2012 Honda PILOT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Honda PILOT has 228 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.9x the segment average of 80. 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. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 18 crash reports 22 injuries

228

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

45 complaints

20%

• 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.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“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

BRAKES

28 complaints

12%

• 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,
• 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 SLOWL
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“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,”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

22 complaints

10%

• 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
• THIS IS FIRST SUMMER FOR MY BRAND NEW HONDA PILOT 2012 LX CAR AND I NOTICE WHEN AC IN ON AND CAR IS NOT MOVING THERE IS SOME KIND OF MOANING VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER FROM WHERE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT HONDA MOTORS IS AWARE ABOUT THIS I
• MY WIFE PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND EXITED THE CAR JUST A SHE NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SHE CALLED ME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO LOOK AND I SAW THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TRIED TO PUT IT OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT IT SPREAD TOO FAST. THE END R

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

20 complaints

• 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
• DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALER IN A BRAND NEW 2012 HONDA PILOT, 4WD, EX-L W/RES ON 6/26/12. AT APPROXIMATELY 62 TO 65 MPH THE TRANSMISSION IS LURCHING AS IT APPEARS TO BE SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR. THIS CAUSES A JERKING MOTION AND CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING. TOOK VEHICLE BAC
• I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2012 HONDA PILOT TO REPLACE A 2010 PILOT THAT HAD SOME UNCHARACTERISTIC ISSUES. WEEKS AFTER DRIVING IT OFF THE LOT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A NOISE WHEN THE AC FAN KICKED ON. I TOOK THE PILOT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS JUST THE SOUND THE FAN MAKES WHEN IT KICKS ON. F

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

20 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS AT STOP THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO FROM THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 60 MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FORWARD, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A BRICK WALL AND THEN A TREE. THE FRONT AND SIDE AI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 60-70 MPH CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO AN INTERSECTION, WHICH THEN CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES TO T
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHEN AN OCCUPANT'S WEIGHT SHIFTED FROM THE SEAT OR WHEN LEANING AGAINST THE ARM RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS AT STOP THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO FROM THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 60 MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FORWARD, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A BRICK WALL AND THEN A TREE. THE FRONT AND SIDE AI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

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
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)