What 170 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Pilot

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.

NHTSA ODI 11730697

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?

NHTSA ODI 11724777

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.

NHTSA ODI 11718961

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.

NHTSA ODI 11708810

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Pilot. After contacting the seller on Facebook Market Place the contact purchased the vehicle and later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the odometer mileage reading was 94,397. After obtaining a Vehicle Carfax, the mileage listed for the vehicle was 204,943.

NHTSA ODI 11701282

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.

NHTSA ODI 11699821

Odometer Fraud. The contact has never owned or purchased these vehicles. The vehicles never purchased in any type of sale. The contact stated that the state of New York has asked for additional paper for the vehicle's registration. The vehicle was not a private sale or dealer sale but illegitimately obtained. The contact has received a letter from state of New Jersey 182,007 sold to fidelity 182,008 actual fidelity transferred with no odometer dis transferred [XXX] with no odometer disclosure. The contact is a [XXX] the tittles and odometer Fidelity Auto grp out of Wisconsin Marie Knight in Ohio they are signing title in her name for her company. The contact stated she has never sold these vehicle milage is rolled back. The contact has tried to contact the city of New York and have been flagged as fraud the city stated they are providing titles. The contact has requested copies and has not received anything through the freedom of information. New Jersey 182,007 sold to fidelity 182,008 actual fidelity transferred with no odometer dis transferred [XXX] with no odometer disclosure. 2012Honda Pilot VIN: [XXX]Recall data refreshed on Apr 16,2025 0 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN What if my car isn't recalled now? Could it be recalled later? Yes. Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHTSA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety-related defect or noncompliance. Manufacturers are also required to notify owners by mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision.  Look for this distinct label to distinguish critical safety recall information from other marketing material. Montana 211,026 with 211,510 actual with no odometer disclosure 2014TOYOTA Camry VIN: [XXX] Recall data refreshed on Apr 17,2025 0 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN What if my car isn't recalled now? Could it be recalled later? Yes. Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHTSA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety-related defect or noncompliance. Manufacturers are also required to notify owners by mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision.  Look for this distinct label to distinguish critical safety recall information from other marketing material. 203,574 bought actual Fidelity Group 205,374 transferred to her with 203,514 it was sold to [XXX] 109,000. 2013Acura MDX VIN: [XXX] Recall data refreshed on Apr 16,2025 0 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN What if my car isn't recalled now? Could it be recalled later? Yes. Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHTSA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety-related defect or noncompliance. Manufacturers are also required to notify owners by mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision.  Look for this distinct label to distinguish critical safety recall information from other marketing material. New Jersey 201,019 transferred 253,000 actual fidelity transfer to with no odometer sold from The contact to [XXX] no odometer disclosure. 2012Honda Pilot VIN: [XXX] Recall data refreshed on Apr 16,2025 0 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN What if my car isn't recalled now? Could it be recalled later? Yes. Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHTSA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety-related defect or noncompliance. Manufacturers are also required to notify owners by mail within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision.  Look for this distinct label to distinguish critical safety recall information from other marketing material. Montana 263,614 transfer 263,615 actual fidelity sold it with no odometer disclosure sold to [XXX] with 100,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11655228

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 112,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 240,000.

NHTSA ODI 11654853

Check engine light came on followed by shaking of the vehicle. The code was checked indicating a cylinder 1 misfire. This has been an ongoing issue of cylinders misfiring. The spark plugs and coils have been replaced multiple times and the issue is still persisting.

NHTSA ODI 11632204

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

NHTSA ODI 11630973

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.

NHTSA ODI 11593928

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11576833

The vehicle's paint is literally peeling away from every horizontal and connected vertical surface. Without paint on metal, rust is happening, weakening the metal structure of the vehicle. have reached out to Honda USA and they informed they had no responsibility for the paint, yet the service writer at my local Honda dealer said that my vehicle's paint, Pearl White, has been peeling off Honda vehicles for years and Honda knows it to be an issue yet only occasionally offers to be of any assistance. I am the original owner of this 2012 Honda Pilot, the vehicle has never been in an accident, yet in the past year paint has come off of the vehicle at an alarming rate (literally in sheets). To be able to make necessary restorations the front window was broken and had to be replaced (at my expense). If Honda knows its Pearl White paint doesn't adhere to the metal body, that is a known product defect and they are potentially contributing to accelerated body deterioration (a safety concern). I have all current documentation for the restoration, and upon attempting to pick up the vehicle it was discovered that the hood was sustaining the same problem as the roof and upper body. There are no impacted "warning" lights as this is not mechanical, and I am unclear how separating paint (according to our local Honda dealer is always Pearl White) poses an immediate safety problem for me or others, but if you are not aware that Honda dealers know the Pearl White paint is defective, what else are they not telling you/us about our vehicle and the vehicles owned by hundreds of thousands of Americans? Please conduct your own investigation and contact me if you'd like copies of our correspondence with Honda USA and the original estimate versus the final bill ($1000 more) for the first round of re-painting. We now are having a second round of painting to address the paint failure on the hood. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11562614

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.

NHTSA ODI 11561758

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.

NHTSA ODI 11531714

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. Additionally, the contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was unaware of the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11524897

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.

NHTSA ODI 11517661

Paint peeling. I brought it to a body shop and they stated it was a manufacturing defect. I am looking for other ways to follow up with Honda Directly. it is getting increasingly worse.

NHTSA ODI 11515734

MIL comes on with DTCsP0301 through P0304 Car is available for inspection. Dealer confirmed along with independent service center. Service Bulletin 13-082

NHTSA ODI 11515128

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 ODI 11511435

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

NHTSA ODI 11508510

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.

NHTSA ODI 11498229

burning to much oil and engine light turn and just put 2 quarts and iwas looking at complaints anf few people have the same issue i really take care of my truck

NHTSA ODI 11493394

Back up camera stop working. Apparently alot of honda pilot owners complain that the camera stops working.

NHTSA ODI 11492670

The car started smoking, I was able to pullover and get out. The fire department came and removed the hood because it was too hot and appeares to be on fire. They disabled the battery. Car was towed to mechanic and inspected for cause. It was discovered that the alternator melted and the wire harness was burnt and plastic components melted. Car has been totalled.

NHTSA ODI 11485415