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 2012 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated during the past 3 seasons of winter, the vehicle would fail to come to a stop while depressing the brake pedal. No warning lights illuminated. The failure would occur during winter cold climate temperatures. The vehicle was previously taken to a local independent mechanic where both the front brake pads and rotors were replaced. The vehicle was also taken to the local dealer for a second opinion however the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was taken back to the same local independent mechanic where the power fluid and brake system were flush however the failure had reoccurred and could not be replicated. The vehicle was also taken to another local independent mechanic for a second opinion however the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the vehicle experienced an increased RPM while the brake pedal was depressed. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle then unintendedly accelerated. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,400.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was getting a State Inspection, the inspector observed that the parking brake cable had seized and failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the parking brake cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
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. The airbag hit me in the face causing me to jerk the steering wheel to the right, which then caused the Pilot to drive across my front yard at a high speed crashing into my neighbor's tree with my foot still on the brake! The engine only stopped when my husband ran out of my house and turned off the Pilot. At that point, I didn't know what was happening because I had been hit so hard in the face by the airbag. …
My car suddenly accelerated for no known reason and the brakes would not stop the car. This has happened 2 time in one week. First time it was moving at a very slow rate as I was coming to a stop at a stop light. The second time I was sitting in line at a drive thru, waiting to move forward, when I took my foot off the brake the car suddenly accelerated and when I pushed on the brake pedal it went to the floor and would not stop the car. I took the car to my garage and they said they could not find anything wrong. I don't know what is causing this but I am not sure if I should keep this car, after I repair the damage or get another car? Please check carcomplaints.com
2012 Honda Pilot certified pre owned purchased from hendricks Honda, bradenton, fl. I purchased 1/27/2015. Original in service 4/19/2012. In florida. Vehicle has not been in winter weather or on salted roads since original in service date. Appr. 1 week after purchase I brought to the attention of used car dept. Personel that all 4 brake rotors were showing rust on all non braking surfaces. I was told this was normal and they would not address this issue. I subsequently returned with vehicle to my home in mass. Rust on rotors progressed to point of looking like it would affect the integrity of the rotor. Upon rreturning to my home in mass. I brought it to the service dept of orleans auto, as subsidiary of the authorized Honda dealer; hyannis Honda,and was told that Honda would not address this issue. …
My 2012 Honda Pilot rotor warp prematurely resulting in loss of control and increased risk for crash when driving at moderate to high speeds. After being shook to death after heavy breaking, I took my Pilot to the dealership. They said they are aware of the problem but rotors carry a 12K mile warranty. They say that the rotors are not properly designed for the weight of the vehicle. In fact, they updated the new pilots because of this issue. Also, the have a replacement for the Honda odyssey because of this issue but nothing for the Honda Pilot. Thus, I am force to change out my rotors every 15K miles because of Honda's poor design. Loss of control of the vehicle due to improperly design rotor should be recalled. This on top of Honda knowingly and admitting that there is a problem that affects safety, is pure negligence.
Warped rotors due to issues with front suspension rear lower arm bushings that are currently leaking and crached. I took my car into the dealership several times and was never told about this issue, but did complain of vibrating, yet nothing was said or done. Had to go to another mechanic to find out what was wrong. Honda needs to cover this issue as I can see from the other complaints that I am not the only one with this issue. These are faulty parts on a vehicle that costs over $30,000.00. This is my second Honda Pilot and I did not have this issue with the last Pilot. Car violently shakes when braking. It however the whole front end vibrates when driving. Now my window rattles and I believe it is loose because I can hear the air
I am so tired of my front brakes shaking. I have had the rotators turned,or rotated twice and it keeps on happening. I bought this car brand new.the whole car shakes and it is the most frustrating and annoying thing to deal with. 98% of the time when I go to brake, my car shakes, shimmers, and just seems to be unsafe. Just braking at stop lights can change my mood. This is my second Honda Pilot and my first 2008 Pilot did not do this. Something needs to be done. I will not buy another Honda Pilot.
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.
Brake complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2012 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Honda Pilot, 17% of the model year's 171 complaints. The component named most often is conventional › mechanical › linkage and cable (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Honda Pilot brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2012 Honda Pilot, though it has 9 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 2012 Honda Pilot brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles, and 37% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 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.