2012 Honda Pilot Problems

On April 9, 2026, my daughter came in from school and parked her Honda Pilot at about 5:10PM. At about 7:03PM, my wife and I were sitting outside and heard a loud POP, it sounded like a car backfiring. I went to investigate and saw a little smoke and a small orange glowing piece of something on the ground under the vehicle towards the front of the vehicle. I grab a fire extinguisher from my work truck and went towards the vehicle. The car was locked and I saw flames under the hood standing by the driver door looking down where the windshield wipers are. I used the extinguisher till it was empty and the flames kept getting worse. I just walked away and my wife was already calling 911. No one was hurt no damage to any exposures. My daughter did not indicate that anything was wrong with the vehicle. No lights on, no smells, everything ran fine. It had 154,000 miles on it. I do have RING video footage of the event. I did file a claim with my insurance and sent them the video footage.

The check transmission light comes and goes. Ive had the transmission flushed with no issues. It pulls codes for the torque converter as its supposedly getting stuck per mechanic or is over heating and throwing the code. It does not drive rough and I believe it is a faulty code that needs to be addressed and updated and cleared. Ive had it cleared out once and it stayed off for a whole month. The light and blinking D doesn't come on all the time or in patterns so that also tells me it isn't a transmission issue or it would be on more frequently and consistently. To where when mine comes on and then I shut my car off for an hour it stays off for quite some time. This really needs to be addressed instead of causing car owners unnecessary costs for diagnostic purposes through a Honda dealer which costs 100.00 or more or even them putting in a complete new transmission.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated during the past 3 seasons of winter, the vehicle would fail to come to a stop while depressing the brake pedal. No warning lights illuminated. The failure would occur during winter cold climate temperatures. The vehicle was previously taken to a local independent mechanic where both the front brake pads and rotors were replaced. The vehicle was also taken to the local dealer for a second opinion however the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was taken back to the same local independent mechanic where the power fluid and brake system were flush however the failure had reoccurred and could not be replicated. The vehicle was also taken to another local independent mechanic for a second opinion however the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,584

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was getting a State Inspection, the inspector observed that the parking brake cable had seized and failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the parking brake cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

On April 9, 2026, my daughter came in from school and parked her Honda Pilot at about 5:10PM. At about 7:03PM, my wife and I were sitting outside and heard a loud POP, it sounded like a car backfiring. I went to investigate and saw a little smoke and a small orange glowing piece of something on the ground under the vehicle towards the front of the vehicle. I grab a fire extinguisher from my work truck and went towards the vehicle. The car was locked and I saw flames under the hood standing by the driver door looking down where the windshield wipers are. I used the extinguisher till it was empty and the flames kept getting worse. I just walked away and my wife was already calling 911. No one was hurt no damage to any exposures. My daughter did not indicate that anything was wrong with the vehicle. No lights on, no smells, everything ran fine. It had 154,000 miles on it. I do have RING video footage of the event. I did file a claim with my insurance and sent them the video footage.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact then discovered a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 67,450. The contact stated that at the time of retrieving a Carfax report, it was discovered that the mileage was 140,000.

The check transmission light comes and goes. Ive had the transmission flushed with no issues. It pulls codes for the torque converter as its supposedly getting stuck per mechanic or is over heating and throwing the code. It does not drive rough and I believe it is a faulty code that needs to be addressed and updated and cleared. Ive had it cleared out once and it stayed off for a whole month. The light and blinking D doesn't come on all the time or in patterns so that also tells me it isn't a transmission issue or it would be on more frequently and consistently. To where when mine comes on and then I shut my car off for an hour it stays off for quite some time. This really needs to be addressed instead of causing car owners unnecessary costs for diagnostic purposes through a Honda dealer which costs 100.00 or more or even them putting in a complete new transmission.

While driving the vehicle at around 45 MPH it suffered a complete loss of power for 3-5 seconds. The dashboard lights illuminated and then the vehicle restarted without having to restart via the ignition and all of the dash lights turned off. This has happened intermittently on two prior occasions. No electrical issues were evident, new battery and charging system appears to be functioning normally. The contact stated that the dealer found that the issue was a faulty positive battery terminal connector. It was replaced.

One day my pilot 2012 suddenly started turning on and off the passenger airbag then out of the blue the airbag system light when on. Scanned it an it reads the passenger weight sensor is not communicating the part is no longer available to purchase and it is in backorder with date of delivery to be determined. Car is not safe to operate and Honda is not selling the part anymore to get the repair. What should be my options?

I got this car as a loan from a 3rd party dealer ship and they never told me it had a recall days after the airbag light pops up in the dashboard I took it to get service and they stated that the problem was fixed. The light on the dashboard was gone. A couple days ago the light came back and it makes a weird noise when you turn it on and the car gets humidity so fast the windows fog up and I have to turn the ac on. It doesn’t feel safe to drive it at times but I have to for work. I just want to make sure it’s safe to drive from la to sylmar I’m afraid if it gets to hot or humid that the airbag will go off, and I’m paying way more than I expected each month for the car and it doesn’t feel safe.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the vehicle experienced an increased RPM while the brake pedal was depressed. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle then unintendedly accelerated. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,400.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at 32 MPH and pulling into a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. However, the failure reoccurred the next day. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The contact stated that the ECO was engaging, causing the vehicle from dropping from number six (6) cylinder to number three (3) cylinder. The contact stated upon pulling into the car wash and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The contact depressed the brake pedal but it failed to respond and went all the way to the floorboard. The contact turned the steering wheel to avoid a pedestrian. The contact drove sideways and crashed into a building. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was unsure whether he sustained injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

On April 9, 2026, my daughter came in from school and parked her Honda Pilot at about 5:10PM. At about 7:03PM, my wife and I were sitting outside and heard a loud POP, it sounded like a car backfiring. I went to investigate and saw a little smoke and a small orange glowing piece of something on the ground under the vehicle towards the front of the vehicle. I grab a fire extinguisher from my work truck and went towards the vehicle. The car was locked and I saw flames under the hood standing by the driver door looking down where the windshield wipers are. I used the extinguisher till it was empty and the flames kept getting worse. I just walked away and my wife was already calling 911. No one was hurt no damage to any exposures. My daughter did not indicate that anything was wrong with the vehicle. No lights on, no smells, everything ran fine. It had 154,000 miles on it. I do have RING video footage of the event. I did file a claim with my insurance and sent them the video footage.

My 2012 Honda Pilot is experiencing the same engine defect that Honda acknowledged in later model years (2013–2015) and issued recalls/extended warranty coverage for. The defect involves the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system causing excessive oil consumption, spark plug fouling, cylinder misfire, rough idle, fuel odor, and drivability issues that create an unsafe driving condition. I brought the vehicle to a Honda dealership in 2023 due to rough idle and a strong fuel smell — symptoms consistent with Technical Service Bulletin 13-082 for misfire and piston ring failure in 2009–2013 Honda Pilots. The dealer did not repair the issue or disclose that this matched a known defect. The vehicle now exhibits severe engine performance issues that pose a safety risk, including hesitation, engine shuddering, loss of power during acceleration, and strong fuel odor that may indicate improper combustion. Honda has issued recalls and warranty extensions for the identical defect on 2013 and newer Honda Pilot models with the same 3.5L V6 VCM engine but refuses to repair or acknowledge the defect for my 2012 Pilot, even though it uses the same engine architecture and has the same symptoms. This discrepancy indicates a potential gap in recall coverage that leaves owners of 2012 Pilots with a known safety-related defect unprotected. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate why the 2012 Pilot was excluded, despite identical engine design and failure patterns.

Unusual amount of oil consumption. Faulty cylinder 3. Gaskets cause the oil to leak into the spark plugs causing the engine light to come on with loss of power. Changed cylinder 3 spark plug at least 10 times or more since purchasing the vehicle in 2021. Oil also drips onto the alternator, replaced it twice in 9 months. Wheels and steering wheel shake when hitting the brakes. Replaced brakes and rotors twice as well.

I was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the left-hand lane alongside the concrete barrier. The road curved to the right and when I tried to gently steer to the right the steering wheel got stuck and locked. I wasn’t able to steer to the right and so the car hit the barrier. The steering then unlocked. Since I was trying to originally steer to the right, the car moved to the right and hit the guard rail along the right-hand side of the highway where the car finally came to a stop. It was fortunate that there were no other cars close to my car when this happened. I don’t know what caused the steering wheel to lock up. The car was very badly damaged and eventually determined to be a total loss. I suffered a concussion and need ongoing PT and OT. Also, I am limited to only working part-time until my concussion symptoms improve. The car was well maintained and had passed the state inspections a couple of weeks before. The issue could have been caused by a front suspension assembly error.

I was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the left-hand lane alongside the concrete barrier. The road curved to the right and when I tried to gently steer to the right the steering wheel got stuck and locked. I wasn’t able to steer to the right and so the car hit the barrier. The steering then unlocked. Since I was trying to originally steer to the right, the car moved to the right and hit the guard rail along the right-hand side of the highway where the car finally came to a stop. It was fortunate that there were no other cars close to my car when this happened. I don’t know what caused the steering wheel to lock up. The car was very badly damaged and eventually determined to be a total loss. I suffered a concussion and need ongoing PT and OT. Also, I am limited to only working part-time until my concussion symptoms improve. The car was well maintained and had passed the state inspections a couple of weeks before. The issue could have been caused by a front suspension assembly error.

IT HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME UP WHILE I DRIVE THE 2012 HONDA PILOT ON A 5INCH WATER PUDDLE. IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY DANGEROUS AND SCARED WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN A RAINING CONDITION. THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED UP DUE TO THE POWER FAILURE AND IT RESUMED BY ITSELF AROUND 10 SECONDS AFTER PASSING PUDDLE. I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE 2ND EVENT DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE BUT NO ISSUE WAS FOUND. THE 3RD INCIDENT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. I CALLED TO THE HQ AND TRY TO CREATE A CASE FOR IT BUT THEY ASKED ME TO BRING IT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND THE CHARGE WILL BE ON THE CUSTOMER SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE FACT IS THAT THIS ISSUE ACTUALLY HAPPED FOR A WHILE AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE DISCUSSED ABOUT IT ONLINE AS WELL. MOST PILOT USERS DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU DRIVE ON A 10CM/5INCH WATER PUDDLE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WITH MY FRIEND ON THE SAME DAY FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I HAVE THE 2012 PILOT AND HE HAS THE 2012 MODEL. THEY ARE 95% THE SAME AND THE SAME PROBLEM ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HIM ONCE AS WELL. I ALSO BROUGHT UP THIS COINCIDENCE TO THE HONDA HQ CUSTOMER RELATION DEPARTMENT BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT WE HAD TO OPEN A SEPARATE TICKETS FOR IT. NOTE: THE INITIAL PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AROUND 2013 BUT IGNORED THE PROBLEM. THE 2ND INCIDENT MIGHT HAPPEN 2 YEARS ABOUT IT AROUND 2015. THIS PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENED WHEN YOUR CAR DRIVES ON THE PUDDLE SO IT'S HARD TO FIND OUT AND DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE LAST EVENT HAPPENED ABOUT 5/18. THE FIRST 2 INCIDENTS WERE IN THE THE HIGHWAY AND THE LAST ONE WAS ON THE LOCAL STREET. REFERENCE: HTTPS://WWW.PILOTEERS.ORG/FORUMS/69-2003-2008-PILOT/32042-POWER-STEERING-ISSUE-WHEN-DRIVING-THROUGH-WATER-PUDDLES.HTML

Paint is peeling and exposed the metal on passenger side doors.

THE WHITE PEARL PAINT IS PEELING OFF, SEPARATING FROM THE PRIMER. I BROUGHT IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT WILL PROBABLY SPREAD TO THE WHOLE CAR.

I got this car as a loan from a 3rd party dealer ship and they never told me it had a recall days after the airbag light pops up in the dashboard I took it to get service and they stated that the problem was fixed. The light on the dashboard was gone. A couple days ago the light came back and it makes a weird noise when you turn it on and the car gets humidity so fast the windows fog up and I have to turn the ac on. It doesn’t feel safe to drive it at times but I have to for work. I just want to make sure it’s safe to drive from la to sylmar I’m afraid if it gets to hot or humid that the airbag will go off, and I’m paying way more than I expected each month for the car and it doesn’t feel safe.

THE SUNROOF OF MY 2012 HONDA PILOT SHATTERED FOR NO REASON AFTER A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND (SOUNDED LIKE A FIRE CRACKER INSIDE THE SUV). THIS HAPPENED AS MY SON, MOTHER IN LAW AND I WERE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS ABRUPT EXPLOTION AND BREAKAGE COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. I URGE THAT HONDA TAKES OWNERSHIP OF THIS ISSUE. I READ MANY BLOGS AND FOR MY SURPRISE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE DUE TO POOR QUALITY MATERIAL OF CHOICE BY THE MANUFACTURERS. NOW THE WORST PART IS THAT THIS REPLACEMENT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND NEITHER THE HONDA DEALER OR GEICO WANTS TO HELP AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE OF $500. DEFINITELY NOT A FAIR BARGAIN FOR ME AFTER SPENDING $40,000 FOR A HONDA SUV

The driver's seat belt has ripped. I contacted Airport Honda where I purchased the vehicle in Spring, 2014. The Service Manger contacted Honda Corporate. They REFUSE to repair the seat belt. Making this a hazard for me to drive the vehicle.

I got this car as a loan from a 3rd party dealer ship and they never told me it had a recall days after the airbag light pops up in the dashboard I took it to get service and they stated that the problem was fixed. The light on the dashboard was gone. A couple days ago the light came back and it makes a weird noise when you turn it on and the car gets humidity so fast the windows fog up and I have to turn the ac on. It doesn’t feel safe to drive it at times but I have to for work. I just want to make sure it’s safe to drive from la to sylmar I’m afraid if it gets to hot or humid that the airbag will go off, and I’m paying way more than I expected each month for the car and it doesn’t feel safe.

I RECENTLY BUY THIS CAR AND IT HAS 79000 MILES ON THE ODO METER AND WHEN I CHECK THE CARFAX MILES CAME OUT 186000 MILES IT MEANS THEY ROLLBACK THE ODOMETER AND I WANT TO REPORT A CLAIM BECAUSE IT IS REALLY A SAFETY CONCERN

VEHICLE DEVELOPED A VIBRATION AROUND 45000 MILES IN REAR AND THOUGHT TIRES NEEDED REBALANCING. THAT DIDN'T HELP AND AFTER VIBRATING ON A 1600 MILE TRIP HAD DEALER REPLACE TIRES WITH ORIGINAL BRAND AND SIZE AFTER DISCUSSING PROBLEM WITH THEM. $1000 LATER I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER AND COMPLAINED ABOUT VIBRATION. THEY REBALANCED TIRES ON HI TECH BALANCER. 275 MILES ON NEW TIRES AND STILL VIBRATION IS THERE. WENT BACK TODAY BECAUSE OF VIBRATION AND THEY DID SOFTWARE UPDATE AND REPLACED RIGHT REAR TIRE. SERVICE MANAGER AND THEN GENERAL BOTH RODE WITH ME I VEHICLE AND THEY AGREED THE VIBRATION IS STILL APPARENT. THEY THINK IT'S INHERENT WITH THE HONDA PILOT. IT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS NORMAL. WHO WHAT'S TO DRIVE A CAR VIBRATING ALL THE TIME.

THE PLASTIC WRAP THAT SURROUNDS THE SEAT CUSHION ON BOTH SEATS IN THE FRONT HAS BROKEN WHERE IT SNAPS TOGETHER. I NOTICED THE PLASTIC HAD CRACKED THEN A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER IS HAS COMPLETELY COME APART. THIS MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD IF THIS VEHICLE WERE IN A COLLISION. BEGINNING WITH 2016, HONDA CHANGED ITS BODY STYLE AND CHANGED THAT PARTICULAR PART WITH A SEAMLESS AND SOFTER PLASTIC SURROUNDING. I RECENTLY PURCHASED ANOTHER HONDA PILOT (2015) AND THE SAME ISSUE APPEARS TO RESONATE. THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE PILOT FROM SAID THEY HAD IT FIXED BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY REALLY SENT IT TO A NEARBY HONDA DEALER. IT STILL LOOKS CRACKED.

PLEASE, PLEASE BACK OFF ON YOUR HEAD REST REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFETY. PLEASE ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO CHOOSE THE POSITION OF THE HEAD REST. NOT ONLY HONDA, BUT FORD, GM, CHRYSLER, ALL MANUFACTURERS ARE CREATING VERY PAINFUL CAR SEATS SINCE 2009 DUE TO THIS AWFUL HEADREST REQUIREMENT. SEATBELTS ARE A LAW, BUT I CHOOSE TO WEAR THEM. MOTORCYCLE HELMETS ARE NO LONGER A LAW, BUT I CHOOSE TO WEAR THEM. NOW LET ME CHOOSE MY HEADREST POSITION. I THINK THESE NEW DESIGNS ARE GOING TO CAUSE FAR MORE INJURIES AND INSURANCE CLAIMS FROM PEOPLE HAVING THEIR HEADS COCKED FORWARD, IN A FORCED IMPROPER POSTURE. I HAD MIGRAINES DUE TO MY HEADREST BEFORE I RESOLVED THIS ISSUE IN MY CAR BY MAKING MODIFICATIONS. I SIT WITH PROPER POSTURE AND MY HEAD IS FORCED FORWARD. THE ONLY CHOICE I HAD WAS TO SIT IMPROPERLY IN ORDER TO TRY TO AVOID THE TERRIBLE DISCOMFORT THIS NEW LAW FORCES ON ME. PLEASE CHANGE THIS LAW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FOG LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THE LIGHT BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE MORE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 04/14/14*LJ UPDATED 04/18/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AIR CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED OUT OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COMMONWEALTH HONDA (6 COMMONWEALTH DR, LAWRENCE, MA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IN EACH WHEEL WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.