2006 Honda Pilot Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year center on three things: a large airbag inflator recall campaign that owners still call about, repeated front airbag non-deployment reports in crashes, and a corroding rear subframe that has let the rear suspension drop away from the body on higher-mileage examples. A separate cluster involves the vehicle stability assist system, where owners describe warning lights and unexpected brake application, sometimes after a dealer reprogram. Most reports arrive between roughly 70,000 and 200,000 miles, so a careful pre-purchase inspection matters more than age alone.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Rear subframe corrosion, rear suspension mounts detach

   • 25 complaints (9%)
   • median 172,500 mi at 13.1 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2006–2026

   Complaints describe a loud bang or jolt from the rear, warning lights on the dash, and the rear of the vehicle sitting noticeably low. On inspection, owners and mechanics report the rear subframe mounts or trailing arm attachments have separated from the body because of rust in the frame rail. Several say the rear suspension was left resting on the exhaust. Some report the vehicle failed a state inspection for corrosion, and a few say they were told the vehicle was not covered by a related recall. Mostly reported between roughly 110,000 and 190,000 miles, on vehicles driven in states that use road salt.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Put the vehicle on a lift and inspect the rear frame rails and subframe mounting points for scaling rust or separation, especially on a vehicle from a salt-belt state. A service bulletin describes this corrosion condition, so ask whether any inspection or repair was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2006 Honda Pilot ex mileage: 144,309 I was accelerating from a stop when I felt a jolt coming from the rear of the car. Several warning lights lit up in the dashboard, there was a loud exhaust leak, and the car was no longer accelerating. There was an auto care center 50 yards away so I slowly drove it there for an inspection. The mechanic lifted the vehicle and showed me that the back two rear subframe mounts were detached from the body which made the car inoperable. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11231743, filed 2019-07, 144,309 miles

   “I was pulling away from my parking space when I heard a large thunk. Vtm-4, vsa, ABS, and [!] lights all went on and the vehicle was making an odd noise. After getting home and noticing that the rear was sitting lower, I looked at the undercarriage and saw that the trailing arms had completely come detached from the sub frame and the rear suspension was being kept in position by the exhaust. This was a monumental fail and I can't imagine that Honda wouldn't consider this a major safety issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11300360, filed 2020-01, 161,068 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Check engine light, misfire and head gasket work

   • 15 complaints (6%)
   • median 105,000 mi at 10.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2023

   Owners report the check engine light coming on, sometimes with the VTM-4 light, and the engine running rough or losing power. Complaints describe diagnoses of misfires on multiple cylinders, failed camshaft position sensors, and in some cases a head gasket and radiator replacement after overheating. Several mention repeated visits and software updates that did not clear the light. Most often reported between about 24,000 and 150,000 miles, sometimes following an overheating episode.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check for a stored or pending check-engine light, look for coolant loss or a sweet smell, and ask whether the timing belt, water pump or head gasket has been serviced. A compression or leak-down test is useful on a high-mileage example.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Overheats when driving less than 30 miles. I changed the radiator and the thermostat. Now, the Honda stopped working on the highway in the middle of the night. Repair man said that the head gasket needs to be replaced for $5,000!!! Honda needs a recall! I googled the problem and other consumers are having the same issue!!”

   NHTSA complaint #10550904, filed 2013-11, 90,000 miles

   “My 2006 Honda Pilot started to show the p0301 error code and had the check engine light and vtm-4 caution light come on suddenly. Both lights came on when I pulled out of my driveway on a monday morning. The day before I had driven my car about 20 miles on an interstate highway and about 2 miles on city roads. The lights were not on at that time nor were any obstacles hit, such as potholes, and no change in the driving characteristics of the car were experienced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11142493, filed 2018-10, 115,616 miles
3. 3
   Electronic stability control

   VSA light on, brakes apply or vehicle slows unexpectedly

   • 21 complaints (8%)
   • median 110,500 mi at 9.6 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • filed 2006–2020

   Owners report the VSA, ABS and VTM-4 lights coming on, sometimes with a grinding noise, and the vehicle slowing or refusing to accelerate as if the brakes were applied. Some describe the brakes grabbing hard with light pedal pressure, and a few describe the vehicle stalling or becoming hard to steer. Dealers reportedly reprogrammed the VSA module in some cases and, in others, told owners the module needed replacement. Reported from about 59,000 to 250,000 miles, often appearing intermittently at highway speeds or in stop-and-go driving.

   What to check: During a test drive, watch for any VSA or ABS lamp and ask whether the VSA module has been reprogrammed or replaced. A scan tool reading of stored stability-control codes before purchase is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vsa, ABS and vtm-4 lights on the vehicle come on and off and the car will stop or drive erratically. It also makes a grinding noise. I've taken it in and no one can tell me why this is happening. This has been going on since october of 2015. I'm afraid it will cause an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10881901, filed 2016-06, 59,000 miles

   “While driving at any speed, vsa light comes on and the car comes to a stop. It feel as though the brakes are engaged and vehicle will not move. This is a serious safety hazard since we could get rear ended, especially if this were to occur oba highway. We have taken the Pilot for repair 3 times for this issue. A few months ago, the dealership reprogrammed the vsa module and now we've been told it has to be replaced for $2500. There is a recall on this part in the 2005 pilots and some 2006. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11340628, filed 2020-07, 74,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden unintended acceleration or engine revving

   • 16 complaints (6%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2023

   Owners describe the engine revving to high rpm or the vehicle lurching forward on its own, typically while braking for an intersection or making a slow turn in a parking lot or driveway. Some say the cruise control light was lit afterward even though cruise had not been set; others suspect a fault in the throttle or speed-control electronics. A few reports describe a crash into a structure or another parked vehicle, and owners say dealers could not reproduce the event. Reported from very low mileage up to about 97,000 miles, usually at low speeds during braking or turning.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the throttle body or accelerator pedal assembly has been replaced or cleaned, and whether any stored codes relate to the drive-by-wire system. A service bulletin describes a variable valve timing solenoid wiring concern that can affect engine behavior.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Today while driving my 2006 Pilot, I was going approximately 33mph. The vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. It was very quick, almost like a lunge. I hit the break and it did slow the vehicle. The strange thing about this is, this happened to me two other times that I can recall. It hasn't happened in quite a while but I've owned this vehicle for 3 years, 9 months, and it was sometime during that time period. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10313919, filed 2010-02, 51,237 miles

   “On dec 4,2007 I took my 2006 Honda Pilot to a Honda dealership in winnipeg mb canada for engine revving issues. I explained how when going to brake at an intersection the vehicle jolted ahead as the engine started to rev high- RPM greater that 4000 - and the speedometer needle was bouncing from top to bottom erratically. I was braking lowly at first but when this started I used two feet on the brakr to prevent me from hitting the car in front of me. It just finally stopped. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10317922, filed 2010-03, 38,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall and airbags not deploying

   • 52 complaints (19%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2022

   Owners describe two related concerns: whether their vehicle was covered by the Takata inflator recalls and service campaigns, and frontal airbags that did not deploy in a crash. Some reports describe the driver's airbag deploying unexpectedly while the vehicle was parked and being worked on. Others describe an inflator rupture during deployment that injured the driver's hands. Complaints mention checking with the dealer on recall status, and several say the vehicle was not covered or was told no campaign applied. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 90,000 miles to over 250,000.

   Recall 19V501000Recall 19V499000Recall 19V182000Recall 18V268000Recall 17V029000Recall 16V344000Recall 15V32000011 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the VIN and confirm with a dealer that every open airbag inflator campaign has been completed; keep the paperwork showing the inflators were replaced. Note that several service bulletins describe warranty extensions for replacement inflators.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Struck 2 mailboxes and post. Airbag exploded, ripping open on right and left sides. Both hands of driver received multiple small hematomas (broken small blood vessels) and left hand received significant deep cuts. Strong impact of airbag hitting driver left driver displaying symptoms of possible concussion.”

   NHTSA complaint #10662325, filed 2014-12, 73,230 miles

   “Purchased vehicle 2009 odometer 35818. 2013 2013 the odometer read 70827 operator hit a deer resulting to front and side damage, the air bags did not deploy. Have there been any recalls regarding the failure with the srs sensor?”

   NHTSA complaint #10500655, filed 2013-02, 70,827 miles

Buying note. This generation's biggest practical questions are whether the airbag inflator campaigns are complete and what the rear subframe looks like underneath, so request the recall paperwork and get a lift inspection before buying. Beyond that, a scan for stored stability-control and engine codes tells you more than the odometer on a vehicle that may have covered well over 100,000 miles.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.