I had the front passenger side airbag recall completed on my vehicle on July 1, 2026. In August, approximately August 14 error messages started occurring whenever I cranked my vehicle. The error messages were collision mitigation system problem, road department mitigation system problem, auto high beam problem, adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist problem. I was able to have the vehicle inspected at Stokes Honda in Beaufort and was told that it was the front facing camera failure. I have owned this vehicle for 2 years with no issues.
2021 Honda Pilot: false forward collision warnings
34 of the 459 complaints about the 2021 Honda Pilot describe false forward collision warnings.
- owner complaints
- 34
- of this car's complaints
- 7%
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,900
- recalls
- 3
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls for this area of the car. See below
False forward collision warnings by model year
What owners say
Vehicle has multiple safety system failures. After extensive online research and multiple diagnostics, repair technicians indicating safety camera failure due to heat. Technician indicating significant increase specific to this vehicle of late. Excessive environmental temperature “frying” ADAS camera. This causes failure to HondaSense safety features such as collision mitigation, lane keeping, and road departure mitigation - features touted as industry leading by Honda. Matter has been diagnosed and duplicated by service technicians. Extensive online research indicates potential widespread issue that requires highly expensive replacement/repair and calibration.
My 2021 Honda Pilot displayed a U3000 diagnostic trouble code, indicating an internal electronic failure of the front-facing multipurpose camera that operates the vehicle's Honda Sensing safety systems (Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, and Adaptive Cruise Control). As a result, these safety systems became inoperative. I took the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealer, who confirmed the U3000 code and quoted approximately $2,000 to replace the camera unit. I have since learned this is a widely reported failure across multiple Honda and Acura models (Pilot, Odyssey, CR-V, Accord, Civic, HR-V, Clarity, RDX, MDX) and is the subject of a proposed class action lawsuit alleging Honda knew of the defect and failed to disclose it or issue a recall. I am filing this report to document the failure and its safety impact.
The vehicle’s driver‑assist and collision‑avoidance systems began failing simultaneously. Multiple warnings appear on the dashboard every time the vehicle is started, and the cruise control system has stopped functioning entirely. Adaptive Cruise Control cannot be disabled, preventing the use of standard cruise control. Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem (ACC) Lane Keeping Assist Problem (LKAS) Road Departure Mitigation System Problem Auto High-Beam Problem The failure of one component impacts multiple vehicle features, the ability to maintain safe following distance, avoid collisions, stay within lane boundaries, and properly manage headlights. The loss of cruise control functionality also affects long‑distance driving safety and consistency. These systems are designed to prevent accidents; their simultaneous failure represents a significant safety hazard. Dealer inspection indicates repairs costing thousands of dollars, often involving replacement of sensors, radar units, or wiring harnesses. No recall or service bulletin has been provided to address this widespread issue. Many Honda owners have reported identical failures on online forums and owner groups. The pattern suggests a systemic defect affecting Honda’s driver‑assist safety systems across multiple models and years. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this issue as a potential safety defect affecting Honda vehicles. The failure of multiple collision‑avoidance and lane‑keeping systems at once poses a serious risk to drivers, passengers, and others on the road.
I am having these problems with my 2021 Honda Pilot Touring causing intermittent sudden braking. The dealership is quoting me a lot of money to fix them. Collision Mitigation System problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem Auto High Beam Problem Lane Keep Assist Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem These problems should not be occurring to a an expensive vehicle worth over $45,000 for no reason. The dealership mentioned that they are caused by a failed battery fan.
Driving on the road and heard static noise from the infotainment system after an update. I pressed the Collision Mitigation Braking System button and the dashboard had multiple warnings and disabling the entire Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The drive light starting blinking and a message appreaed to get to a Honda dealer. The Honda dealer inspected the front camera in the top of the windshield and said it needed to be replaced.
2021 Honda Pilot with 9,800 miles. Failed VSA Modulator directly related to the braking system. Warning lights: Vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, collision mitigation system, adaptive cruise control problem. Problem confirmed by Pensacola Honda Service Center and awaiting repair assistance from American Honda as they refuse to offer goodwill credit for repair due to being out of warranty, despite extremely low mileage and excellent condition of vehicle.
About a month ago, I started my Pilot and the dash lit up. The adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, lane keeping assist, Lane departure, forward collision warnings all flashed on the dash- no previous warnings. Subsequently, the cruise control will not work at all. I had the system scanned by a Honda certified mechanic and it showed and internal cameral failure. This is a known issue across many Hondas and is a very costly repair at close to $2000.
The following warning lights: adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation system, road departure mitigation problem, auto high beam problem
The following warning lights: adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation system, road departure mitigation problem, auto high beam problem. Honda estimates over $2000 to repair? From what I understand there are many other Honda's with these issues! With these items not functioning, it defeats many of the safety features we bought the car for. Exact date of when it began was last summer.
Vehicle Information: 2021 Honda Pilot Elite Component: Forward Collision Avoidance: Camera System Lane Departure: Lane Keeping Assist Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Failure Description: The windshield-mounted forward-facing camera (Lane Keeping Assist System / Honda Sensing camera) failed without warning on my 2021 Honda Pilot Elite. This camera is mounted behind the windshield and controls multiple advanced safety systems, including Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and Collision Mitigation Braking. There were no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The malfunction appeared randomly approximately one month ago. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized Honda dealer service department. I was informed that the windshield-mounted camera system requires replacement and was quoted approximately $1,800 for the repair. Because this repair is extremely expensive and currently unaffordable, I have lost multiple critical safety features. The vehicle no longer has functioning Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, or related Honda Sensing technologies. The sudden and complete loss of these safety systems significantly reduces vehicle safety and increases the risk of unintended lane departure or reduced collision avoidance capability for myself, my passengers, and others on the road. I believe a critical safety system should not fail without warning and should not be this costly to repair, especially when its failure disables multiple core safety features. This is a known issue across multiple threads and owners and Honda should take ownership and recall this issue. The vehicle and failed component are available for inspection upon request.
I am submitting this complaint to formally report a serious and widespread safety defect involving the front-facing camera system on my 2021 Honda Pilot. This defect has resulted in multiple safety system failures and has placed myself, my passengers, and other motorists at unacceptable risk. The front camera on my vehicle does not function as designed, which has caused the complete loss or repeated failure of critical safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure mitigation, collision mitigation braking, and other forward-facing driver assistance and alert systems. These systems are not optional or convenience features. They are advertised and sold as essential safety technology intended to reduce accidents, mitigate driver error, and protect human life. Their failure substantially impairs the vehicle’s safety performance and creates a foreseeable risk of serious accidents, injuries, or fatalities, particularly during highway driving or emergency situations. When I sought assistance from the dealership, I was informed that Honda would not cover the repair because the vehicle exceeded a mileage threshold. This rationale is unreasonable and misleading. A front-facing camera is not a wear-and-tear component and has no logical connection to mileage accumulation. It is an electronic safety system whose premature failure suggests a defect in design, materials, or manufacturing. I then contacted Honda directly, and the manufacturer again refused to provide assistance, citing mileage alone while failing to address the safety implications or defect characteristics. This refusal appears to be an attempt to avoid responsibility for a known safety-related failure rather than a legitimate warranty determination. Further research reveals that this issue is not isolated. Numerous Honda owners have experienced identical front camera failures resulting in the same loss of safety systems. The consistency, frequency, and similarity of th
Related recalls
Back over prevention: display function
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EEL, ZEM, and SFC.
Recall number 23V431000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Risk
- Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.
Recall number 20V439000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Risk
- A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners that updated software is available. Owners have the option to either follow the mailed instructions to download and update the software for free, or visit a dealer to have the software update performed, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is Y7Y.
Recall number 20V440000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2021 Honda Pilot collision warning
Is false forward collision warnings a common problem on the 2021 Honda Pilot?
34 of 459 owner complaints about the 2021 Honda Pilot (7%) mention false forward collision warnings. The model year with the most reports is 2019.
How much does it cost to fix false forward collision warnings on the 2021 Honda Pilot?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,900 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Honda Pilot?
There are 3 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Honda Pilot
Adaptive cruise 34Lane assist 34Stalling 34Backup camera 30Start-stop 25Headlights 21Check engine light 18Engine failure 18Won't start 16Knocking 13Loss of power 12Warning lights 12Screen failure 8Jerking 8Airbag light 7Hesitation 7Fuel pump 6Phantom braking 6Sunroof shattered 6Misfire 5
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