Table 1 shows one common service brakes related problems of the 2025 Honda Pilot.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems |
I was driving on a somewhat bumpy road (due to construction works in that location), when suddenly several warning lights came on. Driver assist was disabled, power steering and electrical braking were disabled as well. I was driving at 10mph (this was at a roundabout) so was able to control the vehicle and safely navigate it to a place where I could park. I turned off the vehicle and waited a few moments. When I turned it back on the warning lights cleared and I had power steering wheel/brake control as normal. I brought the vehicle to a certified Honda service station first thing in the morning. The report states an error code c0051-96 has occurred. The wheel sensor was recalibrated and the vehicle was cleared to drive by a Honda certified technician.
Safety complaint – 2025 Honda Pilot ex-l brake/electric parking brake system warning I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my 2025 Honda Pilot ex-l, which I purchased brand new from paragon Honda in queens, new york, approximately one year ago. The vehicle currently has only 47,089 miles and has never been involved in an accident. While driving, multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including a brake system warning indicating a problem with the electric parking brake system and that the parking brake was unavailable. This occurred unexpectedly while the vehicle was in operation and created a serious safety concern. A brake-related warning and loss of parking brake availability on a nearly new vehicle is unacceptable and requires immediate investigation. I immediately brought the vehicle to paragon Honda service center in queens for diagnosis. The dealership informed me that I may be responsible for diagnostic fees and possible repair costs, despite the vehicle being approximately one year old and covered by the Honda factory warranty. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this issue represents a potential safety defect affecting 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. I believe Honda should address this problem promptly and ensure that affected customers are protected from safety risks and unexpected repair expenses. Vehicle information: make/model: 2025 Honda Pilot ex-l mileage: 47,089 miles dealer: paragon Honda, queens, NY.
Collision mitigation braking system has activated numerous times while traveling on a straight road with no other vehicles around. The brakes activated hard where items shifted in the vehicle and the seatbelts locked. Occupants were thrust forward at the time of braking. Contact was make with the dealership and there are is not any fixes advised.
On multiple occasions, under different driving conditions, the vehicle has experienced significant and rapid deceleration without any warning lights, diagnostic codes, or dashboard messages. The deceleration has occurred unexpectedly and creates a dangerous situation, particularly in traffic where a car or semi behind me is not anticipating the sudden decrease in speed. This requires me to fully depress the gas pedal which then creates a slingshot effect once acceleration takes hold. This situation was almost continuous on a recent long-distance drive and only stopped once I parked the car in my garage. The only “fix” for now is to drive in cruise control where speed will be maintained. Since then, I’ve only driven locally and it has happened almost daily but much more intermittent with local driving. It's happened at speeds from 12 mph-74 mph. This is not an adaptive cruise control issue and I drive with only my right foot.
Bought car late March 2026 from Toyota dealership . Collision mitigation braking system randomly engages. Forcefully slamming on brakes ( approx 1-2 seconds and then releasing) when nothing is in the road or around. No rhyme or reason , no consistency as to when it happens. Since purchasing it has happed 9-10 times. **7/15/26 - visit Toyota for routine service, expresses my concerns. They said they couldn’t see anything bc their systems can’t diagnose Honda. **7/21/26 - Honda dealership . Says sensors are fine. (spent less than 10 mins driving the vehicle). And recommends to turn the anti-collision feature off . . But it has to be turned off every time the vehicle restarts. ??for safety reasons - I don’t feel I should have to do this … the problem should be looked into and taken seriously. I can only imagine the catastrophe if I were in bumper to bumper traffic and it happens, causing a pile up.
While driving my 2025 Honda Pilot at normal road speeds, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including steering system warnings. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and felt as though it had locked, creating a serious safety hazard. I had very limited ability to steer the vehicle and could have lost control, especially if this had occurred at higher speeds or in traffic. The vehicle had to be towed to a Honda dealership for inspection. I was informed there were issues involving the steering system, including the steering rack/rack and pinion, and an alignment was recommended. The estimated repair cost was approximately $5,900, and I was told the warranty would not cover the repair even though this appears to be an internal component failure. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. I believe this is a serious safety defect because a sudden loss of steering control while driving could easily result in a crash, serious injury, or death.
While driving roughly 15 mph, my car displayed emergency messages, brake applied automatically by the vehicle and the power steering failed. In order for me to get out of the way of traffic in an intersection, I had to veer to the opposite side of the road passing oncoming traffic. The following lights were displayed "tsa, hill start assist problem vehicle may roll upon brake release, vehicle stability assist problem reduced traction and handling, brake system problem brake system reduced, electric power steering problem steering assist not available do not drive" vehicle has had no issues and only has 6,460 miles on it. Car is currently waiting to be towed to the dealership.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph on a clear day, the braking system activated without driver input and caused the vehicle to come to a sudden stop. There were no other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects nearby to cause the automatic braking system to be activated. The sudden braking was recorded by the insurance app. Due to the abrupt stop, the contact struck her head on the steering wheel when the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that the seat belts failed to respond or properly restrain the contact during the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle resumed normal operation after the failure. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and opened a case about the failure. The manufacturer advised that a representative would provide a follow-up call. The contact was additionally provided with the telephone number for roadside assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500.
"on Friday afternoon, while driving alone on an open stretch of road at approximately 40 mph, my 2025 Honda Pilot's collision mitigation braking system (cmbs) experienced a catastrophic malfunction and initiated full emergency braking. The brakes locked up aggressively with absolutely no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles present in front of me. A transient warning light flashed on the screen for a few seconds but disappeared too quickly to read. The violent deceleration slammed me forward against the driver's seatbelt, causing physical trauma. The brakes released after a few seconds, allowing me to regain control and park the vehicle. I sought medical care first thing Monday morning, resulting in a diagnosis of acute neck strain and petechiae, as well as necessitating a specialized cardiovascular evaluation to check my pacemaker function due to localized swelling under the seatbelt line. The vehicle is entirely unsafe to operate, has been parked in my garage since Friday and is currently awaiting a Honda care tow truck for dealer transport and data retrieval. ".
I was driving with my cruise control on, at the speed around 50 mph, thank goodness no other cars were around us, all of a sudden my car slammed on the brakes, a warning flashed but I happened so fast I wasn’t able to see what it said.
This car on April 2nd, 2026 did not stop. I had pulled into a parking lot. Parked in the same space I have parked in for the last 12/13? years. Upon driving into the space . . I pressed my brakes down for the car to stop. It did not stop. The car kept going/rolling my husband the passenger told me to stop. I heard him plainly say. I told him I am stopping. But the car would not stop. It kept going and rolling into a brick building at the end of the parking space. We braced ourselves. What else do you do when your car won’t stop I was probably goingb8 mph. Nothing fast. Not on the phone. 75 degree perfect weather in [xxx] I’ve had this car about five months. No problem at all until this incident never in my life had I ever had brakes to fail me. Well the brakes failed. Technology is built by men and programmed by men. I am a nine car Honda owner. This car has a brake technology problem. With all the technology, it should have stopped on its own. It didn’t. When brakes are applied technology should work. In this case technology failed. This car has a brake defect technology problem. Brakes were applied a car doesn’t have to have a recall on it for it not to have a technology problem. These cars are not perfect. Programmed and built by human hands. Imnsurevifvmr. Soichiro Honda sat down with me and did this problem with one of his cars. . He would surely say” I’m sorry that happened to you” I’m sorry you’re brakes did not work and they did not . American Honda needs to recognize accountability. I wish they would experience what I experienced. It would be a scary situation that is if you survived yrs, I’m sure if it happened to them. No car is perfect. This one sure isn’t. I no longer am an owner of this 2025 Honda Pilot. Death trap it’s gone to somebody else. My life is worth living sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
On April 2nd, 2026. I was driving this car into a parking space. I had to be going 5 mph. Or slower. Probably even slower. Pulling in. . I applied the brakes of course. The car wouldn’t stop. My husband/passenger told me to stop. I did stop. This car kept rolling and crashed/smashed/ hit the brick red building in front of us. No brake hold was displayed. . No nothing. No brake stop. Nooooo nothing. The car wouldn’t stop. I never in my life have ever experienced this.
I just drove into a parking lot at first united methodist church parking lot. [xxx] . This is where I work. Approaching a parking space very near. Driving into the space, applying brakes like I’ve done for the last 12/13 years…. The car would not stop. I applied the brakes fully down to the floor( which I’ve never had to ever do at any time) the car kept going. . Rolling on. My husband the passenger told me” stop”. I did stop. I was applying the brakes as soon as approaching the parking space. The car kept on going as I said. No warning like” brake hold” which has worked another other time when getting according to this cars brain. . It would show some kind of warning. It did not. No sound, no nothing to brake the car. It rolled right into the red brick building I was pulling into. Their parking space. The building has about a two foot gash on it. The car did this …what kind of car doesn’t stop. With all of the sophisticated sensors or etc. It has…why, what happened? my granddaughter was in the back right passenger seat. The impact caused a gash above her forehead. A real cut, mind you. I don’t know what else to see. I’ve never experienced this. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while attempted to park the vehicle into a park spot occupied with her husband and granddaughter in the vehicle, the vehicle acceleratored independently causing the vehicle to crash into a brick wall. The contact stated that no air bags were deployed in her vehicle. The contact stated her granddaughter sustained a cut near her right eyebrow. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was towed to a collision center. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and they are investigating the matter. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.
My vehicle has 1,500 miles on it. Last time I drove it from work back home was Friday 11/21 and nothing was wrong. Got back in the car Sunday 11/23 and my engine light was blinking and all kinds of warnings were displaying such as engine, break, and steering problems. My wife and I noticed the car vibrating a lot and I had to drive 20mph. If not the car felt like it was going to shut down.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle did not slow down as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. On another occasion, while attempting to park, the vehicle accelerated and drove over the sidewalk and crashed into the stairs to her residence. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center, where it was due to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The insurance provider was involved and suggested that the contact call the nhts hotline and file a safety complaint. The contact mentioned that prior to the crash, the vehicle was inspected for an unknown manufacturer recall, where the dealer informed that the brake inspection passed. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
The vehicle is experiencing persistent dashboard warnings including "brake performance may be reduced," "low speed braking control problem," and "parking sensor problem. " these issues have been presented to your authorized dealer, napleton Honda in morton grove, on three separate occasions with no resolution: September 29, 2025: I arrived at the dealer bay with active warning lights. The service writer instructed me to simply restart the vehicle to clear the lights. I have photographic evidence of the warnings from this date. October 25, 2025: the vehicle was brought in for repair. I provided cell phone photos of the active dashboard warnings, yet the dealer reported "nothing found. " April 20, 2026: the vehicle was again brought in for the same issues. I again provided cell phone photos as proof of the defect, but the dealer reported "nothing found. " despite the dealer's inability to diagnose the cause, my photographic documentation from 9/29/25, 10/25/25, 4/20/26, and 4/25/26 proves these defects are real, recurring, and significantly impair the safety and value of the vehicle.
The vehicle intermittently thinks it is about to be involved with a collision. It illuminates the brake warning lights and slams on the brakes on its own and brings the car to a complete stop. We almost got rear ended by a semi truck the first time this happened and we were on a highway. Traffic had to take evasive action to prevent an accident. Honda is aware of this issue and admits their is a problem and has informed us their is no fix for it yet. Honda case # [xxx] and joel is our point of contact at the Honda outreach program. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) the vehicle is unsafe to drive and is going to get us hurt or killed or others as well. The vehicle has only 1,700 miles on it and is brand new. The last incident timeframe is listed below but it has happened quite a few times with no traffic present and clear roads.
Uncommanded braking at approximately 35 mph. 7-8 instances. All on same 1mile stretch of road.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v391000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake pedal assembly had failed and needed to the replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Multiply communication failures with the can communication failures found across ecm/pcm/tcm and sensor issues with adas components. The vehicle had a surge acceleration after a stop sign and when the auto start stop engaged the vehicle surged forward and, in an effort, to control the vehicle side swiped another vehicle before crashing into a home. Engine was still surging after multiple efforts to stop the engine surge. The engine stopped the surge after hitting the park button multiple times. No warning lights or sounds and no air bags deployed. The vehicle has been repaired by a body shop and inspected by the manufacturer.
I purchased a brand-new 2025 Honda Pilot elite, and within the first 1,000 miles of driving, I began noticing multiple concerning noises and performance issues: steering noise: at low speeds, particularly while turning, the steering system emits a subtle but persistent creaking noise/noises from the steering wheel area. The creaking is especially noticeable when making slow turns in parking lots or driveways. It appears to worsen in warmer temperatures and is consistent regardless of road condition. I brought the issue to the dealership's attention, and they kept the vehicle for approximately three weeks. They replaced the clock spring and airbag, claiming the noise was resolved. However, the creaking noise returned shortly after I resumed driving the vehicle. Brake popping: there is also a popping/clicking noise coming from the front left brake area, especially when braking or shifting between drive and reverse. The dealership lubricated the brake hardware but did not resolve the issue. Despite Honda service attempts, the noises persist. Numerous other 2023–2025 Honda Pilot owners have reported similar symptoms online, many citing steering rack/pinion defects or unresolved brake component issues. These defects appear widespread and unresolved by standard dealership repairs. Safety concern: while the issues may currently present as mechanical noises, I am deeply concerned that they may signal underlying defects in critical safety systems—such as steering control and braking performance. Unaddressed, these could potentially lead to steering failure, brake failure, or loss of control, especially during low-speed maneuvers where driver response time may be compromised due to mechanical unpredictability. Request for investigation: I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate these issues, as they appear to be affecting a growing number of new Honda Pilot vehicles across the 2023 to 2025 model years, the dealership do not know what to do.
* the brakes failed on the car resulting in an at fault accident. The recalled was issued 3 weeks after the accident. * safety is put at risk as this resulted in a car accident because the car would not stop. It endangered the occupants of the Honda and the vehicle that was hit. As the recall was issued a little late, insurance had already handled the claim. * no Honda refuses to go to the car to inspect, the car is not able to be moved to the dealership warning messages *.
My 2025 Honda Pilot’s collision mitigation braking system and backup sensors have failed three times at low speed, resulting in collisions with objects directly behind or in front of the vehicle. These include a front collision with a tree, running over a small tricycle, and backing into a tree — all under 5 mph with sensors fully enabled. The system failed to detect or respond in any instance. This is a critical safety failure.
They sold me a vehicle with a recall. They failed to notify me or to repair. I need a replacement car.
New 2025 Pilot with about 3,000 miles, driving in montana on a level dusty gravel road at about 5,000 feet altitude. Driving into the morning sun for about 20 minutes at a slow speed of about 30 mph all of a sudden multiple warnings flashed, engine, brakes, etc. Steering was stiff and brakes did not feel active, very stiff. I just coasted to a stop on a desolate gravel road, no other traffic. The engine was still running, did not press on the gas for in large red letters the warning panel said "do not drive". The car was very dusty. If we had been on an interstate at 70 mph that would have been an accident, with steering and brakes inhibited somehow? I shut off the engine, waited 10 minutes, started engine again and warnings still active. Shut off engine and waited 20 minutes. Restarted engine and looked like warning were starting to clear, and steering and brakes felt normal again. With no warnings showing I drove very slowly for many miles with no further occurrences. Slowly worked my way back across the country to florida without any further failures. It appears to all be computer related, perhaps sensors failing and the computer shutting down what must be electrical steering and brake assist. At speeds with interstate traffic, that condition will be an accident. There are no failure codes shown on the access panel. We have an appointment with our Honda service dealer, maybe they will be able to access a computer history to see the failure mode that caused loss of steering and brakes. The fact that a computer can impact those critical systems on a vehicle, is a serious safety issue. Prior to this incident, driving about 30 minutes on a dusty gravel road in montana, some sensor must have been actuating the rear brake caliper, I could hear the scraping sound of pad on rotor, didn't sense the car slowing. The car was dusty, maybe sensors inhibited, the scraping lasted about 15 minutes, at least that it could be heard in the car. Could be a safety iss.
The transmission jerks/jumps when accelerating and also as slowing down. The vehicle, including the steering wheel, shakes when braking at speeds above 60mph. Several parts of the body are not put together properly, leaving gaps, overlaps, etc.
I was driving my new 2025 Honda Pilot when I went to make a right turn and the steering system locked on me. I couldn't turn right and was almost in a horrible accident. Thank god that the other vehicles were able to stop in time. But I had to get the car out of traffic with the help of good samaritans. I cut the car off and all the systems dispalyed a error and said to see dealer. It was the most scariest and stressful time. I was late to work, my husband had to leave work to come and get me. I had the car towed to the dealership and was given a rental but I want to know why this happened and what will the Honda do to ensure this won't happen to me or someone else driving that car for it to be a 2025 elite edition. I could have been seriously hurt or killed.
My cmbs stopped my car in the middle of the road coming home one day. There were no other cars around me (in front of me, behind me, or coming towards me). The word “brake” flashed across my dash and then it beeped at me and just stopped in the middle of the road going 55 mph. My kids and elderly mother in law were in the car with me and we were all shaken up and also very glad there were no cars behind us, or else we could have been injured in a rear-end collision. The dealer has had my car for 21 days now and cannot reproduce it, but they asked if I was in the road that it occurred on, because they have had similar complaints from owners. I do not understand why they don’t drive my car down that same road to be able to reproduce the incident. My below email was sent to the dealer on June 18, because the car keeps locking me out with the key fob inside and the dash resets itself, but won’t turn back on, it is just in the constant spinning reset wheel. My attached photos are of the car refusing to lock because it says a door is open or a window is down, when none of that is happening. (the doors are closed and the windows are up. ). The cmbs incident occurred on June 24th, I drove home and had Honda tow my car to the dealership. They have had it ever since.
While driving on a winding mountain pass traveling from bozeman, mt to butte, mt. I was driving my 2025 Honda Pilot in the inside lane while a semi was traveling in the outside lane ahead of me. As the road curved left, I approached as the semi was ahead in the next lane. I believe my Honda Pilot recognized this as a potential crash and braked hard causing the distance between me and the semi to increase dramatically, even though both vehicles were clearly in their own lanes. Fortunately there was nobody traveling immediately behind me.