Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In the morning, on January 27, I had my 2 year old and 4 year old in the vehicle and I was driving my son to school. Less than a mile from home, going between 30-35mph, I tapped the brakes as I approached a bend in the road and after a brief initial pause (as you would expect), the car suddenly started rapidly accelerating - I started pressing the brakes to no avail - vehicle did not slow down - at this point I was in the curve and was unable to keep the vehicle on the road. I hit a small tree and continued careening out of control until I crashed in a ditch, hitting a wood hydro pole (thankfully not concrete) - both airbags deployed - I suffered a broken ankle, bruised ribs and seat belt abrasions - my 2 year old required stitches on her eye lid and eyebrow due to impact with her cup that she was holding at the time (we're lucky her sight wasn't affected). …
The vehicle has had unpredictable braking and traction for well over a year. Dealer visit on March 14, 2014 did not produce a cause. More recently I was unable to stop the vehicle from 40 MPH for a red light with full brake pressure. Road conditions were good at the time. I had to accelerate through the intersection to avoid a collision. The vehicle currently displays the "check engine" light and "vtm-4" light quite consistently. Traction is also intermittently compromised by some unknown problem. It seems that when the vtm-4 light is on, the AWD feature of the vehicle is disabled. When it is on, it cannot be disabled with the switch on the dash. The driver side air bag was ordered on October 29, 2014 but has not yet become available. I called the dealer again on March 2, 2014 after I received another air bag recall notice. …
I was on the hwy in the left lane an exhilarated then all of the sudden my SUV just braked suddenly without me pressing the brake causing a screech on the concrete. I moved to the right lane very cautiously. I drove about 15 miles then it happened again. I turned my emergency flasher on and drove another 5 miles when it happened again. I pulled onto the side of the road and called my husband to come drive behind me the rest of the way home. This is very scary. I just knew I was going to get rear ended. I love my Honda Pilot but now I can't drive it. I have no idea why or what is causing this problem! Please help. Thanks, [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle independently decelerated while driving at an unknown speed. In addition, the ABS warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the two front wheel speed sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was confirmed that the speed sensors and the automatic transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.the contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 04V176000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the brakes failed to engage and the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact attempted to utilize the emergency brake but to no avail. The vehicle then proceed through traffic and crashed into an embankment. The air bags deployed from the compartment but failed to inflate. The contact sustained injuries to the neck, the front seat passenger sustained injuries to the head and the rear passenger sustained injuries to the face. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and current mileage was 127,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician stated that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000. Updated 04/10/15 the consumer stated the vehicle has a history of traction issues in both accelerating and decelerating. Updated 04/16/15
Car suddenly and abruptly decelerated as if maximum brakes were applied for about half a second. Car did not jerk hard to left or right, suggesting that if brakes were the cause, both wheels probably engaged simultaneously. Removed both front wheels and inspected front brakes and lines. Nothing unusual noted. Brake fluid level checked and found to be between max and min.
While parked in a lot the vehicle caught on fire . The cause has yet to be determined. The fire department stated that it was an electrical failure, but was not sure. Consumer stated there was no indication of any problem. No hesitation nor any warning lights. The vehicle had less than 1000 miles when the master cylinder failed.
A new master cylinder from American Honda installed by a Honda dealership failed less than 1/4 mile from the dealership. The failure was detected by the brake pedal not coming to a complete stop when pressed though this was not very noticeable. Pressing the brake caused brake fluid to leak from the master cylinder and would have eventually caused enough loss so that the brakes would not work. The master cylinder had been replaced along with the front-left brake cylinder due to the front-left brake cylinder sticking closed according to the dealership. The original brake cylinder failure caused enough smoke to cause the driver to initially believe the car was on fire.
For over a year, I have been reporting break failure to the dealership. I explained that when I try to stop while going over a bump at 25 MPH or less, the breaks fail and the ABS does not kick in, I.e. The car fails to stop. The dealership said that they could not replicate the problem and therefore, there was no problem with the car. This morning I went over a bump at about 22 MPH, tried to stop the car as I was going over the bump because there was a car stopped about 150-200 feet in front of me. The breaks failed or locked and the ABS never kicked in. I rapidly slid into the car in front of me causing extensive damage to my car.
Brake complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Honda Pilot, 3% of the model year's 720 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Honda Pilot brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2003 Honda Pilot, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Pilot brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 127,000 miles, and 35% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.