Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2025 Honda Pilot submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 38, in the owner's own words
Lost power on steering wheel while driving, unable to turn left/right. All of the warning lights related to braking, lane assist, hill descent, adaptive cruise control, trailer stability assist, hill start assist, low speed breaking, auto-high beam, parking sensor detector, etc.. "All wheel drive system problem. Only front wheels may be powered. See your dealer."
We bought our 2025 Pilot in XXX. Within the first 500 miles, the steering wheel was locking up when trying to turn left or right. I was very concerned driving it that it could have locked up during driving and caused an accident. It was taken to Honda East in [XXX] where they agreed the steering rack was bad and replaced it. Currently it has 33,000 miles and is making a grinding/growling sound when turning. Took it back to Honda East (same location) on XXX, where they again stated that there is something wrong with the steering rack and it needs to be replaced. I am currently waiting on a new one to be delivered and they told me I would have to bring it back in for repair. I am concerned with the safety of our Pilot and think there needs to be some type of investigation of the Honda steering racks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle has suffered a life-threatening, complete loss of power steering while driving under identical, hazardous conditions on two separate occasions. There were no warning lights or inductors prior to either event. 1. The vehicle suffered a complete steering failure while driving over railroad tracks with a child inside the vehicle. A full replacement of the steering gearbox and power steering rack was performed under warranty (Defect Code: 03001 [Binding/Sticking], Symptom Code: 03217 [Not Operating]). This failure occurred only 20 days after receiving routine manufacturer maintenance from a Honda service department. 2. The exact same dangerous defect recurred, causing another complete loss of power steering while driving over railroad tracks with a child in the vehicle. The service department confirmed they successfully duplicated this power steering failure twice during active diagnostics.
during a routine trip thru the [XXX]/[XXX] section of [XXX] our 2025 Honda Pilot suddenly lost power steering capability, we could hardly control the vehicle and had to manage an exist to a side street. We received a message on the dash board of a lost of power steering assistance and to notify the dealer. We shut the car off, restarted and gained control of the vehicle less the lane departure feature. At this time we made an appointment with Fred Beans in Abington for service, we have lost confidence in the vehicles safety after this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The steering wheel became extremely difficult for my husband to turn. Power steering went out on my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. Numerous warnings were then displayed on the vehicle's dashboard screen, it was impossible to drive, and caused us to have to get towed. We had it towed to a Honda dealer for repair, where it was discovered that the steering wheel had more turns in one direction than the other, the shaft boot was misplaced, non-factory pins on the steering rack were noted, and the clock spring was stuck reading 508 degrees. Furthermore, the steering wheel rack gearbox had to be replaced following a steering angle sensor failure in my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. This is a serious safety issue and should have never have happened in such a new vehicle. This incident not only put my family's lives at risk, but also everyone else on the roadway. Why did my vehicle that I bought brand new and have only serviced at Honda have non-factory parts?
I was driving on a somewhat bumpy road (due to construction works in that location), when suddenly several warning lights came on. Driver assist was disabled, power steering and electrical braking were disabled as well. I was driving at 10mph (this was at a roundabout) so was able to control the vehicle and safely navigate it to a place where I could park. I turned off the vehicle and waited a few moments. When I turned it back on the warning lights cleared and I had power steering wheel/brake control as normal. I brought the vehicle to a certified Honda service station first thing in the morning. The report states an error code C0051-96 has occurred. The wheel sensor was recalibrated and the vehicle was cleared to drive by a Honda certified technician.
While driving my 2025 Honda Pilot at normal road speeds, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including steering system warnings. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and felt as though it had locked, creating a serious safety hazard. I had very limited ability to steer the vehicle and could have lost control, especially if this had occurred at higher speeds or in traffic. The vehicle had to be towed to a Honda dealership for inspection. I was informed there were issues involving the steering system, including the steering rack/rack and pinion, and an alignment was recommended. The estimated repair cost was approximately $5,900, and I was told the warranty would not cover the repair even though this appears to be an internal component failure. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. I believe this is a serious safety defect because a sudden loss of steering control while driving could easily result in a crash, serious injury, or death.
Started up vehicle, and (all the bashboard warning lights illuminated),tsa,check engine light,power steering, brake lights.....all of them. Doors won't lock, and the raido stays on, even when the vehicle is completely turned off. Vehicle purchased on:12/02/2024. 3 miles on the odometer. Currently 14,000 miles.. honda corporation attempting not honor the warranty. $8400 dollars, to fix,and to contact my insurance company, and claim rodent damage; I, wouldn't have to pay, the insurance company will cover the cost.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel made an abnormal clicking sound. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure and associated the failure with air bag and an incorrect installation of the steering wheel. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
While driving roughly 15 MPH, my car displayed emergency messages, brake applied automatically by the vehicle and the power steering failed. In order for me to get out of the way of traffic in an intersection, I had to veer to the opposite side of the road passing oncoming traffic. The following lights were displayed "TSA, Hill start assist problem vehicle may roll upon brake release, Vehicle Stability Assist problem reduced traction and handling, brake system problem brake system reduced, electric power steering problem steering assist not available do not drive" Vehicle has had no issues and only has 6,460 miles on it. Car is currently waiting to be towed to the dealership.
Steering locked up with all warning lights lite up. No control over vehicle. Yes this put all people in the vehicle at risk of death or injury. This happened at an intersection while making a turn-no other vehicles were at the intersection- if there had been or had this happened entering an interstate highway or turning onto a high speed road could have been hit from several directions. Not repeated. Must have been confirmed by dealer as they hooked up the computer with Honda Headquarters and said the starter was at fault. No prior symptoms. It is available for inspection. Killing the engine and restarting cleared the dash lights and was able to turn afterwards.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly decelerated, and the steering wheel started jerking. The messages EPS Failure, Lane Keep Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control Failure were displayed. The contact safely pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,200.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. While the contact’s wife was driving approximately 70 MPH, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn in either direction. The driver was able to forcefully steer the vehicle over to the shoulder. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the steering failure was self-corrected, and the vehicle operated normally. The driver was able to continue driving without any additional failures. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, and a service appointment was scheduled. The failure mileage was 8,000. The VIN was not available.
The power steering system software problem undriveable. The AWD failed said undriveable. Only 30k miles on it and it just locked and couldnt steering right to left in the middle of traffic. Could have caused a bad accident lycjuly my kids weren't in the car. The computer software took over completely made my car uncontrollable. Have a video of all warnings that came on.
My steering is making loud clicking noises when turning the vehicle left or right at low speeds. It sounds like loud pops. It is especially prevalent once car has warmed up and driven. It is very prominent when reversing and turning the wheel or moving forward and turning the wheel and also when parked and turned the wheel left or right. I brought this to my dealership’s attention and they confirmed the issue and said it is a faulty clock spring so they replaced it. After they replaced it, the noise is still there. The clock spring was not the cause of the noise. I’m afraid this will become a major safety issue with preventing the ability of the steering wheel to operate safely.
Electrical issues began around 15,000 miles. Since then, the vehicle has been in the shop many times for electrical-related concerns and has required towing twice. Most concerning, these failures have left us stranded in dangerous conditions on multiple occasions. These incidents represent serious safety risks to our family and others on the road. We have been diligent about regular maintenance as well. A Honda vehicle of this age and mileage should not experience repeated electrical system breakdowns that compromise vehicle control and driver safety. When the car errors come on the car has lost AWD (while in the mountains in a snow storm) acceleration, the ability to change driving modes, and this most recent event we lost complete access to the driver panel and steering while driving. This electrical issue has been documented over 5 times and we have been told specifically by the dealers weve been towed or brought to "You may have drove it too hard" or "We reset the codes and the car is now driving fine" or "we can't find a problem". Most recently the alternator failed and they will not back to repair because it's past 36,000. We want to see Honda fix these issues before someone is seriously injured. We have photos and video of all of the warnings each time they happened. We also have documentation of each electrical failure, the date, the mileage and what we were told by the dealership in response.
Received Warning message 'Electric Steering Assist Failure' Saturday January 10th 2026 12:00-Noon Driving approximately 5mph, released the accelerator to begin pulling into a parking spot and the power steering failed. The vehicle was very difficult to turn but I was able to avoid hitting anything. Drove around for ~2 hours making multiple stops at multiple stores with no issues until... same day, Saturday January 10th 2026 1:55 Driving approximately 5mph, released the accelerator to begin pulling into a parking spot and the power steering failed. This was a safety risk to my family and to the pedestrians in the parking lot. Saturday January 10th 2026 1:55 I immediately called Wilde Honda Waukesha Wisconsin, which is the dealership that I bought it from (6/25/25 delivery date) They asked me to bring the vehicle in on Monday Monday January 12 2026 1:46pm Justin Green - Service Advisor called and stated that they can see that its an electrical issue but cannot diagnose fully. He stated that they needed to bring in a more advanced technician so I would need to bring it back the next day. Tuesday January 13 2026 1:51pm Justin Green - Service Advisor called to inform that they were unable to replicate the issue and that my keys are at the front desk. 2:45 Spoke with service manager who advised me to continue driving the vehicle and bring it back if it happens again. He suspected that because it was snowing the day of the incidents, that the issue may have been caused by moisture.
On 1/18 I was dropping my daughter off at Chicopee High School when I took left to front street I heard a snap and the car took me to the right direction causing my rim to be damaged. The Tired Rob broke. I called Roadside they tow the car to Curry Honda in Chicopee mass. Today when I called Cury Honda one of the managers insisted that I hit a poth hole without me explaining and saying this never happened when online there’s been customers complaining with the same situation 2023 -2025 with Honda pilots experience the same issue. It’s a safety matter where it could been worse me in the car with 4 of my children,
All of the lights on the dash came on and the power steering stopped working while driving on the highway. I was in the number one lane and had to merge across four lanes to pull over with no power steering. I shut the car off and waited a few minutes. The lights were still on the dash but the power steering was working. This is the second time this has happened in the last two weeks.
I began driving the vehicle and the steering locked up. An error message presented stating that there was an issue with the steering and to see the dealer. This is a severe safety issue. Kids were in the car and this could have lead to a severe accident. It has been inspected and confirmed by Fox Honda Grand Rapids. There were no indicators/warnings prior to the incident.
My vehicle has 1,500 miles on it. Last time I drove it from work back home was Friday 11/21 and nothing was wrong. Got back in the car Sunday 11/23 and my engine light was blinking and all kinds of warnings were displaying such as engine, break, and steering problems. My wife and I noticed the car vibrating a lot and I had to drive 20mph. If not the car felt like it was going to shut down.
Tonight, 11/8/2025 at 7pm MT, while traveling straight at 25-30 mph, power steering suddenly failed and vehicle reported that AWD failed with only front wheels powered. Many other failure warnings simultaneously appeared on dash (collision detection, LKAS, parking assist, etc). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My family's safety was put at risk. Sudden loss of power steering is very surprising to the driver, combined with the dash reporting a multitude of failure warnings all at once. If we had been driving on the freeway at speed or in the middle of a turn this would have been a very serious safety issue, easily leading to a collision given the sudden change in steering input needed. If traveling in snow or ice, losing AWD suddenly would also have been a serious safety issue. No one has inspected the vehicle since the incident, this just happened tonight. The vehicle has only 5,700 miles on it, was serviced by the dealer within the last couple hundred miles to repair all outstanding recalls, and I have had no other issues with the vehicle. There was no warning about and issues with the vehicle prior to this incident. The only thing out of the ordinary immediately prior to the incident is that my phone wasn't able to pair to the infotainment system (which never happens).
The steering wheel malfunctions creating clicking and creaking noises when turning due to defective steering rack, clock spring, and more. I've taken the vehicle to 2 different Honda dealerships. They cannot fix the problem. One Honda dealership has refused to continue to try to fix the problem after multiple attempts. The dealership contacted Honda corporate field representative who told them to stop the repairs despite having a warranty and the problem continuing. This is a known problem impacting thousands of new Hondas.
I am reporting a serious safety issue with my vehicle related to the steering system. The steering cable reel is binding up, causing difficulty or resistance when turning the steering wheel. This issue affects steering at any speed, making driving unpredictable and unsafe. I am very concerned for my safety, as this could lead to a sudden loss of steering control, putting myself and others at risk. I have brought the vehicle to the dealership, and they have confirmed the problem. They will be replacing the steering cable reel. However, I know there has been many issues with the 2025 Honda Pilot's, and I believe this issue could be another potential defect and may affect other vehicles as well. It needs to be investigated to prevent possible accidents.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 5 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering assist failed without warning. The driver attempted to complete the turn; however, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle while the vehicle was drifting into oncoming traffic. The driver was able to steer the vehicle off to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a defective inner tie rod and inner tie rod alignment. There were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle for the failure. The contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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