There are 20 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2005 Honda Pilotin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while waiting in line at a gas station, she smelled a burning odor, and there was smoke coming from the steering wheel. The contact was turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that upon activating the low-beam headlights, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle without activating the low-beam headlights, the steering wheel stopped smoking. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V136000 (Exterior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at 20 MPH, the low beams of the vehicle went out inadvertently, almost causing the contact to crash into another vehicle that was coming from the opposite direction. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated she turned on her high beams and was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the terminal ends had melted within the wiring harness connector and the wiring harness connector or the lighting switch needed to be replaced. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that her vehicle could not be repaired under the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) as her VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 290,000.
STARTED VEHICLE TO GO HOME AND TURN MY LIGHTS ON BUT BOTH LOW BEAMS WOULD NOT WORK BUT THE HIGH BEAMS WORKED.
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT BOTH OF OUR LOW BEAM LIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND COULD NOT GET THEM TO COME BACK ON. HOWEVER, OUR HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WORKED AND WE DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY USING HIGH BEAMS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED VALLEY HONDA AT 630-851-5700 (LOCATED AT 4173 OGDEN AVE, AURORA, IL 60504) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 187,000.
2005 HONDA PILOT, WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR THE IN THE MORNING THE RED INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE SEATBELT AND AIRBAG (DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG) ON THE DASHBOARD COMES ON AND STAYS ON THE ENTIRE DAY THIS INCLUDES STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, GOING INTO A STORE AND COMING BACK OUT, STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN, CONTINUE DRIVING FOR EACH DAY UNTIL I RETURN BACK HOME. BUT AT LEAST TWO (2) DAYS A MONTH WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR IN THE MORNING THIS SAME RED INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD STAYS OFF THE ENTIRE DAY WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. THIS INCLUDES STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, GOING INTO A STORE AND COMING BACK OUT AND STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN AND CONTINUE DRIVING FOR EACH DAY UNTIL I GET BACK HOME. EACH TIME THE RED INDICATOR LIGHT IS STAYS ON OR OFF FOR THE DAY I DRIVE MY CAR I USE CITY STREETS 25 MPR. AND DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AT 75 MPH. THIS STARTED IN 2018.
2005 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT ISSUE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A "POOR CONNECTION AT THE WIRE HARNESS RUNNING UP COLUMN TO SWITCH". THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *JS
WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS SET TO LOW BEAM, THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. THE HIGH BEAMS AND COURTESY LIGHTS WORK. WHEN SWITCHING THE LEVER QUICKLY BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW, THEY DO COME ON, BUT AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES, THE LOW BEAM QUIT WORKING AND I HAVE TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS. I NOTICED A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR 2005 HONDA PILOTS BUT WHEN ENTERING MY VIN, A RECALL IS NOT SHOWN.
MY HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN ON. ONLY THE HIGH BEAMS AND YELLOW RUNNING LIGHTS WILL WORK. ALL FUSES AND BULBS HAVE BEEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. THERE IS DOCUMENTATION ON THE WEB ABOUT A HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION AND A RECALL BUT WHEN I RUN THE RECALL CHECK IT ONLY COMES UP WITH AN AIRBAG RECALL. CAN I GET SOME SORT OF DOCUMENTATION ON THIS OUTSTANDING RECALL PLEASE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, SMOKE APPEARED BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR WHEN THE HEAD LAMPS WERE ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE REPAIR FAILED TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AT NIGHT, THE FRONT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOW BEAM TERMINAL HARNESS FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TAKATA RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE ENGAGED IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR WAS NOT EXPOSED TO HEAT DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE USING EITHER TURN SIGNAL, THE HEADLIGHTS TEMPORARILY FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE COMPLETED FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS: SWITCH) WAS NOT RELATED TO THEIR ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,696.
THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY FAILED TO WORK AND HAVE NOT WORKED SINCE. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME, AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO DRIVE WITH THE BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON THE REST OF THE WAY TO THE DESTINATION. I WAS JUST CHECKING ONLINE TO FIND OUT HOW I MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM AND SAW REPORTS OF MARCH 30, 2012 THAT HONDA WAS RECALLING 2003 PILOTS FOR THIS PROBLEM -- OBVIOUSLY HONDA NEEDS TO RECALL THE 2005 PILOTS ALSO! I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM ON MY VEHICLE FOR NO CHARGE. *TR
MY LOW BEAM PASSENGER HEADLIGHT SOCKET MELTED RESULTING IN THE HEADLIGHT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. IT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED MY VISIBILITY AND INCREASED THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN RECALLED IN THE 2003 HONDA PILOTS, SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V136000. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SAME PARTS ARE ALSO USED IN 2004 AND 2005 HONDA PILOTS, THESE MODEL YEARS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE, IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH 2004 AND 2005 HONDA PILOT OWNERS. PLEASE REVISE THE RECALL PROVIDED ABOVE TO ALSO INCLUDE 2004 AND 2005 MODEL YEARS AS WELL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND WERE NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,000. UPDATED 07/26/11 *BF UPDATED 3/22/12 *CN
CENTER CONSOL LIGHTS ARE OUT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTED INTO TWO PIECES AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE LOW BEAM SWITCH WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES PRIOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
SEVERAL OF THE LIGHTS IN THE HVAC CONTROL PANEL IN MY 2005 HONDA PILOT HAVE BURNED OUT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 PILOTS, AND CAN BE CONFIRMED ON ONLINE HONDA PILOT FORUMS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT, AS THE ONLY WAY TO SEE THE CONTROLS IS TO TURN THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS. SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026