There are 33 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2013 Honda Pilotin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The VSA/ABS lights came on and I took it to the repair shop. The mechanic told me that the VSA/ABS module is bad and needs to be replaced. He said this is a very common problem in my vehicle type. He said the anti-lock brakes won't work which can be dangerous. He said the parts are always backordered and can take months to come in and they are extremely expensive. They range from $1200-$2400 for the part only. I researched the problem online and it seems to be a common problem across many Honda models and years. Many people have taken apart the modules themselves and have repaired them. They mention that the connective wires on the modules are extremely thin and not recommended for circuit boards. The thinness of the connective wires causes the failure.
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light, the brake warning light, and the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the pressure sensor had malfunctioned and the VSA module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and stated that the parts was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the part unavailable and did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.
Brake failure at stop sign. Driver crashed into a pole, suffered severe injuries including bleeding in the brain and broken ribs.
MY 2013 HONDA PILOT STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS HARD WHEN BRAKING. THIS STARTED AT AROUND MILEAGE 30K AND THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 57K ON ODOMETER. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE NOT NEEDED ANY BRAKE WORK ON THE FRONT. HONDA SERVICED THE REAR BRAKES SO FAR. HONDA REPRESENTATIVES HAVE TOLD US THAT FRONT SHUDDER OF THE STEERING WHEEL MOST LIKELY MEANS THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND NEED RESURFACING OR REPLACEMENT. THE SHAKING ON DOWNHILL DRIVING IS SO BAD THE CAR FEELS UNCONTROLLABLY DANGEROUS. YOU MUST DRIVE VERY SLOW WITH HAZARD LIGHTS FLASHING WHEN TRAVELING DOWNHILL AT 20-30 MPH. SHAKING AND SHUDDER HAPPENS AT ALMOST ANY SPEED ABOVE 40 MPH WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BURNED A QUART OF OIL EVERY 20 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE OF 20 MPH, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPART, AS WHEEL AS THE POWER BRAKE ASSIST FAILS. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE TO BASNEY HONDA (3820 GRAPE RD, MISHAWAKA, IN 46545) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A PISTON RING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.
2013 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WARPED ROTORS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS
THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME IN LESS THAN 80,000 MILES THAT I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED DUE TO THE BRAKES EXCESSIVE STEERING SHAKE AT ANY SPEED. THIS CONDITION HAS TO BE DUE TO A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE HARDWARE MAKING IT BOTH COSTLY AND DANGEROUS. DEALERSHIP WANTS TO TAKE MY MONEY AND IGNORE THE PROBLEM.
I HAVE A 2013 HONDA PILOT EX 4WD WITH 52,610 MILES ON IT. IN VERY COLD WEATHER (AROUND 5 DEGREES F OR LESS) THE BRAKES DON'T FUNCTION CORRECTLY WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED. THERE IS A LOT OF PEDAL RESISTANCE AND IT ONLY GOES DOWN ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY OR LESS. DURING THIS TIME, THE BRAKES ARE BARELY ENGAGING (IT TAKES 3 FEET TO MAKE A STOP THAT WOULD NORMALLY ONLY TAKE 6 INCHES). THEN SUDDENLY THE PEDAL WILL GO DOWN ALL OF THE WAY AND THE BRAKES WILL BE WORKING. SOMETIMES IT CORRECTS ITSELF ALMOST RIGHT AWAY ON THE FIRST PUSH, OTHER TIMES IT TAKES SEVERAL MINUTES TO CORRECT. IN ALL BUT ONE OCCASION, THIS HAPPENED WHILE PARKED, HOWEVER, IT HAS HAPPENED ONCE ON THE ROAD ON AN EXTREMELY COLD (SUB 0 F) DAY (NOTABLY ON THAT DAY IT HAD BEEN STORED INSIDE OVERNIGHT PRIOR TO THE TRIP). NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ABS TYPE EXPERIENCE (WHERE YOU ARE PUSHING THE PEDAL HARD BECAUSE THE ABS IS ACTIVATING) ' IN MY CASE THE PEDAL IS BARELY GOING DOWN, AND THE BRAKES ARE BARELY ENGAGING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TWICE INSPECTED BY A HONDA DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. THE CHALLENGE IS THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME, SO IT IS HARD TO DUPLICATE FOR THE DEALER. BASED ON A WEB SEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM: HTTP://WWW.PILOTEERS.ORG/FORUMS/82-2012-2015-PILOT/147306-COLD-WEATHER-BRAKES.HTML HTTP://WWW.PILOTEERS.ORG/FORUMS/114-2016-THIRD-GENERATION-PILOT/141257-HARD-BRAKE-PEDAL-MORNING.HTML
AFTER ONLY 25000 MILES, WHEN BRAKING, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY. STOPPING VEHICLE FROM HIGHER SPEEDS DANGEROUS AS CAR STEERING BECOMES UNSTEADY. DIAGNOSED WARPED FRONT ROTORS. NORMAL CITY DRIVING. REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS. VIBRATION IS NOW GONE.
BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 5-70MPH, CAR SHAKES LIKE CRAZY, ROTORS ARE WARPED AFTER 25000 MILES. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE CAR FRONT END SHAKES VERY BADLY. ROTORS ARE HONDA OEM.
AS POSTED BY SEVERAL OTHER CUSTOMERS, I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT MODERATE TO HIGH RATES OF SPEED GOING DOWNHILL. THE CAR BEGINS TO VIBRATE OR WAVER. I HAVE NOW HAD THE ROTORS SHAVED THE THIRD TIME AND AM SURE THEY WILL NEED REPLACEMENT SOON. EACH TIME THEY REPAIR IT LASTS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IN THE PAST THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE. I CALLED HONDA CORPORATION AND THEY COULD NOT HAVE CARED LESS. THEY SAID IT WAS ALL DO TO "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR". THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE, BUT THEY NEED TO ESCALATE THESE ISSUES TO CORPORATION SO THE CONSUMER IS PROTECTED. IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING TO FEEL THAT VIBRATION DURING DOWNHILL BRAKING. I OWNED A 2011 HONDA PILOT AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE SO IT IS SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN OR PARTS FOR THE 2013 MODEL. I AM CONSIDERING SELLING THE PILOT AND PURCHASING ANOTHER (NON-HONDA) SUV.
FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR EXCELLERATING WHILE I WAS BRAKING. THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE CAR ON 3 OCCASIONS AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. BECAUSE OF A RECENT SCARE WHILE DRIVING, I TOOK THE CAR TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT CARS. AFTER A TEST DRIVE, HE CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY GIVING THE FEELING THAT THE CAR WAS EXCELLERATING. HE FELT THAT THE ABS WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND RAISED AN ISSUE THAT COULD AN ACCIDENT AS THE BRAKES WERE DISENGAGING WHEN THE DRIVER EXPECTED THEM TO STOP THE CAR. HE ALSO FELT THAT THE BRAKE ACTION COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL IT HAPPENS AT BOTH STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEED.
HONDA PILOT 2013 VEHICLE FRONT ROTORS WERE TURNED VERY EARLY IN VEHICLE OWNERSHIP DUE TO SHAKE/SHIMMY/POOR BRAKING ABILITY OF VEHIICLE. VEHICLE IS NOW BACK IN SHOP AND HONDA RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF FRONT ROTORS DUE TO SEVERE WARPING. VEHICLE SKAES/SHIMMIES AND DIFFICULTY BRAKING IS AGAIN EXPERIENCED. SERVICE ADVISOR EXPLAINED HONDA HAS MANUFACTURED THE ROTORS WITH "CHEAP" MATERIALS AND ENCOURAGES "NO SUDDEN BRAKING OR HARD-STEPPING BRAKES " (OF COURSE HONDA REFUSES FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FOR ROTOR REPLACEMENT.) I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT HONDA USING CHEAP AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MATERIALS FOR BRAKING SYSTEM COMPONENTS. I DRIVE VERY CONSERVATIVELY AND THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED "HARSH BRAKING". I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS THAT HONDA DOES NOT STAND RESPONSIBLY BEHIND THE SAFETY OF IT'S HONDA PILOT 2013 AND ITS ROTOR PROBLEMS.
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE EXTREMELY POOR FOR THIS VEHICLE - I HAVE RE-SURFACED TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF ROTORS 3 TIMES EACH NOW AND THEY CONTINUE TO WARP. THE OEM ONES LASTED 12K MILES BEFORE WARPING THEN NEEDING RESURFACED. I THEN BOUGHT AN AFTERMARKET SET FROM ADVANCE AUTO PARTS AND THEY WARP AT LESS THAN 10K MILES BEFORE HAVING THEM RE-SURFACED. THEY SEEM TO WARP THE EASIEST WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND JUST BRAKING NORMALLY AT AN OFF RAMP WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS TO WOBBLE AND THE BRAKES VIBRATE BADLY. THE BRAKES ARE WAY WORSE AFTER THE ROTORS WARP. 3 TIMES I HAVE HAD THOSE SETS OF ROTORS RE-SURFACED 3 TIMES.
WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO EXIT OFF RAMP, CAR SHIMMIES VIOLENTLY. STEERING. DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AS STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO VIOLENTLY SHAKING. THROUGH RESEARCH APPEARS TO BE COMMON KNOWN DEFECT OF THE FACTORY INSTALLED BRAKE ROTORS. REPLACED TIRES, HAD ALIGNED. DID NOT CORRECT. HONDA USED FAULTY, DANGEROUS AND INFERIOR ORIGINAL PARTS. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE HONDA TO ISSUE RECALL. FAILURE OF SAFE BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PUT THE CAR OCCUPANTS AND ALL SURROUNDING VEHICLES IN LIFE THREATENING DANGER.
BRAKES HAVE BAD VIBRATION WHEN STOPPING AT SPEEDS AROUND 60 MPH.
WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS (OVER 60 MPH) AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. MOST LIKELY, THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THE ROTORS WERE STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT COVERED, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS ME. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE BRAKES ARE COMPROMISED.
SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50MPH. PROBLEM STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 19,000 MILES. HONDA DEALER CUT ROTORS AND PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN AT 40,000. ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT, GOES DOWN SEVERAL INCHES BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGE. TOOK CAR TO RIGHT HONDA IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ. THEY SAID ALL HONDA PILOTS DO THAT. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. WEBSITE CHAT ROOMS HAVE COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ON THIS VERY TOPIC. *TR
ROTORS WARPED. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES IT IS "FIXED".
Showing 1–20 of 33 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026