2013 Honda Pilot
The Verdict
The 2013 Honda Pilot has 270 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (91 complaints) and engine (89 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 46/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Honda Pilot, consider the 2024 model year which has 63% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2024 has 63% fewer complaints
View the 2024 Honda Pilot dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
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 treatmen...
Risk
A worn piston may suddenly fail, causing the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbe...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
Get notified if a recall hits this car.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 183 | 26 | 248 | 77 | 211 |
| 2004 | 184 | 19 | 138 | 67 | 135 |
| 2005 | 165 | 122 | 165 | 94 | 130 |
| 2006 | 99 | 32 | 88 | 37 | 10 |
| 2007 | 78 | 19 | 79 | 25 | 10 |
| 2008 | 52 | 6 | 44 | 20 | 10 |
| 2009 | 44 | 13 | 31 | 39 | 7 |
| 2010 | 34 | 8 | 37 | 28 | 3 |
| 2011 | 113 | 37 | 80 | 44 | 16 |
| 2012 | 43 | 25 | 34 | 55 | 12 |
| 2013 | 91 | 38 | 27 | 89 | 25 |
| 2014 | 51 | 8 | 16 | 36 | 5 |
| 2015 | 42 | 11 | 22 | 28 | 4 |
| 2016 | 264 | 20 | 350 | 907 | 117 |
| 2017 | 141 | 19 | 107 | 550 | 81 |
| 2018 | 89 | 4 | 32 | 244 | 47 |
| 2019 | 218 | 33 | 166 | 370 | 62 |
| 2020 | 125 | 21 | 154 | 137 | 26 |
| 2021 | 161 | 24 | 96 | 105 | 13 |
| 2022 | 58 | 15 | 22 | 26 | 8 |
| 2023 | 66 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| 2024 | 59 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
| 2025 | 72 | 22 | 20 | 29 | 14 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2013 Honda Pilot stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
Recalls without notification; 1) Engine- recurring problem piston seal leak - continual replacement of coils & spark plugs. Engine light on VTM-4, traction bar symbol on, engine missing. [XXX] 2025: [XXX] ][XXX] Oil change 7 days later wrench & engine light gone [XXX] * 2 days later it came on again. I let it sit for a 1½ days, and the sway light went off. 5-29-25. Glendale Service Center Chase checked - engine light on Misfire of #2 cylinder again. [XXX]. HONDA DEALER Brown Stafford Honda Body Shop Mike Gerdes. 410-553-8661 712 Crain Hwy N Glen Burnie, MD 21061 Diagnostic fee. $185 ..Total $220.33 Diagnosis: One day repair Piston rings $6987.70 tax & shop fee $51. 51 Sway bar. $ 418.58 Power steering 1511.37 Flush. $178.29 Estimate Total = $9147.45 (not done) 3-11-25. Glendale Service Center Chase checked - engine light on Misfire of #2 cylinder again. *Glendale Service David/ Chase Replacing all 6 plugs and 1 coil Plugs $25 each = $125 10-2-24 Honda - trying to cut off Engine light on, VTM, Swerve lines Dash panel by music dim Once trouble starting Cell phone charger - losing charge on phone while charging Engine - slow, missing, Noise, smell, dash radio light dimmed, phone charger weak, Radio needs code often, switches from cell phone Blue tooth to radio, sway bar noise. 4-23-24 Safford Brown Honda dealer Glen Burnie. Md. Mike Gerdes. 8:30 DONE open at 7:30. $185 diagnostic Service fee $51.51? Replaced O² sensor and spark plug #2 410-553-8661 Total paid $753.95 not replaced! (local mechanic checked) Phil. - service, John Kim in charge Dan 4-21-24 Engine light, VTM-4, traction bars came on AFTER repair 4-16-24 Strange rasping sounds from blower. Destiny Auto Sales 3/07/22. Again. $220 2/8/22 Coil & spark plug $220 2) White Paint peeling 2021 7-2-21 White paint peeling around Sunroof. Rain storm. Soaked inside of car. Repair white paint on roof. Mold inside car INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The factory clear coat and paint on the roof of this 2013 Honda Pilot are delaminating and peeling away from the metal. The failure began about 1.5 years ago and continues to spread; in places it has now progressed through the paint to bare metal that is corroding and rusting. The vertical body panels remain glossy and intact while the entire horizontal roof has failed - a top-down failure pattern consistent with a defective factory finish rather than wear or environmental exposure. This matches a well-documented paint-adhesion defect in Honda vehicles of this generation: Honda issued warranty-extension service bulletin 19-057 for 2013-16 Pilots in White Diamond Pearl after identical roof peeling, a companion bulletin covers other white finishes, and an active class-action lawsuit alleges the same peeling and delaminating paint defect across 2013-and-later Honda and Acura vehicles. As the paint separates, detached clear-coat material can lift off the moving vehicle, and the exposed roof metal is now corroding. The affected roof/body panel is available for inspection upon request. No warning lamps applied; the defect is visible. The vehicle was not in a crash, and there was no fire and no injury. I am reporting this so it is documented as a manufacturing defect affecting colors beyond those the manufacturer has chosen to cover.
Had a car accident and hit a sand barrel at about 40 miles an hour without the airbags didn’t deploy. The grill and bumper were damaged with impact.
Multiple mechanics have told me it’s spark plugs and piston ring and issues. I constantly get my oils changed when I’m at 10% and never let it run out of gas. Constantly babied this thing. It only has 145k miles on it. Had 111k when I bought it in 2022! I barely put miles on this and the fuel consumption and engine are now causing issues. Even been told possible catalytic converter issues. Multiple Honda has told me different things. This is so frustrating because the allowed some vin specific models with my year. But not mine?! Helllllllp
Brake lights did not appear to be working while car suddenly slowed.
The car was inspected by the authorized dealer, but it is still on the list.
Repeatedly there has been a cylinder 1 misfire causing the check engine light to activate. The vehicle starts to shake and idling is rough. It has happened repeatedly over the past 3-4 years. In 2025 it happened in August, October and December despite repeated maintenance. Error codes that have popped up due to the issue primarily include cylinder 1 misfires a known and documented issue related to the faulty VCM system. The problem has repeatedly been identified by multiple mechanics. I use my vehicle primarily to transport my children to and from school. We have all been in the car during these misfires endangering their safety. At many of the times when the misfires have happened my children have been in the car and any engine failure while operating the vehicle puts them in danger. My children are ADHD/autistic and during the times the vehicle has broken down while driving it has caused them extreme distress. The vehicle is available for inspection at any time. I have reached out to Honda repeatedly to have the issue resolved however despite repeated promises the vehicle would be fixed due to recalls and extended warranties Honda officials have repeatedly made erroneous claims and insist my vehicle's vin needs to be approved for any repairs. This is a well documented known issue for this make and model due to the faulty VCM system causing oil to get into the cylinders leading to the misfires and piston ring wear and corroded spark plugs. All I am requesting is for Honda to make the necessary repairs so my vehicle is safe to transport my children. I have kept up with the maintenance of the vehicle. The problems we have experienced are directly caused by the known VCM/MIL failures. Also we have consistently had codes come up for the ABS as well. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act Honda is responsible for making the repairs.
• The side airbags on the passenger side, extending from the front passenger seat to the back, deployed without cause. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. • The airbags deployed while driving, forcing us to pull over immediately in an unsafe location on a very busy road with two young kids. My son was sitting on tue passenger side in the middle section near the window and was at risk of being severely injured by the airbag deployment. All passengers were put at risk due to the airbags and because stopping on a busy road created an additional safety hazard. • No, the problem hasn’t been reproduced or confirmed yet. • Yes, two police officers and a tow truck operator inspected the vehicle at the scene. Both confirmed that there was no crash, collision, and no visible damage to the car, and were unsure why the airbags deployed. They said it was “really weird” and unexplained. • No, there were no warning lights, error messages, or other symptoms before the airbag deployment.
Vcm2 light appearing causing bank 2 to stop working, vibration and rpm not being able to go above 3000 or 5000
The VSA/ABS lights came on and I took it to the repair shop. The mechanic told me that the VSA/ABS module is bad and needs to be replaced. He said this is a very common problem in my vehicle type. He said the anti-lock brakes won't work which can be dangerous. He said the parts are always backordered and can take months to come in and they are extremely expensive. They range from $1200-$2400 for the part only. I researched the problem online and it seems to be a common problem across many Honda models and years. Many people have taken apart the modules themselves and have repaired them. They mention that the connective wires on the modules are extremely thin and not recommended for circuit boards. The thinness of the connective wires causes the failure.
Significant paint chipping
Paint has peeled completely off of areas of the body--including the roof above the windshield and others. This peeling has occurred without any physical damage to the body itself
I purchased the vehicle and in May 2023 I noticed a small bubble on the paint on the roof of the car near the windshield on the left, above the driver's side. I went to the closest Honda Dealer and the gentleman at the shop dismissed me saying the car's warranty was expired. A few months later, the bubble popped and a part of the paint peeled off. I called the dealer Arlington Honda and was told by a manager Jeremy Hardman to take my car to one of 2 Autobody shops he provided me with for inspection. I went to Schaumburg Autobody who inspected the vehicle and found more affected areas behind the sunroof. They determined it to be defective sealer that is not adhearing to the metal. I sent an email to Jeremy Hardman and called that Honda dealer I was told Jeremy no longer works at that dealer and transferred me elsewhere. I was told to contact Honda Corporate. Meanwhile, the paint has now peeled further, the metal is now completely exposed which will lead to rust formation causing further damage. Also making my car look old and poorly maintained. Since its near the windshield, moisture from snow, rain etc will cause damage where water will start to make its way into the vehicle causing further damage there as well. I have attached pictures to show the metal exposure from the peeling and pictures where you can see the sealant coming off. I would like instructions on how to proceed from here to initiate a recall asap due to poor paint/sealer quality and/or improper application. Instructions for a temporary solution to avoid further damage. I also found an article. Please see [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owned a 2013 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 45- 50 MPH, the engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that rod bearings and piston ring replacements were needed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case and assisted with the repair fees. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The lights(traction control light, check engine,) in the dash come on and go off intermittently and vehicle display reads check emissions system and check VSA (vehicle stability assist) I got the vehicle scanned for the codes it throws and the print out was for the power train control module the piston rings all of them failed emission test! The dash lights come on for two to three weeks at a time and than just go off while the lights are illuminated I have no traction control no eco mode and the car doesn’t get the correct power while accelerating speed sometimes it gets too much power and accelerates too high causing the vehicle to take off and without any kind of traction
paint peeling above windshield
I made an 8:40 am appointment to fix the 2018 airbag recall (18V-042) and after arriving at the service center was told it would take two days to fix because they were unexpectedly busy, and, they would be unable to give me a loaner vehicle or facilitate it's dropoff when complete. This does not work for us and leaves us exposed to unacceptable safety risk.
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the check engine warning light, the traction control warning light, and an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that oil was seeping through the piston rings and was leaking onto the spark plugs. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that cylinder #1 was misfiring. The dealer determined that the piston rings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V382000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 86,680.
I recently purchased 2013 Honda Pilot (89,000 miles) and can hear a distinct intermittent hum only when the vehicle is traveling between 45 and 50 mph. I have taken it to the dealer to repair it twice, but they have not found a problem. Ball bearings are fine, transmission fluid was changed, but hum is still there. This model is known to have transmission problems, and I don’t want issues down the road.
Burn oil more then usual smokes when accelerating hard . premature spark plug failure, cylinder 1, 2 , 3 have alot of oil build on them causing failure.
270 total