2013 Honda Pilot Problems, Recalls & Reliability

368 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Honda Pilot, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 16,000 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2013 Honda Pilot has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

368Complaints
18/100Trouble index
6Recalls
44,000Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2013 sits among all Pilot years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Engine 83 complaints (23%) · typically ~16,000 miles
“The engine is making an idling noise only when the car starts in the morning. Takes time for car to increase speed”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Pilot
Transmission & drivetrain 54 complaints (15%) · typically ~10,000 miles
“I changed tire ,bushing stabilizer,wheel balance alignment, changed the tie rod and cv axle but the car still shaking between the speed of 60mph-70mph..i don't remember when my honda pilot 2013 misfired then they fixed it but my timing belt everything was making sound , i spent to my mechanic…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Pilot
Body & structure 47 complaints (13%) · typically ~60,000 miles
“Paint is peeling down to the metal between the windshield and the sunroof. The car was parked when it was noticed. The car is garaged.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Pilot
Brakes & stability 42 complaints (11%) · typically ~28,175 miles
“Braking at highway speeds, 5-70mph, car shakes like crazy, rotors are warped after 25000 miles. When applying brakes the car front end shakes very badly. Rotors are honda oem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Pilot
Other 38 complaints (10%) · typically ~65,000 miles
“Paint starting coming off first small circle then more and more it goes from side to side between my sunroof and windshield.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Pilot
Airbags 18 complaints (5%) · typically ~90,500 miles

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 214 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 44,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 7,500 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (6)

AIR BAGS 19V502000 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

AIR BAGS 19V378000 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V,…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019.…

AIR BAGS 18V661000 2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

AIR BAGS 18V042000 2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

ENGINE 13V382000 2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbers…

AIR BAGS 13V016000 2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began…

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2013peak 68 in 20132026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Honda Pilot reliable?

The 2013 Honda Pilot drew 368 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).

What are the most common 2013 Honda Pilot problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Honda Pilot are engine (83 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (54), and body & structure (47).

At what mileage do 2013 Honda Pilot problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Honda Pilot problems around 44,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 7,500 and 80,000 miles.

Does the 2013 Honda Pilot have recalls?

6 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Honda Pilot. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-12 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.