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170 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
While driving the vehicle at around 45 MPH it suffered a complete loss of power for 3-5 seconds. The dashboard lights illuminated and then the vehicle restarted without having to restart via the ignition and all of the dash lights turned off. This has happened intermittently on…
Check engine light came on followed by shaking of the vehicle. The code was checked indicating a cylinder 1 misfire. This has been an ongoing issue of cylinders misfiring. The spark plugs and coils have been replaced multiple times and the issue is still persisting.
My 2012 Honda pilot rotor warp prematurely resulting in loss of control and increased risk for crash when driving at moderate to high speeds. After being shook to death after heavy breaking, I took my pilot to the dealership. They said they are aware of the problem but rotors…
I purchased a Honda pilot 2012 ex-l 4wd in nov 2011. Since day one I noticed that there has been a problem with the vehicle's a/c system. Specifically, I hear a loud humming noise from the engine compartment when the a/c compressor turns on. The noise is very annoying and was…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
As a result, fuel may leak from the tank, increasing the risk of fire.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 170 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Honda Pilot is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2012 Honda Pilot is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 24 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 47,580 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 47,580 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 170 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.