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The 2020 Honda Pilot driving down the countryside.

The Most Complained About Honda SUVs

Honda is one of the most trusted and best-selling brands in the US. With so many of them rolling out of production onto lots and into consumers’ hands, there are bound to be some stories. Not every Honda SUV has a perfect record. According to CarComplaints.com, these are the most complained about Honda SUVs. Honda …

Honda is one of the most trusted and best-selling brands in the US. With so many of them rolling out of production onto lots and into consumers’ hands, there are bound to be some stories. Not every Honda SUV has a perfect record. According to CarComplaints.com, these are the most complained about Honda SUVs.

Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is a great three-row SUV for families. It is a straightforward and generally reliable buy. However, for some owners, the Honda Pilot earned some complaints. On CarComplaints.com, the Honda Pilot SUV has 1,414 complaints filed.

What are the main issues with Honda’s three-row family hauler? Primarily, the worst Honda pilot problems are for transmission failure, excessive oil consumption, and transmission fluid leaking. The mileages at which the Honda SUV problems arrive are 123,000, 95,000, and 121,000 miles respectively.

2016 Honda Pilot at the 107th Annual Chicago Auto Show
The Honda Pilot | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

CarComplaints.com lists the worst Honda Pilot model year as 2003. This year for the three-row SUV apparently received an abundance of complaints about problems with its interior accessories. The 2003 model year also has the most complaints on file, in addition to holding to title for the highest volume of the same complaint––an ignition switch problem.

Other model years to look out for with the Honda Pilot appear to be the 2009, 2013, and 2016 Pilot SUVs. These models all have over 100 complaints on file for various frustrating problems. The newest of these most complained about Honda SUVs is the 2016.––has mostly complaints about transmission problems, electrical problems, and engine problems.

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Taking it easy this long weekend. #HondaPilot

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Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is currently the most sold Honda, according to Good Car Bad Car. So it’s no surprise that this is the most complained about Honda SUV. The CarComplaints.com numbers are not based on percentages. In fact, the 3,034 complaints filed for the Honda CR-V are a cumulative total.

a 2015 honda cr-v in a burgundy color parked with a mountainous backdrop
2015 Honda CR-V | Honda

The worst model year for the two-row Honda SUV is 2011. Unfortunately, this models seems to struggle with engine problems. The most complained about CR-V model year is the 2015 model year. The most reported CR-V problem, however, is for 2017 model year’s issues with a high oil level with gas in the oil.

The three worst problems for the Honda CR-V are the 2011 model year’s unwanted acceleration issues, the 2010 model year with excessive oil consumption, and a faulty A/C for the 2002 Honda CR-V. These issues happen around the 16,000, 80,000, and 113,000 miles marks, respectively. They are frustrating issues for this Honda SUV that can cost between $1,700 and $5,000 to repair.

Honda SUV problems

Although these Honda SUVs are both generally considered reliable, it doesn’t mean they will never have a problem. One good thing about these two is that––because of their popularity and a large number of vehicles produced it’s generally easy to source parts. Also, you can typically find a mechanic that is familiar with Hondas if you want to avoid dealership repair prices.

Honda CR-V Hybrid compact crossover SUV on display at Brussels Expo
The Honda CR-V | Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

For a used SUV, a Honda isn’t the only good choice. Still, it’s not too difficult to find a good used Honda SUV. They often last a long time driving you and your family safe from one place to another as the odometer ticks past those high mileage odometer readings.

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