10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 105,242 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Car was parked. I started it up and put it in reverse and it did not move. I put it back in drive and didn't' move, waited for a few minutes, tried again and the brakes squeezed really tight but was back to normal. Drove to work and on the way back brakes got tight and started to overheat and smoke came out of the passenger side front wheels. Stopped by the side of the road, waited for half an hour until cooled down and called a tow service. Call local Honda dealer and they do not have a recall even though there are more than 200 complaints.
- Lakeland, FL, USA
The car was parked. I started it up and put it in reverse and it wouldn't move. So I put it back in drive. It wouldn't move. So I put it back in reverse and gave it a little gas. It barely moved. So I put it in park and shut it down and pumped on the brakes a few times. I let it sit for a few seconds and tried it again and it was back to normal. Another time the same thing happened but it seemed like the brakes squeezed really tight. Overtight.... because it made a loud spring like popping noise from the brakes. It's done this now several times and im worried that it will happen while driving.... especially on the freeway. Like I said, its happened multiple times. Parked on the street, in a parking garage, on a steep hill in seattle, on a dirt road in the mountains coming back from fishing, some 22 miles from any main road.
- Lynnwood, WA, USA
While driving the vehicle the vsa light and triangle light will come on and the brakes will apply hard with very little pressure applied to brake peddle. Sometimes the vsa light will come on as soon the vehicle is started and will have the same problem with the brakes. Turning off the vsa button after starting the vehicle does not make the problem go away, have almost been rear ended several times since this happens, the brakes stop the car then the vsa light comes on. The Honda dealership reprogrammed the vsa module but shortly afterward the same problem occurs. Now they say it needs a new vsa module at $2000 plus dollars, seems like I am not the only 2006 Pilot having the same problem, only have 74000 miles on vehicle for having it 13 years this happens on city streets at 40 mph or so afraid to get on the highway because I wouldn't want this to happen at 60-70 mph. While this seems to be an intermittent problem it may go several months with out a problem or the vsa light coming on then it happens out of the blue
- Springdale, AR, USA
This is the exact issue that the 2005 Honda Pilot has with its vsa the recall for this is NHTSA recall # 10694296 with over 625 complaints. As everyone describes after one mile of driving the vsa will come on if you attempt to accelerate when on it will engage the brakes but not fully so it shutters and RPM soar but you go no where causing daily near miss accidents. Honda dealers acknowledge this module is the issue but due to the 2006 not being on the govt recall list they will not repair or replace you have to pay to have it done at a cost of $1650. The Honda mechanic showed me the whitepaper Honda has on how to replace this module and the issue it creates but unwilling to stand behind repairing it for free only offer a $125 discount on the repair. So im clear 1. vsa light comes on stays on and vsa switch will not turn this function off as it is designed to. 2. when you attempt to make rapid acceleration the vehicle will not respond just shutters. 3. you have to make a slow smooth acceleration up to your desired speed. 4. you also when backing the vehicle will hear a loud thud and feeling like you were rear ended due to the brakes locking and unlocking.
- Okc, OK, USA
Braking system to apply braking force with no driver input at any time
- Koloa , Kauai, HI, USA
The vsa device will engage after a mile of driving and will not.allow you to accelerate quickly you must slowly press the pedal. Models before 2006 were part of a recall (13V-092) however same issue on 2006 is not part of the recall
- Okc, OK, USA
The vsa light started to come on randomly while I was driving the car. Whenever that happened there would also be a noise and smell as metal grinding against metal. This accompanied with a fraction of a second the brakes and steering wheel would lock up.
- Cooper City, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Pilot. While driving approximately 25 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the brake failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, but the technician could not find a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.
- Torrington, CT, USA
Brakes are locking up while driving without me stepping on the brakes
- Floral Park, NY, USA
The vsa, ABS and vtm-4 lights on the vehicle come on and off and the car will stop or drive erratically. It also makes a grinding noise. I've taken it in and no one can tell me why this is happening. This has been going on since October of 2015. I'm afraid it will cause an accident.
- Downers Grove, IL, USA
My wife's Honda Pilot 06 has been experiencing almost catastrophic vsa symptoms while driving normal speeds. Brakes iwill lock up without pressing brakes and ABS will come on and all vsa lights. Have towed vehicle twice to mechanic and problem clears itself and then without warning happens again thankfully no ones been killed. Contacted Honda they deny any issues with vsa system.
- Orlando, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the rear rotors and brake pads were prematurely worn on two separate occasions after 17,000 miles. The contact stated that the rotors were corroded causing the rear brakes to make a grinding noise. The manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 45,000.
- Attleboro, MA, USA
When driving my Honda Pilot (2006) the check engine light will com one with indicating a problem with the vsa. What happens next is the car slows down significantly and comes to a complete stop. Which means you can be on the highway and the car slows down. I check to see if there was a recall on this issue, and there is one for the 2005 model, not the 2006. However, it is the same problem, which means the problem was not fixed in the next model year. I reached out to Honda corporate and they indicated that they had no recall for this issue for the 2006 model and could not help me. I told them it was the same issue as the 2005 and apparently the problem was not fixed in the next still no help. Please note the following concerning the 2005 model. Tsa action number: EA13002 model year 2005. Same problem. On March 14, 2013, american Honda motor co., Inc. (Honda) submitted a defect information report to NHTSA identifying a defect in the vehicle stability assist (vsa) system in approximately 183,576 model year (my) 2005 Honda Pilot, Acura rl and my 2005-2006 Acura MDX vehicles (NHTSA recall no 13V-092). The population and failure counts provided pertain only to the my 2005 Honda Pilot that were the subject of this investigation. Honda's recall addresses two conditions in the vsa system that could result in inappropriate brake activation.
- Windsor, CT, USA
The vsa system seems to be applying a small amount of brake force without any input by the driver. The small amount of break force seem to be constantly pulling the vehicle to the left. At times, the amount of brake force applied exceeds the driver's intended input. The vsa warning light and ABS light are constantly on. The vehicle has been serviced and is up to date on all maintenance. Dealer and another mechanic say it is the vsa or yaw sensor in the center console that needs to be replaced at a cost of $1,000-$2,0000. It seems to be the very same issue that the recall on the 2005 model addressed.
- Dunlap, IL, USA
While driving the ABS and vsa lights went on and I had to make a rapid stop when a car pulled in front and the my car swerved suddenly and I almost lost control, with the sensation that it was going to turn over. This has continued every time I put the brakes on quickly to make a sudden stop.
- Caguas, PR, USA
I had just started slowing down to turn at a stop light when the vsa warning light came on and my car became hard to steer. It almost came to a complete stop but I was at a major intersection and had no choice but to try and keep driving to avoid getting hit. I somehow managed to get it turned but it didn't want to speed up when I tried to accelerate. I managed to get into a parking lot and turned it off. I let it sit for a few minutes as we caught our breath (two of my kids were with me and it had scared them too) and then cranked it up again. The vsa light was gone but when I put it in reverse to see what it would do, it wouldn't move. It was like the parking brake was on. I then realized that's what it seemed like as I was driving when it happened. I'd thought the car wasn't wanting to run but it was like the brakes were on. Anyway, the brake pedal was stiff and I couldn't push it at all. I tried pumping the pedal to see if it would release but even though I could put the car in either park or drive, it wouldn't move. It was like the parking brake was on or I was holding the brake, neither of which was true. I called a nearby shop and two technicians came to where we were. They cranked it up and everything seemed okay but it was taken back to the shop where they ran every test possible and drove it three different times but nothing happened. They're perplexed as to what's wrong. I came home and got online only to find that there are tons of postings online about the exact same thing happening to others but only the 2005 Pilot has been recalled. Honda, I love my Pilot and don't want to get rid of it nor do I not want to buy another one when the time comes. But, I'm not putting my kids' lives in danger nor my life in danger to drive the car I love. Please, please, please consider recalling the 2006 models as well since there's definitely a problem with them too.
- Senatobia, MS, USA
Driving at slow speed, sometimes when just starting to move the vehicle, there is a shuddering on the brake and the vsa warning light comes on. This happened only occasionally at first and the warning light would go off. The warning light now is always on. The vehicle has been serviced and is up to date on all maintenance. Dealer and another mechanic say it is the vsa or yaw sensor in the center console that needs to be replaced at a cost of $1,000-$2,0000. It seems to be the very same issue that the recall on the 2005 model addressed. Honda says 2006 models are not part of the recall. How many complaints does it take to be added to the recall" is this a safety issue" the vehicle won't pass state inspection next year if the warning light is on.
- Duxbury, MA, USA
While attempting to slow at a traffic light, I applied pressure to the brake pedal only to have the pedal push to the floor and act as though there were no brakes. The anti-lock brake system engaged and threw me and my passenger forward. Then the vsa light came on. I was able to reset the light by turning the vehicle off and on. The problem is intermittent and very frightening.
- Etters, PA, USA
On three separate occasions over a two-day period, the vehicle momentarily brake hard when very light pressure was applied to the brake pedal. The vsa (vehicle stability assist) warning light came on when this occurred but did not stay illuminated after the vehicle was shut off and restarted. These incidents occurred December 23rd and 24th, 2013, and the temperature was approximately 20-30 degrees. No injuries occurred, but thankfully no other vehicles were behind us when it happened. This sounds like the same issue that the 2005 Honda Pilot were recalled for, however, the local Honda dealership will not include my model in the recall and will therefore charge me for any fix that might occur.
- Clarkston, WA, USA
- Sacramento, CA, USA