Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 Honda Pilot brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2020 Honda Pilot have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the brakes, typically surfacing around 3,600 miles at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Pilot | 13 |
| 2017 Pilot | 12 |
| 2019 Pilot | 18 |
| 2020 Pilot (this page) | 16 |
| 2021 Pilot | 18 |
| 2022 Pilot | 12 |
| 2023 Pilot | 4 |
| 2024 Pilot | 7 |
3crashes
4injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two distinct brake problems on the 2020 Pilot: phantom braking from the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), and complete loss of braking function.
CMBS phantom braking happens regularly with no hazard present—on clear roads, backroads, empty bridges, and even during legitimate highway passing maneuvers (one owner's Pilot hard-braked when within 20 feet of a car being passed, nearly causing the following vehicle to rear-end them). The system triggers brake warnings, red brake box alerts on the display, steering wheel shake, and beeping. One owner reports five or more false warnings per 20-mile commute; another says the system continues to activate daily despite two dealer visits for camera sensor refocus. Dealers have told owners the problem is "known" but suggested they simply disable it.
Complete brake failure has occurred across the mileage range (2,000 to 28,000 miles), with brake pedals becoming unresponsive despite full pressure. Two owners crashed—one into a fence at 55 mph with no warning lights, the other into a wall at low speed. A third owner hit a neighbor's mailbox and tree after the pedal went to floorboard. Multiple owners report their vehicle surges forward 1–2 feet despite hard brake pedal pressure, with dealers blaming battery communication issues. One owner received a new battery; brakes remained unreliable. Vehicles involved in crashes were either not repaired or deemed total loss.
Same Honda Pilot brakes reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2019 · 2021 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) phantom braking and false warnings
The CMBS engages brakes unexpectedly when no hazard is present, triggering automatic hard braking, brake warning lights, and steering wheel shake/beep alerts. Owners report the system activates on clear roads, during legitimate passing maneuvers (causing near-rear-end collisions), on backroads with curves, empty bridges, and oncoming traffic scenarios where no actual collision risk exists.
When: Ongoing since purchase (2020 model year); occurs randomly throughout vehicle use; one owner reports 11 incidents with surge/brake failure; another notes at least 5 occurrences per 20-mile commute
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic hard braking with no hazard present; Brake warning light and red brake box on display; Steering wheel shake and beeping alerts; Brake pedal surging forward 1-2 feet despite pedal depression; Engine revving up despite brake application; Dangerous unpredictable braking during highway passing (ACC/cruise control active)
Codes mentioned: CMBS error
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports dealer refocused camera sensor without resolving issue; another states dealership recommended turning system off (no actual repair available); multiple dealers reportedly found no defect despite confirmed failures
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Salesman acknowledged this as a known problem; manufacturer offered no assistance in multiple cases; no formal recall or TSB mentioned by any owner
Complete brake failure or loss of braking effectiveness
Brake pedal becomes unresponsive or loses effectiveness, with no warning lights present. At least two incidents resulted in crashes when brake pedal was depressed but vehicle failed to stop; multiple owners report brakes not engaging fully with forward surge of vehicle.
When: Across mileage range: 2,000 miles; 18,000 miles; 28,000 miles; and recurring (11 incidents reported by one owner since 2020)
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal unresponsive or depressed to floorboard; Vehicle crashes into fence, wall, mailbox, and tree due to brake failure; No warning indicator lights before failure; Wheel assembly detached (one incident); Forward surge despite hard brake pedal pressure
Repairs/costs cited: One crash victim's vehicle deemed total loss; another owner got new battery at dealership (dealer attributed issue to battery not communicating with brakes) but brakes still unreliable; vehicles not repaired in multiple cases
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in at least two cases but offered no assistance; no recall mentioned
Engine stalling during auto-idle with brake pedal held
During stop-and-go traffic or at red lights with auto-idle engaged, engine stops while driver is holding the brake pedal. When driver releases brake at light change, vehicle shuts down completely and requires power-off and restart sequence to resume operation.
When: Occurred during traffic light stop; owner had to restart multiple times before light changed again
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies while brake pedal held during idle-stop; Vehicle shuts down completely when driver releases brake; Requires full power-off and restart button push to recover; Takes multiple attempts to restart; Creates traffic hazard as vehicle blocks intersection after light turns green
Soft/low brake pedal with inadequate braking power
Brake pedal feels soft and low, requiring higher pressure or longer stopping distance. One owner reports always stopping too close to vehicle ahead despite full pedal effort.
When: Constant condition since ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal feels soft and low; Reduced stopping power; Vehicle stops closer to objects than expected with full pedal pressure; Condition persists all the time
Repairs/costs cited: Owner brought vehicle to dealer September 28, 2020; technician stated nothing was wrong despite owner concern
Abnormal braking noise
Screeching noise from front driver-side tire during braking, or abnormal popping sound from vehicle when applying brakes.
When: Upon purchase; at approximately 3,100 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Screeching noise from front driver-side tire; Abnormal popping sound during braking
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspection found no defect with rotors or tires; another dealer stated popping sound was normal
Brake sensor/warning system malfunction
Brake sensor message illuminates on dashboard with no actual brake failure present. False positive brake warnings occur repeatedly with no specific pattern.
When: Approximately 11,700 miles; recurring throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Brake sensor message on dash; False positive brake warning indicator (amber light and buzzer); Wheels vibrate and jerk slightly left and right when sensor warning appears; Occurs 5 or more times per 20-mile commute with no pattern; Occurs in two-way traffic on straight roads with adequate separation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer refocused camera sensor; camera sensor issues linked to multipurpose camera used by Honda Sensing system
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had brakes trouble with your 2020 Honda Pilot?
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 brakes problem on the 2020 Honda Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 2,279 and 11,700 miles, with the median around 3,600. A quarter of owners report trouble before 2,279; a quarter make it past 11,700. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes 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 brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes 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/2020/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.