Vehicle vibration/rumbling/shuttering at speeds around 35-55mph. Apparently due to vcm(vehicle cylinder management system) most noticeable when backing off accelerator after vehicle reaches constant speed and eco light is on, but can occur weather eco light is on or not. Vibration is felt through out entire vehicle but as a driver, it is felt through the seat, steering wheel and center console.…
2013 Honda Pilot cruise control problems
moderate 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2013 Pilots report three distinct drivability issues that persist across hundreds of miles and multiple years of ownership.
VCM vibration is the most common complaint. Drivers experience rumbling, shuddering, and vibration at 35–68 mph, especially in Eco mode or when the engine cycles cylinders on and off via the VCM (Vehicle Cylinder Management) system. The shake is felt through the seat, steering wheel, and center console. Several owners took vehicles back to dealerships; tire rebalancing didn't help. Dealers acknowledged the problem but told owners it's part of normal VCM operation and unfixable until Honda releases a software update—which Honda apparently has no current plans to do.
Throttle hesitation is the second pattern. Owners press the accelerator and wait 2–5 seconds with no engine response, then the car suddenly surges forward unpredictably. The issue happens in stop-and-go traffic, during low-speed maneuvers, and when passing on the highway. Owners have learned to pump the gas pedal or use brake-torque technique to regain control. Dealerships cannot reproduce the problem during test drives.
Complete power loss occurred in at least two cases: one vehicle died entirely at 10 mph while moving; another lost all speed and throttle response, nearly causing a rear-end collision. One owner reports cold-start engine noise and delayed acceleration from idle.
Dealers claim no open recalls and cannot fix problems they cannot reproduce.
Same Honda Pilot cruise control reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
VCM-Related Vibration and Shuddering
Owners report persistent vibration, shuddering, and rumbling at highway speeds (35–68 mph), particularly in Eco mode or when the ECU cycles cylinders on/off via the VCM system. The vibration is felt through the seat, steering wheel, and center console. Dealers acknowledge the issue as VCM operation but claim it is normal and unfixable without future Honda software updates.
When: At 35–68 mph, especially between 1,000–2,000 RPM when backing off the accelerator or at constant speed with Eco light on; noticed from first day of ownership with as few as 10–2,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rumbling and shuddering vibration throughout vehicle; Growling noise; Unpleasant vibration felt in seat, steering wheel, and center console; Bucking and surging sensation; Vibration continues on straightaway while on cruise control
Repairs/costs cited: Tire rebalancing performed but did not resolve issue. Dealer stated no fix available until Honda releases software update.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers informed owners vibration is part of normal VCM operation and Honda has no current plan to correct it.
Throttle Hesitation and Unresponsive Acceleration
Owners experience 2–5 second delays in engine response when pressing the accelerator, followed by unpredictable surging. The issue occurs at low speeds, during stop-and-go traffic, and when attempting to pass on the highway. Owners report having to pump the gas pedal or use brake-torque technique to regain throttle control. Dealerships cannot replicate the problem during test drives.
When: Intermittent; occurs at various speeds, particularly in stop-and-go traffic and when accelerating from near-stop or low-speed situations; reported from late August through early ownership periods
Symptoms owners cite: 2–5 second delay before engine responds to accelerator pedal input; Sudden forward surge after hesitation; Engine feels like it may stall; Throttle unresponsiveness when maneuvering around curves or after backing off gas; Pedal pumping required to re-engage throttle response; Unpredictable acceleration behavior
Repairs/costs cited: Owners devise workarounds: removing pressure from accelerator and reapplying, or using brake-torque technique. No repair completed as dealers cannot reproduce issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs mentioned; Honda has not acknowledged the problem.
Complete Loss of Engine Power/Stalling
In severe instances, the engine completely loses power while driving, causing loss of all electrical control and steering assist. One owner reported the vehicle dying entirely at approximately 10 mph, requiring multiple brake pumps to stop. Another reported the car slowing drastically at low speed with pressing accelerator having no effect, nearly resulting in a rear-end collision.
When: Intermittent; reported within first few months of ownership, one incident at 10 mph while vehicle in motion
Symptoms owners cite: Complete engine shutdown while driving; Loss of all electrical power; Loss of power steering; Vehicle unable to accelerate despite flooring pedal; Severe unexplained slowdown at low speed
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to diagnose due to lack of reproducibility.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated no open recalls and cannot fix without reproducing the problem.
Engine Noise at Cold Start/Idle
One owner reports engine making an idling noise only when the car starts in the morning, with delayed speed increase.
When: Morning cold start
Symptoms owners cite: Idling noise at cold start; Delayed acceleration from idle
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2013 Honda Pilot?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 1,738 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Honda/Pilot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.