2012 Honda Pilot: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 170 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 9 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
170
Complaints
9
Recalls
17
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
19
Injuries
140.0
Severity index
Severity index 140.0 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Honda Pilot ranks 11 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 91% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 35 | 20.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 28 | 16.5% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 22 | 12.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 20 | 11.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 20 | 11.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 17 | 10.0% |
| SUSPENSION | 14 | 8.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 11 | 6.5% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 35 of 170 complaints (20.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 22 |
| 2013 | 20 |
| 2014 | 24 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 4 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V661000 | 27/09/2018 | 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, L |
| 18V268000 | 26/04/2018 | 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 f |
| 19V502000 | 27/06/2019 | 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, 2 |
| 19V378000 | 16/05/2019 | 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, 2010-20 |
| 17V545000 | 31/08/2017 | 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 de |
| 17V030000 | 10/01/2017 | 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 Clarit |
| 18V042000 | 09/01/2018 | 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 Cla |
| 12V063000 | 17/02/2012 | 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. |
| 13V016000 | 18/01/2013 | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.