YearToAvoid

2005 Honda Pilot Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 176 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Honda Pilot, 26% of all 679 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Pilot model years. These complaints report 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 2 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 97,500 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
176
26% of 679
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
97,500 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Honda Pilot transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 5, 2006, latest Apr 28, 2023.

2005 Honda Pilot transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter142006 Q32009 Q32010 Q42012 Q12013 Q22014 Q32015 Q42018 Q2
176 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q3 to 2023 Q2; peak 2012 Q1 (14).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Honda Pilot

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Pilot model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005176 (26%)
  2. 200613 (5%)
  3. 200713 (6%)
  4. 200811 (8%)
  5. 200912 (9%)
  6. 20106 (5%)
  7. 201121 (7%)
  8. 201220 (12%)
  9. 201354 (20%)
  10. 20147 (6%)
  11. 201511 (10%)
  12. 2016200 (12%)
  13. 2017122 (13%)
  14. 201878 (18%)
  15. 201992 (10%)
  16. 202035 (7%)
  17. 202125 (6%)
  18. 202215 (10%)
  19. 202310 (7%)
  20. 202412 (11%)
  21. 202520 (10%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Honda Pilot have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 176 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Honda Pilot, 26% of all complaints for this model year, including 2 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 97,500 miles.
Which Honda Pilot year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2016 Honda Pilot has the most transmission complaints (200), compared with 176 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Honda Pilot?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Honda Pilot is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.