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Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2021 Honda PilotRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 10 safety recalls and 452 owner complaints for the 2021 Honda Pilot. Most complaints involve electrical system (137) and engine (112). The EPA rates it 22–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
22–23mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
10campaigns
Latest Jun 2026
Owner complaints
452
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$2,800est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

10 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Structure: frame and members

Remedy pending

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, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

StructureReported Jun 5, 2026NHTSA 26V365000

Air bags: front passenger

Free remedy

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 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

Air bagsReported May 22, 2026NHTSA 26V332000

Air bags: front passenger

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

Air bagsReported Feb 1, 2024NHTSA 24V064000
See all 10 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 2, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

452 complaints filed with NHTSA · Nov 2020 – Oct 2026
  1. Electrical system137
  2. Engine112
  3. Forward collision avoidance98
  4. Lane departure44
  5. Air bags32
  6. Service brakes26
  7. Power train25
  8. Fuel/propulsion system23
  9. Visibility/wiper21

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Pilot model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2003746
2004544
2005679
2006268
2007211
2008133
2009134
2010111
2011293
2012172
2013272
2014116
2015109
20161,725
2017937
2018442
2019927
2020493
2021452
2022172
2023148
2024117
2025216
202629
Crashes reported
14
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
10
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 2, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Electrical system

137 reports1 crash2 fires
“The car alarm goes off on its own,and the dashboard lights flash even when the car is turned off ,this continues until the battery dies and the car won’t start. I’ve taken it to the mechanic several times and no codes come up; I’ve replaced the battery with a new one twice.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2026Electrical systemODI 11774343

Engine

112 reports1 crash1 fire
“On four occasions, my 2021 Honda Pilot SE AWD (VIN [XXX]) has shut off at a stop under the Auto Idle Stop system and then failed to restart, leaving the driver stranded. The incidents happened on XXX, XXX, XXX, and XXX in and around [XXX]. Component: The starter system and the Auto Idle Stop engine restart function. Honda has acknowledged this exact condition in Service Bulletin 23-009 and Warranty Extension 23-009/23-010 (“Engine Does Not Auto Restart After Entering Auto Idle Stop”). The listed remedy is a software update, a valve adjustment, and replacement of the starter assembly and starter relays. The vehicle and the original starter are available for inspection on request. Safety risk: The engine shuts off at stops as designed, then will not restart. The vehicle is left disabled at intersections and in traffic with no warning, which puts the driver and passengers at risk of being rear-ended and stranded. My wife has been stranded four times. Idle Stop turns itself back on every time the car is started, so the driver’s only protection is remembering to switch it off manually on every trip. The fourth failure happened when she forgot. Dealer confirmation:…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2026EngineODI 11773521

Forward collision avoidance

98 reports4 crashes
“The entire ADAS suddenly failed. the vehicle started cycling through all warning indicators (adaptive cruise control problem, abs problem, lane keep assist problem, brake mitigation system problem etc) brought it to Honda today and they confirmed that the "multi purpose camera/millimeter wave radar unit with aiming" had failed and needed to be replaced. Honda charged $1764.14 for all work to fix this on 9/15/2026”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2026Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11764401
All 2021 Pilot problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 2, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S9)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 2, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Pilot FWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202723$2,800388
Pilot AWD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
192622$2,900406
  • Pilot FWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Pilot AWD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    19 city · 26 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 2, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Honda PILOT SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.4%
Overall
5 / 5
Honda PILOT SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
17.5%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 2, 2026Vehicle 15112Vehicle 15111
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2021 Pilot questions

How many recalls does the 2021 Honda Pilot have?

10 safety recalls as of Nov 2, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2021 Honda Pilot problems?

Owners filed 452 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (137), engine (112), forward collision avoidance (98). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2021 Honda Pilot get?

The EPA rates the 2021 Honda Pilot at 22–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2021 Honda Pilot?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2021 Honda Pilot 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 2, 2026