10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,607 miles

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problem #37

Feb 112019

Pilot

  • 110,887 miles
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

- Savannah, GA, USA

problem #36

Jun 052017

Pilot

  • 80,000 miles
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. I have taken my car to the dealer and they have not been able to find anything wrong.

- Severn, MD, USA

problem #35

May 182017

Pilot

  • miles
Changed brakes at 30,000 and again at 50,000, rotors also. Vehicle continues to have a rubbing sound on left front. Three sets of brakes and rotors in 50,000 miles.

- Plattsburgh, NY, USA

problem #34

Jan 012012

Pilot

  • 22,000 miles
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. Technician also discovered cracked compliance bushings on front end.

- Union City, CA, USA

problem #33

Feb 032016

Pilot

  • 57,000 miles
Experiencing the same issue many 2011 Pilot 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.

- Lewiston, ME, USA

problem #32

Oct 012013

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
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.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #31

Nov 152012

Pilot

  • 60,000 miles
I had the front arm bushing replaced and I understood there was a bulletin. I now have to have the bushing replaced again. I feel the issue has not been addressed.

- Crystal Lake, IL, USA

problem #30

Dec 302014

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 31,458 miles
When brakes were applied, brake pressure did not engage. Had to pump brakes to get them to work. The problem became more frequent. Eventually discovered premature failure of the brake master cylinder.

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #29

Jul 302014

Pilot

  • 74,000 miles
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?!

- Highlands Ranch, CO, USA

problem #28

Jul 162012

Pilot

  • miles
Having had the front brake rotors replaced twice (April 2012 & June 2012) and replaced front tires after first rotors, vehicle continues to shake on downhill, supposedly causing front wheels to heat up. Local vail service technician thinks underlying Honda issue however after taking to Honda dealership, they did not see any problems and suggested that we didn't know how to drive on mountainous roads. Seriously?! this is a major issue with the model & year of vehicle.

- Highlands Ranch, CO, USA

problem #27

Jan 102014

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
I have a 2009 Honda Pilot touring. I bought this vehicle as a Honda certified pre-owned on 03/17/2011. The vehicle mileage was 33194 miles and current mileage is 92000. We live in madison, wi. During 2013-14 winter sessions there were many days the weather was very cold here. One day when the weather was very cold (probably -10 F), I took the car from my office parking lot. The car was parked for little over 8hours. As soon as, I came out of the parking lot, I need to take left. When I tried to apply brake to stop, the brake was not engaging. I was not able to press the brake. After couple of blocks, I will come to a T junction and I need to take left on that. The cross traffic does not stop at the junction. The car wasn't stopping and I took a hard right turn. Again I took a hard right turn in 100-200 feet. The brakes were not engaging at all. After so many times of pressing hard, finally I was able to apply brake and stop the car. It was a scary moment thinking that the car is going to crash somewhere. I called my Honda technician and he mentioned that it could be because of cold weather and I should call him again if the problem returns. There were a few times, I faced the same problem. I was able to engage the brakes after a few minutes each time. I took to the Honda service center in Feb 2014 (or around that time). The technician checked and told me that they will call Honda to find out about this since another Honda vehicle (not Pilot) reported similar issue. When I went to take back the car, I was told that there is no fix to this issue. The workaround is to run the car for a while before I drive. Sometimes we forget and the problem is coming repeatedly even when the temperature is in single digit. I faced the problem just a few days back too. I am not sure whether anyone else using Honda vehicle reported about this problem. Please contact me for more info.

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #26

Nov 212014

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 60,130 miles
I began to accelerate from a stop sign and my steering wheel started to shake. In an effort to gain control of the vehicle, I pushed the brakes. The problem was, my brakes were not responding to any inputs. I had to drive my vehicle in a ditch in order to come to a complete stop. Luckily, I was only going 30mph when this occurred. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #25

Nov 012014

Pilot

  • 62,000 miles
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.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #24

Aug 202014

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 46,967 miles
The rear brake wear indicator began emitting a chirp upon braking at about 46000 miles. Recently the brakes began "growling" when applied at various speeds. The mpg approximately 3 mpg over that time period. The dealer reported that the rear brakes were metal on metal and that the front brakes had 20% remaining on some part and 40% on others. He attributed the premature and uneven wear to rust. He did not mention any rotor problems but my research indicates there is a rotor problem that Honda is not addressing.

- Lake Luzerne, NY, USA

problem #23

May 232012

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 39,018 miles
2011 Honda Pilot experiencing a severe vibration issues when applying the brakes when traveling at highway speeds (45mph+). the vehicle stability, steering and control do not feel safe under these conditions. We first identified the problem with Honda at 39000 miles in 2012 and they balanced the tires. Brought to Honda's attention again at 69000 miles in August 2013. They replaced the front and rear brake pads and resurfaced front and rear the rotors for a charge of $478. Still experiencing at 80000 miles and they said we need new front rotors ($440) and need to replace compliance arm bushings (found compliance bushings split and torn) for $736.95. Please investigate as a serious defective issue that perhaps warrants a recall.

- Pittstown, NJ, USA

problem #22

Jun 052014

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 75,760 miles
I was stopped in a drive thru with my foot on the brake and 2 vehicles in front of me. Suddenly, while my foot was still on the brake, my truck lunged forward hitting the truck in front on me and forcing that truck to hit the truck in front of them. But it didn't end there. When my truck originally lunged, the engine revved and after hitting the truck in front of me, my truck engine continued to rev up and down and my truck continued to bounce off and on the truck in front of me. After the initial impact I placed both feet on the brake and was pushing as hard as I could trying to make my truck stop. I was practically standing on the brakes, but I had no control. The revving and bouncing off and on the truck in front of me went on for several seconds. Finally, my legs got tired from pushing so hard on the brakes I just took them off and the truck just stopped moving and engine stopped revving. When all of this was happening, my sensors never went off. Although when my truck came to a stop, I put it in park and got out to see if the person in front of me was ok. I noticed that I was within 2 inches of her bumper and when I got back in my truck, the sensor was only beeping. I contacted american Honda who advised me to take it to Honda of bowie, where I purchased the vehicle. I was told that an inspector from american Honda and the service manager from Honda of bowie would inspect the truck thoroughly. After doing so, they informed my husband that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and there was nothing they could do. I feel there is a safety issue with this truck and I am very nervous and anxious when driving it. I feel Honda has let me down and is refusing to take responsibility for a very serious issue.

- Dunkirk, MD, USA

problem #21

Mar 272014

Pilot

  • 33,000 miles
Purchased brand new Pilot in June 2011. I was driving on a freeway at 60 mph and wheel started shaking when I hit brakes. Driving became very dangerous because of shaking. Talked to Honda service dealer about it and issue is rotors/brakes which is not covered under warranty. This should not happen in a care that's under 3 years 36000 mile warranty.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

problem #20

Aug 112013

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
Purchased a 2011 certified used Honda Pilot in June 2013, 20,200 miles, after reading reviews stating the reliability. Within a couple of months, notices a vibration when braking. Honda service station said the rotors are warped and recommended resurfacing and new brake pads, but that the warranty wouldn't cover the cost. Called Honda and they verified the problem wasn't covered by warranty - normal wear and tear. Shortly after, the vehicle began pulling with every bump in the road. In addition, the transmission began slipping, jerking, and jumping into higher gear when coasting to a stop. Took the vehicle back to the Honda service station and was told that in addition to the rotor issue, the tires were unevenly worn and should be replaced (24,000 miles). They recommended having an alignment. Was also told there is nothing wrong with the transmission, which clearly isn't the case. Took the vehicle to a local service station for alignment, tire rotation, and balance and was told the alignment and balance were only slightly off and having them done didn't correct the problem. They also stated the rotors should be covered by warranty because there was no reason for them to warped at such a low mileage. Between the transmission and suspension problems the vehicle feels unsafe to drive. I'm very uncomfortable driving it even on a short highway trip. A very expensive, unreliable vehicle.

- Sparta, WI, USA

problem #19

May 152013

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
When slowing down in the vehicle the steering wheel vibrate and driver can lose control of vehicle. The brakes when applied to slow down or stop also has pulsating or feels like they may not be stopping the car at all and more pressure has to be applied to the pedal to stop. I have found same complaints from other consumers on different complaint websites. The only recommendations from Honda are to have rotors resurfaced. When applying the brakes at any speed over 50 mpg, the steering wheel shakes like an earthquake. Dealer said brakes were fine and that there was no issue. Next trip the dealer said the brakes might need to be redone. And that the rotors were warped. Repairs would not be covered under warranty or extended warranty. This is obviously a defect and needs to be handled by Honda. Now approaching 40K miles and the problem is making me nuts. I'm going to wind up paying out of pocket for their poor design.

- Brewerton, NY, USA

problem #18

Mar 062012

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 32,000 miles
My Honda Pilot along with numerous other Honda Pilot owners are experiencing a severe vibration issues when applying the brakes to just slow down when traveling at high-way speeds. The vibration can be so severe that if you are not holding the steering wheel firmly it could cause you to lose control of the vehicle. When addressed at Honda dealerships you are told it is warped rotors and that even with a brake job (which is not necessary based upon inspection) that the problem may return. There is basically nothing they can do, so live with it. This is a severe safety issue that has been previously reported on your site and needs to be addressed through proper inspection and a recall.

- Succasunna, NJ, USA

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