CarComplaints.com Notes: Previously we had awarded the 2009 Pilot "Seal of Pretty Good", but have since removed that honor due to all the continuing complaints about excessive oil consumption.

This Honda Pilot oil consumption defect was subject to a class action lawsuit in 2013. However not all 2009 Honda Pilots were covered by the settlement & by now the warranty extension has expired. The oil consumption complaints keep coming in.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
51,238 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Honda Pilot brakes problems

brakes problem

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2009 Honda Pilot Owner Comments

problem #13

Feb 182022

Pilot

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 45 MPH, the brake pedal failed to operate as needed upon depression as his wife crashed a vehicle that stopped at the light. The airbags deployed upon impact. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to a local hospital by ambulance; her injuries were unknown. The contact took his wife to the hospital after the accident where she was treated for neck and back pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Franklin Park, IL, USA

problem #12

Jul 302020

Pilot

  • 159,510 miles
On July 29, 2020 I purchased a vehicle from crown Nissan of greenville. They stated that the vehicle had a safety inspection and that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and all that needed was a new ac compressor that they would replace at their expense. They were not transparent about other problems that surfaced within the first quarter tank of gas of owning the vehicle. The brakes were not installed correctly and was causing errors which is a safety concern. Both low control arms and struts were completely worn and not safe for vehicle operation. The front windshield had a crack in it. There were also faulty engine misfiring. There inspection did not animate any of these issues and said the only thing wrong was the ac compressor, which was a lie. The left strut was also was not operational and has made the car unsafe to drive. The vehicle has been driven less than 100 miles and has caused nothing but problems and a safety concern for the driver. I used the dealers service department twice and they were not transparent about issues concerning the vehicle. They did not care and both times said everything was fine which was not true there was a lot wrong with the vehicle that they weren't disclosing. I asked the dealership exactly what was wrong because I needed to know and they assured me the safety inspection was done and there was nothing wrong. The Honda mechanic from fishers garage claims the car has signs of being in a rough accident with underneath repairs, however the dealer assured there was no accidents and the car fax was clear of any defects. Which also turns out to be a lie.

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #11

Jan 202018

Pilot

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling, it surged without warning. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond and depressed to the floor. The contact placed the vehicle into park in order to stop the vehicle. Additionally, there was an abnormal squelching noise. The vehicle was towed to groppetti automotive dealer located at 830 S ben maddox way visalia ca 93292 where they were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened case number 06627501 but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

- Tulare, CA, USA

problem #10

May 232016

Pilot 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V346000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. Updated 10/18/16

- Columbus, GA, USA

problem #9

Jun 212015

Pilot

  • 77,495 miles
After reading the dreaded compliance bushing issue on a few Honda Pilot owner's forums as well as safercar.gov, I thought about checking my vehicle to see if I have the same problem. Sure enough, the bushings on both sides of the vehicle have leaked. Just like similar experiences from other owners, the front end of the vehicle vibrates excessively during braking.

- Gilroy, CA, USA

problem #8

Mar 122015

Pilot

  • 57,500 miles
Complete loss of power steering while stopped or at low speeds (trying to pull into a parking space) and front end/steering column shaking while breaking at 60 mph. I was told by the service rep at the Honda dealership that I lost my power steering because there was a leak from eroded seal, causing power steering fluid to leak into the boots on the underside of the vehicle. For this reason, there was never any leakage onto the ground to ever indicate that there was a leak. Additionally, a warning light never came on in my dashboard to alert me of the issue. As a result of the leak, I was told that I needed to replace my entire power steering rack because it was not something covered under my Honda power train warranty. I was also told that I needed new brakes and rotors for the shaking issue, but after researching this issue, I found that this has been a frequently reported issue in Honda Pilot and may actually stem back to the power steering issue. Yesterday, I received another call advising me that the power steering pump also needed replaced due to suspected damage that incurred due to it being dry from the leak.

- Glen Mills, PA, USA

problem #7

Aug 012013

Pilot

  • 44,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When brakes are applied at almost any sped vehicle shakes violently. Took it in for service was advised by dealer that the bushing on a suspension component needs to be replaced as it has cracked. I did a bit of research and was told that Honda was aware of the initial flaw on the design and redesigned it for the replacement part. Consumers should not bear the cost of the replacement part as it is a manufactures defect. This is causing the brakes and rotor to wear out faster.

- Cypress, CA, USA

problem #6

Jan 292010

Pilot

  • 11,000 miles
Since owning my 2009 Honda Pilot new, I have replaced the rotors three times and had them cut many times due to warping. There must be a defective issue here.

- Inverness, FL, USA

problem #5

Sep 122013

Pilot

  • 41,010 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, he depressed the brake pedal when it abnormally traveled to the floor board. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the master cylinder was replaced. After the repair the failure continued and the vehicle was taken to two different dealers. The technicians stated that the calipers, master cylinder, and ABS system would have to be replaced. In addition, the brake system was contaminated due to the type of brake fluid that the contact added to the vehicle. After obtaining a third diagnosis from a different dealer, the contact was informed that only the ABS system would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 41,010.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #4

Aug 022013

Pilot 6-cyl

  • miles
At speed when braking the left wheel begins to vibrate to an uncomfortable level. It has been getting more pronounce since purchasing the vehicle a year ago.

- Fayetteville, GA, USA

problem #3

Apr 092013

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Shaking and vibrating of the steering wheel resulting in damage to rotors. Honda is aware of this issue however they have not done anything about this. Here are more complaints by owners with the exact same issue: townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.F186D71/36 #40 of 46 steering wheel shimmie by wiliagby Jan 22, 2013 (1:47 pm) I have a 2010 Pilot purchased new and have less than 23000 miles. The steering wheel has been shaking for a while. It has been more pronounce as time gone on. So I went to the dealer today and was explained it was the rotor being warped. It was explained the manufacturer went to a softer material to eliminate squeaking brake sounds with a harder material. So I told the servicer that this will be a chronic problem since all the rotors will warp even if I replace them or have the current rotors turned. He said warranty expires at 12,000 miles for brake problems and it was my choice. Wow! I ask them to still check it and when the service invoice was printed the writing was perform a complimentary vehicle inspection including inspecting the tire pressure and setting it to factory specification. Nothing written about the steering wheel shimmie. So I pointed it out and the servicer said it was inside the free inspection. They know its a problem and there is a deliberate effort to hide it. I am not satisfy with the answer or service. The technician heard the problem, but this time they dug deeper and agreed that there was something wrong with the power steering rack. They replaced it and my Pilot is like new! hopefully Honda will stand behind their product better in the future -- I had to go through much frustration to get my problem fixed. He gives me a copy of the service bulletin... probably cause of this problem : "front suspension rear lower arm bushing bracket is faulty".

- Bolingbrook, IL, USA

problem #2

Nov 222012

Pilot

  • 32,580 miles
At 60 mph, the steering wheel vibrates, as if the anti-lock braking system is engaged, just with a slight tap of the brake pedal. The vibration is at a consistent rate, and does not slow when the vehicle slows. There is no scraping, or any other sound coming from the wheels, and it is easily demonstrated. While driving on the highway, while slowing down slowly, the vibration catches you off guard as you think you may be driving over a rumble strip, and attempt to make a correction in your driving - only to realize that its the vehicle that is having the issue. The issue started appearing around 32K miles, and now has 39K miles on it, and has only been driven around town. It has never been on a long range trip due to this issue.

- Mukilteo, WA, USA

problem #1

Nov 012011

Pilot

  • 48,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the brakes were depressed and the vehicle began to shake abnormally. After the contact removed his foot from the brake pedal, the shaking stopped. The failure recurred consistently. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or repair shop for inspection. The contact repaired the vehicle by replacing the two front driver and passenger side rotors. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The current mileage was 54,000. The failure mileage was 48,000.

- Clifton, NJ, USA

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