Honda Pilot is a very popular SUV brand and a great car to buy but it has its problems. It is a 5-passenger vehicle with a gas engine and a digital fuel-saver economy gauge. The car is available in 4 models.
The Honda Pilot is a family-friendly SUV that is perfect for all families. However, there are a few years that Honda Pilot may not be as reliable and safe as others. There are also a few years that are better than others.
Therefore, there are honda pilot years to avoid and the reason why you should avoid them will be explained in this article.
Honda Pilot Years to Avoid
Honda Pilot years to avoid are produced in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2016. These years are known to have reliability issues and are not reliable when buying a new or used Honda Pilot.
Reasons to Avoid Honda Pilot Manufactured these Years
There are several reasons why you shouldn’t consider buying any Honda Pilot produced in the aforementioned years and the reason is because of:
1. Fuel Injector Failure
The 2016 Honda Pilot has been reported by so many to always develop the fuel injector issue. The fuel injector of every car plays a very crucial role to the car to ensure the car moves when necessary. Imagine when these injectors are always developing issues, you will find it difficult driving your car.
For example, if one day, you decide to drive to the Hollywood sign, only for you to enter your Honda Pilot just to discover that the fuel injector is giving an issue making it difficult for the car to run. It won’t be a nice experience.
2. Peeling Paint
Honda Pilot is known by everyone to always develop the peeling paint issue which can be very disturbing. Paintings in every car make it look amazing to the eye. When the paint is peeling, it will make the car look very ugly.
3. Transmission Issues
When it comes to transmission problems, every car model has one year or the other that can develop transmission problems but this issue is popularly known with the 2003 Honda Pilot.
Several people complained about how bad the transmission develops after using the car for a while which is not cheap to fix.
Imagine having a transmission issue when you are in a grocery store parking lot or school parking lot. Well, you will know what to do to be able to control the car to avoid hitting another parked car.
4. Too Much Oil Consumption
Honda Pilot has been attributed to burning too much oil especially after hitting 100,000 miles with the car.
Like I always say, excessive oil consumption may not be a problem for some especially if you have money to purchase oil or you work in an oil company but when you’ll know what you’ve done to yourself is when your car stops in the middle of nowhere because of oil.
Not because you did not put oil, or there was no oil before you left for the journey. But you even filled new oil to the car, so how come it has finished already.
Well, the only way to beat this problem is by having a bottle of oil in your car at all times so that you can fill it anytime it oil warning light appears on your dashboard.
5. Warped Brake Rotors
While the brake is the most interesting part of a car for the fact that it is used to control the speed of the car, yet, the users of the 2003 – 2017 Honda Pilot have complained about brake issues terribly.
Warped brake rotors can be very terrifying because it causes vibration when you are at high speed.
Apart from the warped brake rotors, others have complained about the clunking noises when braking which maybe because of the brake pads. But truth is that the problem can still be fixed. It’s not as if it’s something that can never be fixed.
6. Wiring Problems
For all the years Honda has been making Honda Pilot, it is the 2020 model that decided to have electrical problems.
However, while electrical problems may look like it’s not a big deal, they can cause your car never to start if something goes wrong with the wiring.
The 2020 Honda Pilot users complained that the electrical issues caused other parts of the car to malfunction such as the navigation system, infotainment system, as well as the instrument panel which caused noise from the dashboard.
Imagine driving and hearing noise from your dashboard. It can be disturbing. When these issues were tabled to Honda, they replied saying that the electrical problems developed by the 2020 Honda Pilot are a result of loose wiring.
Suggesting that you take the car to rewire who then should reconnect the wires under the dashboard.
These are the reasons why you should avoid the Honda Pilot made in these years. The fact that these years are not reliable doesn’t mean the faults can’t be fixed. If you wish to buy them, then you have to get ready for repair anytime it develops one problem or the other.
Honda Pilot Years that are More Reliable
Even though some Honda Pilot years are not reliable, some are. These years are:
- 2004 Honda Pilot
- 2006 Honda Pilot
- 2007 Honda Pilot
- 2008 Honda Pilot
- 2010 Honda Pilot
- 2012 Honda Pilot
- 2014 Honda Pilot
- 2015 Honda Pilot
- 2017 – 2019 Honda Pilot
- 2021 Honda Pilot
It’s not as if these years will not develop issues, the fact remains that they are more reliable than the other ones which users have complained bitterly about.
Conclusion
Every car has a life span and it’s not always easy to find a car that doesn’t have problems. The Honda Pilot is no different. If you’re looking to buy a new 2023 Honda Pilot, we recommend waiting a couple of years to let the car age a little.
This will give you a higher chance of finding a Honda Pilot that doesn’t have any major issues, and you’ll also be able to compare models and prices. If you want to buy a Honda Pilot now, you should look into Honda models that are a few years old and have a good reputation.