 10 | 9% | 60,000 miles |
| 2014 | 20 | 17% | 80,000 miles |
| 2013 | 47 | 17% | 60,000 miles |
| 2012 | 8 | 5% | 72,000 miles |
| 2011 | 19 | 6% | 70,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 5% | 51,000 miles |
| 2009 | 7 | 5% | 69,000 miles |
| 2008 | 16 | 12% | 77,000 miles |
| 2007 | 15 | 7% | 5,000 miles |
| 2006 | 26 | 10% | 155,000 miles |
| 2005 | 23 | 3% | 75,000 miles |
| 2004 | 42 | 8% | 105,000 miles |
| 2003 | 47 | 7% | 125,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I presented the vehicle to a Honda service shop for a squeaking noise from the front of the vehicle. The technician diagnosed a 'loose crash bar/reinforcement bar.' The technician tried to tighten the bar but noted it did not tighten enough to stop the movement, and that the bar will need to be replaced to resolve the complaint. When I spoke to the service manager, he indicated that other vehicles had presented with loose crash bars recently and it 'was on their list.' This vehicle is 37,000 miles and has not been in any accidents. It seems unreasonable and a safety concern that a crash bar has loosened after 37,000 miles and cannot be tightened. This suggests a defect in the hardware or torque specifications that could affect how the crash bar performs in an accident.
My vehicle begun to make a clicking noise every time when turning the steering wheel. It has gotten worse over time, almost constantly. I took the vehicle for my first service and mentioned this to the service guy. He mentioned that this is a known problem on some of their Hondas, not just my vehicle and that they tried fixing it on another Honda vehicle but that the problem on that vehicle was worse after they tried to fix it. The guy basically said there is a sensor inside the steering wheel that tells the vehicle how much the wheel has turned (I forgot the name of the sensor). He basically admitted this was a known design flaw and recommended I leave the issue alone or it would get worst if they try to fix it.
The doors on my new Honda Pilot have an extremely sharp, hazardous, protruding edge on the lower outer corner at the bottom of the doors. The edge is so sharp, that while exiting the passenger door, it punctured my left leg in my calf on the left side of my shin bone. This required me to have 12 stitches in my leg. The laceration was very deep and exposed my then swollen bleeding inner tissue. The impact forced the outer skin underneath my intact layer of skin creating a V shape like the edge of the door. This required extra time and care to first get the buried skin out so that it could then be sewn back together. The edge was very pointed hard and sharp. There needs to be a protective covering (rounding the edge) so it won't be so sharp. Or adding additional rubber or plastic, preventing it from piercing a leg. …
On December 14, 2023 I noticed there was an orange spot and several smaller orange areas that appeared under the clearcoat on my front bumper. I was unable to remove them through hand washing and waxing. I decided to take it in to two local body shops who pointed out to me that the fender was misaligned. After further review we found paint peeling and cracking on and under the hood as well as the painted area around the engine components. In addition, seam filler was left exposed on the roof in multiple spots, not prepped correctly, and just painted over. The pin stripe installed by the dealership was also peeling off. Furthermore, the hood was painted (twice as thick) and other painted panels had a different paint thickness. I contacted the selling dealer directly (missed during PDI), and my nearest dealership to report these issues and to start case with Honda for a resolution.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse, there was an abnormal popping and cracking sound coming from the driver's side roof. The failure became worse over time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that there were improper welds underneath the third-row seats on the cross member, and that the cross member needed to be properly welded. The vehicle was taken to a body shop and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an air draft sound coming from the interior of the vehicle with all the windows closed. While washing the vehicle, the contact observed water leaking into the interior of the vehicle however, the contact was unable to locate the origin of the leak. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was also unable to locate the origin of the leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 527.
Our familly was driving down the highway on vacation when there was a very loud noise. I was in the passenger seat and looked back to see large pieces flying off of the car. When we got to a safe place to pull over, we noted that the trim at the bottom of the door, both front and rear had come off of the car. Had we been on the very busy freeway, which we had been a few minutes earlier, these large pieces flying into the air could have hit another vehicle or frightened a driver causing them to cross lanes trying to miss these pieces. The incident was reported to the call center and we were told that it was a known manufacturing default. The dealership denied that there was a manufacturing default and was unsure why we were told that. There was no warning of this incident about to occur. The dealership agreed to repair the vehicle as a "good will" offer.
Vehicle hatch door window seal and door seal allowed water to collect inside the door. When the door was later opened, the water that collected in the door rushed inside the vehicle and began leaking heavily from behind the interior trim panels at the rear of the vehicle near the hatch door opening.
Related recalls (2)
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.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing welds, free of charge. If the vehicle is identified as missing welds, the dealer will offer to repurchase the vehicle or provide a similar…
Structure › Body › Roof and pillars
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Ridgeline and Pilot vehicles. The mounting holes for the clip that secures the right center pillar trim panel may be larger than intended.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket on the right center pillar that will securely hold the center pillar trim clip, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019.
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Pilot years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (54), 2003 (47), 2013 (47), 2004 (42) and 2006 (26) model years. Body complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Honda Pilot body problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 19V-784 (body, Oct 31, 2019); 18V-848 (roof and pillars, Nov 28, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Honda Pilot body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (310 mentions), followed by the frame and members (8).
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.