Head-to-head reliability
Honda Pilot vs Honda FIT
How the Honda Pilot and Honda FIT compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Honda Pilot vs Honda FIT: The Pilot has 2870 complaints over 10 years (287/yr) versus the Fit's 1129 (113/yr). Pilot owners report engine leaks and sudden electrical failures, while Fit owners face display issues and air bag recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Pilot or Honda FIT more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is a midsize SUV that, in ownership terms, is a family hauler with a high complaint volume—about 287 per year over the last decade. Owners report a wide range of issues, from engine oil and gas leaks to sudden electrical failures that can affect steering and braking. The forward collision avoidance system is a frequent source of complaints, with some owners describing unexpected braking or failure to stop. While no deaths are reported, the sheer number of complaints and the nature of the electrical and braking issues suggest a vehicle that may demand frequent dealer visits and could have safety implications.
Honda FIT
The Honda Fit is a subcompact hatchback known for practicality, but its complaint pattern shows a different set of concerns. With about 113 complaints per year, it has fewer issues than the Pilot, but the top areas are electrical system, air bags, and fuel/propulsion. Owners report intermittent blank or garbled digital displays, especially in cold weather, which can hide critical information like fuel level and speed. Air bag complaints include a recall for occupant classification sensor problems, and some owners report engine misfires and loss of power. While less frequent, these issues can still be serious, particularly the air bag and power loss concerns.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Pilot | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,870 | 1,129 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 66 | 51 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 58 Better | 59 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 287.0 | 112.9 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 52 Better | 60 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Honda Pilot
- 01ENGINE795
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM736
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER473
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE406
- 05POWER TRAIN303
Owners report engine failure, oil leaks, and major gas leaks from the engine, sometimes with warning lights indicating the vehicle is not safe to drive. One owner described every warning light illuminating at ignition, suggesting a systemic electrical or engine control issue.
Sudden dashboard warning messages, including steering system warnings, and the steering wheel becoming extremely difficult to turn or locking while driving. Another owner experienced rapid, unexpected deceleration without any warning lights, which could be a serious safety hazard.
The Collision Mitigation Braking System is reported to be dangerous, with one owner saying the car did not stop when braking in a parking lot, continuing to roll. Another owner described the system as needing to be permanently disabled, indicating false activations or failures.
Auto Engine Idle Stop can cause the engine to not fully restart, leading to a lunge forward when the accelerator is pressed. This is a drivability and safety concern, especially in stop-and-go traffic.
“Vehicle: 2026 Honda Pilot – Mileage 20,847 Issue: Engine Failure, oil leaks, wheel alignment, air conditioning, major gas leaks from the engine, safety electronics alerts on front dash display are saying the vehicle is not safe to drive. History of issues: 03…”
“On June 25, 2026 my 2025 Honda Pilot Elite (47,503 miles) upon ignition had every warning light in the system illuminate sequentially without any prior incident. I had never experienced any indication of malfunction, including warning lights or messages. The…”
Honda FIT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM309
- 02AIR BAGS225
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM145
- 04ENGINE139
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER130
The digital display (showing fuel gauge, odometer, oil life) intermittently goes blank or becomes garbled, especially in cold weather, leaving the driver without critical information. This is a common complaint that can be distracting and potentially dangerous.
There is a recall for the occupant classification sensor in the front passenger seat, which could affect air bag deployment. One owner reported a crash where the air bag did not deploy, though the recall was not yet performed due to part availability.
Owners report the engine light, steering light, and tire light coming on, with the car juddering and losing power at highway speeds. Another owner experienced a cylinder 2 misfire caused by carbon buildup, leading to rough idle and error codes.
Engine misfires and loss of power are reported, sometimes with flashing engine light, which can be a sign of serious engine problems. The misfire in one case was due to carbon buildup, which may require costly cleaning or repairs.
“The dealership changed the oil on my 2020 Honda Fit, and the Oil Life display was reset to 100%, on 1/8/24. Two days later the LCD panel, which shows the fuel gauge, odometer, remaining range, oil life, etc. began to intermittently go blank or become garbled…”
“DIGITAL DISPLAY (MILEAGE, OIL LEVEL, FUEL GAUGE, ETC) FAILS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ON DURING COLD WEATHER. IT REMAINS BACKLIT, BUT ALL TEXT DISAPPEARS. TYPICALLY, THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. THIS MEANS AS A DRIVER I'M UNABLE TO…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Honda Pilot — 66 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this r…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
The risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2026 Pilot and Passport vehicles. The rear subframe bolts may have been tightened improperly.
The risk: Loose rear subframe bolts can lead to a loss of vehicle stability or rear subframe detachment, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear subframe bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehic…
The risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall ar…
Honda FIT — 51 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit.…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previou…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Buyer analysis
Honda Pilot or Honda FIT: which should you buy?
The Honda Fit has fewer complaints per year (about 113) compared to the Honda Pilot (about 287), so on average, Fit owners report issues less frequently. However, the Fit's issues are not trivial, with air bag and power loss concerns. In practice, the Pilot may require more frequent repairs and has more safety-related complaints, while the Fit, though less problematic, still has its own set of reliability and safety concerns.
Key differences
- The Pilot has a much higher complaint rate (287/yr) than the Fit (113/yr), indicating more frequent issues.
- Pilot complaints are dominated by engine and electrical problems, including sudden steering lock and unexpected deceleration, which are serious safety concerns.
- Fit complaints focus on electrical display failures and air bag issues, with a notable recall for occupant classification sensor.
- The Pilot's forward collision avoidance system is a major source of complaints, with reports of unintended braking or failure to stop, while the Fit does not have such a system in its top complaints.
- Inspect the engine for oil or gas leaks, and check for any warning lights that may indicate engine or electrical issues.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system in a safe area to ensure it does not activate unexpectedly or fail to stop the vehicle.
- Check the digital display for intermittent blank or garbled readings, especially in cold weather, as this is a common issue.
- Verify that any air bag recalls have been performed, particularly the occupant classification sensor recall, and ask about part availability.
Before you buy
- For the Pilot, ask for service records related to engine oil leaks, electrical system warnings, and any brake or steering issues.
- For the Fit, test the digital display in cold conditions if possible, and confirm the air bag recall status.
- Take both vehicles for a test drive and pay attention to any warning lights, unusual noises, or hesitation during acceleration.
- Check for open recalls on both vehicles using the NHTSA website and ensure they are completed.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic, focusing on the engine, electrical system, and brakes.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Honda Pilot | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 475 | 35 |
| 2019 | 500 | 134 |
| 2018 | 433 | 115 |
| 2017 | 500 | 42 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Honda Pilot or Honda FIT in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Pilot vs Honda FIT
- Honda Pilot total complaints
- 2,870
- Honda FIT total complaints
- 1,129
- Honda Pilot total recalls
- 66
- Honda FIT total recalls
- 51
- Honda Pilot avg complaints/year
- 287.0
- Honda FIT avg complaints/year
- 112.9
- More reliable overall
- Honda FIT
- Honda Pilot top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda FIT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM