2014 Honda Pilot Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 27,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud pop coming from the engine department. The contact became aware of a severe drop in the oil level while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was a…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 142,000 miles

I own a 2014 Honda Pilot that experienced an engine misfire related to piston ring deterioration. An authorized Honda dealership diagnosed and documented qualifying engine misfire codes (P030X). After the misfire occurred, we stopped driving the vehicle due to safety concerns, including risk of loss of power or stalling. While the…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 77,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (19).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

My paint is peeling. I never had a vehicle with the paint peeling like this. Its color is white. What can be done about this? I have bought touch up paint to help stop the peeling but that didnt do so well.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Clear coat failing on roof and paint chipping bubbling away from body on tailgate without evidence of rust. Reported to dealer and was told to contact American Honda Corp directly.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 40,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Leaks in two of 4 pirelli scorpion verde tires were diagnosed by mechanic as ply delaminations causing multiple pinhole leaks and indicating a need for immediate [VIN]. I found multiple reports of destructive delaminations in service on the nhsta site, but no recall. Tires are 235/60 r18, date codes 4217 and 4717 total mileage unknown…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 159,000 miles

Both front tire rims on my 2014 honda pilot have had to be replaced due to cracked rims. The left front rim has been replaced twice. The right front is now cracked. This car is driven under normal conditions. Left front first crack was in 2017. Left front second crack 13 months later. Right front cracked rim nov 2018.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 58,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 38,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

I made my 3rd visit to another honda location on 10/27/2017 after having issues with the vsa light and check engine light randomly flashing on and off in my 2014 honda pilot. The first time I'd taken it in, (roughly 08/2017), I was told it was an 'intermittent failure' which they were required to advise me according to honda's 'workflow'…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 38,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 honda pilot. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shook and the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rotors were warped and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was out of alignment. The [VIN] was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 50,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2014 Honda Pilot. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 176,362. The vehicle became disabled two weeks after purchase, and was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was discovered that the mileage was 176,629. The…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 176,629 miles

Major electrical malfunction, most of the dash electronics won't work. The rear hatch is locked and cannot be opened. No a/c and no gauges operating. Major disappointment for a 2014 honda pilot touring edition with only 6000 miles. Hope the local honda dealership fixes it tomorrow 3/31/15.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 6,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 honda pilot. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated after the vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 18v661000 (air bags). Steve padgett's danville honda (877-293-5660, located at 4050 riverside dr, danville, va 24541) performed the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to…Owner complaint, filed 2019

"takata recall" unfortunately, before the recall both airbags deployed. The passenger side exploded leaving a burn on the passengers leg. The drivers side bag also exploded after deployment leaving a burn on thumb of right hand of driver. The deployment was due to accident involving a deer on a state highway.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 85,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

When accelerating or decelerating from 40 MPH to 60 MPH the transmission makes a horrible rumbling sound and it feels like the car was forced into a lower gear. This seems related to the 'eco' mode and only started after the vehicle had 30,000 miles on it. The dealership called american honda's headquarters because they agreed with the…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 31,000 miles

2014 honda pilot bought from dealer in 12/2015 with 18,000 miles on odometer. Vehicle rolled down our driveway while transmission was in "park". This was an uncontrolled run-away vehicle. Driveway is typical suburban driveway, slight grade, nothing out of the ordinary. No other vehicle has ever rolled down our driveway, ever. The 2014…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 18,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Rear suspension subframe is rusted out and is not safe to drive by state inspection standards. The vehicle is not under a recall and dealer estimates about $200 to put on lift and inspect it. I am the owner of said vehicle and have had my own automobile repair shop for over 35 years, and am currently an official state safety inspection…Owner complaint, filed 2025

LIGHTING--DTR warning light stays on an they don't work but then I was pulled over 1 morning on the way to work because the both taillights stopped working. Checked everything no idea what it could be but the wiring. Because if you piggy back off a hot wire they will work. SUSPENSION-- there is a constant popping noise coming from the…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

My wife was driving her car, and started smelling gas in the cab or the car. You could smell it both in and out of the car. Took it to the mechanic and a fuel line was chewed through, leaking gas into the engine compartment. The part is underneath the manifold, so it will have to be pulled to replace the part. It will be around $800 to…Owner complaint, filed 2016

This car was what is discribed as "run away vehicle" the car was in park, as the ignition was turned off it started rolling, took out a tree which caused the vehicle damage. I was thrown from the vehicle so it proceeded down the driveway without a person in the car.Owner complaint, filed 2014

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

When raining at about 55 to 60 MPH vehicle hydroplanes. I have other family members that own the same vehicle having same problem.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 15,000 miles

Vehicle shimmies, shakes, vibrates when braking and pulls to the left. Had 26,000 mile on vehicle. Brought to dealership and they said it could be due to breaking, car washes, and weather. Rosters were resurfaced at my expense. Now vehicle has 38,000 miles on it with the same problem. Dealership says it's my fault. All miles are highway…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 21,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

On [XXX], the Pilot auto-braked without cause while driving on the highway in Maryland. All dash lights were illuminated so [XXX] pulled over. The car seemed to be functioning including the brake system (which was one of the lights illuminated during this occurrence) so the lights on the dash were assumed to be a computer glitch as was…Owner complaint, filed 2024

A little over 100K miles in my Honda and the ABS module has gone out. This part is over $2200 from Honda and on backorder. This is a known issue from Honda and yet, no recall. This unit is incredibly expensive and without fixing it, the safety of my family is as risk.Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 honda pilot. While at a stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The technician stated that the failure was due to the contact's driving style. The [VIN] was not made aware of the failure. The failure recurred randomly. The…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 30,000 miles

Check engine and VSA light on. Vehicle jerks and shakes/ rough when slowing down. Diagnosis Misfire in cylinder two- foul plug ( that was just replaced), burning up oil rapidly. Piston rings are defective on a car with 75000 k miles. The repair is $5k after I just spent $2k on plugs, coils, replaced again, alternator. Undsafe and feels…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving and my son saw a crack appear in the windshield. Nothing had struck the windshield or any the road was smooth. The crack continued to grow until it was almost all the way down the windshield. The dealer examined the glass the next day and could not find any marks or pits on the glass.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 13,170 miles

2014 Honda pilot touring--ENGINE-is running through oil faster than it should. The spark plugs/coil packs have all been replaced now. Starting with 1 an 3.I was driving down the road and it started stalling out while I was in traffic about 8 mo.ago . The vehicle didn't want to go anywhere an when it would get some power to go it was slow…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Center rear seat belt ended up around 3 year olds neck and everytime he moved it got tighter and tighter. The seat belt anchor is not easy to detach incase this happens.we ended up unbuckling him and turning his whole body to get it off his neck. Both 2nd and 3rd row seats use this kind of anchor.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 107,000 miles

When the 2nd row center seat belt, which stores on the ceiling, was released, it snapped up and struck the child sitting in the left 2nd row seat in a booster seat on the right upper cheek causing an abrasion and many tears. The child was sitting and still belted into the booster seat. The injury wasn't severe but could have been if it…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 8,500 miles