Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
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).
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while approaching at a stop light she came to a complete stop behind another vehicle as the vehicle jerked without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the right arm. The other vehicle passenger spare tire on the Jeep detached from the other vehicle and damaged the engine. A police report was made. The contact drove to the hospital the next day and was treated for injuries. The vehicle was towed by the police to an independent shop where it was deemed a total loss by insurance company. The dealer was not contacted or the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
Steering has felt loose for as long as I remember. Tires were lasting only 15K miles and front brakes go bad yearly. I have a good 1 to 2 inches of play turning the wheel to both left and right. I asked multiple mechanics to tighten the steering column down including Honda service department mechanics but they said it couldn't be done. When I moved farther away from my kids school in 2018 I had the car inspected by Honda for anything wrong since now my kids will be commuting 25 miles to school and back in it. Service told me my bushings were bad. My car had about 40K miles on it at that time. Also at that time no one mentioned that the part was previously on an extended warranty or that there was a recall on the spindle nuts that weren't tightened down correctly nor did I receive notification from Honda regarding those issues. …
I just purchased my 2011 less than 30 days ago. I have only driven it about 5 times the problem is with a knocking noise when you drive over bumps. When I purchased the car it was a rainy night and you could not hear anything like that because the car and the road was wet. Not that it is dry you hear it at every small bump in the road. Took to service to find that the compliance bushings are cracked and it will also need struts. This is crazy a car less than 5 years old need this already. Honda has to know about this problem why wont they fix this. They have a service bulletin about it. You are looking at almost $1500 to have these 2 problems fixed. I haven't send in my 1st car payment. This is just crazy. I am not happy about this at all. This is something you would never see or know until you take the car to a service center. This is a known problem Honda fix this. …
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. …
When turning the steering wheel to the far right or to the far left (or on a sharp turn) as in making a u-turn, there is a clicking sound and vibration in the steering wheel and feels like it is tied to the axles or tires. This has been happening since the vehicle was purchased brand new in 2010. As you are driving, there is a sensation that the wheels are momentarily locking up for about 2 seconds. This is not related to the eco system. The car feels as if it is skidding or skipping and then it resumes to normal driving. This happens about every 5 miles.this happens when the vehicle is traveling at a speed of 40 miles or higher on the freeway not in stop and go traffic. This has been happening within the last six months, had vehicle inspected and all was reported normal.
2011 Pilot touring with 75K miles one it started shaking when breaking at highway speeds a few months ago. Took in for service and asked them to check on the cause of the shaking, and they replaced bushings as part of the extended warranty, claiming that would fix the problem. It did not affect the shaking at all. I then took to Firestone for tires and breaks, who identified a busted lower left tie rod and gave me an estimate of $1100 to fix. It only has 75K miles on it, why these suspension/breaks/wheel issues already?? My vehicle shakes violently when I break and I feel it is unsafe for me and my children. This should be a recall, but the labor is extremely expensive because the entire assembly has to be disassembled. I have been a lifelong Honda is very wrong here.
I had noticed while driving my vehicle it felt as if the front brake rotors where warped due to the vibration in the steering wheel while under braking. I brought the vehicle to the Honda dealership and after inspection was told that in fact rotors where warped and break pads worn all parts replaced and problem seemed to be corrected this was done at 85,000 miles. Now at 98,000 same problem has returned brought back to dealer and they informed me now that both the front compliance bushings need replacement. I have checked to see if this is a recall issue and cannot imagine it is not seeing it could have catastrophic failure issues. Please hold American Honda to standards set by the NHTSA for customer safety.
During highway driving and braking from highway speeds a significant vibration is felt in the steering column. It does not lead to a loss of control, however it renders the vehicle less stable under braking. The vehicle has 75,000 miles on it. We brought it in for service and the lower arm compliance bushings required replacement. Honda had issued an extended warranty for this item - a clear indication that the part is not up to standard - and presumably a significant number of these vehicles will face a similar problem - which if unadressed could lead to further accidents.
I have replaced coils and plugs due to misfire code po302 two or more times. I have had cv joints replaced 2 or more times. I purchased this vehicle used approximately 4 years ago. I have contacted Honda USA on several occasions only to be told their are no recalls except Takata airbag. Only to find out their is a (known) problem with cylinder misfires for my vehicle. I brought this up to Honda's attention. Not the other way around.
I have a 2011 Honda Pilot with only 45,243 miles. I took it to the dealership where I originally purchased for routine maintenance service on 10/05/20, and was told that the compliance bushings are leaking and needs to be replaced. This is a well maintained and driven vehicle, so it is surprising to learn about this problem with such low mileage. May I know if there is a recall for similar issues?
Related recalls
Suspension
Honda is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Honda accord v6 and model year 2011 Honda pilot vehicles. The bolts that attach the lower left and right front damper bracket to the front suspension and the spindle nuts on the pilot May not have been properly tightened which May result in loss of steering.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and replace any loose front damper bracket bolts or spindle nuts on the pilot if necessary. Dealer will inspect and replace the spindle nuts on the accord v6 if necessary.
Suspension complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2011 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the suspension of the 2011 Honda Pilot, 12% of the model year's 293 complaints. The component named most often is front (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Honda Pilot suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-640 (suspension, Dec 16, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Honda Pilot suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to suspension 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.