YearToAvoid

2012 Honda Pilot Brakes Problems

NHTSA lists 31 brake complaints for the 2012 Honda Pilot, 18% of all complaints filed for the year, with 4 crashes and 4 injuries reported. Median mileage at failure is 36,000 miles, and there is no related recall for this issue.

Brakes complaints
31
18% of 171
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
36,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical brake symptoms owners report

  • Steering wheel and brake pedal shake or vibrate strongly when braking from 50+ mph, sometimes recurring after rotors are resurfaced or replaced.
  • Warped front brake rotors reappear repeatedly, in some cases three or more times, despite resurfacing.
  • Some owners describe sudden loss of braking effectiveness, including brakes that failed to stop the vehicle and led to a crash.
  • Brake pedal has excessive travel or slowly sinks toward the floor when held at a stop for several minutes, requiring pumping to restore pressure.
  • One owner reported a seized parking brake cable discovered during a state inspection.
  • One owner described unintended acceleration in a driveway where braking did not stop the vehicle in time.

When 2012 Honda Pilot brake complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 3, 2012, latest Dec 16, 2024.

2012 Honda Pilot brakes complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2012Aug 2013May 2014Jan 2015Apr 2016Dec 2016Sep 2018Dec 2024
31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2012 to Dec 2024; peak Jul 2014 (2).

Brakes recalls for the 2012 Honda Pilot

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Brakes complaints by Pilot model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20109 (8%)
  2. 201144 (15%)
  3. 201231 (18%)
  4. 201343 (16%)
  5. 201411 (9%)
  6. 201512 (11%)
  7. 201667 (4%)
  8. 201733 (4%)
  9. 201813 (3%)
  10. 201957 (6%)
  11. 202035 (7%)
  12. 202127 (6%)
  13. 202220 (13%)
  14. 202317 (12%)
  15. 202413 (12%)
  16. 202532 (16%)

Frequently asked questions

How many brake complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 31 brake complaints for the 2012 Honda Pilot, which is 18% of the 171 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for 2012 Honda Pilot brakes?
No. NHTSA data shows no related recall listed for this brake issue.
At what mileage do 2012 Honda Pilot brake problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 36,000 miles.
Did the 2012 Honda Pilot brake complaints involve crashes or injuries?
Yes. NHTSA records 4 crashes and 4 injuries tied to brake complaints for this model year.
How does the 2012 Pilot compare to other years for brake complaints?
The 2012 Pilot's brake complaints made up 18% of that year's total complaints, higher than most other years listed, such as 4% for 2016 and 2017 and 3% for 2018.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.