Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Malfunctioned the brake the pedal and the seatbelt it was on Friday to I was driving after I yield drive there was few cars head of me ON A distance now I am trying to start slowdown early can't find the brake so I press the pedal with force when the pedal reaches to the floor slim stop right behind the car of me I will say 99% inch away to touch the car in front of me and the seatbelt even help me back and the all way have trying to move to other direction on when driving shifting unstable I don't fell save at all when I'm driving that specially driving to work at night for me that car need to have a state inspection and a complete repair before the dealership sold that car to me
Purchased brand new Pilot in June 2011. Around noon I was driving down on stretch of road at about 60 MPH when I saw a vehicle with a trailer moving ahead of me. As I approached to pass the vehicle it appeared to slow down and started turning left ahead on the road. The trailer it was hauling did not have any signal or brake lights. I attempted to slowed by applying my brakes but the Pilot did not stop after applying the brakes or slow down. It seem to accelerate instead of stopping even though I had my foot all the way down on the brake pedal. I saw ditches on both sides of the road so I was not able to avoid the crash. The other vehicle was half way turning so I hit the back of the trailer and it went left and I went right on the road.the stopped Pilot started smoking inside and everyone jumped out of the Pilot. …
Today Tuesday March 26th 2013 I was in brooklyn, ny off mrtle ave. On a residential one way street. Pulled up to a large open parking spot with cars in front and back of the spot. The spot was large enough for 2 cars. As I pulled into the spot and progressed slowly forward with my foot on the brake, the car rengine began to rev quickly and jolted forward hitting the parked car in front of me. This is the second time I have felt the car engine rev on it's own with my foot off the gas and jumping forward. First time was while slowing down to a stop sign and the car jumped forward and accelerated on it's own but with no accident. I dismissed it not sure why it happened. This time of course I felt the same symptom with foot on brake the car jolted forward and engine revved on it's own but hitting the car in front of me. I hope Honda fixes this issue. …
This is the second time my brakes have failed. The first time this happened was about 6 months ago. I was leaving my house going about 20mph and wanted to make a right so I applied the brakes, the car would not stop or slow down, even with the brake pedal all the way down. I had to use to use the emergency brake to stop the truck. I turned the truck off and then back on and tested the brakes by driving very slow and braking. This seemed to clear the problem. Today my teenage daughter was leaving the gas pump and needed to back up. After she put the car into reverse, she tried to apply the brakes but the truck would not stop. She pushed the brake pedal all the way down and was still unable to stop the truck. She had to apply the emergency brake to stop the truck. I instructed her to turn the truck off and then turn it back on and test the brakes. This again cleared the problem. …
Rotors began to prematurely warp at about 20K miles. Dealer resurfaced the rotors as a courtesy service. Warping problem re-appeared at approximately 30K. Warped rotors caused severe vibrations through steering column at highway speeds making for unsafe driving conditions. Honda tech mentioned that Honda used rotors with a softer material in an effort to reduce squealing problem on previous year models. However, this resulted in warping problems on newer models as car is heavier and these rotors are not sufficient in stopping the vehicles without causing significant wear. At 55K miles, I decided to replace rotors with a third party since Honda refused to stand behind their defective product and replace my rotors even though I had reported the problem well before the standard factory warranty period of 3 years / 36K miles. …
Experiencing the same issue many 2011 pilots are reporting- excessive vibration on the steering column when breaking over 60mph. We were rather fortunate in that our reliable auto repair service man told us that a car with this low mileage should not have rotors issues- that this is definitely a manufacturers defect and to check with a Honda dealer. So we called the dealer we purchased the car from and he said they called Honda and there are no problems. So I found this web site- I copied and pasted over 7 full pages of complaints regarding this issue. So Honda is blind siding us and I will shout rather loudly because this is ridiculous. Do they need to have hundreds of reported fatalities like the airbags before they fix it.I will not drive this car on the highway until they fix it.
Rather than take vehicle back to dealership, decided to try local shop instead. Clicking & popping noise continue in steering when turning left. Sound getting worse and can now hear in a parking lot whereas before, was just turning on roads. Was told by local technician that sound coming from inside the steering shaft and would cost upwards of $500 to repair. Blower motor needs replacing, purchased new battery, and also told right front cv axle leaking oil, another $400 to replace. Surprise surprise, was told again (third time now having owned this vehicle for just 4 years) that the front rotors are warped and the front brake pads down to 50%. Total cost to replace again is upwards of $600 plus labor. Seriously?!
Warping of rotors causes extreme shaking when breaking also wrenching of steering wheel when sudden stopping or fast descents of stopping/breaking. Clicking in steering column while driving turning,in reverse and straight forward driving, shudder in shifting 5-30 MPH , eco light coming on and causes delay in speed pickup or continuing in same speed during driving 01/15/2019. Door locks failure 06/05/2019 gas purge valve gas smell in ac vent replaced 06/05/2019. Ac/heat blower motor front replaced not working 02/14/2019. Rear blower ac/heat motor broken smelled of smoke replaced 08/05/2019
While driving at approximately 55 miles per hour and attempting to press on the brakes, I noticed a jarring pulsating action from the steering wheel. I took my 2011 Honda Pilot to the shop to have my mechanic inspect the vehicle. The mechanic stated that the rotors were warped, and called the Honda dealer to inquire of a recall. The Honda dealer said there was no recall, and advised me to replace the rotors. The vehicle now has 75000 miles on it, and the same pulsating action when applying the brakes is felt on the steering wheel.
The brakes didn't function properly which caused me to strike a tree with my family in the car. I was traveling at approximately 45 miles per hour when another vehicle hit the front passenger side quarter panel and it sent us on part of a gravel road and then off the road. I engaged the brakes upon impact and had plenty of time to stop before heading into trees. The vehicle did slow, but not enough to avoid hitting a tree at approximately 25-35 MPH, which totaled the vehicle.
Brake complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2011 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the brakes of the 2011 Honda Pilot, 14% of the model year's 293 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 Honda Pilot brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2011 Honda Pilot, though it has 11 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 2011 Honda Pilot brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 30,000 miles, and 46% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 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.