The 2006 Honda Pilot has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Rear subframe and suspension mount corrosion.” Honda vehicles use the Maintenance Minder system — your dashboard displays a Code A (oil change) or Code B (oil change plus inspections) along with sub-codes 1-6 for additional services. Intervals adjust based on how you drive. The schedule below reflects Honda's underlying targets.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2006 Honda Pilot.
STRUCTURE
24 NHTSA complaints · 2018-03 → 2025-04
“Suspension is rusted out and falling apart”
“REAR SUB-FRAME MOUNT HAS SEPARATED FROM FRAME OF THE VEHICLE - CAR HAS NEVER GONE OFF ROADING - ALL HIGHWAY MILES - CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED - IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED”
“REAR SUSPENSION BROKEN FROM CAR FRAME”
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
26 NHTSA complaints · 2012-09 → 2025-07
“The Vehicle Stability Assit (VSA) system in activating inappropriately causing the vehicle to brake unexpectedly. There is a Honda Service Bulletin (13-026) for this problem for 2005 Honda Pilots. Well, the same problem is happening to my 2006 Pilot”
“HAVING PROBLEM WITH VAS LIGHT”
“BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ME STEPPING ON THE BRAKES”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
11 NHTSA complaints · 2012-04 → 2024-02
“BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. HIGH BEAMS WORKED FINE”
“BOTH VEHICLE LOW BEAMS SIMULTANEOUSLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I NEEDED TO USE HIGH-BEAMS TO GET HOME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!! I CHECKED BULBS AND FUSES AND ALL ARE IN WORKING ORDER”
“THE RIGHT LOW BEAM HEAD HEADLIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON. AFTER BUYING A NEW BULB AND CHECKING THE FUSE.THE FUSE IS FINE. *TR”
SEATS
8 NHTSA complaints · 2014-01 → 2024-11
“THE CASING OF THE DRIVER SIDE BACKING JUST FELL OFF FOR NO REASON. DRIVING ON A NORMAL STREET. NOT DOING ANYTHING BUT NORMAL DRIVING”
“DRIVERS POWER SEAT ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY L RECLINING 81630-S3V-A30 FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AT FRONT LEFT CORNER BRACKET CRACKED DUE TO METAL FATIGUE LEAVING SEAT PARTIALLY UNSECURED TO THE VEHICLE”
“THE DRIVERS-SIDE SEATBACK PANEL CONSTANTLY FALLS OFF. THERE ARE TWO HOOKS AT THE TOP AND TWO FENDER-PLUG STYLE CLIPS AT THE BOTTOM THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SNAP THE PANEL INTO PLACE, BUT THESE PLUGS CONTINUALLY POP OUT OF THE PYLONS ON THE PANEL ITSELF”
ENGINE
13 NHTSA complaints · 2012-07 → 2022-04
“ENGINE CONTINUES TO MISFIRE NO MATTER WHAT REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE LIKE PLUGS. RUNS ROUGH AND UNLESS YOU RESTART THE ENGINE IT WILL NOT RUN PROPERLY. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD”
“ATTENTION!!! ALL PILOT/ODDY/RIDGELINE/3.5 V6 HONDA OWNERS. CHECK YOUR PLUGS AND COILS JUST WANTED TO GET THE WORD SPREAD AROUND THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE HONDA 3.5 V6 ENGINE WHICH CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND POSSIBLY THE ENTIRE ENGINE”
“ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OK. STOPPED AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK DONE. IT SAID THAT ALL 6 CYLINDERS WERE MISFIRING”
VISIBILITY
3 NHTSA complaints · 2014-10 → 2014-11
“NOT ONE, BUT BOTH REAR WINDOWS FELL WITHIN WEEKS OF EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF THE CHEAP PLASTIC MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THEM UP. BOTH MECHANISMS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $400 EACH”
“RIGHT REAR REGULATOR LET THE WINDOW DROP WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. MILEAGE 65300 / MAY, 2011”
“WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 HONDA PILOT I HEARD A LOUD THUD IN THE BACK SEAT AREA OF MY VEHICLE. WHEN I LOOKED BACK I NOTICED THAT MY LEFT REAR WINDOW WAS MISSING. IT APPEARS THE WINDOW REGULATOR SNAPPED ALLOWING THE GLASS TO FALL INSIDE THE DOOR AREA”
AIR BAGS
38 NHTSA complaints · 2014-10 → 2017-06
“2006 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A COPY OF RECALL LETTER FOR HIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER HASN'T RECEIVED LETTER YET.*TA IT WAS CONFIRMED, THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE RECALLED LIST. *JB”
“I DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE ABOUT RECALL. I CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER IN SEPTEMBER 2014. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED WHEN PART ARRIVES”
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN JUNE OF 2016”
AIR BAGS
11 NHTSA complaints · 2013-01 → 2022-12
“DIVER AIRBAG EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN YARD, WHILE CHANGING THE RADATOR, IT POPPED”
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE SIDE AIRBAG BY THE DRIVER POPPED OUT AND BLEW UP. NO COLLISION NO BLOWN TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND HAVING TO ABRUPTLY APPLY THE BRAKES, HE CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE STOPPED AHEAD OF HIM. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace 0W-20 full-synthetic oil and filter. The Maintenance Minder triggers Code A between 7,500 and 10,000 miles depending on driving conditions.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires front-to-back to even out wear. Honda triggers Sub-code 1 alongside every other oil change.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake. Code B includes a multi-point inspection of brakes, suspension, and fluids.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 3 years regardless of mileage to prevent moisture absorption and corrosion of ABS components.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Replace ATF or CVT fluid. Honda CVT models (Civic, HR-V, Accord LX) use Honda HCF-2 — do not substitute. The Maintenance Minder triggers earlier under heavy stop-and-go.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
AWD CR-V, Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline: replace rear diff fluid every 30,000 miles, sooner if towing.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.
Replace the engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Honda uses a long-life cellulose element on most port-injected engines.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Honda uses iridium-tipped plugs rated for 100,000+ miles. Replace at 105,000 miles or whenever Sub-code 6 displays.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Honda Long-Life Type 2 (blue) coolant: first change at 120,000 miles, then every 60,000 miles. Do not mix with other coolant types.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace the cabin air filter — accessible behind the glove box on most Hondas. Honda recommends 15,000 miles in dusty conditions, longer in clean climates.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Inspect and adjust valve clearances at 105,000 miles. Critical on K-series and L-series engines to prevent valve recession.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$495–$535
Shop
~$345–$375
DIY
Pro only
Mechanical-bucket valvetrains (many Honda 4-cyls, older Toyotas) need this. Hydraulic lifters don't. Shop work — feeler-gauge precision required.
Modern Honda engines (K-series, L-series, R-series, plus all Earth Dreams 1.5T and 2.0T) use a timing chain designed to last the life of the engine. No scheduled replacement.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Pro only
Timing chains are normally lifetime. Listen for rattle on cold start — that's the actionable signal. Replacement is major work, quote separately.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
83 crashes 1990–2024
How the 83 occupant deaths break down
51
driver deaths
32
passenger deaths
83
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2006 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
23
complaints mentioning a crash
7
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2006 Honda Pilot reflects Honda's published service intervals and the Maintenance Minder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.