Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Honda Pilot submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 37, in the owner's own words
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. Its a poor design by honda and was never fixed or recalled. This has lead countless people to be stranded. With repairs upwords of $500.
Power steering high pressure line leaking on exhaust and almost caused fire Dangerous. Lines need to be recall or replace
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 25-35 MPH, the vehicle slowed down unexpectedly, and the brake pedal was hard and slow to respond when depressed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was pulling to the left, and it was difficult to correct the steering wheel. The vehicle was difficult to control. The VSA light was illuminated. There was a triangle with an exclamation mark symbol displayed on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the VSA module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 173,273.
FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK MY 2005 HONDA PILOT SUDDENLY LOSES ALL POWER AND DIES, BOTH TIMES I WAS IN A DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS. IT SCARED ME 2 DEATH.
MAKE NOICE
2005 HONDA PILOT WITH 145K MILES SUDDENLY STARTED TO APPLY BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON STRAIGHT, FLAT, DRY ROADS AT MODERATE SPEEDS. IF HAS ALSO OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, BUT NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH SKIDDING, SLIDING, ETC. THE BRAKES APPEAR TO APPLY DIFFERENTIALLY, CAUSING A SWERVE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED QUICKLY TO AVOID COLLISION WITH TRAFFIC. THE VSA LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE TRIANGULAR VSA DISCONNECT LIGHT COMES ON. THEY BOTH GO OUT AFTER THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS, BUT THAT THEY HAD REPROGRAMMED THE CAR'S VSA DURING AN EARLIER SERVICE VISIT.
STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN MAKING A LOUD SOUND WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT... TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND THEY STATE THE STEERING COLUMN IS SEPARATING FROM THE MAIN CONTROLLING DEVICE
FAULTY ELECTRICAL ISSUE. CAR WILL JUST CUT OFF AND GO DEAD ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS. THIS WAS REPORTED TO HONDA AS A SAFETY CONCERN BUT NO ONE EVER FOLLOWED UP WITH THE COMPLAINT. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. CAR WILL JUST CUT OFF AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THIS OCCURS AT ANY SPEED UNEXPECTLY WITHOUT WARNING. OCCURS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION WITHOUT WARNING. WORSENS WITH HEAVY RAIN. THIS WAS REPORTED 10 YEARS AGO AND EVEN. AGAIN ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO WITH NO RESPONSE FROM HONDA. OCCURRED AGAIN TODAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A BUMP OR POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRUTS, POWER STEERING PUMP, AND SWAY BAR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 287,000.
1ST INCIDENT-I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED (APPROX. 25-30 MPH). HEARD A GROWLING SOUND & CAR SUDDENLY BRAKED ON ITS OWN. I ALSO FELT AS IF I HAD LOST STEERING ABILITY. THE VSA LIGHT FLASHED ON THEN OFF DURING THE INCIDENT. 2ND INCIDENT- SAME AS ABOVE ONLY A WEEK LATER. 3RD INCIDENT- ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR. HAD SLOWED DOWN TO ENTER THE RAMP TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY. AGAIN THE CAR MADE A GRINDING SOUND, THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON MOMENTARILY WHILE THE CAR APPLIED THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN. ALL OF THESE INCIDENCES OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR WAS SERVICED FOR THE VSA RECALL(13-026) ON MAY 6, 2015. PREVIOUS TO THIS SERVICE, WE HAD NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE VSA. WE BELIEVE THAT BY HAVING THIS RECALL PERFORMED, HAS CAUSED ANOTHER MALFUNCTIONED AS A RESULT. I HAVE READ SOME MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING INCIDENCES THAN OURS ON YOUR SITE. SO WE ARE NOW DRIVING OUR CAR WITH THE VSA OFF! PLEASE INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE SERIOUSLY GETS HURT. UPDATED 11/27/2017*CN
FELT NO POWER WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO PULLOVER. AFTER RESTING THE VEHICLE I IT WAS OK. I FELT IT LAST YEAR IN MAY ALSO AND DEALER HILLSIDE HONDA IN NY JUST DID SERVICE AND POWER STEERING FLUID CHANGE AND CHARGED ME. I WILL GO BACK THUS WEEK. *TR
MY 2005 PILOT MODEL HAS 108,000 MILES. THE VSA LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP AND VSA LIGHT REMAINS ON UNTIL VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE STABILITY CONTROL RECALL 13V092000 WAS PERFORMED JULY 2013, IT WAS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. LOCAL HONDA DEALER FOUND YAW RATE SENSOR FAILURE AND WANTS $1,100.00 TO REPLACE. *TR
YES MY 2005 HONDA PILOT HAS DEVELOPED SERIOUS KNCKING AND SHAKING IN SUSPENSION STEERING , CALLED HONDA THEY SAID ITS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL I FELL IT SHOULD BE FOR SAFETY REASONS . *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND THE VSA WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
AS I WAS APPROACHING A LEFT TURN LANE I APPLIED THE BRAKES GENTLY AND THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE MOMENTARILY GRABBED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE VSA LIGHTS ACTIVATED. THIS HAS OCCURRED 9 TIMES IN THE LAST 300 MILES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL THE "RECALLED" VSA MODULE WAS REPLACED LESS THAN 6000 MILES AGO. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THE VSA MODULE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
BEGAN TO NOTICE SIGNIFICANT CLOCKWISE-COUNTERCLOCKWISE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING SPOUSE'S CAR. ATTEMPTED TO SOLVE PROBLEM BY HAVING TIRES CHECKED AND BALANCED; NO DEFECTS WERE IDENTIFIED AND REBALANCING DIDN'T SOLVE PROBLEM. WHEN UNSUCCESSFUL, TOOK TO SECOND FACILITY AND HAD TIRES BALANCED AGAIN WITHOUT RESOLUTION OF PROBLEM. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, WHO BALANCED THE TIRES A THIRD TIME, WITH NOT RESOLUTION OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM CONTINUES EVEN AFTER REPLACING ALL TIRES, AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AFTER RESEARCHING ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH HONDA PILOT CARS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, AND THAT HONDA HAS NOT ISSUED ANY TECHNICAL ADVISE ON HOW DEALERS CAN FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION, A 2005 HONDA PILOT EX SHUDDERS AT OR BETWEEN 35 TO 40 MPH.IT HAS ALMOST COST ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY MY LIFE. THIS IS A "KNOWN" TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM TO HONDA,YET THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS THEIR NEGLIGENCE. *TR SUDDEN,UNEXPECTED BRAKING,WITHOUT BRAKE APPLICATION IS TERRIFYING AND ALSO DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THE STEERING CONTROLS OFTEN VEER TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT ANY APPARENT CAUSE.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 HONDA PILOT PROBABLY AROUND 40MPH, A NOISE, I TURNED ON THE CLOSEST ROAD TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND WAS HEADING UP HILL, THE RPM DIAL MOVED ERRATICALLY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO GO, THERE WERE NO ENGINE LIGHTS ON, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. I HAD NO STEERING CONTROL, BECAUSE I WAS ON A HILL I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD DIED. I TURNED THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TRIED TO RESTART SINCE WE WERE ON A 2 LAND ROAD WITH NO GUARD RAIL AND A STEEP DROP OFF BESIDE THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT ON, A LIGHT CAME ON THE ALT TEMP. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE DOWN AND HAD TO WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE. WE LIFTED THE HOOD AND IT WAS NOT HOT COMING FROM INSIDE BUT THERE WAS A FLUID LEAKING. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER HONDA PILOTS. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS VEHICLE DIED WITH NO WARNING OR LIGHTS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY THINK SOMETHING WHEN WITH THE RADIATOR WHICH LEAKED FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THEY DON'T KNOW YET IF THE ENGINE IS DEAD UNTIL THE WORK ON THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON FROM HONDA, [XXX], IS NOT WILLING TO ASSURE ME THAT IF MY VEHICLE IS REPAIRED IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN AND THAT WE WILL BE SAFE. MY FAMILY FEELS THAT THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN THAT CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC BREAK DOWN. WE HAVE OWN HONDA'S FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BRAKING AND STEERING PROBLEMS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A 11 OR 12 MONTH TIME FRAME TOOK IT TO DEALER 4 TIMES AND THEY COULD NOT GET PROBLEM TO DUPLICATE AND NO REPAIRS DONE. ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS A MONTH AGO HONDA WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF PROBLEM. *TR
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, MY HONDA PILOT ABRUPTLY PULLED TO THE LEFT. IT FELT LIKE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTUATED. THE VSA AND TRIANGLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT WAS PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT STOPPED. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AN THE CONDITION CLEARED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING UNDER SLIGHTLY WET CONDITIONS AT A FAIRLY LOW SPEED (APPROX. 25 - 30 MPH) AND THE CAR SEEMED, MOMENTARILY, AS IF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD GONE FLAT AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT WITH A TRIANGLE AND AN EXCLAMATION POINT AND THE VSA LIGHT SIMULTANEOUSLY CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, CHECKED THE TIRE, TURNED THE CAR OFF, RESTARTED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE FOR THE REST OF THAT DAY. THE NEXT MORNING, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING AFTER THE CAR HAD SAT ALL NIGHT. AFTER TURNING IT OFF AND BACK ON, THE INDICATOR AND VSA LIGHTS WERE OUT, BUT THEN CAME BACK ON LESS THAN 30 MINUTES LATER WHILE IDLING. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS DAY WERE COLD, BUT DRY. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND TOOK THE CAR TO LEITH HONDA. I EXPERIENCED THE SAME CONDITION WHILE DRIVING IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM AND THE CAR'S COMPUTER DIDN'T INDICATE THAT THE VSA HAD EVEN BEEN ON. I PICKED THE CAR UP THAT NIGHT, AFTER THEY HAD CLOSED, AND EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM LESS THAN 15 MINUTES AFTER I LEFT THE DEALER. I THEN EXPERIENCED IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY, AFTER A COLD START, AND THEN AGAIN TODAY, ALSO AFTER A COLD START, BUT THIS TIME WHILE IDLING. THIS IS A SCARY AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THERE ARE LOTS OF REPORTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FLOATING AROUND THE INTERNET. MY PARTICULAR EXPERIENCES HAVEN'T BEEN AS BAD (YET) AS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED, BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME (FRONT BRAKES MOMENTARILY LOCKING AND STEERING PULLING, IN MY CASE, TO THE LEFT). *TR
MY WIFE LOST CONTROL , 2 LANE PAVED ROAD 45 MPH (CAR DAMAGE FROM BUMPER TILL REAR END) COMING TO STOP IN A DITCH TO HER LEFT. NO OTHER VEHICLE/INVOLVED, REPORT WAS FILED WITH INSURANCE, CAR REPAIRED ( OVER $10,000 ) I ARRIVED AS POLICE OFFICER WAS INTERVIEWING MY WIFE @ OUR DRIVEWAY, SHE WAS STILL CRYING, NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENTS BEFORE, OR SPEEDING TICKETS ( VERY PASSIVE DRIVER, OUR KIDS WHERE IN THE CAR 3 AND 4 YEARS OLD @ THE TIME) HER EXPLANATION: THE CAR WAS GOING OUT OF THE ROAD TO MY RIGHT ON ITS OWN, I TRIED TO CORRECTED BUT THE STEERING WAS NOT RESPONDING,I FELT THE CAR GOING INTO THE DITCH, I PULLED HARD , IT RESPONDED CROSSING THE LANE VIOLENTLY, TRIED TO CONTROL IT CAME BACK TO THE RIGHT HITTING THE STOP AHEAD SIGN, SWERVED AGAIN TO THE LEFT AND STOPPING @ THE DITCH.150 FEET FROM THE INTERSECTION,BETWEEN TELGE RD. WESTBOUND AND GRANT RD. CYPRESS TX 77429 PREVIOUS OWNERS OF HONDA CRV, WE LOVE THEIRS CARS WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK, THINGS THAT HAPPEN, WE MOVED ON. SINCE THEN SHE/COMPLAINED/BRAKES WILL DISENGAGED AND ENGAGE AGAIN. THE CAR WILL STOP BUT A COUPLE OF FEET LONGER THAT INTENDED. 1ST. TIME I REPLACE BRAKE PADS, 2ND.TIME I TRIED TO REPLICATE THE EXPERIENCE BUT NO LUCK. 3RD. TIME NEW BRAKE FLUID AND COMPLETE BRAKE INSPECTION. 12/2012 SHE TOLD ME AGAIN. I DECIDED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO WORK MYSELF EVERY DAY. 12/29/2012 COMING BACK FROM WORK, STOP SING, HIT THE BRAKES, RIGHT BEFORE THE CAR STOPS THE PEDAL SUNK COMPLETELY , NOISES CAME FROM THE WHEELS AS IF THERE WAS AND ON/OFF SWITCH BEING USE FOR BRAKING. THE CAR STOPS ABOUT 10 FEET LONGER THEN INTENDED. BEING CONCERN ABOUT A SOLUTION I STARTED LOOKING FOR ANY INFO ABOUT THIS ONLINE, SO IT COULD FIX IT THIS IS MY KIDS/WIFE VEHICLE. I DISCOVER ALL THE SIMILAR CASES ONLINE ,I WONDER IF THE STEERING REALLY WHEN OUT OF CONTROL ON ITS OWN , LIKE SHE SWORE TO MY IN 2008. *TR
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR USED FROM ANDERSON HONDA OF PALO ALTO. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VSA HAS ENGAGED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 10-35 MPH. THE VSA ENGAGED AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN TURNING AND AT THE FASTER SPEEDS ON THE STRAIGHT-A-WAY. WHEN THE VSA ENGAGES THE VSA LIGHT AND WARNING LIGHT TURN ON. THE LIGHTS DO GO OFF AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AND AT REST FOR A FEW MINUTES. MOST OFTEN WHEN THE VSA ENGAGES THE CAR SHUDDERS SLIGHTLY, BOTH THE BRAKE AND THE GAS PEDAL SHUDDER AND VIBRATE. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS SLOWING MOMENTARILY. IN THE MOST RECENT EPISODE ON NOV. 27. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH DOWN HILL AND THE STEERING PULLED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. *TR
DRIVING ALONG A TWO LANE HIGHWAY ON A 20 DEGREE MORNING AND COASTING AROUND A GENTLY CURVING CORNER TO THE RIGHT AT 45 MPH WHEN AN UNEXPECTED JARRING AND PULLING TO THE LEFT OCCURRED COUPLED WITH A LOSS OF SPEED AND THE VSA LETTERS AND A TRIANGLE INDICATOR LIGHTS LIT ON THE DASH BOARD.. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS GOT MY ATTENTION AND LUCKILY NOTHING WAS COMING FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION. I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL AFTER THE INITIAL PROBLEM OCCURRED AND WHEN I SAW THE LIGHTS AND WENT ALONG MAYBE 200 TO 300 YDS IT DID IT AGAIN WHICH GOT ME VERY WORRIED. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED TO RESET THE CAR BUT TO NO JOY SO I DROVE THE REMAINDER OF MY COMMUTE TO WORK WITH THE VERY SAME LIGHTS LEFT ON. THE REMAINDER OF MY DRIVE WAS FINE BUT NOT SURE IF I AM SAFE DRIVING WITH THIS ANOMALY AND ESPECIALLY THE SUDDEN SELF BRAKING, WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN NEXT? *TR
MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENCES WITH OUR VSA SYSTEM IN OUR 2005 PILOT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 5-40MPH, THE CAR HAS LOCKED THE BRAKES AND STEERING. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN RANDOMLY WITH NO PRIOR INDICATIONS. I DID A BIT OF RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND NO SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM. I SAW THAT THE NHTSA WAS LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AS OF OCTOBER, AND I AM HOPING TO FIND A SOLUTION SOON. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .