2011 Honda Pilot Brakes Problems

Your brake pedal sinks all the way to the floor when you press it. This means your brakes may not be working properly, which is a serious safety concern. You should have a mechanic inspect your brake system immediately to check for leaks, worn brake pads, or a failing brake master cylinder.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE GOING ABOUT 20MPH AND WANTED TO MAKE A RIGHT SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN, EVEN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HAD TO USE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND TESTED THE BRAKES BY DRIVING VERY SLOW AND BRAKING. THIS SEEMED TO CLEAR THE PROBLEM. TODAY MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS LEAVING THE GAS PUMP AND NEEDED TO BACK UP. AFTER SHE PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, SHE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. SHE PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WAS STILL UNABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK. SHE HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I INSTRUCTED HER TO TURN THE TRUCK OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON AND TEST THE BRAKES. THIS AGAIN CLEARED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

CHANGED BRAKES AT 30,000 AND AGAIN AT 50,000, ROTORS ALSO. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE A RUBBING SOUND ON LEFT FRONT. THREE SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS IN 50,000 MILES.

EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE MANY 2011 PILOTS ARE REPORTING- EXCESSIVE VIBRATION ON THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN BREAKING OVER 60MPH. WE WERE RATHER FORTUNATE IN THAT OUR RELIABLE AUTO REPAIR SERVICE MAN TOLD US THAT A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE ROTORS ISSUES- THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND TO CHECK WITH A HONDA DEALER. SO WE CALLED THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND HE SAID THEY CALLED HONDA AND THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS. SO I FOUND THIS WEB SITE- I COPIED AND PASTED OVER 7 FULL PAGES OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. SO HONDA IS BLIND SIDING US AND I WILL SHOUT RATHER LOUDLY BECAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUS. DO THEY NEED TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF REPORTED FATALITIES LIKE THE AIRBAGS BEFORE THEY FIX IT.I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY UNTIL THEY FIX IT.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR AND ATTEMPTING TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES, I NOTICED A JARRING PULSATING ACTION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK MY 2011 HONDA PILOT TO THE SHOP TO HAVE MY MECHANIC INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, AND CALLED THE HONDA DEALER TO INQUIRE OF A RECALL. THE HONDA DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL, AND ADVISED ME TO REPLACE THE ROTORS. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 75000 MILES ON IT, AND THE SAME PULSATING ACTION WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IS FELT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

I HAD THE FRONT ARM BUSHING REPLACED AND I UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A BULLETIN. I NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE BUSHING REPLACED AGAIN. I FEEL THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. *TR

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BRAKE PRESSURE DID NOT ENGAGE. HAD TO PUMP BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK. THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE FREQUENT. EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. *TR

HAVING HAD THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE (APRIL 2012 & JUNE 2012) AND REPLACED FRONT TIRES AFTER FIRST ROTORS, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHAKE ON DOWNHILL, SUPPOSEDLY CAUSING FRONT WHEELS TO HEAT UP. LOCAL VAIL SERVICE TECHNICIAN THINKS UNDERLYING HONDA ISSUE HOWEVER AFTER TAKING TO HONDA DEALERSHIP, THEY DID NOT SEE ANY PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE ON MOUNTAINOUS ROADS. SERIOUSLY?! THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE MODEL & YEAR OF VEHICLE. *JS

I HAVE A 2009 HONDA PILOT TOURING. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AS A HONDA CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED ON 03/17/2011. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 33194 MILES AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 92000. WE LIVE IN MADISON, WI. DURING 2013-14 WINTER SESSIONS THERE WERE MANY DAYS THE WEATHER WAS VERY COLD HERE. ONE DAY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS VERY COLD (PROBABLY -10 F), I TOOK THE CAR FROM MY OFFICE PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR LITTLE OVER 8HOURS. AS SOON AS, I CAME OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, I NEED TO TAKE LEFT. WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY BRAKE TO STOP, THE BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGING. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PRESS THE BRAKE. AFTER COUPLE OF BLOCKS, I WILL COME TO A T JUNCTION AND I NEED TO TAKE LEFT ON THAT. THE CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP AT THE JUNCTION. THE CAR WASN'T STOPPING AND I TOOK A HARD RIGHT TURN. AGAIN I TOOK A HARD RIGHT TURN IN 100-200 FEET. THE BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGING AT ALL. AFTER SO MANY TIMES OF PRESSING HARD, FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO APPLY BRAKE AND STOP THE CAR. IT WAS A SCARY MOMENT THINKING THAT THE CAR IS GOING TO CRASH SOMEWHERE. I CALLED MY HONDA TECHNICIAN AND HE MENTIONED THAT IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF COLD WEATHER AND I SHOULD CALL HIM AGAIN IF THE PROBLEM RETURNS. THERE WERE A FEW TIMES, I FACED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AFTER A FEW MINUTES EACH TIME. I TOOK TO THE HONDA SERVICE CENTER IN FEB 2014 (OR AROUND THAT TIME). THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL CALL HONDA TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS SINCE ANOTHER HONDA VEHICLE (NOT PILOT) REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUE. WHEN I WENT TO TAKE BACK THE CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO FIX TO THIS ISSUE. THE WORKAROUND IS TO RUN THE CAR FOR A WHILE BEFORE I DRIVE. SOMETIMES WE FORGET AND THE PROBLEM IS COMING REPEATEDLY EVEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS IN SINGLE DIGIT. I FACED THE PROBLEM JUST A FEW DAYS BACK TOO. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER ANYONE ELSE USING HONDA VEHICLE REPORTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFO. *TR

THE BRAKES DIDN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED ME TO STRIKE A TREE WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE QUARTER PANEL AND IT SENT US ON PART OF A GRAVEL ROAD AND THEN OFF THE ROAD. I ENGAGED THE BRAKES UPON IMPACT AND HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP BEFORE HEADING INTO TREES. THE VEHICLE DID SLOW, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO AVOID HITTING A TREE AT APPROXIMATELY 25-35 MPH, WHICH TOTALED THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE REAR BRAKE WEAR INDICATOR BEGAN EMITTING A CHIRP UPON BRAKING AT ABOUT 46000 MILES. RECENTLY THE BRAKES BEGAN "GROWLING" WHEN APPLIED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE MPG APPROXIMATELY 3 MPG OVER THAT TIME PERIOD. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE METAL ON METAL AND THAT THE FRONT BRAKES HAD 20% REMAINING ON SOME PART AND 40% ON OTHERS. HE ATTRIBUTED THE PREMATURE AND UNEVEN WEAR TO RUST. HE DID NOT MENTION ANY ROTOR PROBLEMS BUT MY RESEARCH INDICATES THERE IS A ROTOR PROBLEM THAT HONDA IS NOT ADDRESSING. *TR

PURCHASED BRAND NEW PILOT IN JUNE 2011. I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 60 MPH AND WHEEL STARTED SHAKING WHEN I HIT BRAKES. DRIVING BECAME VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF SHAKING. TALKED TO HONDA SERVICE DEALER ABOUT IT AND ISSUE IS ROTORS/BRAKES WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN A CARE THAT'S UNDER 3 YEARS 36000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

PURCHASED A 2011 CERTIFIED USED HONDA PILOT IN JUNE 2013, 20,200 MILES, AFTER READING REVIEWS STATING THE RELIABILITY. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, NOTICES A VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. HONDA SERVICE STATION SAID THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND RECOMMENDED RESURFACING AND NEW BRAKE PADS, BUT THAT THE WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER THE COST. CALLED HONDA AND THEY VERIFIED THE PROBLEM WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY - NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SHORTLY AFTER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING WITH EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING, JERKING, AND JUMPING INTO HIGHER GEAR WHEN COASTING TO A STOP. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE HONDA SERVICE STATION AND WAS TOLD THAT IN ADDITION TO THE ROTOR ISSUE, THE TIRES WERE UNEVENLY WORN AND SHOULD BE REPLACED (24,000 MILES). THEY RECOMMENDED HAVING AN ALIGNMENT. WAS ALSO TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CLEARLY ISN'T THE CASE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION FOR ALIGNMENT, TIRE ROTATION, AND BALANCE AND WAS TOLD THE ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY OFF AND HAVING THEM DONE DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO STATED THE ROTORS SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THEM TO WARPED AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING IT EVEN ON A SHORT HIGHWAY TRIP. A VERY EXPENSIVE, UNRELIABLE VEHICLE. *TR

MY HONDA PILOT ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER HONDA PILOT OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING A SEVERE VIBRATION ISSUES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO JUST SLOW DOWN WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH-WAY SPEEDS. THE VIBRATION CAN BE SO SEVERE THAT IF YOU ARE NOT HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL FIRMLY IT COULD CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN ADDRESSED AT HONDA DEALERSHIPS YOU ARE TOLD IT IS WARPED ROTORS AND THAT EVEN WITH A BRAKE JOB (WHICH IS NOT NECESSARY BASED UPON INSPECTION) THAT THE PROBLEM MAY RETURN. THERE IS BASICALLY NOTHING THEY CAN DO, SO LIVE WITH IT. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ON YOUR SITE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH PROPER INSPECTION AND A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE ROTORS HAD WARPED AND THE BRAKE HARDWARE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

PASSENGER SIDE BACK WHEEL ROTORS MAKES A NOISE WHEN EVER I STEP ON MY BRAKES. I HAVE CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY AND WAITING FOR THEIR CALL. I TOOK IT TO FAIRFAX HONDA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NEED TO RESURFACE BACK ROTORS AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 13000 MILES AND IS WELL UNDER 3 YEARS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING IS COVERED BUMPER TO BUMPER FOR THREE YEARS AND NOW THEY SAY ROTORS ARE NOT COVERED. SO A DEFECTIVE ROTOR IS NOT COVERED? I AM CONFUSED WHY HONDA IS DESTROYING ITS NAME BRAND. *TR

CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH SHAKING STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING FROM 60+ MILES PER HOUR. I THINK IT MAY BE WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A CAR SO NEW NOR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IN REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS THERE WERE AT LEAST A COUPLE MORE COMPLAINTS THAT SAID THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK REPLACEMENT FIXED THE ISSUE. SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW AND HONDA SHOULD DO A RECALL... NOTE: I HAVE NOT TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE DEALER YET FOR RESOLUTION... *TR

THE VEHICLE STEERING VIBRATES VILONENTLY WHEN BRAKING DURING 50+ MPH. DEALER FOUND THE REAR ROTORS TO BE WARPED AND REPLACE THEM ALONG WITH BRAKE PADS, THE PROBLEM REMAINS AND GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKING RESPONSE IS EXTREMELY SLUGGISH AND REQUIRES EXTREME DISTANCE AND PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS COUPLED WITH THE VIBRATION OR THE PREMATURE WARPED ROTORS AND WARN BRAKES ARE A COMBINATION FOR TRAGEDY. SEVERAL PILOT OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS VERY SAME ISSUE AND HONDA SHOULD BE ABLE TO CORRECT BY REPLACING THE PARTS WITH ADEQUATE ROTORS THAT CAN SUPPORT AND SAFELY STOP THE SYSTEM WHEN BRAKING WITHOUT FEELING LIKE THE SUV IS GOING TO BECOME DISCOMBOBULATED ON THE ROAD. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT CAUSE THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN THE BRONX EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE VIBRATION AND LACK OF STOPING POWER IS A CATALYST FOR DISASTER. I AM SO CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT I DRIVE THE CAR WITH EXTREME CAUTION IN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF GETTING TO AN ACCIDENT, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF MY LEASE BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST THE VEHICLE. IT'S A REAL MISFORTUNE BECAUSE OVERALL ITS A GREAT VEHICLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SEVERE PROBLEM. *TR

WHEEL SENSOR WIRES ON 2011 HONDA PILOT ARE EXPOSED AND UNPROTECTED UNDER THE VEHICLE WHICH WHEN DAMAGED, DISABLE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS), VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA), AND THE VARIABLE TORQUE MANAGEMENT (VTM-4) SYSTEMS. EXPOSED WIRES ARE PRONE TO BE CUT OR DAMAGED BY ROAD DEBRIS AND HAZARDS. DUE TO THE WIRE BEING EXPOSED, IT WAS DAMAGED AND CAUSED AN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE OF APPROX. $266.00 TO REPAIR ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 2,600 MILES ON IT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY AVOIDED IF THE WIRE HAD BEEN PROTECTED BY A BRAIDED COVERING OR METAL TUBE. WIRES SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED WITHIN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY FEATURES. *TR