2016 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,706 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 23 involved a crash and 10 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, frame and membersJun 4, 2026
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Campaign 26V365000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalNov 13, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Campaign 23V751000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, hoodNov 29, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Campaign 21V932000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageMar 30, 2017
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KE8.
Campaign 17V219000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyJun 9, 2016
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. The recall began on July 29, 2016. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA9 (Honda vehicles) and KB0 (Acura vehicles).
Campaign 16V417000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelOct 16, 2015
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to September 8, 2015 and 2016 Pilot 4WD vehicles manufactured May 7, 2015 to September 4, 2015. In the affected vehicles, when one of the safety systems such as tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking or electronic stability control malfunctions, there is potential that the instrument panel will not illuminate the corresponding warning light, however the warning lamps will illuminate when the ignition is turned off and then turned back on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic stability control systems", number 135, "Light vehicle brake systems" and number 138, "Tire pressure monitoring systems".
If a safety system cannot immediately warn the driver when needed, the driver may be at increased risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV7.
Campaign 15V668000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, rear/otherJul 6, 2015
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to June 5, 2015. Due to an assembly issue, the third row seatbelt may be trapped between the rear seat and the rear sideliner.
If the third row seatbelt is trapped, the occupants may not be restrained properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the rear third row seat belt, free of charge. The recall began on August 6, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-310-783-2000. Honda's number for this recall is JS7.
Campaign 15V424000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,706 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Sep 21, 2021
My wife was driving the kids to school, stopped at a busy intersection. The engine idle-stop feature stopped the engine, and when my wife hit the gas, the car wouldn't restart. It required several attempts. This happens sporadically with the car, and it's happened on numerous occasions. Others have reported the same problem on Honda Pilot forums (https://www.piloteers.org/threads/2016-wont-start-after-idle-stop.158131/). The battery was replaced a couple of years ago after the first several times this happened, but both the battery and alternator test healthy. There is clearly a design flaw with this stop/start feature. My wife was left stranded for a few minutes at a busy intersection, with fast-moving cars, with my kids in the car.
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2021
When starting the vehicle, the vehicle doesn't immediately start when pressing the start button. When the vehicle starts, a message appears on the dash saying keyless start system problem. No information has been received from Honda about this problem, but a Honda recall service bulletin related to 2016-2017 Honda Pilots was found online. The recall bulletin is dated December 9, 2020. The vehicle has not been inspected at this time. The indicator message first appeared on the dash five days ago and it appeared again today.
Engine, Sep 14, 2021
Even with "auto start" off, the engine will and has died multiple times at freeway speed, causing a huge safety issue as the vehicle suddenly decelerates with no power; this is an often reported problem (google it) that ranges from dying from a stop to dying while in motion. This oft reported problem needs to be addressed by Honda, but they say they're unaware of this issue. They are lying. Imagine driving a busy metro freeway when all of a sudden you lose power and have to fight for control of your steering and brakes.
Engine, Sep 14, 2021
I have reported this problem before, all the warning lights on dashboard light up and car loses power. The first time I was driving on a highway at 70 mph and the car completely shut off, the second time, my wife was driving, with my daughter, and the car shut off while she was going 40 mph. She almost cause a chain reaction accident because she panicked when the car would not respond to her acceleration. In both instances, all the warning lights on the dashboard light up and the car goes into limp mode. The first incident, Honda updated the transmission software, after about 8-months later, Honda service found a DTC P0369 code and now want $2500 dollars for repairs. They want to replace the CMP sensor, Cam Shaft, Cam Shaft Thrust Cover, Valve Cover Gasket and Camshaft Seal! Why would a 2016 need a new Camshaft? There has to be a design issue with the engine, I would call this a premature failure of a critical part. Since this causes the engine to shut down, at any given time, the car cannot be driven until the camshaft is replaced. All I want is to have Honda make things right, a car with 76,000 miles should never have engine surgery like this, period! I render the Honda Pilot from 2016 to 2021 unsafe to drive, the engine has not changed, I wonder if they fixed the camshaft problem on later models? If so, they know there is a design issue.
Power train, Sep 7, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 20-30 MPH, the vehicle would shudder. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine, Sep 5, 2021
The auto engine idle feature malfunctions, car stalls out at times when taking off from a stopped position, also this stalling will occur while driving at highway speeds causing the car to de-accelerate and having to pull over and restart car. We have had several close accidents because of this , nearly hit by other cars at intersections. We have had car in shop 3 times and they cannot find problem. The ECM was changed out last year due to entire dashboard warning system failure but this didn’t fix the idle start stop problems. Honda dealers stating nothing can be done unless we pay to start changing out various systems until problem found. Will cost thousands. Problem start at around 30 k miles, and now has 60k miles and no longer under warranty.
Engine, Sep 3, 2021
The idle engine shutoff continues to die when stopped. Then it takes 30 to 60 to restart.
Electrical system, Sep 2, 2021
Keyless start system problem on the screen when starting the car
Engine, Aug 26, 2021
While at a stop light my idol stop function turned the car off. When the light turned green I lightly took my foot off the brake and the car tried to turn back on (the power clicked) but instead it shut off the car fully. Only the car radio was still working as if it was in accessory mode. Car display said to turn the car on I needed to press the brake and press the ignition button. My foot was still on the brake. I pressed the ignition button but nothing happened. Pressed it again and nothing happened. Lifted my foot off and on the brake and tried again. Nothing. Display still read press brake and ignition. Lifted my foot off the brake and on again and then pressed the ignition, it FINALLY restarted the car. Extremely dangerous situation as this took nearly a minute for the car to restart, the light had just cycled again. Dealership could not replicate the situation. They updated the cars software and it did not fix the problem. They said the battery was still good but I had read on the piloteers.org website that changing the battery seemed to solve the problem. I had them change the battery anyway and it fixed the issue, now nearly 2 years later the problem is reoccurring again.
Electrical system, Aug 22, 2021
Keyless start system problem appeared at about 40K miles. Now auto lock feature doesn’t work. At 45k miles now it’s appeared again and doesn’t go away. Many other owners of same car report similar issue apparently
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 21, 2021
The car was traveling on a highway and stopped responding while quickly decelerating all the while rolling through all of the warning sign sign screens. Luckily was in I side lane and able to hop curb to pull off to shoulder. Every time we take to dealer they claim it’s a known problem and “reboot” system. Then seems to work ok for a while. This is the fifth or sixth time taking back to dealer. This time almost caused an accident. I’m starting to think the vehicle is not fit to be on the road.
Service brakes, Aug 21, 2021
Steering wheel shaking violently when braking especially at highway (down hill) speed.
Engine, Aug 16, 2021
From a stopped position, when foot released from brake, car completely shuts down. Happens randomly. Six times over last 2 months. Complaint was called in today 8/16/2021.
Engine, Aug 16, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would intermittently shut-off upon depression of the accelerator. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle soon after failure and resume normal driving. The contact had called two dealers and was informed that they had never heard of such a failure. The contact was informed by each dealer that he would be charged a diagnostic fee to service the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Engine, Aug 9, 2021
THE IDLE STOP FEATURE ENGAGED BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF BRAKE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. I HAD TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION TO PARK, TURN OFF ENGINE, PUSH START BUTTON TO RESTART ENGINE. IT TOOK SEVERAL TIMES PUSHING START BUTTON BEFORE ENGINE STARTED. DELAY CAUSED TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT THE LIGHT. THIS SAME SCENARIO HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 4 OTHER TIMES OVER THE LAST 3 MONTHS.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 5, 2021
In the past 4 months, each time my Honda Pilot is stopped at a light or in slow traffic, the idle stop will engage and shut off the engine. In order for the engine to turn back on, we have to put our foot on the brake, place car in park, and push the start button to get it to start again. Each time we have taken it to the dealer or a car repair shop, they test the battery and it is fine. While we have not had an accident yet, we have come close due to cars behind us not knowing our vehicle is having an issue. The most recent time occurred in a toll booth line leaving NYC with a line of traffic behind us. Another issue we have experienced is with our fuel injector. Our Pilot was manufactured when there were known failures with fuel injectors. The fuel injector malfunctioned while driving with our three kids down a hill. The car lost power and we had to coast down a hill. Thankfully, an exit was nearby and we were able to come to a stop. Vehicle was serviced at a local dealer. Although there were know issues with fuel injectors, we still had to pay for the replacement and the vehicle's manufacturers warranty was still valid.
Other or unspecified, Aug 5, 2021
The Keyless Start Power Assistance Error Light keeps displaying after my auto lock feature failed. There is a forum of other 2016 Pilots of many owners experiencing the same thing. Today I found myself unable to start my car with every message failure displaying. When help arrived they found a bad battery (unsure if related or not). After only a few hours the same error message appears again.
Engine, Jul 24, 2021
When I stop and the car has the "auto-engine shut off" turned on, when I press the button to disable the "auto-engine shut off"; the pilot completely turns off and all warning lights are thrown up on the display. I then attempt to turn on the pilot by pressing the start button and it takes a couple of attempts to restart the pilot. This has happened at stop lights, on the highway in stop and go traffic and other places as well. This has been happening for over a year. Last time Honda told us to replace the battery, even though it wasn't bad, and they weren't sure, and it still isn't fixed.
Engine, Jul 22, 2021
When the vehicle was at a stop signal, the engine went into idle stop but would not restart. This happened three times so far. Once 2 years ago and twice in the past 3 days. The vehicle eventually restarted after we turned it off then on again. In all cases we were at a large intersection, but this could have happened on a highway ramp and could have been dangerous.
Power train, Jul 19, 2021
1| The problem is with the transmission. When we are driving, the Pilot makes jerky movements and the odometer bounces up and down during this time. This happens most of the time... it is rare when the transmission feels smooth. Also, sometimes when in reverse the Pilot jerks and makes it hard to control when backing up into a parking spot. This happens from time to time, but not every time. There is a known issue about the Honda Pilot 2016 having major transmission issues where it makes the vehicle jerky when accelerating. Yes, we can provide the vehicle for inspection. We only had the Pilot for a year and it just reached 90K. https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-2016-honda-pilot-had-an-alarming-number-of-transmission-problems/ 2| With the jerky movements, I find it unsafe when merging onto the interstate with moving traffic. It is a struggle to get up to speed when it feels like the Pilot is losing power. Also, once I backing up into the parking spot, the Pilot was making jerking movements and I could have damaged the cars that were parked behind me if I didn't throw the Pilot into neutral. Overall, it is a safety concern for my family of six. 3| The Honda dealerships seem to be aware of the issue but will not do anything about it. They recommend a transmission flush and computer repair/upgrade but are not willing to guarantee it will fix the issue. Others online have reported that the flush and computer repair did not fix the problem. We called Honda of America directly about the problem and were not willing to help us out. They offered no solutions. 4| No, we reached out to Honda of America and they are not willing to help us. We are not sure who to reach out to about the issue. Hopefully, NHTSA can finally help us. 5| Not sure if this issue was related to the transmission problem but the emissions light came on a month after purchasing the Pilot. Honda is known for having oil dilution problems and it could have lead to the issue.
Engine, Jul 15, 2021
Occasionally, the engine does not automatically re-start after the idle engages. This has happened multiple times over the last couple of years. The result is a stalled vehicle, sometimes at busy intersections. This is confusing, annoying, and potentially dangerous --- thankfully so far the drivers behind me have reacted quickly to a stalled vehicle in front of them. The vehicle also seems to hesitate when attempting to start manually. The situation can become quite frantic. I changed the on-off push button which was having some other problems, but the problem with the engine not re-starting after idle persists. I have also changed the battery and regularly check my current battery, but it just happened again yesterday and I almost got hit! What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine automatic re-start after idle. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Stalled vehicle in traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
Engine, Jul 14, 2021
Issue: Auto Stop / Start feature on 2016 Honda Pilot Touring does not re-engage / start the car after being idle from a stop. This is a repeated issue that has been occurring intermittently since I bought the car brand new. I have taken it to the dealer multiple times and they state they can't replicate so can't fix. However, multiple forums have stated others are having similar issues. This originally was happening about once a month. Its now at least once per week. I have blocked traffic and almost been hit multiple times as my car won't start again at stop signs / lights. Usually after 30 seconds to 2 minutes, I can put it in park and wait a bit and it will eventually start. The last two times it would not restart until it was jumped after waiting for roadside service. I have taken it for battery and alternator evaluation and both are fine.
Engine, Jul 14, 2021
Occasionally, when the vehicle is stopped at a stop sign, or stoplight, the idle stop will engage and shut off the engine. When releasing brake pedal, engine will not restart. Vehicle must be placed in park, brake pedal depressed very hard and then attempt to restart. Vehicle will restart after one or more tries. When the vehicle will not re-start, the symptoms are that or a dead battery. Warning lights, engine will not crank. But, then it restarts just fine. The issue does not happen if Idle stop feature is disabled. Dealership has not been able to repeat problem, has tested primary electrical components and cannot fix it. Dealership has looked at the problem 3 times. This is becoming a safety issue, and it is easily found in online forums with other owners of the same years, make, model having the same issue. I believe this to be an issue with the control logic in the Idle stop loop.
Electrical system, Jul 13, 2021
Keyless Start System error in the 2016 causes a risk of being stranded without the ability to start vehicle. There is no option on the car to use a manual key for starting. You can get the door open with a manual key, but not operate the car engine. There is nothing wrong with the engine. It’s a safety issue.
Engine, Jul 9, 2021
O2 sensor in regards to fuel injector recall. Fuel Injector failure with 55,000 miles on injectors. All injectors replaced by dealer under recall. Now with, 57,000 miles, so 2,000 additional miles since original recall, now the O2 sensor fails. Obviously, O2 sensor failed due to original fuel injector failure putting too much fuel into the emissions system, which caused the O2 sensor to fail. The O2 sensor not part of recall and not covered under any extended warranty. But the extended warranty added onto catalytic converter. Entire emissions system has extended warranty except O2 sensors. O2 sensors are just as much a part of the emissions system as fuel injectors and catalytic converters. O2 sensors should be covered under this entire recall.