2026 Honda Pilot Problems

Intermittent severe shaking in steering wheel while driving at various speeds. No warning. Vehicle has less than 500 miles.

Vehicle: 2026 Honda Pilot Elite AWD Current Mileage: ~3,850 VIN: [XXX] ——— Defect Summary: Persistent component defect and failure within the steering column assembly, specifically involving the steering clock spring (cable reel assembly). The vehicle experiences an audible clicking, rattling, and binding sensation during normal steering wheel rotation. Authorized Honda dealership warranty repairs have failed to remedy the issue due to replacement parts failing immediately upon installation.  Chronology of Failures: 1. [XXX] (2,078 miles): Vehicle brought to Hennessy Honda for stiff steering and a loud clicking noise. Technicians noted the steering cable gear was making noise and binding. The column was adjusted.  2. 05/20/2026 (2,509 miles): Clicking worsened significantly across full left-to-center rotations. The dealership diagnosed a defective clock spring and replaced the Cable Reel Assembly (Part: 77900-T20-E61).  3. [XXX] (3,847 miles): The brand-new replacement part failed immediately. Vehicle returned with identical clicking and a new "whoosh" plastic scraping noise. Dealership replaced misadjusted steering column trim pieces to stop the scraping but confirmed the steering wheel click remains active.  Safety Risk: The dealership service department explicitly stated that the current production batch of factory replacement clock springs contains an inherent manufacturer defect, meaning new replacements fail out of the box. The clock spring maintains the continuous electrical connection to the driver’s steering wheel airbag, horn, and driver-assist controls. A mechanically binding ribbon cable reel presents an imminent risk of snapping or shorting out. If the cable fails on the road, it will instantly deactivate the driver's front airbag, rendering a critical safety restraint system useless in a crash.  Requested Action: Compel Honda to investigate 2026 Pilot manufacturing lines, fast-track an updated/redesigned cable INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(

When dropping off rear-seat passengers, the seat belt alarm continues to sound loudly for an extended period after passengers unbuckle and exit the vehicle. This behavior persists even after the door has been opened and closed. In contrast, the front passenger seat does not behave this way, and in my previous vehicle—a 2023 Honda Pilot Touring—the rear seat alert would disengage promptly once the door was opened and closed. At the dealership we tested a 2026 Honda Pilot Touring and this issue does not exist in that model either. Seems specific to only 2026 Honda Pilot Trailsport trim level or possibly just some 2026 Honda Pilot Trailsport vehicles. This issue occurs regardless if the vehicle is put into park or not. The only way to eliminate the issue is for the vehicle to be turned off after rear passenger exits during a drop off. As a parent of three active children, I make multiple drop-offs each day at school and sporting events. The repeated and prolonged alarms have become a distraction while driving and have contributed to what I would describe as “alarm fatigue.” My concern is that when a legitimate seat belt safety issue arises, the effectiveness of these alerts may be diminished because of their frequency in routine, non-risk situations.

The second and third row seats do not recognize when passengers are exiting the vehicle. All second and third row seats cause the seat belt warning to go off multiple times even when there are not passengers in the vehicle. Car in park does not mitigate this problem.

Slowed down to turn right into a parking lot, power steering suddenly disabled and multiple warning lights appeared on dash. Warning messages stating auto brake system disabled, lane departure assist disabled, hill assist and start disabled, and more warning lights. Steering suddenly became difficult and dangerous with moving traffic behind me. Pulled into a parking lot and restarted car multiple times. After more than 10 minutes and restarting vehicle, power steering came back.

The second and third row seats do not recognize when passengers are exiting the vehicle. All second and third row seats cause the seat belt warning to go off multiple times even when there are not passengers in the vehicle. Car in park does not mitigate this problem.

The vehicle since purchase has a delay of a few seconds after hitting the gas pedal to move forward. Once the vehicle does decide to move, it surges to a high rpm before switching to second gear moving forward rather aggressively. This causes the vehicle to be unpredictable and unsafe when making decisions in navigating traffic.

The occupant detection system for all five rear seats is erratic, frequently reporting seats as occupied and unbuckled when they are empty or folded flat. Once the vehicle reaches 10 mph, audible alerts trigger and recur up to three times for 30 to 60 seconds each, even if no passengers are present. Because these sensors are integral to the restraint system, there is a critical concern that the airbags may not deploy correctly based on this inaccurate occupancy data. Extremely distracting. First time we noticed: Leaving the chanhassen Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses. We had 4 kids in the vehicle when they were all seated and buckled up and the third row seat (middle) that nobody was sitting in started alarming several times thinking that a passenger was in the and needed to be buckled. This is everyday recurring problem in all 5 rear seats.

Intermittent severe shaking in steering wheel while driving at various speeds. No warning. Vehicle has less than 500 miles.

Slowed down to turn right into a parking lot, power steering suddenly disabled and multiple warning lights appeared on dash. Warning messages stating auto brake system disabled, lane departure assist disabled, hill assist and start disabled, and more warning lights. Steering suddenly became difficult and dangerous with moving traffic behind me. Pulled into a parking lot and restarted car multiple times. After more than 10 minutes and restarting vehicle, power steering came back.