2024 HONDA PILOT Complaints

Right and center rear passenger seat belt sensors are malfunctioning. Despite passengers wearing their seatbelts, the dashboard and warning alarms signal that they are not wearing their seatbelts. I am concerned for the safety of my children who need to be in the back seats and fear that the seat belt system and sensors are not reliable.

The vehicle's Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) is triggering 'phantom braking' at 50mph when there are no vehicles or hazards ahead. This occurs consistently on roads with dark asphalt patches/crack sealant. The braking is severe enough to cause a potential rear-end collision. I have reported this to Honda Corporate (Case #16338446) and have an appointment with a dealer, but the issue persists and is a major safety risk for my family.

Recently the vehicle has developed an erratic behavior when a passenger on mid-row seat is using the seat belt, seat belt reminder goes on/off every few seconds displaying inaccurate information of when the seat belt is in use. I contacted my local Honda dealer describing the problem and informing them of Honda's service bulletin #TSB A26-027, which describes exactly the same symptoms my vehicle is having and they've been unwilling to address the issue, as the TSB is not an active recall.

I have had ongoing seat belt sensor issues with my vehicle. The middle row alarm would go off even when someone was buckled. Now it Has disabled itself and does not sense if someone is buckled or not. Now I also have two seat in the 3rd row that are intermittent alarms causing you to turn around and see if someone is in the seats or un buckled. The alarms go from constant to intermittent and will occur regardless of the weight of the person in the seat.

Component/System Failure: The right rear passenger seatbelt buckle/sensor appears to be malfunctioning. It intermittently registers as unbuckled even when the seatbelt is securely fastened. The component is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This defect creates a safety concern by causing continuous distraction to the driver due to repeated seatbelt warning chimes and alerts. It may also lead to uncertainty about whether the passenger is properly restrained, potentially compromising occupant safety. Reproduction/Confirmation: The issue has been consistently reproduced during normal driving conditions. It occurs frequently, even when the seatbelt is properly latched. The issue has not yet been formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Inspection History: The vehicle/component has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning Lamps/Messages/Symptoms: The seatbelt warning chime and dashboard alert activate intermittently while driving, despite the seatbelt being properly fastened. No prior warning signs were observed before the issue began. The problem first appeared in January 2026. Additional Notes / Assessment: Based on the symptoms, this appears to be a faulty seatbelt sensor or buckle connection issue causing false readings.

My Honda Pilot automatically applied the brakes 2 times while traveling on the interstate at 60 mph when there was no one in front of me and no one even near me. Both times it applied the brakes automatically and suddenly for no reason. It could have caused a bad accident. I was fortunate no one was behind me. Honda denies anything is wrong because it didn’t do it for them when they took it for a drive.

The vehicle previously experienced a steering wheel locking issue and was taken to the dealer for repair. The dealer stated the issue was repaired on December 11, 2024. On February 24, 2026, while driving on a public street, the vehicle hesitated or jerked slightly during acceleration and then appeared to operate normally. After a few minutes, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared on the dashboard, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and effectively locked while I was driving. I immediately activated my hazard lights. I was unable to safely pull over because the steering wheel would not respond properly, which placed me and other drivers at risk. I had to continue driving slowly until I found a side road where I could safely stop. I turned the vehicle off. When restarting, the warning messages reappeared. After several minutes, the warning lights cleared, and the steering wheel was no longer locked but felt loose and unstable ("wobbly"). I cautiously resumed driving. After several minutes, the steering began to feel normal again. The following warnings were displayed: Hill Start Assist problem, Trailer Stability Assist problem, Hill Descent Control problem, Adaptive Cruise Control problem, Lane Keeping Assist problem, Collision Mitigation Braking System problem, Road Departure Mitigation problem, Low Speed Braking Control problem, Auto High-Beam problem, Electric Power Steering system problem – Steering Assist Not Available, and "Stop. Steering assist reduced. Stop driving when safe." The failed component appears to be the Electric Power Steering system and related driver-assistance systems. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem was previously addressed by a dealer but has reoccurred. No prior warning lights were present before this incident. The failure occurred suddenly while driving.

Incident Description: While traveling at 45 mph with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) active, the vehicle experienced a "phantom braking" event triggered by high-contrast shadows on the roadway. The Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) incorrectly identified a shadow as a physical obstacle and abruptly applied the brakes in a clear path of travel. I was forced to manually override the system by applying the accelerator to prevent a potential rear-end collision. Safety Risk & Technical Context: This defect is repeatable under specific lighting conditions and occurs across multiple speed intervals (35–45 mph). I believe this incident is directly related to the ongoing NHTSA Engineering Analysis (EA24002) regarding inadvertent AEB activations. Furthermore, recent Service Bulletins (such as MC-11024251-0001) regarding Front View Camera and Radar Sensor updates suggest a known failure in the system's ability to process high-contrast environmental data. Conclusion: My local dealership failed to investigate the complaint. The sudden, unexpected deceleration poses a severe safety risk to the vehicle's occupants and following traffic. I request that NHTSA formally notify Honda of America regarding this recurring ADAS failure to ensure that my VIN is prioritized for the necessary sensor alignment and software enhancements.

Ongoing Defect History Since taking possession of the vehicle on November 1,2023, all three second-row seatbelt sensors have malfunctioned repeatedly. This issue has been presented for repair on the following dates: •December 6, 2024 – Seatbelt sensor malfunction reported and serviced •April 4, 2025 – Repair attempt made; defect persisted •May 29, 2025 – Additional repair attempt for the same unresolved issue Despite these multiple attempts, the same defects continues to reoccur.

The Honda Dealership diagnosed the Connecting Rod Crankshaft Engine Failure with 67, 995 miles on the vehicle. All oil changes were completed as required and specified by Honda maintenance procedures.