2013 Honda Pilot Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Honda Pilot. Part of Generation 2 — 2009–2015.

20122014
Complaints
360
per 10K Sold
28.4
US Sales
126,678
Crashes
14
Fires
6
Injuries
18
Fatalities
Recalls
6

Worst 2013 Honda Pilot Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#176 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:34,840 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:2
#253 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:16,842 mi
Crash-related:3
#341 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:57,212 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2013 Honda Pilot.

Engine Problems
76
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
34,840
Transmission / Drivetrain
53
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
16,842
Body Structure
41
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
57,212
Brakes
40
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
29,517
Airbags
17
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
68,151
Unintended Acceleration
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
1,229
Suspension Failures
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
21,535
Steering Defects
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
76,702
Fuel System
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
35,206
Electrical Faults
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
59,343
Seat-Related Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
25,428
Engine & Cooling
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
3,772
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
22,823
Wipers & Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Abs Warning Light
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Structure:Frame And Members
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Interior Panels:Sun Visor
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2013 Honda Pilot. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2013 Honda Pilot

6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,824,576 vehicles.

19V502000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~9,555 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V378000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~19,138 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

18V661000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,355,406 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V042000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~691,726 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Accord Crosstour, Fit and Pilot, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V, and 2010 Acura ZDX and Honda Insight vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Unless included in Zones A or B above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

13V382000Engine
~270 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear.

13V016000Airbags
~748,481 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

Other Honda Pilot Years

2013 Honda Pilot — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2013 Honda Pilot reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2013 Honda Pilot has 360 NHTSA complaints, 14 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Engine Problems with 76 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2013 Honda Pilot?
Top reported problems: Engine Problems (76 complaints, avg 34,840 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (53 complaints, avg 16,842 mi); Body Structure (41 complaints, avg 57,212 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2013 Honda Pilot?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 35,152 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2013 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA complaints for the 2013 Honda Pilot include 14 crash-related reports, 6 fire reports, 18 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2013 Honda Pilot have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,824,576 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2013 Honda Pilot?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda Pilot reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2013 Honda Pilot

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