2012 Honda Pilot Brakes Problems

Your 2012 Honda Pilot's brakes fail to stop the vehicle when you press the brake pedal, but only during winter cold weather—the problem disappears in warmer months. You've had the front brake pads, rotors, brake fluid, and entire brake system flushed by mechanics, but the issue keeps returning and can't be reproduced when you take it in for service. The brakes may need a more thorough inspection of the brake system components that are sensitive to cold temperatures, such as brake fluid viscosity issues or air in the brake lines.

Your parking brake cable has seized and stopped working properly. During a state inspection, this was discovered when the brake failed to engage as it should. Your dealer confirmed the cable needs to be replaced to restore parking brake function.

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

BRAKE ROTORS WARPING AGAIN FOR THIRD TIME, 80,000 MILES. NO HARD BRAKING. MECHANIC TELLS ME HE SEES THIS A LOT WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. VERY SEVERE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING AND ALMOST LOSS OF CONTROL ON HIGHWAY WHEN EVEN SLIGHTLY BRAKING AT 60+ MPH

MY HONDA HAS 60K MILES ON IT. IN OCTOBER, I NOTICED VIBRATION AND SHAKING WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAD MY PADS REPLACED AND MY ROTORS MACHINED. HERE IT IS A FEW MONTHS LATER AND I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, THE CAR SHAKES AND VIBRATES SEVERELY WHEN GOING DOWNHILL.

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. *TR

BRAKES ARE VERY SOFT FROM NEW. DEALER NEVER FIX PROBLEM. ALWAYS SAID IS NORMAL.

REAR BRAKE PADS RUSTED SOLIDLY TO CALIPERS. INOPERATIVE. FRONT BRAKES PADS RUSTED BUT STILL OPERATING. ONLY 23,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE ALERTED ME TO A PROBLEM AS I BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC WHO TEST DROVE CAR AND KNEW WHAT PROBLEM WAS. HE TOOK OFF ALL 4 WHEELS ,PRIED PADS LOOSE FROM CALIPERS, SANDED OFF RUST, LUBED AND REINSTALLED PARTS. HE INFORMED ME THAT I NEEDED NEW CALIPERS, PADS AND HARDWARE. I CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT BEING OUT OF WARRANTY, THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I THEN CALLED HONDA MOTOR CO. I WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME.TO ME,THIS SEEMED A SAFETY ISSUE MORE THAN A WARRANTY ISSUE.

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.

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

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. AUG 4.2015, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO HYANNIS HONDA TO BE INSPECTED BY SERVICE MANAGER; NORMAN LAMARRE, AND SERVICE DIRECTOR, RENE EANSEREAU. BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A COMMONLY SEEN PROBLEM ON RECENT HONDA VEHICLES AND A KNOWN HONDA PROBLEM, THEY HAVE DEALT WITH MANY TIMES OVER MANY YEARS AND HAVE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS. HOWEVER AMERICAN HONDA WILL NOT COVER RUST ON ROTORS AS A WARRANTY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT AMERICAN HONDA IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS. I AM REQUESTING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE MATTER. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE THE INTEGRITY OF THESE BRAKE ROTORS IS PRESENTLY COMPROMISED, IN THE COOLING VAN AREA AND THE HUB AREA. I AM REQUESTING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE MATTER. UPDATED 10/06/15*LJ *CN

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. *TR

ON APRIL 30 2014 MY WIFE [XXX] ENTERED THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA CAMPUS IN THE 2012 HONDA PILOT. SHE APPROACHED THE GUARD BOOTH AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS CAN BE VERIFIED AS THE GUARD STOPPED HER AND THEY HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE TO PARK. [XXX] THEN ACCELERATED OUT OF THE GUARD BOOTH WHILE MAKING AN IMMEDIATE LOW SPEED RIGHT TURN DOWN A RAMP INTO A PARKING GARAGE. FROM THIS POINT THE HONDA PILOT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DOWN THE RAMP AS SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND FAILED TO BRAKE. IT JUMPED A SMALL MEDIAN AND EVENTUALLY HIT A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP. [XXX] MAINTAINS THAT SHE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING THE DESCENT DOWN THE RAMP UP THE MOMENT OF IMPACT AND THE CAR WAS STILL CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE AND BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. I CONTACTED HONDA AND SUBMITTED A WRITTEN REQUEST THAT THE EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) BE TESTED. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM HONDA CALLED ME ON SEPTEMBER 6 (I WAS ONLY GIVEN A FIRST NAME OF [XXX]) HE EXPLAINED THAT ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 19 A TECHNICIAN EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT NO PRE ACCIDENT DATA COULD BE RECOVERED. HE EXPLAINED THAT WHILE THE 2012 HONDA PILOT HAS AN EDR ONLY SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECORD PRE ACCIDENT DATA AND THAT MINE DID NOT HAVE THIS ABILITY. HE ALSO SAID THAT I WOULD NOT RECEIVE A REPORT OR ANY CONFIRMATION IN WRITING ABOUT THE INCIDENT OR SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE OWNER MANUAL INDICATES THAT EDRS HAS THE ABILITY TO RECORD DATA UP TO 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT IT WILL REPORT IF THE ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE WAS BEING ACTIVATED AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT. IT WILL ALSO INDICATE THE VEHICLE SPEED. MY REQUEST IS THAT HONDA FOLLOW THROUGH AND TEST THE EDR TO DETERMINE IF THE BRAKES AND OR ACCELERATOR MALFUNCTIONED AS [XXX] MAINTAINS AND SUPPLY THE RESULTS TO ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN MAY 2012, THERE WAS A SEVERE 'PULSING' VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING FROM SPEEDS > 60MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THIS WAS BECAUSE IT SAT ON THE LOT WITHOUT BEING MOVED, AND 'MACHINED' THE RUST OFF THE ROTORS, WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY 35000-40000 MILES. AGAIN THE DEALER SAYS IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR ROTORS, AND THEY NEED TO BE RESURFACED AND THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED. I OWNED A 2004 PILOT AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH IT IN THE 100,000 MILES I DROVE IT. MY DRIVING HABITS HAVE NOT CHANGED. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE ROTORS ON THIS MODEL - BRAKING DISTANCE IS LONGER THAN MY PRIOR MODEL AND THE VIBRATION/PULSING IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A CONCERN FOR SAFETY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPOT, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT THEN CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, SHE FELT A VIBRATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 9/10/12. OVER THE NEXT WEEK, NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WAS EXCESSIVE AND THE FEEL WAS SOFT - LIKE THERE WAS AIR SOMEWHERE IN THE BRAKES LINES. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR AND THEN INDICATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS; THAT ON SOME OF THE OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, THEY HAD BLED THE BRAKE SYSTEM WITH NO RESULTANT IMPROVEMENT; THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT ABNORMAL IN THIS REGARD; AND THAT HONDA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS SUBJECT TO DATE. WROTE A COMPLAINT ON THIS TO HONDA USA, CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 10-09-12. RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A HONDA USA CUSTOMER SERVICE CASE MANAGER ON 10-26-12 TO SAY THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER 2012 HONDA PILOT VEHICLES, THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OPERATING PER DESIGN, AND THAT IF I WAS UNSATISFIED I SHOULD CONTACT THE LOCAL HONDA DISTRICT PARTS/SERVICE MANAGER. WILL ATTEMPT TO DO THIS NEXT WEEK, BUT THIS SOUNDS BOGUS TO ME SINCE THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINTS ALREADY ON THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

TRAVELING AT LOW OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS EXCESSIVE TRAVEL AND CAUSES AN EXCESSIVELY LONG DELAYED STOP. ALSO, WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND WAITING WITH THE BRAKE PRESSED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, I.E., 3-5 MINUTES AT A RED LIGHT OR LONGER TIME AT A RAILROAD STOP, THE BRAKE PADDLE WILL SLOWLY START TRAVELING TO THE FLOOR. HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKE TO BRING IT BACK UP, THEN, THE PROBLEM KEEPS REPEATING. SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER TRYING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THEY BLED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CONTACTED HONDA'S MAIN TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT, THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION AND COMPARE IT TO OTHER PILOT'S. NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD DEPRESS TOO FAR DOWNWARD BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY ENGAGED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,450.