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.
Engine, Mar 21, 2026
Engine tie rod bearing is worn on cylinder 3, engine is knocking. 119kmi.
Engine, Mar 21, 2026
My vehicle was recently serviced at the local Honda dealership within the last 6 weeks for an oil leak at the oil filter. We had the work done and everything seemed fine until 3 days ago when the check engine light started flashing and the car couldn’t accelerate properly. I drove the car to the same dealership and after inspection they notified me that the car needed a new engine because a rod bearing had failed and was causing the engine to seize. We were quoted a price of approximately $10,000 to fix. Upon researching online for a cheaper engine/option I found that Honda had issued a recall for the same issue, but when I checked my VIN it said 0 recalls for my vehicle. Is there anything that I can do to have them honor the recall on my vehicle?
Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 15, 2026
The engine is making a noise underneath—I think it's a connecting rod bearing. We replaced the entire timing belt assembly because of that sound, but now I don't know what to do; when driving on narrow streets, it displays a "Collision Brake Warning" every time another car approaches.
Engine, Mar 9, 2026
On my 2016 Honda pilot The engine started to fail and make a knocking noise when started, took it to Honda, they said i will need a new engine, i pushed for a goodwill repair, and they told me No. the car has been sitting ever since.
Engine, Mar 9, 2026
Pulled up to intersection and check engine light started flashing. Vehicle was approximately 2miles from home. Drove home and parked in driveway. Turned vehicle off. Restarted to see if problem happened again. Check engine light went off but rattle/knocking could be heard upon startup and pressing gas pedal. Code was pulled P0303. Cylinder 3 misfire. Did some research and this has been an issue with 2016 Honda Pilots. We have owned the vehicle for 10yrs4months. Purchased new. 160k miles. Self inspected with experienced mechanic present and diagnosed with a rod bearing issue.
Engine, Mar 6, 2026
Loud Engine knock when starting and when running under light load around 2000 RPM
Engine, Mar 5, 2026
Engine failure, left rear cylinder knocking
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 4, 2026
My vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure of the exhaust and engine systems directly caused by the defective fuel injection system identified in Service Bulletin 20-100. Despite providing evidence that the failure was initiated by these defective injectors, Honda has only provided a partial, unexplained reimbursement and refuses to acknowledge the extensive "downstream" damages. Diagnostic Evidence: At the time of service, the vehicle stored the exact diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) specified in the bulletin: Fuel/Misfire Codes: P0302, P0303, P0305, P219A Catalytic Efficiency Codes: P0420, P0430 Repairs & Financial Impact: The fueling imbalance and extreme heat caused by the faulty injectors led to: Replacement of both Catalytic Converters (directly cited as a potential result of injector failure in SB 20-100). Cylinder Head Gasket Replacement & Head Resurfacing (caused by excessive thermal stress and localized overheating from the lean/rich conditions). Fuel Injector Replacement. Dispute Details: Inadequate Reimbursement: After months of persistent hounding, American Honda issued a payment of $736. No explanation was provided, but this amount likely only covers the injectors, ignoring the thousands of dollars in consequential damage. Admission of Defect: By issuing this partial payment, Honda has formally acknowledged that my VIN was affected by the manufacturing defect described in the bulletin. Lack of Transparency: Honda has failed to provide any technical justification for how the catalytic converter and head gasket failures—which occurred simultaneously with the specific codes in the bulletin—could be considered unrelated to the admitted injector defect. Request for Action: I am requesting an investigation into Honda's failure to cover the full scope of damages caused by this known manufacturing defect. The partial payment is an admission of fault regarding the injectors, and the resulting engine and exhaust damage is a direct, documented consequence of that
Electrical system, Engine, Back over prevention, Mar 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a blank or blue image while in reverse(R). In addition, there was an abnormal scrambling sound coming from the radio before the radio failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that other electrical features failed to operate as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that an abnormal, burning odor was coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the catalytic converter; however, the check engine warning light remained on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine, Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that upon leaving a gas station, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the engine rod bearing might be defective and referred the contact to another independent mechanic for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the second independent mechanic who confirmed that the engine rod bearing failure, and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
Wheels, Feb 24, 2026, crash
Lug studs keep breaking i have had honda and other dealers change the studs over 8 times new studs new lugs and 60-90 days one-two are broken again
Other or unspecified, Feb 22, 2026
When driving vehicle shuts off for no reason. Then I have to put my four-way on and turn my vehicle back on. It has already happened four times, and no one seems to know what the problem is or what is causing the issue.
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 22, 2026
Our fuel pump went out, causing us to be stranded and having to have our Honda Pilot toward 45 minutes away to the Honda dealer to have it replaced. There were no warning lights on until we were going down the highway and all of a sudden the dash warning codes were flashing like crazy. We turned our car off, then when we turned it back everything kept flashing, many warning lights at once. Honda diagnosed with Code P0098 and replaced the high pressure fuel pump. There was a recall made the week after we had ours fixed, but not for our model.
Other or unspecified, Feb 19, 2026
Three times at a stop light my car goes into the engine idle stop mode and when the light turns green my car won’t get out of the mode. I have to put it into park and restart the car to go. I have almost been hit twice.
Engine, Feb 17, 2026
On Friday, January 30th, I took my car into Bill Pearce Courtesy Honda in Reno NV, to get a pretty big service done for $3400. Basically the 100k service with new timing belt, spark plugs, etc. I wanted to make sure that this car would last 3-5 more years. A week later, my [XXX] old daughter took my car to the ski mountain for work and on the way, the car started making a loud knocking sound and started losing power. She called me in fear so I talked her through pulling off on the next exit. I met her up at the mountain and called a tow truck and had them tow to the Bill Pearce Courtesy Honda service department. The following day, which was Monday, I got a call from the service rep and he said they were going to figure out what was going on. At the end of the day I got a call stating that the computer diagnostics said the issue was there Rod Bearings and they were going to drop the oil pan the following day to see how bad the damage was. As it turns out, Honda said that the short block will need to be replaced. That’s the bottom half of the engine. This will cost more than the car is worth and I just spent thousands on maintenance. So, Honda is giving me a Goodwill discount of 50%, but I still have to come up with $3800 for the fix. After doing much research, this is a known issue for other Hondas and Acura's, but my VIN wasn’t under the recall. I feel like this is a miss on Honda’s part and now I’m out of a vehicle and cash to get it fixed. The car hasn’t been fixed yet. They are waiting for the short block part to come in. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Feb 16, 2026
The engine began sputtering and then shut off. I had it towed in to a third party mechanic we frequently use, and they confirmed that the engine had seized, and they could not ascertain the cause. It didn't seem to have anything to do with low oil. I wondered if it was an issue with the fuel pumps failing again, because they recently failed and we had to have them replaced. I checked our VIN number to see if there were any recalls for our 2016 Honda Pilot, and there weren't, but I did find recalls for 2016 Honda Pilots related to fuel pump failure (ID# 23V858000) and engine damage from connecting rod bearing wear (ID# 23V751000). I shared this information with the third party mechanic, and they suggested that this could very well be the cause of engine failure. I'm concerned that my Pilot has suffered related failures but was not included in the recall. I have reached out to the Honda hotline included in this site, and they asked me to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for a diagnostic, after which I can submit a Goodwill Request to Honda for them to consider covering expenses related to engine replacement, but again, my concern is these issues seem to be related to the relevant recalls that do not technically apply to my VIN number. If helpful, I can file a follow-up complaint once I have documentation from the diagnostic.
Engine, Feb 15, 2026
Component or system that failed: The engine failed suddenly while driving. The suspected failure is an internal connecting-rod bearing or related bottom-end engine component. The vehicle is currently at a repair facility and the engine is available for inspection upon request. How safety was put at risk: The engine lost power suddenly and became inoperable while driving. This created a hazardous situation because the vehicle could no longer maintain speed or safely continue in traffic. Sudden engine failure without warning increases the risk of a crash, especially at highway speeds or in heavy traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent shop: An independent repair shop inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the engine has experienced a catastrophic internal failure and will not rotate. The timing belt was confirmed to be intact. The shop advised that the engine requires replacement. A dealer diagnostic is pending or in progress. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance, or others: The vehicle has been inspected by an independent repair facility. It has also been presented to a Honda dealership for diagnostic evaluation. The manufacturer has not yet physically inspected the vehicle. Warning lamps, messages, or prior symptoms: Prior to the failure, the engine developed a knocking noise between approximately 3,000 and 4,000 RPM. The vehicle was driven approximately 80 miles after the noise first appeared. No check-engine light or other warning messages appeared before the engine suddenly failed and the vehicle became inoperable.
Engine, Feb 12, 2026
Mechanic at Lee Street Garage reported lower end noise issues with engine and told me they don't recommend fixing other issues until I have vehicle looked at by dealership (in case they can address potential engine failure issue linked below). I took vehicle to dealer and they reported $5000 in repairs (to fix other issues) - nothing about a potential recall - [XXX] for this issue. I understand this vehicle is not currently in any recall for this issue. I want to report as I do not want to pay for all the other repairs only to have the engine failure issue as noted above. I asked for trade-in value for vehicle and they said $2000 (blue book value, fair/lowest value estimate is - $6885) Link to maintenance advised by honda dealership. No mention of NHTSA article above nor any follow-up from Honda on the same as it is not in any current recall. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 11, 2026
The fuel injector failed which cause safety issues such as reduced speed, failing safety issues, and the car is misfiring and not running safely. When driving the car started to misfire and was not running correctly. It then reduced speed and the safety features were disabled. Yes this issue was confirmed by Ken Vance Honda in Eau Claire WI. There was a flashing check engine light, hill start assist problem, emissions system problem, power steering system problem, trailer stability assist problem, and vehicle stability assistance problem lights that came on. This is a known safety issue with 2016 Honda Pilot as Honda America did an extended warranty to cover the expense to replace the injectors. Unfortunately, our car missed the deadline by a few months to get this covered. Since this was a known defective part from the factory this should have been taken care of by Honda as a full recall. There are many cars like this that are going to have safety issues and not realize what is happening.
Engine, Feb 10, 2026
Complete engine failure, threw rod through block. Oil was changed in October, still has 2000 miles before needing changing again.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 7, 2026
To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint to report ongoing engine and emissions system problems with my 2016 Honda Pilot that raise serious safety concerns and may be related to a broader defect currently under investigation. I purchased this vehicle from a dealership in April of 2024 and the issues began shortly afterward at approximately 67,000 miles. The vehicle currently has approximately 74,600 miles and has received regular oil changes and routine maintenance. The vehicle has repeatedly displayed emissions system warning messages and engine fault codes. It has experienced persistent engine misfiring even after a mechanic performed repairs on cylinder 1. In addition, the vehicle exhibits rough engine shaking during driving and idling, engine stalling, and rough or delayed gear changes continuously since 2024. Despite attempted repairs, the problems continue to occur to present. The stalling, misfiring, and unstable engine operation create a potential safety risk, particularly while driving at speed or in traffic. The rough shifting and loss of smooth power delivery further impact safe vehicle operation. Given the relatively low mileage, proper maintenance, and the recurrence of these symptoms, this does not appear to be normal wear and tear. I am aware that similar engine-related complaints have been reported by other owners of 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles and that this model year is included in an ongoing federal investigation into potential engine defects. I am requesting that this complaint be reviewed as part of that investigation and considered for further action, including possible recall or service remedy, to address the safety risks posed by these engine and emissions system failures. Vehicle Information: Make/Model: 2016 Honda Pilot Mileage: Approximately 74,600 miles VIN: [XXX] Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Structure, Latches/locks/linkages, Feb 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at slow and moderate speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle lurched and jerked. The failure was more evident while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the torque converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and exceeding 40 MPH, the hood was flapping. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V932000 (Structure, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Feb 1, 2026
Engine noise, check engine light illuminating causing reduced engine power. Mechanic states rod bearing issue likely the cause
Engine, Jan 31, 2026
Driving the car the engine bearing went out and wrecked the engine which has caused the engine to be replaced.
Engine, Jan 30, 2026
We are being denied a repair that is exactly like the service recall Service Bulletin 24-001 Safety Recall: 2016 (&2018-19) Pilot Connecting Rod Bearing. They found metal shavings in the oil that are identical to vehicles that are covered. The dealership said they received 4 other 2016 Honda Pilots this week where the VIN wasn't in the range but the same issue. Honda is trying to avoid a recall when it is clear that all 2016 Honda Pilots are affected.