NHTSA Complaint #10927664 — 2016 HONDA PILOT

SINCE PURCHASING NEW, I HAVE NOTICED A PECULIAR PHENOMENON WHEREBY THE BRAKE PEDAL DEVELOPS A VERY HIGH RESISTANCE FROM THE TIME OF BEING PARKED, UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I GET IN THE VEHICLE. I WILL ROUTINELY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK AT THE CONCLUSION OF A DRIVE. THE PEDAL FEELS NORMAL AT THIS POINT. APPROXIMATELY 80-85% OF THE TIME UPON RE-ENTRY IN TO THE VEHICLE AFTER ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO SIT STATIONARY (OFF) FOR 2-12 HOURS, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES VERY FIRM. TO THE POINT WHERE I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF FORCE I MUST PRESS WITH MY FOOT, IN ORDER TO THE ENGINE TO START. I DON'T WANT TO OVER-PRESSURE THE BRAKE LINES UNNECESSARILY. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE TIME, IF I SIMPLY PRESS THE BRAKE WITH AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO START THE CAR, I PRESS THE "START" BUTTON, AND THE SYSTEM WILL ONLY TURN ON TO AUX MODE, THE ENGINE STARTER WILL NOT ACTIVATE. DUE TO THE HIGHLY FIRM PEDAL, MY "ACCEPTABLE" LEVEL OF FOOT FORCE WILL NOT SUFFICIENTLY DISPLACE THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ENABLE "ENGINE START" READY MODE. I AM PERPLEXED BY THIS ODD BEHAVIOR. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED IN MY 17 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE BRAKE SYSTEM BECOMES "LOADED" IF IT IS JUST SITTING. THIS IS THE SORT OF RESULT I MIGHT EXPECT IF ONE WERE TO "PUMP" THE BRAKES WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING, BUT I AM DOING NOTHING OF THE SORT. PLEASE HONDA, ADDRESS THIS. I REALLY HAVE TO WONDER IF OTHER 2016 AND NEWER PILOT AND RIDGELINE OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS.