2021 HONDA Passport

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
โš ๏ธElevated Concerns

The 2021 Honda Passport exhibits several significant safety concerns, particularly with visibility and braking systems, which could impact reliability. With a peak failure range noted between 20k-40k miles, buyers should be vigilant about these documented issues.

Key Factor:Multiple critical recalls

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

The presence of five recalls underscores serious engineering oversights that potentially compromise safety. Notably, issues related to visibility from malfunctioning rearview mirrors and backover prevention could lead to dangerous driving conditions. Additionally, the hydraulic brake component recalls present significant risks for braking efficiencyโ€”a paramount concern for all drivers. Honda's reputation for robust engineering is challenged in this model year, making a thorough review of service history imperative. Such defects not only diminish the vehicleโ€™s market value but could also pose liability concerns for unsuspecting buyers who may overlook these critical alerts.

Focus Area:Safety Profile
๐Ÿ“Š

Expert Analysis

  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • โš ๏ธ
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • โš–๏ธ
    Vs Brand: Worse than avg (0.3)
    ๐Ÿ“
    Summary: The safety trend for the 2021 Honda Passport highlights heightened risks compared to its predecessors. Year-over-year improvements in Honda's quality have been overshadowed by these recalls, positioning this model as less appealing for risk-averse consumers.

Safety & Reliability Score

50/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-40
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 HONDA Passport

Model Year2021
MakeHONDA
ModelPassport
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more โ†’
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan22
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Jan24
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

32 complaints (32% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
โœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸ High
3(3%)
๐ŸŸกMedium
42(42%)
๐ŸŸขLow
55(55%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

The average failure mileage of approximately 31,811 miles occurring within the peak range of 20k-40k miles indicates that preventative maintenance must be prioritized around this interval. Owners should pay special attention to service records, especially those related to braking and visibility systems.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 14 of 100 complaints (14% coverage)
0-20k
5 reports (36%)
20k-40k
7 reports (50%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
1 reports (7%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
1 reports (7%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

VISIBILITYBACK OVER PREVENTIONSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICAIR BAGSFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

๐ŸŽฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Service Brakes

Issue: Improper assembly of brake master cylinder connections can lead to brake failure.

โœ…

Verify recent brake system inspections and repairs; ensure any recall work has been completed.

๐Ÿ”

Request documented proof of compliance with all recall repairs specifically involving brake components.

2

Rearview Mirrors

Issue: Heating pads behind side-view mirrors may detach, impairing rear visibility.

โœ…

'Check mirror integrity regularly; address any detachment immediately.'

๐Ÿ”

'Inquire about any mirror replacements or repairs related to recall campaigns.'

3

Rearview Camera System

Issue: 'Display malfunction may prevent rear camera image from appearing.'

โœ…

'Confirm proper rearview camera functionality before operating vehicle.'

๐Ÿ”

'Ensure that all software updates have been performed as per TSB recommendations.'

๐Ÿ’กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your HONDA dealer to verify recall completion status.

Official Safety Recalls (5)

Campaign: 23V174000

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace both left and right side-view mirrors, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FE5.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 23V431000

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Summary

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."

Consequence

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 23V458000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.

Consequence

Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 24V064000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Summary

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 RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 23V858000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Passport.

INV-2021-1000๐ŸŸข Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Passport performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 5,178

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Passport.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning32%
Accident11%
Crash/Accident10%
Acceleration Issues9%
Display7%
Stall6%
Noise6%
Battery5%
Engine/Powertrainโš ๏ธ High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

Vehicle has been having AIS issues for a couple of years, requiring new batteries, new starter/relays and countless internal computer updates (none of which have helped btw...). This morning she had the AIS engaged, went to turn left at a green light and when she released the brake the vehicle threw itself into Neutral and flashed a "Auto Idle Stop System Problem" message on the dash. She put it into park and tried to restart, which failed, she then had to turn the vehicle off completely and restart from there. As I mentioned, none of the computer updates Honda has done for this vehicle have helped and it's my understanding there is a block of vehicles in this age range (all Passports, Ridgelines and Pilots) that continue to have problems with the AIS as well. Honda needs to disable this "feature" on any vehicles they cannot fix via computer updates IMMEDIATELY before they get someone killed. Not to mention, we are sick and tired of having to replace the battery and/or starter every couple of years. Honda should not be putting tax breaks above their customers safety and satisfaction. You know it's bad when their 30+ year techs go out of their way to buy a used Honda just to avoid the AIS because they don't know what to do with it at this point either.

Body/Interior๐Ÿ”ต Low
SEATS

SRS warning light came on. Diagnostic found Code U3000-49 Internal Failure of the SRS unit-Seat weight sensors on front passenger seat Front seat lower frame/rail required replacement and was completed by the dealer at my out of pocket cost. This vehicle was not included in the Honda 750,000 vehicle recall for this same defect. Reference Notice 24-050

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ต Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Car slammed on brakes while on interstate, the system likes to say brake, brake, brake, when there is nothing to brake for but a few days ago it actually took action and slammed on brakes on the freeway.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle vibrated abnormally and drove roughly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer suggested that the fuel injector and throttle body needed to be cleaned; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS

No incident has occurred. However, my concern is that a recall was issued on February 1, 2024 (NHTSA Recall Number 24V-064), and as of October 31, 2025, Honda is still stating that parts are not available to complete the repair. I first contacted Honda in March 2025โ€”over a year after the recall was issuedโ€”and was informed that the necessary parts were still unavailable. I called again in October 2025, and received the same response. We are now approaching two years since this recall was announced, and it is unacceptable and inexcusable that Honda has yet to provide the parts needed to correct this safety issue.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the connecting rod bearing in cylinder #3, resulting in damage to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 73,000.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

To preface: All of these issues only occur when the engine idle feature is on. I have not experienced any of these problems when the feature is off. Question #1: When I release the brake with the engine idle on, the vehicle will sometimes completely shut off. When this happens, the steering wheel and brakes lock up, and I am unable to restart the vehicle for at least 60 seconds. Question #2: On one occasion, my wife, our 8-month-old child, and I were stuck at a green light for about 60 seconds while unable to restart the vehicle. Cars were passing by at over 50 mph, and we were relying on other drivers to notice us in time. This situation has happened multiple times and poses a serious safety risk to both us and others on the road. Question #3: I have not taken the vehicle in for service because the issue is difficult to reproduce consistently. That uncertainty is part of the problem, along with the anxiety of not knowing whether the car will suddenly shut off. Question #4: For the same reason, I have not been able to demonstrate the problem on demand. However, the main concern is that I should not have to worry about my vehicle stalling when I go to accelerate. Question #5: The vehicle has completely shut off four separate times over the past year. On one occasion, after releasing the brake, the engine struggled to reach normal RPMs and the check engine light came on. I pulled over, turned the vehicle off, restarted it, and it seemed fine afterward, although it had noticeably less power while the check engine light was on. Lastly, there have been several instances where the engine did not completely shut off when the idle feature was on, but when I released the brake to accelerate, I heard a clicking sound and the vehicle seemed as though it was about to stall. It then resumed operation normally as the idle system re-engaged. Since this happens intermittently, it has been difficult to recreate during a diagnostic inspection.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

I own the 2021 Honda Passport (Touring). On numerous occasions while making left or right turns. The truck will decelerate by itself, and the engine will rev up and the RPM increase but the truck fails to respond when the accelerator pedal is depressed. I continue to press the accelerator pedal, and the truck eventually appears to catch up with its speed. Very dangerous when trying to enter from expressway lane. There also are occasions on straight lane take offs that truck appears sluggish in normal gear shifting.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System) Problem

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My Passport has shut down 4 times recently while idling at a stop. There is a auto start/stop feature on the car that shuts down the engine at stops until the brake is released. The problem is that it sometimes does not restart after releasing the brake. The first 3 times it happened at an intersection so it was no big deal. The last time, today, it stalled on a highway as soon as I stopped for heavy traffic. The car was automatically put it neutral and it took me about 40-50 seconds to realize what happened and to restart while the lanes next to me started moving at highway speeds. I looked up the problem online and saw a "Honda Idle-Stop Class Action Suit ([XXX])" and found out that it is happening to others as well. [XXX] I am not looking for money but want this to be looked at. I will be taking my vehicle in for repairs at a Honda dealership later this week. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Frequently Asked Questions

'What are the most common problems reported with the 2021 Honda Passport?'

'Common issues include malfunctioning rearview mirrors leading to visibility problems and failed braking systems due to improperly assembled components. These defects can directly affect safety and performance, making it essential for potential buyers to investigate service histories thoroughly before purchase.'

'How do the recalls affect the resale value of a Honda Passport?'

'Recalls tend to diminish resale value significantly as potential buyers factor in repair costs or safety risks associated with known defects. A thorough review of whether recall repairs were completed is crucial during valuation discussions.'

๐Ÿ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

๐Ÿ“ˆImproving Trend

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows improving reliability trends, largely due to manufacturing refinements addressing 2020 issues. Recall frequency decreased 37%.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

๐Ÿ”‘

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Immediate Action: If any recalls are listed as 'incomplete', contact a certified HONDA service centerโ€”repairs are performed at no cost to you.
  • Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
  • Proactive tip: Enroll in HONDA's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
๐Ÿ›’

If You're Buying Used

  • Critical: Demand official documentation showing every HONDA recall has been satisfied.
  • Investigate whether later Passport iterations (2022+) rectified these persistent issues.
  • A pre-purchase inspection by a HONDA specialist is mandatory given the recorded failure patterns.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: February 23, 2026.