Most common 2006 Honda Pilot problems
Share of the 268 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Pilot complaints by model year
Best Pilot years: 2015, 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2016, 2017, 2019, 2025, 2021. Compare all years →
2006 Honda Pilot recalls (8)
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.
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.
Show 2 more recalls
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.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline.
Remedy: Honda will send a postcard to dealers and owners with the correct NHTSA vehicle safety hotline information and with instructions to insert the card into the "reporting safety defects" section of the owner's manual.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2006 Honda Pilot:
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…
What 2006 Honda Pilot owners say
Air bags all 61 →
The contact owned a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle rear-ended her vehicle, causing her vehicle to crash into another vehicle from the driver's side front door. The rear bumper and exhaust pipe detached. The driver's side air bag did not deploy. The contact sustained a back injury and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. Prior to the failure, the dealer had previously performed a recall repair for the driver's and passenger's side air bags. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while her son was driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle rear ended another vehicle and crashed into an embankment. The contact stated that all air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact mentioned that the driver was bruised as his head hit the steering wheel, she also mentioned that the driver in the other vehicle sustained a broken nose that needed medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The dealer was not contacted for a failure diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not contacted in regards to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 246,000.
Brakes all 34 →
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the vehicle stability assist system, ABS, check engine, and brake system warning lights illuminated. The contacted stated that after pulling over, placing the gear shifter into park(P) and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle was able to restart but was unable to accelerate above 15 MPH. The contact also stated that after coming to a stop at a stop light, the failure recurred, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained awaiting diagnostic test and repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.
When driving my Honda Pilot (2006) the check engine light will com one with indicating a problem with the vsa. What happens next is the car slows down significantly and comes to a complete stop. Which means you can be on the highway and the car slows down. I check to see if there was a recall on this issue, and there is one for the 2005 model, not the 2006. However, it is the same problem, which means the problem was not fixed in the next model year. I reached out to Honda corporate and they indicated that they had no recall for this issue for the 2006 model and could not help me. I told them it was the same issue as the 2005 and apparently the problem was not fixed in the next still no help. Please note the following concerning the 2005 model. Tsa action number: ea13002 model year 2005. Same problem. On March 14, 2013, American Honda motor co., inc. …
Engine & cooling all 32 →
The contact owned a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that initially, her check engine light had been illuminated on her instrument panel. She then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who replaced both her fuel injectors and spark plugs. The mechanic then took the vehicle to a dealer since the check engine light remained illuminated on the instrument panel. The PCM software was updated by the dealer; however, the light still remained. Upon picking up the vehicle, the contact was informed that her check engine light remained illuminated due to a misfire in cylinder#1. The contact was assured by the mechanic that the vehicle passed the PCM test and that the vehicle was safe to drive. While dropping her child off at school, a cloud of white smoke began to emit from the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames as the contact exited the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the vehicle stability assist system, ABS, check engine, and brake system warning lights illuminated. The contacted stated that after pulling over, placing the gear shifter into park(P) and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle was able to restart but was unable to accelerate above 15 MPH. The contact also stated that after coming to a stop at a stop light, the failure recurred, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained awaiting diagnostic test and repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.
2006 Honda Pilot engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Honda Pilot a good car?
Based on 268 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Pilot rates average: 25% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Pilot at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Honda Pilot?
The air bags — 61 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the brakes (34) and engine & cooling (32).
How many recalls does the 2006 Honda Pilot have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2006 Honda Pilot, the most recent from June 27, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Pilot?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2017, 2019, 2025 and 2021. See the full Honda Pilot years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Honda Pilot problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 21% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.