
2012 Honda PILOT
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2012 Honda PILOT has 228 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 366. The most common issue is engine problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: 2012 honda pilot - does not start consistently. consistently has a rough start, and often stalls. within days of owning my brand new 2012 honda pilot, the car stalled when i attempted to start it in my garage. i immediately brought the car into the dealership. the dealer's service department cou. There are 9 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.
228
Total Complaints
9
Recalls Issued
4/5
Safety Stars
0.6x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
ENGINE
45 complaints- • 2012 HONDA PILOT - DOES NOT START CONSISTENTLY. CONSISTENTLY HAS A ROUGH START, AND OFTEN STALLS. WITHIN DAYS OF OWNING MY BRAND NEW 2012 HONDA PILOT, THE CAR STALLED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT IN MY GARAGE. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COU
- • THE PILOT CRANKS, BUT THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO START. HONDA RECOGNIZES PROBLEM, BUT OFFERS NO SOLUTION OR TIME FRAME FOR A FIX. CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW, BUT HONDA WILL NOT PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE SAFE VEHICLE. *JS
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAMSHAFT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 5,000.
“2012 HONDA PILOT - DOES NOT START CONSISTENTLY. CONSISTENTLY HAS A ROUGH START, AND OFTEN STALLS. WITHIN DAYS OF OWNING MY BRAND NEW 2012 HONDA PILOT, THE CAR STALLED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT IN MY GARAGE. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COU”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2012 Honda PILOT
Based on 170 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 33K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
ENGINE
BRAKES
SPEED CONTROL
TRANSMISSION
FUEL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (9)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M2J and S2K.
Fuel Cost Calculator for 2012 Honda PILOT
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
5-Year Gas Price History
EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → todaySource: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2012 Honda PILOT
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Honda PILOT Service Intervals
Maintenance Minder shows exact intervals based on your driving. CVT-equipped models (Civic, HR-V, Accord Hybrid) need CVT fluid service, not conventional ATF.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Honda New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Honda. If you're buying a used 2012 PILOT, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Honda dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 228 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: 2012 HONDA PILOT - DOES NOT START CONSISTENTLY. CONSISTENTLY HAS A ROUGH START, AND OFTEN STALLS. WITHIN DAYS OF OWNING MY BRAND NEW 2012 HONDA PILOT, THE CAR STALLED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT IN MY GARAGE. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: 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,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE GRINDING NOISE WAS DUE TO THE STARTER ENGAGING. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO R
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-70 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO SHUTTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT WHAT HE WAS FEELING WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS THE OWNE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 9 recalls have been completed — free at any Honda dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Honda PILOT — Year Comparison
How does 2012 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 228
- Recalls
- 9
- Fire reports
- 5
- Crash reports
- 18
- Injury reports
- 22
- Segment avg
- 366
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2012 Honda PILOT