The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while her husband was driving approximately 35 - 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed head-on into the vehicle. The driver's seat belt failed to retract upon impact and retracted after the crash, and the air bags failed to deploy. The driver's head struck the steering wheel causing severe head, neck, and back pain, which resulted in abnormal body heat and tingling sensations down to the toes. Medical attention was needed. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was undrivable and was scheduled to be towed to a tow lot for evaluation. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, a case was filed, and the contact was referred to the dealer for a loaner vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Honda Pilot seat belt problems
63 of the 9,458 owner complaints about the Honda Pilot describe seat belt won't latch or retract, most of them for the 2023 model year.
- owner complaints
- 63
- worst model year
- 2023
- typical mileage
- 60,000
By model year
Often reported together
No deployment 6Jerking 3Windshield crack 1Sudden acceleration 1Won't shift 1Hesitation 1Engine failure 1Check engine light 1
What owners say
I own a 2023 Honda Pilot equipped with second-row captain’s chairs that experiences intermittent false seat belt warnings. The right-side second-row seat triggers the audible chime and red/gray “unbuckled” icon on the driver information display even when the seat belt is fully and securely latched; the warning is frequently activated by normal passenger weight shifting or movement. The same false unbuckled warnings also occur in the third-row seats. These symptoms match the conditions described in Honda Service Bulletin A26-027 and fall within the scope of the federal safety agency Preliminary Evaluation PE25017 concerning inaccurate rear passenger seat belt warning status (both false positives and false negatives) on 2023–2024 Honda Pilots. The repeated false alerts create driver distraction and risk of alert fatigue, which could lead occupants (including children) to be unrestrained without the driver realizing it. I request that this complaint be associated with PE25017 and that the investigation continue toward a potential recall or expanded remedy.
The contact owns a 2024 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle with the second-row passenger’s side seat occupied and the seat belt buckled, there was an audible chime indicating that the seat belt was not securely buckled. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and the manufacturer were contacted about the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed of the federal safety agency ACTION Number: PE25017 (SEAT BELTS). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the investigation. The failure mileage was 59,000.
The 2nd row passenger side seat belt buckle sensor begins to report "un-buckled" status that cannot be remediated by re-buckling the belt. Honda replaced the same belt buckle twice already for the same issue. First defect manifested and was corrected by Honda 18 months from purchase, the second one - manifested and corrected 17 months after first one. the federal safety agency bulletin 26-027 describes this exact issue in detail.
The second-row seat belt sensor chimes persistently whenever the seat is occupied although the seat belt is buckled properly. Currently the only seat belt affected is the one directly behind the front passenger seat.
The contact owns a 2026 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and placing a child inside the safety seat, the rear passenger’s side seat belt was loose, and the locking mechanism failed to perform normally and became inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the second-row seats which were occupied had properly latched the seat belts; however, the seat belt alarm was activated. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The second-row passenger-side seat belt buckle intermittently fails to correctly detect a latched seat belt. While occupied and properly buckled, slight passenger movement causes the vehicle to generate false seat belt warning messages and chimes indicating the belt is unfastened. Inspection confirms the buckle remains physically latched. The repeated false warnings distract the driver and may reduce confidence in the vehicle's seat belt monitoring system. The condition has been recurrent and is limited to the second-row right-side seating position.
Passenger side 2nd row Seat belt indicates unbuckled when passenger is buckled in and seated. Started as an intermittent indication, now the warning lamp continuously indicates the passenger is unbuckled when seated with seat belt buckled. Dealer has confirmed the concern, aligns with OEM service bulletin, OEM has redesigned service parts but will not service under warranty due to mileage on vehicle (80K).
The contact owns a 2011 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while parked, the front driver-side seat belt retractor failed to retract as intended. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 11V468000 (Seat Belts). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,775.
Related recalls
Seat belts: rear/other
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The third-row passenger seat belt assembly may not function, due to incorrect routing that traps the seat belt behind the passenger side panel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- A non-functioning seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair the seat belt routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is ZL4.
Recall number 25V056000 · Recall details
Seat belts: rear/other
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to June 5, 2015. Due to an assembly issue, the third row seatbelt may be trapped between the rear seat and the rear sideliner.
- Risk
- If the third row seatbelt is trapped, the occupants may not be restrained properly, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the rear third row seat belt, free of charge. The recall began on August 6, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑310‑783‑2000. Honda's number for this recall is JS7.
Recall number 15V424000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: webbing
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 pilot vehicles manufactured from march 13, 2008, through august 30, 2011. There is a possibility that the stitching that secures the end of the driver and front passenger lap section of the seatbelt may be incomplete or missing.
- Risk
- If the stitching is incomplete or missing, the seatbelt may detach from the anchor webbing, increasing the risk of personal injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda dealers will conduct a specialized inspection of the driver and front passenger seatbelts, and if necessary, replace the seatbelts, free of charge. The safety recall began on october 5, 2011. Owners may contact honda automobile customer service at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 11V468000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda Pilot seat belt
Which Honda Pilot years have seat belt won't latch or retract problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2023 (14 complaints), 2024 (7 complaints) and 2003 (6 complaints).
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