9 complaints reported

2012 Honda Pilot Power Train

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

Reports
9
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. Additionally, the contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was unaware of the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2023
Apr 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE BEFORE GOING INTO A HIGHER SPEED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,839.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2013
Feb 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND LOSE POWER BEFORE RESPONDING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT NO DIAGNOSIS WAS DETERMINED. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIBRATION WAS CAUSED BY THE MOTOR MOUNTS, WHICH THE DEALER ADVISED WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2013
Feb 2014

VEHICLE SHUDDERS/VIBRATES WHEN VCM (ECO) ENGAGES/DISENGAGES. SHUDDERING/VIBRATING IS VERY PRONOUNCED. TRANSMISSION 'CLUNKS' DURING ENGAGE/DISENGAGE OF VCM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2012
Feb 2014

RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2012 HONDA PILOT TOURING. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW DAYS, I TUNED INTO A CONSIDERABLE VIBRATION IN MY SEAT MOSTLY AT HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEEDS. I BELIEVE IT IS THE SAME SHUDDER THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. I HAVE BROUGHT TO THE DEALER ON 2 OCCASIONS SO FAR AND THEY HAVE BALANCED, ROTATED, AND EVEN PUT NEW WHEELS FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE ON IT. I SWEAR I CONTINUE TO FEEL IT AND HONDA TECHS INCLUDING THE MASTER TECH SAY IT DRIVES NORMAL. IT DRIVES ME INSANE AND I CONTINUOUSLY ADJUST SPEEDS TO AVOID IT FROM HAPPENING WHICH IS DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY. IT ALSO PULLS CONSIDERABLY TO THE LEFT EVEN WHEN THE ROAD SLOPES RIGHT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IF SOMEONE EVER DRIFTED WHILE DRIVING, IT IS STRAIGHT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC! I ALSO WONDER ABOUT LONGEVITY OF THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER ETC. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE EXCITED DRIVING A NEW CAR, AND NOW I AM FRUSTRATED THE ENTIRE RIDE EACH AND EVERY TIME. I REGRET THIS PURCHASE. THIS HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT I WANT TO RETURN OR TAKE A LOSS AND TRADE IT FOR ANOTHER CAR MANUFACTURER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A $42,000 VEHICLE. OTHER THAN THIS SOLE ISSUE, I LOVE THE PILOT. I DECIDED TO ADD MY ENTRY TO HOPEFULLY HELP GET HONDA'S ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND RESOLVE FOR THOSE OF US EXPERIENCING THIS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2014
Jul 2013

AFTER THE BREAK-IN PERIOD, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIGHWAY SPEED. CONSTANT VIBRATION UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE AT CONSTANT SPEED (BETWEEN 63-68 MPH), ECO MODE. ONLY SOLUTION IS TO RAISE OR REDUCE THE SPEED WHICH IS A SAFETY CONCERN ON THE HIGHWAY - RUNNING OVER PEOPLE OR GET RUN OVER. THE VIBRATION IS VERY ANNOYING WHICH CAUSE THE DRIVERS (AND THE PASSENGERS) TO LOSE FOCUS ON THE ROAD - ANOTHER SAFETY CONCERN. BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT NO SOLUTION TO FIX IT, CURRENTLY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON THE ROAD AND PUT MY FAMILY AND OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD IN DANGER AS HONDA THINKS IT'S A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2013
Apr 2013

A FEW THOUSAND MILES AFTER PURCHASE OF MY 2012 HONDA PILOT TOURING, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE DRIVE TRAIN VIBRATION ISSUES. THE VIBRATION WAS MOST NOTICABLE BETWEEN 40-45 MPH BUT ALSO NOTICABLE AT OTHER SPEEDS. IT IS RELATED TO THE ECO MODE AND THE VTM. THE VIBRATION GROWS WORSE AS THE DRIVE TRAIN IS PUT UNDER LOAD JUST BEFORE IT SHIFTS OUT OF ECO MODE. THE VIBRATION IS NOT NOTICABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN ECO MODE AND ENGAGING ALL 6 CYLINDERS. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP AND TEST DROVE IT WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO ALSO EXPERIENCED THE VIBRATIONS. MY DEALERSHIP CONTACTED HONDA TECHS AND WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. COMPUTER DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SENT TO HONDA. AT THAT TIME, THEY DETERMINED NOT TO REPLACE THE CONVERTER AND INSTEAD REPLACED THE PROPELLER SHAFT. THE VIBRATION ISSUES CONTINUED. I SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND TEST DROVE A 2013 PILOT. IT HAD THE SAME ISSUES. MY DEALERSHIP AGAIN CONTACTED HONDA TECHS AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THE VIBRATIONS ARE INHERENT IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT THERE ARE NO PLANS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. I CONTACTED HONDA DIRECTLY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ISSUE AND REQUEST A SCHEDULE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. A CASE MANAGER WAS ASSIGNED TO MY COMPLAINT, AND I RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VIBRATIONS, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE A "SYMPTOM" OF THE VTM. WHEN I ASKED WHY I DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUES WHEN NOT IN ECO MODE, IT WAS REPEATED THAT IT WAS A "SYMPTOM" OF THE VTM. HONDA ACKNOWLEDGES A VTM "SYMPTOM", BUT WILL NOT DISCUSS IT IN ANY MORE DETAIL. I AM CNCERNED ABOUT THE LONG TERM AFFECTS ON THE DRIVE TRAIN AND DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I WON'T ALLOW MY FAMILY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF CATSTROPHIC FAILURE LEAVING THEM STRANDED ON THE ROADSIDE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2012
Feb 2013

PURCHASED 2012 HONDA PILOT JULY 2012. WENT ON A TRIP A FEW DAYS LATER AND NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, SEAT AND FLOOR. AS TIME WENT ON I FIGURED OUT IT WAS HAPPENING WHEN THE ECO MODE WAS ENGAGED. AT APPROX. 45 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS BADLY LIKE IT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR TO SHIFT INTO. EVEN AT LOWER (30-40 MPH) AND HIGHER (50-70) SPEEDS I CAN FEEL WHEN THE ECO MODE KICKS IN AND THE VIBRATION / SHUDDERING STARTS. I'VE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY COULD FEEL THE VIBRATION BUT NOTHING WAS WRONG. EVEN BROUGHT IN A REGIONAL HONDA REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THAT'S THE WAY THE VEHICLE WORKS AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO ABOUT IT. WHAT I CAN SEE HAPPENING IS MY WARRANTY RUNS OUT AND THE SYSTEM FAILS AND I'M STUCK WITH A BIG REPAIR BILL. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-70 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO SHUTTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT WHAT HE WAS FEELING WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS THE OWNER STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Honda Pilot has 9 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.