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2011 Honda Pilot Electrical Problems

18 owner-reported electrical complaints from NHTSA data

18
Complaints
2
Fires
Jan 2018Nov 2014
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (18)

highELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2026

You purchased a 2011 Honda Pilot in a private sale with stated mileage of 144,000 miles. The check engine light came on 24 hours after purchase. You later discovered the vehicle's title shows 204,000 miles, indicating the odometer may have been tampered with before sale. This will likely require a thorough inspection of the vehicle's history and potentially legal action regarding the fraudulent mileage.

NHTSA #: 11720964
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jul 2025

You purchased a 2011 Honda Pilot and discovered a serious mileage discrepancy when registering it. The odometer showed 55,653 miles when you bought the vehicle, but registration records revealed the actual mileage was 225,000 miles—a difference of nearly 170,000 miles. This indicates the odometer may have been tampered with or rolled back. You may need to contact your state's motor vehicle department and consider legal action against the previous owner or seller.

NHTSA #: 11676811
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2025

You purchased a 2011 Honda Pilot from a dealer that showed 150,000 miles at the time of sale, but when you went to register it, the odometer reading was found to be 166,000 miles — a discrepancy of 16,000 miles. This suggests the odometer may have been rolled back or incorrectly displayed at the time of purchase. You should contact the dealer and your state's motor vehicle authority about this mileage discrepancy.

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NHTSA #: 11657444
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2023

Your car stalled without warning while you were driving, and no dashboard warning lights appeared beforehand. A mechanic determined that your ignition switch had failed and needed replacement. The ignition switch controls whether your engine stays running, so a faulty one can cause unexpected stalling while driving.

NHTSA #: 11538946
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2023

Your 2011 Honda Pilot has a built-in feature that unlocks all doors, opens all windows, and opens the moonroof when you press the unlock button twice and hold it—and this can happen unintentionally on its own. The owner reports their vehicle was opened this way in the middle of the night without touching the controls, allowing rain and snow to damage the interior and potentially the electrical system. This creates two safety problems: your vehicle becomes vulnerable to intruders, and water damage from unplanned exposure could affect electrical components. Fixing this would require Honda to reprogram the body control module to disable this unlock feature.

NHTSA #: 11512907
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the navigation system clock failed to adjust to the correct time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed her to purchase a new vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA #: 11506032
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Sep 2022

The contact owns a 2011 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. Due to failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic since the vehicle failed to restart. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a defective ignition switch cylinder. The contact called the dealer and the manufacturer and was informed that there was no recall on her vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA #: 11486945
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Filed: May 2018

MOVING KEY BACK AND FORTH IN DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK WILL RESULT IN ENGINE REPEATEDLY TURNING OVER, EVEN WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION. ENGINE DOESN'T ACTUALLY START BUT WILL CRANK BY ITSELF. CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF REMOTE START INSTALLED. VIDEO OF EXAMPLE HERE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=YEFIB2TBMJ0

NHTSA #: 11091534
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE
FireFiled: Jan 2018

GOT A NEW BATTERY 36 MINS LATER THE CAR WAS ON FIRE

NHTSA #: 11063323
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
FireFiled: Jul 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. HALF AN HOUR AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS AWAITING INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA #: 10888634
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Sep 2015

I HAD RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF MY WINDOWS WOULD ROLL DOWN TO A THIRD OPEN EQUALLY IF THE KEY FOB ALARM WAS CONTINUOUSLY PUSHED (BY SOMETHING IS A PURSE OR BACKPACK) AND I MIGHT ALREADY BE AWAY FROM THE CAR. SO I WAS NOW MORE AWARE OF LOCKING MY CAR AND SETTING THE ALARM AND KEEPING THE KEYS IN SIGHT TILL I WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CAR BEING ROBBED IT JUST MADE ME MORE AWARE TO LOCK THE CAR. I PARKED AND LOCKED THE CAR ON THE NIGHT OF 8/31/14 AND WENT TO BED. THE NEXT DAY MY CAR WAS UNLOCKED AND HAD BEEN RANSACKED. MANY THINGS WERE STOLEN FROM THE CAR BUT NOTHING WAS DAMAGED. WEEKS LATER I FOUND A HONDA MANUAL IN THE BUSHES. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM MY CAR FROM THE ROBBERY. IT TURNED OUT IT BELONGED TO MY NEIGHBOR WHO DROVE A HONDA CIVIC. HE HAD ALSO BEEN ROBBED ON THE SAME DAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS ODD HIS CAR WAS UNLOCKED WHEN HE FOUND IT. BOTH OF US ARE PRETTY SURE SOMEBODY HAD THE TECHNOLOGY TO REMOTELY OPEN OUR CARS AND BYPASS THE SECURITY SYSTEMS. NEITHER ONE OF US REPORTED IT TO THE POLICE. HAVING BEEN ROBBED (GARAGE) BEFORE IN LOS ANGELES I FOUND THEY CAN DO NOTHING FOR YOU SO I DID NOT EVEN TELL MY INSURANCE COMPANY THINKING MY RATES MIGHT GO UP IF IT IS KNOWN MY CARE IS EASILY ROBBED, ALARM SYSTEM OR NOT. I NOW WAKE AT EVERY NOISE THINKING IT MIGHT BE HAPPENING AGAIN. I CAN NO LONGER LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE CAR AS I DON'T CONSIDER IT SECURE. IT HAS CHANGED MY SLEEPING HABITS AND MY WORK LIFE IS HARDER AS I CANNOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE CAR FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. I AM ANGRY THAT HONDA HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA #: 10763877
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Nov 2014

DRIVER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED CAUSING MULTIPLE DOORS TO STAY LOCKED OR UNLOCKED INCLUDING THE REAR DOOR AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE PERSONS TO BE TRAPPED INSIDE. *TR

NHTSA #: 10654749
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Filed: Feb 2014

VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN 2011. NO ISSUES UNTIL MID 2012. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START CAR, THE STARTING SEQUENCE WORKS BUT ENGINE DOES NOT TURNOVER. THE STARTER CLICKS, BUT NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, CAR HAD TO BE JUMPSTARTED TO GET STARTED. BATTERY TEST WAS CONDUCTED WITH NO ISSUES. THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH TIMES IT HAPPENED, THE CAR EVENTUALLY STATED WITH NO ISSUE. THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CA, SO COLD WEATHER IS NOT A FACTOR. BATTERY CHECKS EACH TIME INDICATE NO ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY. MOST RECENT TIME, ON 2/23/14, SAME EXACT PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA #: 10565487
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2013

WENT TO START VEHICLE. BATTERY DEAD. DEALER SAID TO JUMP START AND BRING TO DEALER. DEALER SAID AIR CONDITIONER RELAY STUCK AND DRAINED BATTERY. JULY 28, 2013 SAME PROBLEM. CHARGED BATTERY, CAR STARTED. 6 DAYS LATER, SAME PROBLEM. BATTERY COMPLETELY DEAD AFTER 6 DAYS. TOOK CAR TO DEALER. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT ANY PROBLEM. SAID WE JUST NEEDED TO DRIVE CAR MORE. CAR HAS SAT IN GARAGE FOR UP TO 3 WEEKS BEFORE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. SEEMS THERE HAS TO BE AN UNDIAGNOSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SOMEWHERE IN THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA #: 10533795
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jul 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK WITH THE ENGINE IN OPERATION WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000..... UPDATED 10-17-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITH NO WARNING, AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART . THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED A DEAD BATTERY.

NHTSA #: 10531545
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Filed: Apr 2013

THE TAIL LIGHTS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY. WE STOPPED BY THE HIGHWAY PATROL ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 7. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALER, HONDA OF BOWIE AND THEY REFUSED TO CHECK ANYTHING BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE LIGHTS WERE WORKING. YESTERDAY APRIL 13 AGAIN THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND AGAIN TODAY THEY WERE AND AGAIN HONDA OF BOWIE REFUSED TO MAKE ANY CHECKS. THE PILOT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR

NHTSA #: 10508239
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT
Filed: Jun 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE RELEASED A BURNING ODOR THROUGH THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BURNING ODOR WAS DUE TO ENGAGING THE ON AND OFF SWITCH FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REAR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF

NHTSA #: 10460256
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THE DEALER MADE FIVE ATTEMPTS TO DUPLICATE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILES WERE 9,615. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,600. UPDATED 07/26/11*LJ UPDATED 3/16/12 *CN

NHTSA #: 10406947

Other 2011 Honda Pilot Issues