2012 Honda Pilot Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 29about this part
- Share
- 17%of 172 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 36,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 29 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Honda Pilot, 17% of the 172 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 36,000 miles. 4 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I recently buy this car and it has 79000 miles on the odo meter and when I check the carfax miles came out 186000 miles it means they rollback the odometer and I want to report a claim because it is really a safety concern”
NHTSA complaint #11342633, filed 2020-08, 2 miles“My Honda has 60k miles on it. In october, I noticed vibration and shaking when braking at high speeds. I had my pads replaced and my rotors machined. Here it is a few months later and I'm having the same issues, the car shakes and vibrates severely when going downhill.”
NHTSA complaint #10969687, filed 2017-03, 60,000 miles“On may 17, 2016, in my driveway, I was trying to move my 2012 Pilot from beside my husband's vehicle to behind it so my son could pull into the driveway. I pressed the gas pedal to move behind my husband's truck and it moved up a little before it accelerated to a high speed slamming his truck into the garage and crushing it. I hit the brakes, but it didn't help. The engine was revving and tires were spinning as fast as they could. …”
NHTSA complaint #10873716, filed 2016-06, 60,000 miles“The check engine light and vtm4 light come on after over an hour of driving. Sometimes the whole inside of the car smells has while driving and the fuel consumption is not efficient. In addition when the car sits in the garage for a few days, maybe 2-3, and I start driving, the wheels make some deep brushing noise. This gets worst when I brake. Sometimes it smells like something is burning under the hood or around the engine.”
NHTSA complaint #10608297, filed 2014-07, 42,000 miles“I have been driving my Honda Pilot 2012 lx since nov 2012, though have been visited Honda about 03 times for brakes, the current miles are approx 37400 miles and already resurfaced the front brake rotors 2 times, this is due to the vehicle weight per Honda, it seems the issue is with rotors, even after driving really conservatively the rotors get uneven really fast, I sincerely believe the rotors need to be of better quality and hence replaced by Honda.”
NHTSA complaint #10671009, filed 2015-01, 36,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10052477May 1, 2013Honda: the engine shuts off, power on, but in accessory; never use conventional wheel & tire assemblies on pax vehicles; mil on after throttle body cleaning or replacement; s/m…
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 4% |
| 2025 | 33 | 15% |
| 2024 | 13 | 11% |
| 2023 | 17 | 12% |
| 2022 | 20 | 12% |
| 2021 | 28 | 6% |
| 2020 | 26 | 5% |
| 2019 | 43 | 5% |
| 2018 | 10 | 2% |
| 2017 | 27 | 3% |
| 2016 | 31 | 2% |
| 2015 | 12 | 11% |
| 2014 | 9 | 8% |
| 2013 | 42 | 16% |
| 2012 | 29 | 17% |
| 2011 | 41 | 14% |
| 2010 | 9 | 8% |
| 2009 | 14 | 10% |
| 2008 | 7 | 5% |
| 2007 | 21 | 10% |
| 2006 | 34 | 13% |
| 2005 | 134 | 20% |
| 2004 | 22 | 4% |
| 2003 | 25 | 3% |
Other parts of the 2012 Honda Pilot
35 complaintsElectrical system
22 complaintsAir bags
20 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
20 complaintsVehicle speed control
17 complaintsFuel system
16 complaintsSuspension
14 complaintsSteering
11 complaintsEngine cooling
10 complaintsOther or unknown
9 complaintsBody and structure
9 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Honda Pilot
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology