2005 Honda Pilot Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TRANSMISSION SHUDDER BETWEEN 35-40 MPH. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSED BY A FAILING TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED, OVER PRESSURIZED AND SPRAYED OUT BLEEDER VALVE. *TR
THE D LIGHT IS FLASH. SO THERE ARE SOMETHING WARNING MY TRANSMISSION I THINK MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO BE FAIL. WE KNOW THAT HONDA, PILOT 2004 HAD RECALL FOR THIS. WOULD YOU PLEASE HAVE MY 2005 RECALL TRANSMISSION? I WORRY TO DRIVE IT NOW, CAUSE OF SAFETY REASON AND ALSO THE COST OF REPAIR. SINCE THIS CAR ONLY 58,485 MILES. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THE D LIGHT IS FLASH WITH THIS MILES. PLEASE HELP! THANKYOU *TR
I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SINCE I FINANCED IT IN 2009. I WAS DRIVING AND THE D WOULD CONSTANTLY FLASH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY PUT TO MUCH FLUID IN THE TRANSMISSION. A FEW MONTHS BACK I STARTED HEARING FUNNY NOISES AND WHEN I GO TO MAKE A U-TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BECOME LOCKED AND IT WILL BE HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL BACK. I THOUGHT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER STEERING FLUID BUT ONCE IT WAS CHECKED EVERYTHING WAS FULL. TWO DAYS AGO I AM DRIVING MY CAR AND GO TO TURN AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE WITH THE GEAR IN DRIVE. I HAD TO CUT IT OFF AND BACK ON THEN IT MOVED AND KEPT STOPPING UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO PARK IT. ONCE I WENT TO GO PARK IT I PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE AND THE CAR WENT FORWARD NOW IT DON'T MOVE IN ANY GEAR. *TR
TRANSMISSION SHUDDER BETWEEN 35-40 MPH. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSED BY A FAILING TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PUSHED WATER INTO THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
I BOUGHT A USED 05 PILOT 1 YEAR AGO FOR MY WIFE AND BOYS. VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUDDER AT AROUND 30-40 MPH. I REMEMBER MY MOTHER HAVING THIS SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER ACURA MDX AND SHE WAS TOLD SHE NEEDED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. I LOOKED UP WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO OUR PILOT AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS DEALING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE! ACURA EVEN PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN (06-003) ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION AND STATED THAT EVEN IF THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY OWNERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GOODWILL CONSIDERATION TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. THIS SHOWS THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND EXPECTED TO HAVE MANY SUCH COMPLAINTS. HONDA PILOT HAS THE SAME ENGINE/TRANSMISSION AS IT IS THE SAME COMPANY AND NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL!!! IF I AM EXPECTED TO PAY $11,000 FOR A USED 05 PILOT WITH 130K MILES ON IT I SHOULD NOT ALSO BE EXPECTED TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $4,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION LESS THAN A YEAR LATER!!! IF HONDA IS PROUD ENOUGH OF THEIR PRODUCT TO CHARGE THAT HIGH AMOUNT TO BEGIN WITH THEY NEED TO BACK IT UP WITH QUALITY THAT MATCHES THE PRICE!! PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO THROW MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN IN THIS ECONOMY! *TR
AS I TRY TO INCREASE SPEED, THE ENGINE WILL SPUTTER AS IF IT DOESN'T WANT TO SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. THIS IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE IN THE RANGE OF 25-50 MPH. I HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR SUCCESSFULLY. IF I CONTINUE TO GIVE IT GAS IT CONTINUES TO SPUTTER UNTIL I LET OFF THE GAS. *TR
THE HONDA HAS STARTED SHUDDERING WHEN BETWEEN 30 - 40 MPH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE SHUDDERING MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AT TIMES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
THERE IS A SHUDDERING IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING AROUND 35-40 MPH. I HAVE CHANGED THE FLUID, AND SPOKE TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS, AND THEY ALL SEEM TO JUST BLOW IT OFF . OR SAY THEY NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE. BUT WHILE READING THE FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH THE SAME DRIVE TRAINS. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR A RECALL OF THE TRANSMISSION OR TORQUE CONVERTER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 38 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND BECAME HESITANT WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE FLUSHED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER PARKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 10/17/13*LJ
INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE ACCELERATION AT LOW TO MEDIUM SPEEDS. ONGOING ISSUE AFTER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. FIRST INCIDENT AT 93,000 MILES AND INTERMITTENT PROBLEM CONTINUES AT 112,000 MILES AFTER 3 REPAIRS. INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF UNSAFE TRANSMISSION ISSUES ON 2005 HONDA PILOTS YET HONDA MOTORS REFUSES TO ADMIT DESIGN FLAW. ACURA MDX WITH EXACT SAME DRIVE TRAIN AS THE HONDA PILOT HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUES BEING EXPERIENCED BY PILOT OWNERS YET HONDA MOTORS WILL NOT DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD UNSAFE ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES THAT IS OVIOUSLY CAUSED BY AN DESIGN FLAW AS HONDA CORRECTED THE DESIGN IN THE 2006 MODELS. HONDA SHOULD BE MADE TO TAKE RESONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP GEARS AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE TRANSMISSION BECOMING UNRESPONSIVE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
DRIVING AT APPROX. 30-35 MPH WHEN WITHOUT WARNING I EXPERIENCED HIGH RPM'S AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS FLUID EVERYWHERE, EVEN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE PILOT TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LINES THAT RUN THE COOLANT HAD FAILED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID ANTI FREEZE HAD MIXED TOGETHER AND WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY! I HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED 27 TIMES IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY CLEAR THE SYSTEMS. THIS PROCESS COST ME $1000 AND THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT FAIL AS THEY HAD NO IDEA WHETHER THERE WAS INTERNAL DAMAGE OR NOT. WELL, IT DIDN'T WORK! THE TRANSMISSION IS MAKING NOISES THAT IT NEVER HAD BEFORE AND SHIFTING ALMOST AT WILL. MY DILEMMA NOW IS REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY ANYONE COULD ANTICIPATE THIS PROBLEM OR DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS WAS ENGINEERED. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS PILOT I DID SO BELIEVING THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE TO DECIDE WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE, NOT HONDA! I HAVE OWNED 4 HONDA'S IN THE PAST BUT THIS WILL BE MY LAST. *TR
2005 HONDA PILOT WITH 106,750 MILES. I WAS STOPPED AT THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I CHANGED GEARS FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WOULD STILL NOT DRIVE. VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST HONDA DEALER. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE IN THE RADIATOR. COOLANT FLUIDS MIXED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER WILL REPLACE RADIATOR($400), REFILL COOLANT, REPLACE THERMOSTAT, ATF LINES, CHANGED ATF FLUID 3 TIMES TO REMOVE CONTAMINANTS. TOTAL LABOR $685, TOTAL PARTS $800++. I'VE BEEN SEARCHING ONLINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH HONDA PILOT, ACURA MDX AND HONDA RIDGELINE. RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE LEAK IS A SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *TR
I DROVE UP A STEEP DRIVE WAY, I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND MY CAR STOPPED WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE BRAKES. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, SO I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE AND IT SEEMED TO BE OK FOR THE MOMENT. I DROPPED MY DAUGHTER OFF AT A CLASS AND I PROCEEDED TO RUN A COUPLE OF ERRANDS. ABOUT ONE MILE FROM WHERE THE STOPPING STARTED THE CAR DID IT AGAIN. IT IS LIKE I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT, I WAS NOT EVEN TOUCHING THE BRAKES AT ALL. IT PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE AND WORSE. THE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES WOULD HAPPEN EVERY FEW FEET. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY TO A NEARBY GARAGE. THE SAID I HAD A REAR AXEL BROKEN. WE HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AND THE CAR SEEMED OK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. YESTERDAY, 1-10-12 AS I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL I DROVE ABOUT .5 OF A MILE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFTER I STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DID IT AGAIN. THIS TIME MY VSA LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO A NEARBY GARAGE AND THEY SAID THE VSA MODULE NEEDED TO BE RESET. WE PICKED UP THE CAR AND IT DROVE AROUND 2 MILES AND IT WAS FINE THEN LATER IN THE DAY WE BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE AND THE CAR STARTED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AGAIN ABOUT ONE HOUSE AWAY. IT WOULDN'T STOP IT DID IT OVER AND OVER EVERY FEW FEET. WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO COME TAKE IT BACK TO THE GARAGE. *TR
THE VEHICLE SHUTTERS AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHILE ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE THEN HAD THE SAME EPISODE HAPPEN WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHILE ACCELERATION. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE EPISODES SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE LAST MONTH. I BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUE IS PROGRESSING AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY. I HAVE INVESTIGATED SEVERAL FORUMS ONLINE WITH MANY POSTS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE HONDA AND SISTER ACURA. I WOULD LIKE HONDA TO STEP UP AND BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AS IF THERE WAS A FLAT TIRE. THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE CHANGED HOWEVER THE NOISE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE 4X4 FEATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
2005 PILOT HONDA TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. RESEARCH ON THE WEB CONFIRMS THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM - FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTERS. THE PROBLEM BEGAN AT 50K MILES AND NOW HAS 142K. JUST SPENT $750 TO REPLACE THE PRESSURE SWITCHES, WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
STARTED EXPERIENCING A SHUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH. APPARENTLY, THIS SEEMS TO BE A LARGE PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 HONDA PILOTS. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT AND TWO SHOPS WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. BOTH SHOPS TOLD ME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE IN THE PILOT AND MDX. THE PROBLEM IS STILL INTERMITTENT BUT GETTING WORSE. *TR
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
VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED TO SHAKE (VIBRATING) MORE THAN NORMAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED BETWEEN 35 TO 45 MPH. ONCE I PASS 45 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD STOP SHAKE. *TR
WAS DRIVING ALONG A MAIN ROAD IN DELAWARE, AND MY "D" LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I LOOKED IT UP IN THE MANUAL AND IT SAID THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE LIGHT WENT OFF AFTER I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON. IT HAS CAME ON A HANDFUL OF TIMES, BUT SHUTS OFF AFTER I TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON. I NOW AM EXPERIENCING A HARD SHIFT, AND A SHUDDERING (ALMOST LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL), AND A CLUCKING NOISE. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND REALIZE THERE HAS BEEN MANY MORE COMPLAINTS WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE 2005 HONDA PILOTS. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2005 Honda Pilot has 114 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.