2012 Honda Pilot Steering Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11511435

Incident

Nov 5, 2022

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

NHTSA ID

11115904

Incident

May 15, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi

PILOT WITH 8K MILES -DRIVING 50MPH + ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN APPLYING BREAK THE VEHICLE SHAKES. POWER STEERING MAKES WHINING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

10859843

Incident

Feb 10, 2016

Mileage

8,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10807402

Incident

Nov 29, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,047.

NHTSA ID

10721490

Incident

Apr 30, 2015

Mileage

45,047 mi

2012 HONDA PILOT HAS VIBRATION/SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING FROM 50+ MPH. NOT NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS, BUT VERY NOTICEABLE ABOVE 50MPH. STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND MAKES IT SEEM AS IF THE CAR WANTS TO LOSE CONTROL OR NOT BRAKE AS IT SHOULD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10689674

Incident

Jan 26, 2015

Mileage

43,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BRAKING THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP: WARPED ROTORS/ LIMITED BRAKE PAD USE: TO BE PRECISE 2 MILLIMETERS OF BRAKE PAD USE. MILEAGE IS UNDER 26,000, 2 & 1/2 YEAR OLD CAR. I AM AN AVERAGE DRIVER. IN MY OPINION TO HAVE THE ROTORS WARP WITH LIMITED USE ON THE BRAKE PADS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE FROM THE START. HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP IS STIPULATING WEAR AND TEAR WITH A $600 BILL INCLUDING REPLACING MY LIMITED WORN BRAKE PADS. I'M SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER WITH THIS DEFECT. ABSOLUTELY ABSURD! *TR

NHTSA ID

10633322

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

Mileage

25,563 mi

WHEN BRAKING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH, THERE IS A VIBRATION AT THE STEERING WHEEL. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE FRONT ROTORS SHOULD BE REFACED WHEN THE CAR NEEDS NEW BRAKE PADS. I HAVE HAD A 2006,2009, AND 2012 PILOT. MY DRIVING HABITS HAVE NOT CHANGED, THE MILEAGE PER YEAR IS CONSISTENT, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO HARD OR EXCESSIVE BRAKING. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER MODEL YEARS. SO, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? ARE THE CURRENT ROTORS THINNER OR INFERIOR? *TR

NHTSA ID

10588244

Incident

Nov 20, 2013

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE PULL TO ONE SIDE ON FLAT SURFACE. HONDA DEALER CLAIM THAT IT IS DUE TO ROAD CURVE. THEY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING AND HIT A BUMP, VEHICLE SHIFT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT OR RIGHT TO LEFT. THE BLAME THE TIRE IS BAD BUT THE VEHICLE IS LESS THEN 1.5 YEARS OLD. THEY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE. I CAN TURN THE WHEEL MORE THAN 3 INCHES BEFORE THE WHEEL TURN. THEY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. KNOCKING NOISE IN FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN ROCKING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT. DEALER APPLY GREASE. VEHICLE VIBRATION AT AROUND 40-45 MPH AND 20-25 MPH. FEEL LIKE SOMETHING WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN. THEY STATED IT WAS A COMMON PILOT ALL OF THESE ISSUE THE DEALER DISMISS BECAUSE THEY STATED IT WAS ALL IN HONDA SPECIFIC. I BELIEVE THAT FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS LESS THAN 1.5 YEARS OLD, THIS IS JUST [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10562497

Incident

Sep 9, 2013

Mileage

24,000 mi

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2012. WE HARDLY DRIVEN THIS CAR TILL THIS YEAR IN 2013. AS OF JUNE 28TH OF 2013, THE PILOT HAS 7046 MILES. IN EARLY JUNE WE TOOK IT DOWN TO BALTIMORE WHEN I NOTICED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR STEERING PROBLEMS WHEN I APPLIED SOME BRAKING OVER 65MPH AND GOING DOWN HILL WAS EXTREMELY APPARENT. THE STEERING WOULD VIBRATE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 28TH. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I WAS " HARD BRAKING" AND THAT WAS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP. I ASKED THEM TO CLARIFIED " HARD BRAKING." IT WAS JUST A GENERAL ANSWER THAT NO ABRUPT FORCE ON THE BRAKES. I HAVE DRIVEN TOYOTA, BUICK, OLDSMOBILES, AND CHEVY. I NEVER HAD A ROTOR WARPED THAT EARLY IN MILEAGE. I BELIEVED THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECTS IN THE PILOT 2012 BRAKING MECHANISM. I WISH SOME AGENCY CAN PERFORM MORE RIGID TESTS TO CONFIRM THIS. I AM NO EXPERT MECHANIC, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN MANY MILES DUE TO MY SALES POSITION BOTH IN HIGHWAY AND MOSTLY CITY DRIVING. AND I KNOW THAT A ROTOR SHOULD NOT WARPED THAT MUCH DUE TO " HARD BRAKING." I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN, AGE 2 AND 1. AND I FEAR THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PILOT BRAKES/ ROTORS PROBLEMS AND IT IS NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY CAUSE THE COMPANY/ DEALERSHIP THINKS IT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SO IF ANYONE THAT HAS PILOT 2009 OR NEWER, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION AND FILE A COMPLAINT TO DEALERSHIP AND THE COMPANY BEFORE A TRAGIC MIGHT OCCUR. BEING PROACTIVE IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE LATTER. IN THE END, AFTER I GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I DROVE AND I REALIZED WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES UNDER 20MPH LESS THAN 20 YARDS TO EASE THE BRAKING, I FEEL THE PILOT "JERK" BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AFTER A RE-SURFACED OF THE ROTORS. I GUESS BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522323

Incident

Jun 14, 2013

Mileage

6,700 mi

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 BACK TO DEALER ON 6/28/12 AND A HONDA TECHNICIAN DROVE THE VEHICLE AS I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE ISSUE AND INDICATED IT WAS EXACTLY AS I HAD DESCRIBED. HE SAYS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO FIX. HE SAID IT'S DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. HE SAID IT IS THE SAME ON THE ODYSSEY MODELS BUT HONDA RELEASED SOME SOFTWARE UPDATES BUT THEY WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL. HE SAID IF IT HAPPENS JUST SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN (HE REALLY SAID THIS). HE SAID IF HONDA RELEASES ANY SOFTWARE UPDATES THEY'LL CONTACT ME. WOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10463397

Incident

Jun 27, 2012

Mileage

66 mi