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2005 Honda Pilot Recalls, Complaints & Specs

13 safety recalls list the 2005 Honda Pilot, and owners have filed 679 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

13
safety recalls
679
owner complaints to NHTSA
42 / 8
complaints citing a crash / fire
17
MPG combined (EPA)

13 safety recalls for the 2005 Honda Pilot

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 19V499000 Reported 3,947 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 19V501000 Reported 1,657,752 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers…

  3. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 19V182000 Reported 1,101,534 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V,…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.…

  4. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 18V268000 Reported 1,335 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

  5. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 17V029000 Reported 308,884 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida,…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for…

  6. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 16V344000 Reported 1,790,894 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers…

  7. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 15V320000 Reported 6,281,043 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact…

  8. Air bags

    NHTSA 14V700000 Reported Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

  9. Air bags

    NHTSA 14V353000 Reported 133,207 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

  10. Traction control system and service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module

    NHTSA 13V092000 Reported 183,576 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2005 Pilot vehicles manufactured July 29, 2004, through August 29, 2005; model year 2005-2006 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 16, 2004, through September 22, 2005; and model year 2005 Acura RL vehicles manufactured March 1, 2004, through June 29, 2005. An electrical capacitor may have been…

    Remedy: Owners will be notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a dealer of their respective brand. The dealer will install a partial wiring harness containing a capacitor for the VSA modulator, free of charge. The…

  11. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 12V136000 Reported 1,375,217 vehicles potentially affected HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v; model year 2003 through 2005 pilot; and model year 2002 and 2003 civic vehicles. In march 2012, honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v and certain model year 2003 pilot vehicles. In august 2012, honda informed the agency that it was…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the low beam terminal harness or replace the lighting switch as necessary, free of charge. The original recall began in april 2012. Owners of vehicles involved in the…

  12. Column (steering)

    NHTSA 05V039000 Reported 203 vehicles potentially affected HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

    On certain minivans and sport utility vehicles, the steering column may be incorrectly assembled, which could result in a loss of steering control.

    Remedy: Owners were notified by telephone on january 25, 2005, and arrangements were made to have their vehicles towed to their dealers and have the repairs performed. The recall began on january 25, 2005.

  13. Tank assembly (fuel system)

    NHTSA 04V541000 Reported 61 vehicles potentially affected HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

    On certain sport utility vehicles, some fuel tanks were improperly manufactured.

    Remedy: Dealers replaced the fuel tank. All owners were notified by telephone on november 10, 2004.

679 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2005 Honda Pilot have filed 679 complaints with NHTSA; 42 describe a crash and 8 describe a fire. Reports cite 46 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 106,556 miles. Complaints peaked in 2012 with 100 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“A stuck ignition lock cylinder on a 2005 Honda Pilot. Hello I purchased this car from the second owner and they had the ignition lock replaced less than 2 years ago. This device has now failed again.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2026 · Steering

“Power steering high pressure line leaking on exhaust and almost caused fire Dangerous. Lines need to be recall or replace”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 3, 2026 · Steering

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2005 Honda Pilot (Pilot 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined17 mpg
City / Highway15 / 20
FuelRegular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine6 cyl, 3.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Compare Honda Pilot model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Pilot model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2003 Honda Pilot13720
2004 Honda Pilot12544
2005 Honda Pilot13679
2006 Honda Pilot8268
2007 Honda Pilot7211
2008 Honda Pilot7133
2009 Honda Pilot9134
2010 Honda Pilot10111
2011 Honda Pilot11293
2012 Honda Pilot9171
2013 Honda Pilot6271
2014 Honda Pilot3116
2015 Honda Pilot4109
2016 Honda Pilot81,710
2017 Honda Pilot4930
2018 Honda Pilot7440
2019 Honda Pilot13909
2020 Honda Pilot11491
2021 Honda Pilot10438
2022 Honda Pilot5160
2023 Honda Pilot5144
2024 Honda Pilot6115
2025 Honda Pilot4205
2026 Honda Pilot123

Checking a specific 2005 Honda Pilot

How do I know if my 2005 Honda Pilot has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 13 campaigns currently list the 2005 Honda Pilot; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Honda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V541000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Honda models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.