2009 Honda Pilot Owner Complaints

Serpentine belt tensioner bolt keeps snapping and or breaking has been replaced 3 times now. Research shows at least 10 years of part being defective.

NHTSA ID

11709543

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

2009 Honda Pilot VIN [XXX] Mileage 128,000 Issue: Transmission shuddering, a KNOWN and ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM Why is there not been a recall for this problem? I have spoken with other Pilot owners and all have experience this problem. The dealership gave me about 3 reasons, all out of pocket costs. I am on fixed income, this is a problem for me. HONDA knows there is a problem and yet the US government has not enforced any recall, WHY !! Help us. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11692462

Incident

Oct 9, 2025

DTC code 12-51 passenger air bag is on OBD. have not gone to dealership. been on for several years.

NHTSA ID

11617571

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

I bought this car from Nalley Honda. After that I drove back to Birmingham. On my way airbag alarm pops up. Now they says I have to pay for this. But why should I pay for an safety issue as they should make sure its works fine.

NHTSA ID

11592760

Incident

May 23, 2024

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ID

11582445

Incident

Jan 20, 2024

My 2009 Honda Pilot has 188,793 miles, I barely drive the vehicle and it need Piston Rings. I'm aware that this is a common problem with the 2009 Honda Pilots. I do not have $3,000. to just give to these people when Honda knows there is a problem with this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11546707

Incident

Sep 21, 2023

My driver's side seat belt is constantly releasing as I'm driving.

NHTSA ID

11513890

Incident

Mar 27, 2023

WE HAVE LEARNED FROM OTHER Honda Pilot OWNERS AS WELL FROM THE DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY COMMON ISSUE. IT WILL COST OVER $6,000 TO FIX. THAT IS CORRECT, OVER $ 6,000 !!!!!!!! WE HOPE THE US GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE ACTION. WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THAT HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF FOR YEARS NOW. PLEASE HELP US COMMON FOLK THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11498297

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

In September of 2021 my mechanic noticed low oil. oil consumption and poor mileage. We have to travel from New Mexico to Houston to see our grandchildren and sometimes we bring them back to our home. The risk is that we can get stranded in the middle of the desert. There have been reports of oil consumption see attached article: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/honda-pilot-excessive-oil-consumption-recalls But when I called Honda customer service they dismiss it because my vin# does not show on their computers of recall of problems of such. I called the dealership and the same thing happened. I am an old timer that changes its oil and does the required maintenance regularly and on time. This should not happen to a very well-maintained vehicle! I hope you can help or at least direct me to someone that could help me. A very dissatisfied customer

NHTSA ID

11481250

Incident

Sep 1, 2021

check engine light manufacturer control

NHTSA ID

11470535

Incident

May 28, 2022

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, there was an odor of burning oil present inside the cabin of the vehicle. In addition, the contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption and no oil leaks were present. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11463314

Incident

Apr 1, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 45 MPH, the brake pedal failed to operate as needed upon depression as his wife crashed a vehicle that stopped at the light. The airbags deployed upon impact. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to a local hospital by ambulance; her injuries were unknown. The contact took his wife to the hospital after the accident where she was treated for neck and back pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11453866

Incident

Feb 18, 2022

Mileage

120,000 mi

I reclined the drivers seat to nap. After my nap the seat would not recline back into seating position. To get the seat to come forward I had to get out of my car and with one hand operate the knob and the other hand pulled the seat forward. The seat did not come fully upright and I had no support from the seat as I started to drive again. After driving for 10 min I found another place I could safely pull over. I once again got out of the car and pushing the knob in the direction that would bring the seat up with one had and pulling on the seat with the other hand finally got the seat in the full upright position. I finished my drive home and proceeded to call the dealership to schedule an appointment for the seat to be looked at. The dealership told me that the motor/drive system needed to be replaced as it was coming apart. The problem was that when they looked to see if a motor could be ordered a whole seat needed to be ordered. Now I have a seat that should I try to adjust the seat back I may never get it back into original position. I was quoted $1872.73 for a new seat and they would need the car for two days because the seat would need to go to the upholstery shop and that would be another $500 because the seat is leather.

NHTSA ID

11425067

Incident

Jul 5, 2021

A VALVE FELL INTO THE ENGINE AS I WAS DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND COAST INTO SAFETY. IT WAS INOPERABLE AFTER THIS EVENT.

NHTSA ID

11351695

Incident

Jun 21, 2020

Mileage

154,000 mi

ON JULY 29, 2020 I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM CROWN NISSAN OF GREENVILLE. THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A SAFETY INSPECTION AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND ALL THAT NEEDED WAS A NEW AC COMPRESSOR THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE AT THEIR EXPENSE. THEY WERE NOT TRANSPARENT ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS THAT SURFACED WITHIN THE FIRST QUARTER TANK OF GAS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND WAS CAUSING ERRORS WHICH IS A SAFETY CONCERN. BOTH LOW CONTROL ARMS AND STRUTS WERE COMPLETELY WORN AND NOT SAFE FOR VEHICLE OPERATION. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK IN IT. THERE WERE ALSO FAULTY ENGINE MISFIRING. THERE INSPECTION DID NOT ANIMATE ANY OF THESE ISSUES AND SAID THE ONLY THING WRONG WAS THE AC COMPRESSOR, WHICH WAS A LIE. THE LEFT STRUT WAS ALSO WAS NOT OPERATIONAL AND HAS MADE THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 100 MILES AND HAS CAUSED NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE DRIVER. I USED THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE AND THEY WERE NOT TRANSPARENT ABOUT ISSUES CONCERNING THE VEHICLE. THEY DID NOT CARE AND BOTH TIMES SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE WHICH WAS NOT TRUE THERE WAS A LOT WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE THAT THEY WEREN'T DISCLOSING. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG BECAUSE I NEEDED TO KNOW AND THEY ASSURED ME THE SAFETY INSPECTION WAS DONE AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE HONDA MECHANIC FROM FISHERS GARAGE CLAIMS THE CAR HAS SIGNS OF BEING IN A ROUGH ACCIDENT WITH UNDERNEATH REPAIRS, HOWEVER THE DEALER ASSURED THERE WAS NO ACCIDENTS AND THE CAR FAX WAS CLEAR OF ANY DEFECTS. WHICH ALSO TURNS OUT TO BE A LIE.

NHTSA ID

11343816

Incident

Jul 30, 2020

Mileage

159,510 mi

I HAD JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE, AND ONLY HAD IT 3 DAYS WHEN IT BEGIN TO IDLE HIGH AND IT SEEMED AS IF THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL WHILE I WAS DRIVING BUT IT WASN'T. THEN THE D LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I STOPPED AT A CAR REPAIR PLACE TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND WHEN THE PERSON GOT IN AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON IT WAS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN, BUT AS SOON AS THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN IT ACTS NORMAL FOR A FEW. I WASN'T DOING NOTHING BUT DRIVING AT THE TIME AT A SPEED UNDER 60MPH. WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING OVER 60MPH IT DIDN'T DO IT AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11318771

Incident

Mar 19, 2020

Mileage

197,660 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT INDEPENDENTLY UNLATCHED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NHTSA ID

11297362

Incident

Jan 6, 2020

Mileage

152,000 mi

2009 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PISTON RING FAILURE. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11290550

Incident

Dec 30, 2019

THE DRIVER'S POWER SEAT HORIZONTAL POSITION TRACK JAMMED SO THAT THE SEAT COULD ONLY BE MOVED ABOUT 2 INCHES FORWARD/BACKWARD. THIS LOCKED THE DRIVER INTO A POSITION VERY CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND UNABLE TO REACH AUTO CONTROLS, SEAT BELT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY. HONDA DEALER SAID THEY'RE HAD A RASH OF THESE POWER SEAT JAM-UPS ON PILOTS. HAD TO REPLACE THE "LOWER SEAT TRACK ASSEMBLY" WHICH COST $1,340 WITH PARTS, LABOR AND TAX.

NHTSA ID

11281354

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

I WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT MY COMPLIANCE BUSHINGS WERE LEAKING AND NEEDED REPAIR. FOUND THERE'S WAS A BULLETIN PUT OUT BY HONDA, BUT I WAS NEVER CONTACTED. SPOKE TO A HONDA REP THAT SAID THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO INFORM OWNERS ABOUT BULLETINS. SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE COST OF REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID

11267704

Incident

Sep 18, 2019

DRIVER SEAT - SEAT BELT NYLON THREAD IS SPLITTING

NHTSA ID

11266809

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

WE PURCHASED THE 2009 HONDA PILOT FROM IN MID-SEPTEMBER IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - ONE PREVIOUS OWNER, SERVICED REGULARLY, TIMING BELT REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED AT 100,00 MILES.IN NOVEMBER 2018,AS AGREED UPON WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, WE BROUGHT THE PILOT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA, A TEAR IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT ARMREST AND WE ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE EMISSIONS AND ENGINE BE CHECKED AS THE ENGINE AND EMISSIONS LIGHTS WERE ON. THE BACKUP CAMERA AND TEAR WERE REPAIRED AND GRACE'S ASSURED US THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT AND EMISSIONS LIGHT WERE OKAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CARED, FOR (OIL CHANGED ETC) AND LESS THAN AVERAGE MILES HAVE BEEN PUT ON IT AS I WORK LOCALLY. HOWEVER, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 24 AT 11:40 AM, I WAS DRIVING EAST ON 64 IN VIRGINIA AND SUDDENLY THE PILOT SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF 64. AS I DID, SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I COULD SMELL GAS, SMOKE AND OIL AND I GOT OUT QUICKLY AS I WAS AFRAID THAT IT WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE - I HAD NO IDEA WHAT COULD BE WRONG OR WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH, IT AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND AGAIN, GRACE'S LOOKED AT IT IN NOVEMBER. AS THE CAR BEGAN TO COOL OFF A STATE TROOPER AND MY HUSBAND ARRIVED AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHECK THE OIL AND THE COOLANT - THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR AND COOLANT BUT IT WAS QUICKLY LEAKING ALL OVER THE GROUND AND THE STATE TROOPER COULD NOT PUT UP FLARES DUE TO FEARS OF FIRE. WE CALLED TRIPLE A AND WE EVEN FOUND A PIECE OF THE MOTOR THAT HAD BROKEN OFF (WE HAVE THE PICTURE AND THE PIECE) AND TRIPLE A TOWED THE VEHICLE A MECHANIC. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MOTOR/ENGINE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY BROKE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS RIDICULOUS AND EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO ALL. WE ARE CONTACTING HONDA AS WELL AS THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING ENGINES IN 2009 HONDAS.

NHTSA ID

11193055

Incident

Mar 24, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

SHUDDERING AT 40 AND 60 MPH

NHTSA ID

11191183

Incident

Jan 3, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY PILOT 4 YEARS AGO, IT WAS OWNED BY ONE PERSON PRIOR TO ME. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE IT STARTED SEEING RUSTING BY MY TAILGATE HANDLE AND NOW ITS THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL ON BOTH SIDES. I SEE THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS BUT WAS TOLD I DO NOT FALL UNDER THIS DUE TO THE TIME LINE. VERY UPSET THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED WHEN ITS A KNOWN ISSUE THROUGH HONDA! VERY FRUSTRATING BUYING A CAR AND SEEING THE ISSUES AND NO ONE CAN HELP. I CLEARLY GOT THE LEMON PILOT, WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF PURCHASING MY PILOT, I NEEDED NEW EXHAUST CATS AND ALL AND THEN A NEW MOTOR DUE TO OIL ISSUES AND A FUEL PUMP, THE LIST GOES ON.. WHEN WILL HONDA TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY KNOW ARE PROBLEMS!

NHTSA ID

11180296

Incident

Feb 20, 2017

"EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL BURN" VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE OIL LIFE MINDER AND MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS THE OIL CHANGE WHEN THE OIL LIFE DROPS TO 15% AND BELOW. BUT VEHICLE NEVER MADE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE WITHOUT ADDING/TAPPING OFF TWO 1 QUARTS OF ENGINE OIL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAD CALLED THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THEY HAD THE OIL CHANGE DONE AND SAID TO RETURN BACK AFTER 1000 MILES TO CHECK THE OIL. RESULT TO THAT THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE OIL BURN IS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. BUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS OIL CHANGE RESULTED TO ME TAPPING OFF TWO 1 QUART ENGINE OIL WITH 30% OIL LIFE LEFT. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT A LOT OF SIMILAR MODEL IS EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE OIL BURN AS WELL. THE DEALER MENTIONED THAT THE COST TO FIX THE ISSUE IS AROUND $3,800! I WANT THE MANUFACTURER TO RELEASE THIS ISSUE TO THE PUBLIC AS A RECALL AND TO OFFER TO FIX THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A DESIGN/MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THIS BRAND WAS SAID TO BE KNOWN FOR RELIABILITY BUT NOT REALLY AND I DON'T THINK SO. I CONSIDER NOT BUYING THIS BRAND AGAIN AND DEFINITELY WILL WON'T RECOMMEND.

NHTSA ID

11176422

Incident

Dec 15, 2018

Mileage

88,000 mi