— Honda Pilot rear seat belt warning systems are under investigation after 2023-2024 Honda Pilot owners complained about false warnings.
More than 142,500 Honda Pilots are included in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation following complaints of both false positive and false negative rear seat belt warnings.
NHTSA calls it an "inaccurate rear seat belt warning status."
Making things even worse, safety regulators say Pilot owners complain the wrong rear seat belt status information is occurring to both the second-row and third-row seats. This is causing Honda Pilot drivers to ignore the rear seat belt warnings.
Honda Pilot drivers or front seat passengers may be able to turn around and see if a second-row occupant is really wearing the seat belt, but trying to see occupants in the third-row seats may be impossible.
Any inaccurate information can cause a Pilot driver to believe rear seat occupants are buckled in when they are not.
Beginning September 1, 2026, all new vehicles must meet "enhanced" front seat belt warning system requirements. But beginning September 1, 2027, all new vehicles must come equipped with rear seat belt warning systems. However, automakers can begin offering the new systems before those deadlines, as Honda did.
The new rear seat belt warning systems hopefully won't become a source of constant recalls and repairs similar to rearview camera systems the government forced automakers to offer as standard equipment in new vehicles since May 1, 2018.
CarComplaints.com will update our website with results of the Honda Pilot rear seat belt warning investigation.