repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2012 Honda PilotProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 173 owner complaints about the 2012 Honda Pilot, most often about the engine. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-502 the manufacturer reports only 36% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Honda Pilot has problems
173 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
35Engine1 crash/fire/injury
25Service brakes4 crash/fire/injury
22Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
21Air bags8 crash/fire/injury
20Power train
17Vehicle speed control4 crash/fire/injury
14Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
11Steering
11Fuel/propulsion system
4613 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 35 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 25 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 22 | 3 |
| Air bags | 21 | 8 |
| Power train | 20 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 17 | 4 |
| Suspension | 14 | 1 |
| Steering | 11 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 3 |
| 13 other systems | 46 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2012 Honda Pilot recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2020 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Show 5 more recalls
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment.
no report yet
Storage: tank assembly
Risk. AS A RESULT, FUEL MAY LEAK FROM THE TANK, INCREASING THE RISK OF FIRE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
23kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 24 engine complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles20under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Pilot year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Pilot median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Honda Pilot safety ratings
2012 Honda Pilot SUV 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (16.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Pilot owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
On April 9, 2026, my daughter came in from school and parked her Honda Pilot at about 5:10PM. At about 7:03PM, my wife and I were sitting outside and heard a loud POP, it sounded like a car backfiring. I went to investigate and saw a little smoke and a small orange glowing piece of something on the…
The check transmission light comes and goes. Ive had the transmission flushed with no issues. It pulls codes for the torque converter as its supposedly getting stuck per mechanic or is over heating and throwing the code. It does not drive rough and I believe it is a faulty code that needs to be…
Unusual amount of oil consumption. Faulty cylinder 3. Gaskets cause the oil to leak into the spark plugs causing the engine light to come on with loss of power. Changed cylinder 3 spark plug at least 10 times or more since purchasing the vehicle in 2021. Oil also drips onto the alternator, replaced…
Own a 2012 Pilot?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.