2025 Honda Pilot: loss of power steering

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · OK

My 2025 Honda Pilot TrailSport has lost electric power steering assist twice. First failure, about 6,000 miles: the vehicle lost power steering while driving on pavement in normal road use, with no water or off-road driving involved. The Honda dealer replaced the steering rack under warranty. Second failure, about 24,000 miles: a few days after the vehicle was driven through shallow puddles on a trail at Broken Bow Lake, OK (about 5 inches deep, below the wheel rims, about 5 mph), it lost power steering assist while being driven to work on public roads in Lawton, OK. The dealer attributed the failure to water and mud entering the power steering electrical connector/wiring and denied warranty coverage. A Honda field representative upheld the denial and told me to file an insurance claim. This failure is in the same area the dealer worked on during the first rack replacement. The failed parts are at the dealer. The steering system's electrical connections should be sealed against ordinary road splash, especially on the TrailSport, which Honda markets as its most rugged and off-road capable SUV. Here, shallow water led to a loss of steering assist days later, in normal traffic on a public road. Any driver who goes through a flooded street or heavy rain could face the same failure without warning. Loss of assist sharply increases steering effort and could cause a crash. I ask the federal safety agency to review whether the electric power steering connectors on 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles are adequately protected from water intrusion.

Filed Aug 21, 2026 · Steering · OK

The vehicle has suffered a life-threatening, complete loss of power steering while driving under identical, hazardous conditions on two separate occasions. There were no warning lights or inductors prior to either event. 1. The vehicle suffered a complete steering failure while driving over railroad tracks with a child inside the vehicle. A full replacement of the steering gearbox and power steering rack was performed under warranty (Defect Code: 03001 [Binding/Sticking], Symptom Code: 03217 [Not Operating]). This failure occurred only 20 days after receiving routine manufacturer maintenance from a Honda service department. 2. The exact same dangerous defect recurred, causing another complete loss of power steering while driving over railroad tracks with a child in the vehicle. The service department confirmed they successfully duplicated this power steering failure twice during active diagnostics.

Filed Aug 18, 2026 · FL

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned and is it available for inspection upon request? The Air Conditioning (A/C) compressor seized completely, causing the A/C compressor clutch to overheat and melt. Yes, the vehicle and the failed components are available for inspection upon request.2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A completely seized A/C compressor pulley creates a severe mechanical hazard while driving. Because the compressor is driven by the engine's serpentine belt, a locked pulley can cause the belt to melt, snap, or throw off entirely while the vehicle is in motion. If the belt fails, it results in an immediate loss of power steering assist, loss of alternator charging, and engine overheating. This creates an abrupt, catastrophic loss of vehicle control on the road, putting my family and other drivers at extreme risk. Furthermore, dealership staff dangerously misinformed us that the vehicle was "safe to drive" despite this critical failure.3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?Yes. The problem was officially diagnosed and confirmed by a local authorized Honda dealership service center (8/17/26).4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, the vehicle was inspected, and the failure was documented by an authorized Honda dealership representative. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The primary symptom was a sudden failure of the air conditioning system to blow cold air (afternoon of 8/14/26).

Filed Aug 16, 2026 · Driver assistance, Steering · PA

during a routine trip thru the [XXX]/[XXX] section of [XXX] our 2025 Honda Pilot suddenly lost power steering capability, we could hardly control the vehicle and had to manage an exist to a side street. We received a message on the dash board of a lost of power steering assistance and to notify the dealer. We shut the car off, restarted and gained control of the vehicle less the lane departure feature. At this time we made an appointment with Fred Beans in Abington for service, we have lost confidence in the vehicles safety after this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 12, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · OH

The steering wheel became extremely difficult for my husband to turn. Power steering went out on my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. Numerous warnings were then displayed on the vehicle's dashboard screen, it was impossible to drive, and caused us to have to get towed. We had it towed to a Honda dealer for repair, where it was discovered that the steering wheel had more turns in one direction than the other, the shaft boot was misplaced, non-factory pins on the steering rack were noted, and the clock spring was stuck reading 508 degrees. Furthermore, the steering wheel rack gearbox had to be replaced following a steering angle sensor failure in my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. This is a serious safety issue and should have never have happened in such a new vehicle. This incident not only put my family's lives at risk, but also everyone else on the roadway. Why did my vehicle that I bought brand new and have only serviced at Honda have non-factory parts?

Filed Jul 19, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · CA

While driving my 2025 Honda Pilot at normal road speeds, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including steering system warnings. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and felt as though it had locked, creating a serious safety hazard. I had very limited ability to steer the vehicle and could have lost control, especially if this had occurred at higher speeds or in traffic. The vehicle had to be towed to a Honda dealership for inspection. I was informed there were issues involving the steering system, including the steering rack/rack and pinion, and an alignment was recommended. The estimated repair cost was approximately $5,900, and I was told the warranty would not cover the repair even though this appears to be an internal component failure. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. I believe this is a serious safety defect because a sudden loss of steering control while driving could easily result in a crash, serious injury, or death.

Filed Jul 6, 2026 · Brakes, Steering · NE

While driving roughly 15 MPH, my car displayed emergency messages, brake applied automatically by the vehicle and the power steering failed. In order for me to get out of the way of traffic in an intersection, I had to veer to the opposite side of the road passing oncoming traffic. The following lights were displayed "TSA, Hill start assist problem vehicle may roll upon brake release, Vehicle Stability Assist problem reduced traction and handling, brake system problem brake system reduced, electric power steering problem steering assist not available do not drive" Vehicle has had no issues and only has 6,460 miles on it. Car is currently waiting to be towed to the dealership.

Filed Mar 12, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · WI

Received Warning message 'Electric Steering Assist Failure' Saturday January 10th 2026 12:00-Noon Driving approximately 5mph, released the accelerator to begin pulling into a parking spot and the power steering failed. The vehicle was very difficult to turn but I was able to avoid hitting anything. Drove around for ~2 hours making multiple stops at multiple stores with no issues until... same day, Saturday January 10th 2026 1:55 Driving approximately 5mph, released the accelerator to begin pulling into a parking spot and the power steering failed. This was a safety risk to my family and to the pedestrians in the parking lot. Saturday January 10th 2026 1:55 I immediately called Wilde Honda Waukesha Wisconsin, which is the dealership that I bought it from (6/25/25 delivery date) They asked me to bring the vehicle in on Monday Monday January 12 2026 1:46pm Justin Green - Service Advisor called and stated that they can see that its an electrical issue but cannot diagnose fully. He stated that they needed to bring in a more advanced technician so I would need to bring it back the next day. Tuesday January 13 2026 1:51pm Justin Green - Service Advisor called to inform that they were unable to replicate the issue and that my keys are at the front desk. 2:45 Spoke with service manager who advised me to continue driving the vehicle and bring it back if it happens again. He suspected that because it was snowing the day of the incidents, that the issue may have been caused by moisture.

Filed Dec 12, 2025 · Driver assistance, Electrical · OH

All of the lights on the dash came on and the power steering stopped working while driving on the highway. I was in the number one lane and had to merge across four lanes to pull over with no power steering. I shut the car off and waited a few minutes. The lights were still on the dash but the power steering was working. This is the second time this has happened in the last two weeks.

Filed Nov 8, 2025 · Steering, Transmission · CO

Tonight, 11/8/2025 at 7pm MT, while traveling straight at 25-30 mph, power steering suddenly failed and vehicle reported that AWD failed with only front wheels powered. Many other failure warnings simultaneously appeared on dash (collision detection, LKAS, parking assist, etc). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My family's safety was put at risk. Sudden loss of power steering is very surprising to the driver, combined with the dash reporting a multitude of failure warnings all at once. If we had been driving on the freeway at speed or in the middle of a turn this would have been a very serious safety issue, easily leading to a collision given the sudden change in steering input needed. If traveling in snow or ice, losing AWD suddenly would also have been a serious safety issue. No one has inspected the vehicle since the incident, this just happened tonight. The vehicle has only 5,700 miles on it, was serviced by the dealer within the last couple hundred miles to repair all outstanding recalls, and I have had no other issues with the vehicle. There was no warning about and issues with the vehicle prior to this incident. The only thing out of the ordinary immediately prior to the incident is that my phone wasn't able to pair to the infotainment system (which never happens).

Filed Oct 3, 2025 · Steering · IL

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my vehicle related to the steering system. The steering cable reel is binding up, causing difficulty or resistance when turning the steering wheel. This issue affects steering at any speed, making driving unpredictable and unsafe. I am very concerned for my safety, as this could lead to a sudden loss of steering control, putting myself and others at risk. I have brought the vehicle to the dealership, and they have confirmed the problem. They will be replacing the steering cable reel. However, I know there has been many issues with the 2025 Honda Pilot's, and I believe this issue could be another potential defect and may affect other vehicles as well. It needs to be investigated to prevent possible accidents.

Filed Sep 15, 2025 · Steering · 19,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 5 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering assist failed without warning. The driver attempted to complete the turn; however, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle while the vehicle was drifting into oncoming traffic. The driver was able to steer the vehicle off to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a defective inner tie rod and inner tie rod alignment. There were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle for the failure. The contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.