The Lemon Index

All cars · Honda Pilot

2010 Honda Pilot.

The 2010 Honda Pilot is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 23 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 15, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 10 recalls, and it gets 18 to 19 mpg combined. It's the best Honda Pilot year we track.

15Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 6.7× fewer complaints than average.

Worst year 2016

Honda Pilot
Photo shows a 2016 Honda Pilot. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints23first 3 years
Fuel economy18–19 mpgcombined, EPA
Front crash★★★★★NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 111 owner complaints, owners reported:

11crashes
5injuries
1fires
6tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

electrical17%
suspension17%
engine13%
steering9%
visibility9%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Honda Pilot year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 59K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 30K to 100K miles on the car (71 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • engine complaints mostly came at 66K–120K miles
  • suspension complaints mostly came at 35K–87K miles

Recalls 10

  • airbags 2019

    The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high …

  • airbags 2019

    The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

  • airbags 2018

    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Show all 10 recalls
  • airbags 2018

    The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

  • airbags 2018

    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  • airbags 2017

    One dealership may have incorrectly installed the replacement air bag inflators.

  • airbags 2017

    An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  • airbags 2016

    An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  • airbags 2013

    One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

  • seat belts 2011

    HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2011 PILOT VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 13, 2008, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2011.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Honda told dealers about

Honda sent dealers 83 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • On some model vehicles, there is an alternator/starter tester (ast) module capable of testing
  • An investigation on some vehicles regarding an oil leak at the engine's b-cap side bolts
  • Warranty extension for certain vehicles regarding front suspension rear lower arm bushing that…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2010 Honda Pilot
Front crash test · NHTSA
Fuel cost and engines

About $3400–3550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.

Quick answers

Is the 2010 Honda Pilot reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 6.7× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 15; 100 is average, lower is better).

What are the most common 2010 Honda Pilot problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (17%), suspension (17%) and engine (13%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2010 Honda Pilot have?

10 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Honda Pilot get?

18 to 19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2010 Honda Pilot problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 30,000 and 100,000 miles. The middle report was at 59,900 miles, from 71 complaints.

Does the 2010 Honda Pilot have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2010 Honda Pilot cost in fuel a year?

About $3400 to $3550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2010 Honda Pilot have?

3.5L 6-cyl.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data