22 complaints reported

2005 Honda Pilot SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
22
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Nov 2014 Crash Injury

2005 HONDA PILOT. LAWYER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF CLIENT. SUDDEN MALFUNCTION WHICH RESULTED IN PERSONAL INJURIES*CW ACCORDING TO THE LETTER, THE BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKED UP, WHILE HIS CLIENT WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2014
Mar 2013

2005 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNSATISFACTORY REPAIR SERVICE FROM DEALERSHIP. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER DID NOT CLEAR THE (VSA) BRAKE LIGHT FROM THE DASHBOARD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2013
Feb 2013

2-15-2011 PRIOR COMPLAINT OF VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST LOCKING THE BRAKES, OCCURRED 3 TIMES. HONDA HAD NO SOLUTION TO ABRUPT JARRING BRAKING. CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH VSA TURNED OFF. 1-2-2012 VSA, EVEN THOUGH VSA TURNED OFF, BRAKES LOCKED WHILE GOING 45 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, MIDDLE LANE, THEN BRAKED 4 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD PULL OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. VERY CLOSE NEAR ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO HONDA 1-3-2012. SPOKE TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE DIRECTOR AGAIN, SPOKE TO HONDA FLORIDA REP, NO IDEAS, DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH INTERNET & NHTSA DOCUMENTED. FINALLY I AGREED TO SPLIT REPAIR, SPENT $793.61 AND THEY REPLACED 57110-S9V-A61 MODULATOR ASSEMBLY VSA. HONDA REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THE BRAKING WAS CAUSED BY, OR THAT THEIR VSA REPLACEMENT THAT DAY WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM. IF VSA OFF WHY DID IT HAPPEN 5 MORE TIMES? SINCE NHTSA HAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION ON THIS WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM I WANTED YOU TO HAVE AN UPDATE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2012
Oct 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKES BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUTTER FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,236 UPDATED 04/10/12*LJ UPDATED 04/23/12

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2012
Mar 2012

VSA SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. FRONT LEFT BRAKE ENGAGES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2012
Sep 2011

VEHICLE ENGAGED ANTI-LOCK BRAKES RANDOMLY AS COMING TO STOP. VSA LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEN DISAPPEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD START. ACCELERATION AFFECTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 50-60 MPH AND ON SIDE ROADS AT 20-40 MPH. NO INDICATOR LIGHT WHEN CAR WAS RESTARTED AS TO ISSUE WITH CAR. CAR WOULD LURCH RANDOMLY BOTH BRAKING AND ACCELERATING. FIRST DEALER TOWED (WILLET HONDA, MORROW, GA) DID NOT FIND ISSUE AND SENT DRIVER ON WAY. CAR LURCHED RANDOMLY LESS THAN ONE MILE DRIVE OUT OF THE DEALER SERVICE LOT. SECOND DEALER SERVICE STATION (ED VOYLES HONDA, MARIETTA, GA) CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA FOR ISSUE. IDENTIFIED AS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSING FULL BRAKE FAILURE INCLUDING ANTILOCK BRAKES AND VSA SYSTEM. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS $1565.16. NO INDICATOR AT ALL TO INDICATE FAILURES. WILLET DEALERSHIP SHOULD NOT HAVE RELEASED VEHICLE TO OWNER WITH SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2011
Jun 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THEN RELEASED WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2006
May 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH THE BRAKES ENGAGED INVOLUNTARILY. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP FOR A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE THE BRAKES RELEASED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. DURING THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOUR TIMES IN WHICH THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,213. *VIN CORRECTED SMCH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2011
Apr 2011

2005 HONDA PILOT .. PURCHASED USED HAD FOR 2 WEEKS AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP 4 TIMES WITH 2 PASSENGERS IN CAR. OCCURRED WHILE TAPPING BRAKES AT ABOUT 30 MPH ALSO HAPPENED TWICE WITH OUT TAPPING BRAKES. TAKING IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED FROM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2011
Nov 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A CLICKING NOISE, SUDDENLY STALLED AND THE VSA LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR HAD FAILED BUT THEY COULD NOT SEE A BLATANT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,864.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2010
Oct 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STOPPED MOVING WHILE HIS FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY DIAGNOSED AND DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115900.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2010
Apr 2010

THE BRAKES IN MY 2005 HONDA PILOT SUDDENLY APPLY THEMSELVES. OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES WHEN I TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONCE JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. MY WIFE RECENTLY HAD IT HAPPEN ONCE TO HER JUST AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN. IT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILES PER HOUR. I'VE SEEN THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON OTHER WEB SITES...ONE WAS GOING 60 WHEN IT HAPPENED. TWO HONDA DEALERS DID DIAGNOSTICS AND FOUND NOTHING. THEY COULD NOT "REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM"...NO SURPRISE SINCE IT'S RANDOM! THE LAST TIME (INCIDENT DATE BELOW) MY WIFE WAS OUT OF TOWN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SECOND DEALER. (THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACE BY THEM BUT WE'VE PUT LESS THAN 150 MILES ON IT SINCE THEN.) I BELIEVE THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE MECHANICS SINCE IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS...BUT WHO KNOWS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2010
Mar 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE BRAKES FELT SOFT AND THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE A FEW YEARS AGO FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALER CHECKED THE BRAKES AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT OFFER HIM ANY ASSISTANCE. HE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 17,513.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2010
Mar 2010

2005 HONDA PILOT BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. HAS OCCURED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. OPERATOR NOT TOUCH BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2010
Mar 2010

3/20/10. 2005 HONDA PILOT EX WITH 110K MILES. BRAKE PEDALS FEEL 'SOFT' AND GRADUALLY EXHIBIT A PEDAL HEIGHT THAT GETS LOWER (CLOSER TO THE FLOOR) BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPS. I NOTICED THIS ISSUE A WEEK AGO, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME BEING PARANOID. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS BE INCREASING VERY SLOWLY OVER TIME.THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 3/16/10 HONDA RECALL TO MODIFY THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST' (VSA) MODULATOR FOR ONLY 344,000 ODYSSEYS AND 68,000 ELEMENTS. I'M CONTACTING THE DEALER ON MONDAY. KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY REPLACED BOTH MY FRONT AND BACK BREAKS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. THE 2005 HONDA PILOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 3/16/10 RECALL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2010
Aug 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, SHE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES HAD SUDDENLY SEIZED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE MOVED IN ANY DIRECTION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2009
Jun 2009

2005 HONDA PILOT EX HAVE APPLIED SUDDEN BRAKE WHICH COMPLETELY STOPPED THE CAR. IT HAPPENED THREE TIME IN THIS WEEK (2/2 - 2/4). THE WEATHER IS COLD AFTER A MINOR SNOW, THE ROAD IS WET OR DRY. BUT EACH TIME THERE WERE SNOW AND SALT RESIDUE ON THE ROAD, WHEN THE CAR ROLL OVER IT, THEN IT HAPPENED. MOVING SPEED WAS BETWEEN 20 - 30 MPH. SINCE IT WAS SLOW SO NOT ACCIDENT OCCURRED, OTHERWISE MIGHT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2009
Feb 2009

HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES YESTERDAY. ONCE WHILE DRIVING ~40MPH THE VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, THROWING ITEMS FROM THE SEAT INTO THE FLOOR. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS BRIEF AND I DROVE ~2 MILES BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE VSA INDICATOR LIGHTS (CAUTION AND OFF) CAME. MANUAL STATES VSA CAN RESET BY TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON (MUST BE A MICROSOFT SYSTEM). DROVE THE CAR TO WORK. LATER LEFT WORK AND WENT ABOUT 5 MILES BEFORE THE VIOLENT SUDDEN STOP EVENT. FOLKS THIS IS SERIOUS PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THE VIOLENT NATURE OF THE CAR STOPPING. CAR IS AT THE DEALER RIGHT NOW, THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE EVENT , YET AND CLAIMED THE COMPUTER COULD NOT READ ANY CODES. THEY HAVE A CALL INTO THE FACTORY. REFERENCE THREAD AT WWW.HONDAPILOT.ORG HONDA PILOT .ORG > GENERAL > PROBLEMS > VSA APPLIES FULL BRAKE FOR NO REASON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2009
Dec 2007

I HAVE HAD A 2005 HONDA PILOT FOR 2 1/2 YEARS. ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS, THE BRAKES APPLY THEMSELVES. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS EVENT. THE HONDA COMPANY MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THE LAST INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE OCCURRED LAST NIGHT, THE DATE SHOWN BELOW. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2007
Jan 2007

BRAKES LOCK UP WHILE DRVING DOWN THE ROAD. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. KEEPS HAPPENING. NEARLY REARENDED THIS LAST TIME. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET SHOWS THAT I AM NOT ALONE. YET HONDA DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS, THEY CALLED HEADQUARTERS AND NO ONE HAS HEARD OF THIS. THEY WANT US TO COME AND GET IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IT ISN'T SAFE TO HAVE YOUR CAR LOCKS ITS BREAKS OUT OF NO WHERE. NO WARNING AT ALL. ANOTHER PERSON ON THE INTERNET REPORTS IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY!!! CAR SWERVED ALL OVER, CARS HONKED SWERVED TO MISS THEM. THEY HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER WITH HONDA AS WELL. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IS ACTING LIKE I SHOULD JUST FORGET ABOUT IT AND DRIVE THIS CAR. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2007
May 2006

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 HONDA PILOT FORM MY HOME AND MADE A LEFT TURN OUT OF MY SUBDIVISION. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM THE FRONT OF IT. IT WENT AWAY AND I CONTINUED DRIVING SLOWLY (ABOUT 15 - 20 MPH) TO SEE IF I COULD DETECT SOMETHING FURTHER WRONG OR IF I HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. AS I FOUND NO INDICATION OF THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE I CONTINUED ON. WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE CITY BLOCK THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND SLOWED ITSELF TO A CRAWL. I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES! THE NOISE AGAIN OCCURRED WHILE THIS HAPPENED. THE NOISE, I REALIZED, WAS SIMILAR TO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATING DURING A HARD STOP. THIS OCCURRED THREE MORE TIMES IN RAPID SUCCESSION AND THEN WENT AWAY. I CONTINUED ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND APPLIED THE BRAKES MYSELF. THEY SEEMED TO WORK OK. AS I PROCEEDED , THE BRAKES ONCE AGAIN APPLIED THEMSELVES (WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ACTION FROM ME) ANOTHER FOUR TIMES. AT THIS TIME THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT OFF, BUT WAS NOT SURE IF IT DID TURN OFF OR NOT. I DROVE ANOTHER TWO TO THREE MILES WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS. ON MAY 10, APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND THE VSA LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON. LATER THAT DAY, WHILE DRIVING WITH FOUR PEOPLE IN THE PILOT I HAD MADE A LEFT TURN AND HAD ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES AGAIN APPLIED THEMSELVES, THE PILOT DIVED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AGAIN, I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PILOT DID THIS ITSELF. THE VSA LIGHT HAD COME ON AGAIN AND I FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS SEEMED TO WORK ONCE AGAIN. AS EVERYONE IN THE PILOT HAD THEIR SEAT BELTS ON, NO ONE WAS INJURED. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2006
Jun 2005

2005 HONDA PILOT EX WITH LESS THAN 500 MILES ON IT.. ~90% BRAKE FAILURE ON VEHICLE ON TWO OCCASIONS... 06/15/2005 AND 06/24/2005. TAKING TO HONDA OF CONCORD (CONCORD NC) TO BE REVIEWED... MAY OR MAY NOT REPAIR DEPENDING ON IF THEY CAN "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM BUT ARE AWARE OF SOME CASES OF THE MASTER CYLINDER GOING COMPLETELY OUT FOR A "MOMENT". ALERTING YOU ALL IN CASE THIS HAPPENS TO OTHERS AND TO HAVE ON RECORD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2005

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2005 Honda Pilot has 22 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.