2020 Honda Pilot Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

96Engine complaints

20.6%Of all 467 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM201 · 43%

ENGINE96 · 20.6%

Unspecified / other94 · 20.1%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING44 · 9.4%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS40 · 8.6%

Share of the 467 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Honda Pilot overview page.

What owners report

“BRAKES ARE TOO LOW AND SOFT.IDLING IS ROUGH DURING COLD START.I BROUGHT TO THE DEALER LAST SEPTEMBER 28,2020 BUT DEALER DID NOTHING.TECHNICIAN SAID THERE IS…”NHTSA complaint 11362286 — filed 10/01/2020

“STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WAITING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. AFTER TRAFFIC CLEARED PRESSED ON THE GAS AND CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED REVVING REALLY LOUD…”NHTSA complaint 11348682 — filed 08/11/2020

“I GOT THIS CAR ONLY 1 WEEK; I HEARD THE NOISE FROM STEERING WHEEL AND THE PROBLEM WHEN I HIT GAS AND SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION…”NHTSA complaint 11344095 — filed 08/08/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Honda Pilot have engine problems?

Engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Honda Pilot: 96 of 467 complaints on file (20.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2020 Honda Pilot have in total?

467 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.