2023 Honda Pilot: What to check before buying

A sudden cascade of dashboard warnings is the main pattern. Brake, ABS, AWD, power steering, collision mitigation and adaptive cruise all report failures together, sometimes at highway speed, with lost acceleration, a shaking wheel or hard braking. Several cars needed towing, and some failed as early as 850 miles. Dealers often cannot reproduce it. When they do find a cause, it is often a front sensor or wheel speed sensor that is on backorder. Other reports describe headlights shutting off with radar systems, a disabled liftgate, and frayed wiring under the rear bumper. One crash report describes a sudden surge forward in a parking garage.

Clicking, knocking or groaning when turning the wheel at low speed or while parked is the most common complaint. Dealers usually replace the steering rack, often within the first 7,500 miles. Some cars get a second or third rack because the noise keeps coming back. More serious reports describe lost power steering, or a wheel that seizes while warnings flood the dash. Lane keeping also draws complaints for pulling the car toward oncoming traffic or cyclists on country roads. These are clear loss-of-control risks.

False unbuckled warnings sound in the second and third rows while passengers are properly buckled. The chime and light come and go when the passenger shifts. Wiggling the buckle silences the alert briefly, which some owners suspect is loose wiring under the buckle. Dealers often cannot replicate the fault, and some charge a diagnostic fee. One replaced belt began alarming again by 38k miles. Constant false alarms lead drivers to ignore the warning, and one report describes missing a real unbuckled passenger.

Panoramic sunroof glass shatters without warning and showers the cabin with glass. This has happened while driving and while reversing, at mileages from 600 to 16,527. In one case the driver suffered bruises and small cuts. Separately, the moonroof shade supports can fracture, leaving the roof uncovered. Side mirrors that tilt down in reverse sometimes fail to return to position, which a dealer traced to software with no remedy yet available.

Optical distortion in the windshield is the main complaint. Drivers describe warped, magnified views like looking through strong prescription glasses, which causes dizziness and disorientation. Separately, a windshield cracked around the camera while the car was parked, with no impact. Another report describes running out of washer fluid in highway salt spray with no low-fluid warning. Dealers are often described as unhelpful.

Hesitation when pulling away from a stop is the dominant complaint. Rough, uneven shifting makes merging and quick turns difficult. The car bogs and jerks at random, and dealers often turn owners away because they cannot reproduce it. In one case a replacement transmission did not cure the hesitation. Other reports describe the engine stalling at a red light and restarting slowly, and an AWD warning followed by a full loss of drive power while the engine revved.

Loss of power and sluggish acceleration from a stop lead these reports. In one case the car would not exceed 25 to 30 mph, gave off a burning smell, and showed transmission, AWD and emissions warnings. Others describe a rough idle and a misfire-like stumble in cool weather with no check engine light. Dealers could not replicate it and pointed to carbon buildup. Repeat emissions sensor faults and a leaking VTC oil control valve also appear.

Water leaks and body defects make up most of these reports. Leaks soaked the driver's seat belt and airbag electronics on a car without a sunroof, and in another case water got in at 527 miles from a source the dealer could not find. Popping and cracking from the roof in reverse traced back to improper welds on the cross member under the third row. A sunroof also exploded at highway speed, leaving a jagged hole in the glass.

Phantom braking is the core problem. The car slams on its brakes with no vehicles, pedestrians or obstacles ahead, often while passing tractor trailers or on the same stretch of road at around 45 mph. Some drivers keep a foot over the gas to counter it and fear being rear-ended. The system also drops out as part of the wider multi-warning failure, and repair parts are on backorder.