Service Brakes Problems of Honda Pilot - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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.

Full brake system, emissions system problem, and service system malfunctioning, out of the blue. Factory reset and system updated performed with no improvement.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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.

The vehicle will not start occasionally and states brake issue. The brakes becomes rigid and I'm left stranded until it corrected itself. This is a known issue, and yet they won't do a recall. It seems like a deceptive practice.

See all problems of the 2018 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Lane keeping assist problem light on, collision mitigation system problem light on, road departure mitigation system problem light on, adaptive cruise control problem light on. Brake sy stem light on. The vehicle’s multiple camera has failed and it is a common occurrence with this vehicle. Honda has not recalled this and is charging customers upwards of $2500 to replace the camera behind the windshield and recalibrate it. This isn’t an issue based on miles there have been incidents with it happening as early as 30,000 miles. I bought my vehicle used and about 113,000 this started happening.

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Brake light wont cut off and drains battery. Car wouldn't start and once battery was charged all steering, cruise control, hill assist, lane assist and other lighs came on. 7 total alerts came on and car struggled to go up hills and speed up after braking at lights. Brake light stayed on entire drive and didnt go off even when the car was off.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The contact owned a 2022 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in a parking spot with the brake pedal depressed, the engine revved unexpectedly and independently accelerated and crash into a Ford bronco, a Jeep cherokee, another vehicle, and two parking signs. There were no warning lights illuminated during the failure. The contact had made three other stops prior to the crash. There was no injury sustained. The air bags deployed as needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the failure was possibly caused by a stuck floor mat. The dealer declined to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The insurance company was contacted and deemed the vehicle a total loss. The owner had not yet released the vehicle to the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

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.

On xxx, while my wife was driving our 2017 Honda Pilot elite (VIN: [xxx]) southbound on [xxx], approaching the intersection with [xxx], the vehicle experienced a complete engine stall due to the auto idle stop feature. The engine shut off at a stop but failed to automatically restart when she released the brake to proceed. All dashboard warning lights flashed, and the vehicle became inoperable in the middle of traffic, creating a significant traffic jam at a busy intersection. My wife was able to restart the vehicle manually by shifting to park and pressing the engine start/stop button. This is part of a persistent safety defect with the auto idle stop (idle stop-start) system. The vehicle has stalled multiple times in traffic and on highways since new. Honda performed TSB 23-008 (pgm-fi idle stop software update/product update campaign) on xxx at autopark Honda in cary, nc, but the issue was not resolved. I also replaced the battery in November 2024 at the dealership's recommendation, but the no-restart/stall problem continues. I normally keep the auto idle stop feature disabled for safety, but my wife forgot on this occasion. **cause:** unknown (per Honda tsbs 23-008 and 23-009, the issue relates to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque after idle stop engages; prior fixes have not resolved it). This defect creates a dangerous situation where the vehicle can unexpectedly lose power in traffic, increasing collision risk. I have reported this to the dealership multiple times and am seeking resolution under TSB 23-009 (warranty extension). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Slowed down to turn right into a parking lot, power steering suddenly disabled and multiple warning lights appeared on dash. Warning messages stating auto brake system disabled, lane departure assist disabled, hill assist and start disabled, and more warning lights. Steering suddenly became difficult and dangerous with moving traffic behind me. Pulled into a parking lot and restarted car multiple times. After more than 10 minutes and restarting vehicle, power steering came back.

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.

The vehicle's collision mitigation braking system (cmbs) is triggering 'phantom braking' at 50mph when there are no vehicles or hazards ahead. This occurs consistently on roads with dark asphalt patches/crack sealant. The braking is severe enough to cause a potential rear-end collision. I have reported this to Honda corporate (case #16338446) and have an appointment with a dealer, but the issue persists and is a major safety risk for my family.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Each time my battery has died the brake starter has also stopped working. I have had to get the starter replaced three times in 4 years. The starter for the Honda Pilot 2022 is faulty.

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.

I was driving around 30-35 mph when my car's dashboard lights were flickering on and it then gave me a warning that the collision mitigation system was coming on. The car started braking hard and it swerved me to the left, so much so that I was halfway into the left lane. Thankfully no other car was in that lane. Then my car automatically went into neutral and I had to stop on the side of the road. I took the car into the Honda dealership the same day. They told me that it could possibly be a dirty multi use camera by the rear view mirror and so they claimed to have cleaned it. I'm not certain that was the issue since I had just gotten a car wash recently and it did not seem to have been dirty.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Pilot 🔎.

“the vehicle experiences phantom braking while driving, where the collision mitigation braking system (cmbs) activates without warning even when there are no vehicles or objects in front of me. The vehicle suddenly brakes on its own, creating a major safety hazard and risk of rear-end collisions. The issue has happened multiple times during normal driving at different speeds. Warning lights related to the collision mitigation system and passenger airbag system have appeared intermittently. The blind spot monitoring system has also failed to properly detect nearby vehicles at times. The vehicle was previously taken to the dealership/service department and remained there for an extended period for inspection and attempted repairs, but the problem was not fully corrected. After getting the vehicle back, the same symptoms and braking issues continued. This issue puts myself, my passengers, and other drivers at risk because the vehicle may suddenly brake unexpectedly in traffic.

One day my wife was driven the car to a friend on [xxx] push the brake pedal and the car fail to stop, thank god the cars in front of her moved before impact for . She took the car to the dealer, she asks if any recall for power break buster . They reply no. She ask how much is to check the problem with the breaks. They reply $ 350 just to tell her the problem . The repair is $1000 dollars or more . She took the car to king muffler hollywood were they drove the car to see the complain . They check the car give her an price for $ 880 for parts and labor . After 3 mounts she whent to the nation wide Honda to see if is any reimbursement . They told her to call Honda corp. We call Honda corp says no . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Almost every day since new the vehicle will alarm 'brake' on dash while driving on 2 lane back roads that have some slight curves (these are all around our house). At least once a month the car will automatically apply the brakes while coming around a curve or over a blind hill. Both of these scenarios occur 50/50 when there is oncoming traffic or no oncoming traffic. It can happen with someone ahead of me in the same lane, but not as often. In all cases throughout the years there has not be a need for braking. In one instance a few years ago we were driving on a divided 4 lane state highway. Cruise control was on and acc was on. We moved into the left lane to pass a car. When we came within ~20' of the car, the Pilot engaged in automatic braking hard as it detected the car we were attempting to pass as an obstacle in front of us. There was never any danger of hitting the other car. However, a car following us almost rear-ended our car due to the unforseen/not needed hard braking. My wife will no longer use cruise control in this vehicle since this happened. The dash 'brake' warning is easy to replicate if you drive for a while on the roads near my house. The auto braking is not able to reproduced on demand. Now the car is complaining to see the dealer about a cmbs (collision mitigation braking system) error. I'll have to troubleshoot this (or maybe just turn it off), but the entire system has been sub par and accident prone since original purchase new in 2019.

My Honda Pilot automatically applied the brakes 2 times while traveling on the interstate at 60 mph when there was no one in front of me and no one even near me. Both times it applied the brakes automatically and suddenly for no reason. It could have caused a bad accident. I was fortunate no one was behind me. Honda denies anything is wrong because it didn’t do it for them when they took it for a drive.

Seatbelt sensors for the passenger second row dinging off and on when seatbelt is buckled. Also the light coming on that says emergency brake unavailable.

See all problems of the 2023 Honda Pilot 🔎.

On Feb. 03, 2026 around 5:30 pm, driving 290 west going 65 mph. No cars on either side of me and the next closest car 6 lengths of me, my car slammed on the brakes and alarmed. The sudden braking lasted 1-2 seconds.

Repeatedly there has been a cylinder 1 misfire causing the check engine light to activate. The vehicle starts to shake and idling is rough. It has happened repeatedly over the past 3-4 years. In 2025 it happened in August, October and December despite repeated maintenance. Error codes that have popped up due to the issue primarily include cylinder 1 misfires a known and documented issue related to the faulty vcm system. The problem has repeatedly been identified by multiple mechanics. I use my vehicle primarily to transport my children to and from school. We have all been in the car during these misfires endangering their safety. At many of the times when the misfires have happened my children have been in the car and any engine failure while operating the vehicle puts them in danger. My children are adhd/autistic and during the times the vehicle has broken down while driving it has caused them extreme distress. The vehicle is available for inspection at any time. I have reached out to Honda repeatedly to have the issue resolved however despite repeated promises the vehicle would be fixed due to recalls and extended warranties Honda officials have repeatedly made erroneous claims and insist my vehicle's VIN needs to be approved for any repairs. This is a well documented known issue for this make and model due to the faulty vcm system causing oil to get into the cylinders leading to the misfires and piston ring wear and corroded spark plugs. All I am requesting is for Honda to make the necessary repairs so my vehicle is safe to transport my children. I have kept up with the maintenance of the vehicle. The problems we have experienced are directly caused by the known vcm/mil failures. Also we have consistently had codes come up for the abs as well. Under the magnuson-moss warranty act Honda is responsible for making the repairs.

See all problems of the 2013 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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.

Malfunctioned the brake the pedal and the seatbelt it was on Friday to I was driving after I yield drive there was few cars head of me on a distance now I am trying to start slowdown early can't find the brake so I press the pedal with force when the pedal reaches to the floor slim stop right behind the car of me I will say 99% inch away to touch the car in front of me and the seatbelt even help me back and the all way have trying to move to other direction on when driving shifting unstable I don't fell save at all when I'm driving that specially driving to work at night for me that car need to have a state inspection and a complete repair before the dealership sold that car to me.

See all problems of the 2011 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that shortly after refueling, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, causing the speed to increase to approximately 45 mph while approaching stopped traffic. While pressing the brake pedal to avoid a collision, the vehicle continued to accelerate and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the air bag deployment, the air was deflated, causing the driver's head to contact the steering wheel. Also, the contact indicated that metal fragments were present during the air bag deployment. The contact sustained a lacerated left wrist and lacerations to the chest area. The driver also sustained contusions and bruised to the head, ankles, and legs, along with neck and back stiffness, which will all require medical treatment. No other injuries were known regarding the second vehicle occupants. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.

See all problems of the 2005 Honda Pilot 🔎.