Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that shortly after refueling, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, causing the speed to increase to approximately 45 MPH while approaching stopped traffic. While pressing the brake pedal to avoid a collision, the vehicle continued to accelerate and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the air bag deployment, the air was deflated, causing the driver's head to contact the steering wheel. Also, the contact indicated that metal fragments were present during the air bag deployment. The contact sustained a lacerated left wrist and lacerations to the chest area. The driver also sustained contusions and bruised to the head, ankles, and legs, along with neck and back stiffness, which will all require medical treatment. No other injuries were known regarding the second vehicle occupants. …
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the passenger's side airbag light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's impact sensor needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired. The contact mentioned that a year later the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Airbag tensioner seatbelt light is on (red one); AKA, SRS (supplemental restraint system) Dealership pulled codes 41-11 and 42-11, which are the front left and right impact sensors. They said the impact sensors "appear to be okay". but the main SRS computer unit control modular is "not working properly". The car has 137,000 miles on it and has not been in an accident and the light came on immediately when I started my car after it sat for a day without driving it. I live in rural area where no one could have tampered with my car. The dealership was perplexed and said they have seen this happen a lot recently and believe it is a defect in the SRS unit. The impact sensors are fine but the codes are being thrown for impact sensors, not the SRS unit; which they said if I paid 1,000 dollars (might) resolve the impact sensors error... …
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V344000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. Parts distribution disconnect.
It was a three car accident. My car was in the middle waiting behind another car for a pedestrian crossing the road. Honda odyssey coming from behind in the other lane, changed the lane and rear-ended my car at ~15 MPH. My car hit the front car. Airbags deployed in the car that rear-ended me with substantial engine damage. Driver in my car along with passenger in front passenger seat got a vertical lift with seatbelt constraints holding them in place. My car's airbags did not deploy, which is my primary concern at this point. I have received a safety recall notice from Honda Pilot about drivers front airbag inflator replacement. Is there an issue with the airbags deployment too in the current generation of Honda Pilot? I have this incident noted down with American Honda motor company and they have told me that there is no issue. …
Takata recall... Please note my car was up to date on all service recalls for my 2005 Honda Pilot. On May 13, 2016 I was involved in an accident where both vehicles were completely totalled. I was hit on the drivers side door (at a angle approx where the firewall is located) all the airbags failed to deploy which everyone assisting with the accident from the firemen, policemen, emts, and hospital employees commented on in surprise. The other car hit mine so hard that my car ended up facing oncoming traffic and the impact caused the other vehicle to fishtail and resulted in his right rear quarter panel making contact with my left quarter panel as well. My vehicle's floor buckled and the drivers side door was so damaged that the firemen had to pry it open to extract me. This happened while both cars were in motion on a main street. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, there was a collision ahead causing the brake pedal to be depressed abruptly. The contact crashed into the vehicle in front which crashed into the other vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a mild conclusion and whip lash injuries that needed medical attention. The contact stated that the driver in the other vehicle sustained a knee injury that needed medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably and crashed into a stationary police cruiser. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver and the front passenger sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. The contact's vehicle was damaged and was towed to a tow yard. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. Two weeks earlier, while driving approximately 10 MPH, the brakes seized momentarily and released when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the driver fell asleep and crashed into a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The contact stated that there was no immediate confirmation of the condition of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.
Takata recall: I got a recall notice for the driver's side air bag.. I took car to hyannis Honda, hyannis, ma and got new one installed. The car was hit head-on while driving on a town road. A other car crossed the center line. Both cars were going about 30 MPH ( over 60mph). The other car's airbag worked; air-bag went off. The new air-bag in my car failed to work.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Show 5 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags
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…
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.
Air bags
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…
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.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 120 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Honda Pilot, 18% of the model year's 679 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Honda Pilot airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-501 (inflator module, Jun 27, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-499 (inflator module, Jun 27, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-182 (inflator module, Mar 6, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Honda Pilot airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 122,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 22 crashes, 0 fires and 27 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.