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Honda PilotModel year report

2015 Honda Pilot Problems

Compared with other Honda Pilot years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

0/100 0.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
109filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
46,000miles, 64 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2015 Honda Pilot (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2015 Pilot most often write about paint peeling from the roof and the area between the windshield and moonroof, and about engine misfires tied to fouled spark plugs and, in some cases, piston ring wear. Brake complaints also appear early in ownership, with some owners describing a low or spongy pedal that dealers could not reproduce. Many reports arrive between roughly 40,000 and 90,000 miles, though the brake and paint reports start much earlier.

  1. Brakes

    Weak or spongy brake pedal and poor stopping

    • 14 complaints (13%)
    • median 35,000 mi at 0.5 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Several owners describe the brake pedal going low or feeling spongy, and the vehicle not stopping as expected until the pedal is released and pressed again. In some cases a dealer replaced the master brake cylinder; in others the dealer could not duplicate the concern and made no repair. A few owners also report vibration when braking that led to pad and rotor replacement. Reported from very low mileage, some under 5,000 miles, up to around 85,000 miles.

    What to check: Test the pedal feel on a test drive, including a firm stop from highway speed, and ask whether the master cylinder or brake hydraulics have been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “A few times when I attempt to stop at a light or stop sign the vechicle would not stop even when I had the brakes on. I have to take my foot off the brake and push down again to get the car to stop, also a few times when I am at a complete stop the engine starts to revvs as if it wants to take off, I took my car to Honda and they could not duplicate the problem so they said they couldn't do anything about it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11291695, filed 2019-12, 35,000 miles

    “Vehicle started vibrating violently when braking at about 65000 miles. I decided to take to Honda in dublin oh and they recommended to replace all brake pads and resurface all rotors. I also decided to flush brake fluid. I saw another complaint and thought I should do the same.”

    NHTSA complaint #11122876, filed 2018-08, 65,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine misfire and check engine light (cylinder misfire)

    • 9 complaints (8%)
    • median 101,927 mi at 6.1 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners report the check engine light coming on, often flashing, along with shaking, rough running and reduced acceleration. Complaints describe oil found on spark plugs, coil replacement that did not stop the problem from returning, and diagnosis of a misfire in a specific cylinder. Some owners were told piston rings needed replacement. Mostly reported between about 55,000 and 120,000 miles, with a few at much higher mileage.

    6 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing spark plug and coil work, and have a pre-purchase inspection check for stored misfire codes and oil on the plugs.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Dear sir, I have had problem with engine light coming up along with shaking of my vehicle, this also turns on my traction light on my panel. This first happened in june 2019 in san antonio. I had warranty at the time. I took my car to hill country Honda for evaluation, the told me it was just a coil and they would replace it. The exact same issue has happened again repeatedly. It happened again 6 months later after I left san antonio, I now live in houston. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11395647, filed 2021-02, 118,854 miles

    “My check engine light came on and my mechanic informed me that cylinder 2 was misfiring. Mechanic mentioned that this was a problem with this style of Pilot and he recommended taking it to a Honda dealer. There was a warranty extension for 2009-2013 pilots to cover this problem so I don't understand why this extension wouldn't cover 2015 pilots since they are the same generation vehicle. I reached out via phone and email to at leat 4 Honda indivduals and never heard back. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11388271, filed 2021-01, 78,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Shudder or hesitation under acceleration (VCM-related)

    • 6 complaints (6%)
    • median 29,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2016–2025

    Owners describe shuddering or shaking at steady speeds around 35-50 mph, and hesitation when accelerating out of a turn where the gas pedal feels unresponsive. Complaints mention dealers describing the behavior as normal or being unable to duplicate it, and software updates that did not resolve it. Reported from very low mileage, some under 1,000 miles, through about 65,000 miles.

    What to check: Drive at a steady 40-45 mph and accelerate out of a slow turn during the test drive, and ask whether any powertrain software updates have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “At about 55000 miles my Pilot started jerking/hesitating at all speeds, any road, usually after shifting gears both up and down. Now I bought it in february 2017 certified pre-owned so all recommended scheduled maintenance should have been performed. So, I took it in for diagnosis and the dealer in dublin oh said the transmission fluid needed to be triple flushed flushed 3 times!!! Since I needed a vehicle to drive to work, I couldn't argue and got the service done. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11122875, filed 2018-08, 55,000 miles

    “Vehicle shudders (shakes) at speeds of 40-45 MPH. Had conversation with Honda advisor (3/18) who said this was normal. Not sure, but want to report it anyway because it shouldn't be normal. I'm still noticing this (2/2019). Hopefully, vehicle will not stop dead in the middle of traffic.”

    NHTSA complaint #11176382, filed 2019-02, 22,000 miles
  4. Body and structure

    Paint peeling from roof and around windshield

    • 5 complaints (5%)
    • median 76,500 mi at 5.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2019–2023

    Owners describe paint lifting and flaking from the roof and from the panel between the windshield and the moonroof, often on white pearl vehicles. Several say the paint comes off in sheets while driving rather than after any impact, and that the peeling spreads over time. According to the complaints, dealers told owners there was no extended coverage for the condition, and some owners report no response from the manufacturer. Reported from roughly 35,000 to 98,000 miles, often after several years of ownership.

    What to check: Inspect the roof and the cowl area between the windshield and moonroof closely in good light, and ask whether any paint work or repaint has been done there.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We bought a white diamond pearl color Honda Pilot new from a Honda dealership. We noticed paint peeling from the roof a couple of years ago that has gotten progressively worse. Now, about 1/3 of the paint is gone from the roof as it just blows away in pieces when I drive. Recently we noticed a new spot of peeling on the hood that was being held in place by the clear bra. Last week while driving on the highway it came loose and flew toward my windshield. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11384585, filed 2020-12, 46,000 miles

    “The paint is peeling off my white Honda Pilot above the windshield between the moonroof and windshield. The car was sitting when I noticed it. The car has roughly 60,000 miles on it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11204137, filed 2019-04, 60,000 miles

Buying note. Check the roof paint and the sunroof glass carefully, and get a pre-purchase inspection that scans for stored misfire codes. Service records showing regular oil changes and any prior brake or ignition work are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 109 consumer complaints for the 2015 Honda Pilot. 64 of the complaints include a mileage, and 53% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 46,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 13 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 85 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Honda Pilot model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 0 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (4), Equipment (3), Steering (3), Vehicle speed control (3), Engine cooling (2), Seat belts (2), Seats (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Lane departure (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “While stopped at a red light, smoke started coming out from under the hood. I immediately pulled into a parking lot and turned the engine off. A bystander yelled at me to get out of the car. She saw fire coming out from underneath the engine. Smoke continued to pour out and then the whole front of the car was engulfed in flames.”

NHTSA complaint #11075979, filed 2018-03, 47,000 miles

Other or unknown: “On 7/25/2020 I was driving on the highway at 9:00 pm center land of a 3 lane highway when I heard a loud bang on the roof of the vehicle. I pulled off the highway and discovered the sunroof glass had shattered, with no apparent damage to any other part of the vehicle. Nothing appeared to have struck the vehicle, only the glass appeared to have spontaneously exploded.”

NHTSA complaint #11341825, filed 2020-07, 75,000 miles

Electrical system: “After driving for an hour, turned car off for twenty minutes. When starting the car with the same key the immobilizing system went off. For two and one half hours car would not start. A tow truck had to be called. Then six hours later after towing putting the same key into ignition the car started. This is a family car my wife uses extensively transporting our family. I am extremely fearful of this defect reoccurring when I am not with her.”

NHTSA complaint #11152276, filed 2018-11, 31,000 miles

Brakes: “Brake pedal has been spongy since new. Selling dealer say there is nothing wrong with vehicle. They did nothing. A deer ran out in front of me, I hit the brakes and pedal when down and I hit deer $4,100 damage to front end? If I pump brake pedal one time I have a solid pedal!”

NHTSA complaint #10761757, filed 2015-09, 6,125 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

53% of the 64 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 22,000 and 78,000 miles.

17%0–1011%10–2525%25–5019%50–7516%75–1008%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (64 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 46,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’14’16’1815’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2015 Honda Pilot. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Pilot · SUV AWD★★★★☆5 / 4554 · 16.4% risk
Pilot · SUV FWD★★★★☆5 / 4554 · 17.4% risk

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating; 2016: 5 stars overall. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2015 Honda Pilot version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Pilot 2WD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic182520$3,350
Pilot 4WD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172420$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2015 Honda Pilot → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 85 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 85 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda Pilot

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20262712,0001522Too new to compareToo new
20252168,2184522Too new to compareToo new
202411635,0006522Too new to compareToo new
202314618,000552253 · TypicalToo new
202216936,000552341 · TypicalRising
202145032,0001052390 · MoreRising
20204924,00011523100 · MoreStable
201992022,00013523100 · MoreRising
201844047,500752346 · TypicalRising
201793638,000452368 · MoreStable
20161,72050,0008523100 · MoreStable
201510946,00044200 · FewerStable
201411634,25834201 · FewerStable
201327128,000642058 · TypicalFalling
201217236,000942045 · TypicalStable
201129346,3751141962 · TypicalFalling
201011159,94010—195 · FewerFalling
200913470,4009—1923 · FewerFalling
200813387,0007—180 · FewerStable
200721182,1777—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
2006268100,0008—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
2005679102,00013—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2004544104,00012—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
2003720117,00013—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Honda Pilot model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Honda Pilot?

Owners of the 2015 Pilot most often write about paint peeling from the roof and the area between the windshield and moonroof, and about engine misfires tied to fouled spark plugs and, in some cases, piston ring wear. The issues reported most often: Weak or spongy brake pedal and poor stopping; Engine misfire and check engine light (cylinder misfire); Shudder or hesitation under acceleration (VCM-related).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015 Honda Pilot have?

NHTSA recorded 109 consumer complaints for the 2015 Honda Pilot as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2015 Honda Pilot is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 22 complaints (20% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 19.

Has the 2015 Honda Pilot been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2015 Honda Pilot do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2015 Honda Pilot 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2015 Honda Pilot get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Honda Pilot (Pilot 2WD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 18 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2015 Honda Pilot reported?

Among the 64 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 46,000 miles and the middle half falls between 22,000 and 78,000 miles; 53% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.