Home › Guides › Honda › Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Honda Hydraulic Brake Recalls Cover Leaks, Pedals, and Reduced Braking
Honda's hydraulic brake recalls span passenger vehicles and motorcycles, with repeated concerns about reduced braking or components that cannot function as intended. Pilot recurs in the 2021-2022 master cylinder connection notice and the 2023-2025 brake pedal pivot pin notice. Certain 2020-2023 Ridgeline and 2021-2023 Passport vehicles also have the master cylinder connection concern. A separate notice addresses brake performance in certain 2016 and 2018-2019 HR-V and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Fluid leaks involve the ABS modulator on certain 2019-2020 CB500X and CBR500R ABS motorcycles, and the VSA modulator on certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Accord vehicles.
Warning signs to watch for
- 2018 brake performance recall C31/L30: braking performance may be reduced.
- 2021 motorcycle ABS recall KM6: a brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance.
- June 15, 2023 VSA modulator recall: unintended movement with brake hold engaged or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel.
- June 29, 2023 master cylinder recall: separation can cause a loss of brake function.
- 2025 brake pedal recall FLX/XLY: the pedal can shift out of position, preventing brake application as intended.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
None of these five notices carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction. The C31/L30 reduced brake performance notice, KM6 motorcycle ABS notice, June 2023 VSA modulator notice, June 2023 master cylinder notice, and FLX/XLY brake pedal notice do not tell owners to stop driving. They describe crash or injury risks involving reduced braking, unintended movement, increased pedal travel, loss of brake function, or a shifted pedal. Their lack of a stop-driving instruction does not establish that an affected vehicle is safe to drive.
What the free repair involves
Remedies are free. Dealers bleed brakes under C31/L30; inspect ABS modulator lot numbers and replace modulators as necessary under KM6; replace VSA modulators under the June 15, 2023 notice; inspect and repair brake booster assemblies as necessary under the June 29 notice; and inspect and replace pedal assemblies as necessary under FLX/XLY.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 5 |
Models affected most
Where owners report service brakes, hydraulic problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under service brakes, hydraulic for the Honda models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Service brakes, hydraulic complaints |
|---|---|
| 2025 Honda Pilot | 33 |
| 2021 Honda Pilot | 26 |
| 2021 Honda Passport | 22 |
| 2022 Honda Pilot | 20 |
| 2019 Honda HR-V | 18 |
| 2021 Honda Civic | 18 |
| 2023 Honda Pilot | 17 |
| 2018 Honda HR-V | 15 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2025 | Acura, Honda Brake Pedal Pin Can Shift | high |
| Jun 29, 2023 | Honda, Acura Models: Brake Master Cylinder May Separate | high |
| Jun 15, 2023 | Acura Integra, RDX and Accord Brake Fluid Leak | high |
| Sep 2, 2021 | Honda CB500X ABS May Leak Brake Fluid | high |
| Nov 1, 2018 | Acura and Honda Models Have Reduced Brake Performance | high |
Common questions
Which recall mentions movement while Honda's brake hold is engaged?
The June 15, 2023 notice describes a VSA modulator ball valve leak that can cause unintended movement with brake hold engaged or increased pedal travel. It covers certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Accord vehicles.
Why do some Honda brake recalls call for bleeding the brakes?
Recall C31/L30 says insufficient coating on rear brake caliper pistons can allow gas pockets to form and reduce braking performance. Its specified remedy is free brake bleeding. That remedy belongs to this notice, rather than the modulator or pedal notices.
Which Honda Pilot years appear in these brake recalls?
The June 29, 2023 notice covers certain 2021-2022 Pilot vehicles with a master cylinder connection concern. Recall FLX/XLY covers certain 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles whose brake pedal pivot pin may allow the pedal to shift out of position.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.