What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2012 Honda Pilot

No clear pattern

13.7% of complaints about the 2012 Honda Pilot arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2012 vehicle, but with only 227 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is engine (35 complaints), typically at 2.8 yr or about 24,500 miles.

Complaints: 227
Median age at failure: 3.8 yr
Median mileage: 33,050 n=169
Crash / fire / tow: 12.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 9

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

35 reports · 24,500 mi

2.8 yr

5.7%

Service brakes

25 reports · 36,000 mi

3.3 yr

16%

Electrical system

22 reports · 30,000 mi

7.9 yr

13.6%

Power train

20 reports · 4,839 mi

1.7 yr

0%

Air bags

20 reports · 62,000 mi

6.1 yr

35%

Speed control

17 reports · 40,000 mi

3.5 yr

23.5%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

19V502000 2019-06-27

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

19V378000 2019-05-16

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

18V661000 2018-09-27

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic,

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

18V268000 2018-04-26

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

18V042000 2018-01-09

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

17V545000 2017-08-31

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 Accord, 2010-2012 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2012 Fit and Pilot, 2010-2012 Insight, and 2009-2012 Acura TSX vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air bag inflators. One dealership may have incorrectly installed the replacement air bag inflators.

In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator may deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.

17V030000 2017-01-10

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2012 Honda FCX Clarity and 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid, Civic NGV vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Addit

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

13V016000 2013-01-18

Air bags

Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment. This could potentially increase the risk of injury during a crash.

12V063000 2012-02-17

Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly

HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 PILOT AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES. THE VENT SHUT FLOAT (VSF) VALVE CASE IN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY DOES NOT MEET THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS.

AS A RESULT, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE TANK, INCREASING THE RISK OF FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Power train 30 mi 1 mo in service

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 OWNER STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Power train mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

INTERMITTENT ACCELERATOR RESPONSE DELAY. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE, AS WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN IN TRAFFIC, THE RESPONSE DELAYS AND THEN RESPONDS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. YOU CANNOT DEPEND UPON RESPONSE TO THE ACCELERATOR WHEN YOU MAY NEED IT. HONDA UPGRADED A PROGRAM EARLIER AND THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. *TR

Power train 100 mi 11 mo in service

VEHICLE SHUDDERS/VIBRATES WHEN VCM (ECO) ENGAGES/DISENGAGES. SHUDDERING/VIBRATING IS VERY PRONOUNCED. TRANSMISSION 'CLUNKS' DURING ENGAGE/DISENGAGE OF VCM. *TR

Electrical system 600 mi 4 mo in service

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 REPAIR FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600. UPDATED 05/11/12 *BF UPDATED 05/21/12

Other Pilot model years

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 20122011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.