Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Honda Pilot airbags problems
severe 29 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
29
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
4crashes
7injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 29 airbags complaints filed for the 2009 Honda Pilot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 29 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Airbags accounts for 22% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 11 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall. If you completed the repair described by this service bulletin on or before May 10, 2019, make sure to use the Warranty Claim Information provided below.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue in this cluster is the Takata passenger-side airbag recall (NHTSA 16V346000, 17V030000). Multiple owners describe a cascading failure: recall notices arrived in 2016–2017 warning that airbags could rupture and eject metal fragments during deployment. Honda told owners not to sit in the front passenger seat until repair parts became available—which took months or longer, sometimes into fall 2016 and beyond. One crash narrative details a rear-end collision at highway speed where the airbag deployed, metal fragments entered the cabin, and the driver suffered facial scars while passengers sustained neck, shoulder, and back injuries requiring medical attention and a neck brace for three months.
Beyond the Takata defect, owners report intermittent airbag warning lights that illuminate and extinguish randomly; a passenger occupant-detection fault where the airbag shows "OFF" despite someone being seated; and one case of frontal airbags failing to deploy entirely during a 40–60 mph crash. A single narrative mentions water leaking into the cabin around the side curtain airbag. Most of these secondary issues are tied to the recall scenario—parts unavailable, repairs stalled, or dealers charging owners for safety repairs that should be warranty work.
Same Honda Pilot airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Takata airbag rupture with metal fragment ejection
Passenger-side airbags designed with defective Takata inflators that rupture during deployment, sending metal shards and fragments into the cabin. Occurs during vehicle crashes when the airbag is supposed to protect occupants.
When: On crash/deployment; recall issued 2016-2017 (NHTSA 16V346000, 17V030000)
Symptoms owners cite: Metal fragments ejected from airbag upon deployment; Facial lacerations and scars to driver; Neck, shoulder, and back injuries to driver; Neck and knee injuries to front passenger; Whiplash and bruising to rear passengers
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 16V346000, NHTSA 17V030000
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair parts were chronically unavailable; owners waited months to years for replacement inflators. One owner reported repair completed September 19, 2016 after lengthy delay.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall NHTSA 16V346000 and 17V030000. Honda advised owners to avoid sitting in front passenger seat until parts available. Parts distribution severely delayed; remedy delayed into fall 2016 and beyond. Multiple owners reported Honda service centers had parts available for related Acura models but not Pilot models, creating confusion.
Airbag non-deployment on impact
Frontal airbags failed to deploy during a vehicle crash when occupant impact was sufficient to trigger them.
When: 36,000 miles; crash at 40-60 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Frontal airbags did not deploy upon vehicle crash; One occupant injury reported; Vehicle totaled
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to body shop; status of repair unknown
Intermittent airbag warning light illumination
Airbag warning indicator turns on and off intermittently while driving at various speeds, suggesting electrical or sensor fault in the airbag system.
When: At 238,000 miles; light illuminated intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Air bag warning indicator illuminates intermittently while driving; Light turns off on its own after vehicle is parked and restarted; Side airbag 'OFF' indicator appears then disappears
Codes mentioned: 12-51 (passenger airbag fault)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired by owner
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall notification sent (16V346000); parts not available at time of complaint
Passenger airbag occupant-detection malfunction
Passenger-seat airbag disable system malfunctions, showing the airbag as 'OFF' or disabled even when an occupant is seated in the passenger position. Poses risk of airbag not deploying if needed, or deploying without proper suppression.
When: Varying; reported at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger side airbag indicator shows OFF when someone is sitting in seat; Airbag OFF indicator turns on and off automatically or blinks; Airbag warning light comes on after turning off vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer advised passenger seat is out of order; no repairs completed in 60+ days after recall notice
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall notification issued; parts unavailable to complete repair within a reasonable timeframe
Water intrusion around side curtain airbag
Water leaking into the vehicle cabin around the side curtain airbag assembly, indicating seal or assembly defect in that area.
When: During rainfall; mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Water entering the cab around the side curtain airbag
Synthesized from 29 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v346000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.…
The air bags shards of metal at passengers in vehicle when it was involved in wreck
"takata recall"
The warning sign.... Side air bag off... Turns on automatically or blinks various times....so I stop the vehicle and put in park and turn off vehicle and the warning light for the air bag is no longer there. The warning indicator shows it turns off on its own the side air bags
Takata recall. A letter was sent to me in july 2016 regarding the passenger side airbag. The safety concern was the airbag could cause metal fragments to injure the passengers in the vehicle if the airbag was deployed. The suggestion was to "not sit in the front passenger seat" until the parts were available for the recall/repair. A remedy was supposed to be done by summer/fall 2016 and I have…
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 Honda Pilot?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2009 Honda Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 29 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 29 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 112,620 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Honda/Pilot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.