2016 Honda Pilot Problems and Recalls (1,708 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2016 Honda Pilot is Engine (35% of 1,708 owner reports). There are 8 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,708 complaints · 8 recalls
What problems show up on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
593 of 1,708 filings named Engine (35% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Electrical (331 reports).
There are 8 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Seat belts, Electrical, Fuel system, Engine, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2015 has 108 reports on file; this year has 1,708. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Engine 593 complaints · 34.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 23
- Fires 10
- Injuries 20
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (ENGINE) | 593 | 34.7% | 2 crashes · 8 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 331 | 19.4% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 162 | 9.5% | 4 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 145 | 8.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 41 | 2.4% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 29 | 1.7% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 16 | 0.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 16 | 0.9% | 4 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 14 | 0.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 396 | 23.2% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 16V417000 was reported 155 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V219000 was reported 449 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V932000 was reported 2,268 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V751000 was reported 3,027 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V858000 was reported 2,903 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 26V365000 was reported 3,916 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 23 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 68 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 73 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 67 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 51 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 60 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 55 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 39 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 35 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 82 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 91 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 48 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 24 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 24 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 44 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 37 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 49 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 35 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 76 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 72 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 50 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 63 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 47 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 44 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 52 | |
| 2026-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V424000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V668000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V417000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V219000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V932000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V751000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V858000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 26V365000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE22005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ24013 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA25004 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE25008 |
Safety Recalls (8)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Seat belts, Electrical, Fuel system, Engine, and Body / frame.
-
Recall campaign 15V424000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- If the third row seatbelt is trapped, the occupants may not be restrained properly, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 15V668000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If a safety system cannot immediately warn the driver when needed, the driver may be at increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 16V417000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy:
- 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).
-
Recall campaign 17V219000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 21V932000
Safety recall 21V932000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 23V751000
Engine
- Report date
- Component:
- Engine (ENGINE)
- Consequence:
- A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 23V858000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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.
-
Recall campaign 26V365000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Showing 8 of 1,708 complaints · page 1 of 69
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V365000 (Structure, Suspension); however, the front subframe had a hole caused by corrosion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5-10 MPH, the front end of the vehicle made clunking sounds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for suspension wear and tear repair, and it was determined that there was a hole in the front suspension. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and stated that the recall repair was only for the rear subframe. The failure mileage was approximately 101,600.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's company owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that vehicle failed to start after several attempts with the "Emission System Failure", "Trailer Stability Assist", and "Electric Power Steering messages were displayed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed and the mechanic retrieved DTC: P0087. The mechanic associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
We have a 2016 Honda pilot. The front fuel rail assembly which included the fuel rail pressure sensor & the high pressure fuel pump had to be replaced in our vehicle and it is currently going to the mechanic shop for the low pressure pump to now be replaced as well. There have been multiple complaints regarding the fuel pump on 2016 Honda pilot and while there was a recall for the pressure one, our VIN wasn’t not on that list. This issue started somewhere between 165-170k miles. This causes sputtering when starting and stalling.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2016 honda pilot has 97,500 miles. The engine stop working and I have it replaced a used 3.5 engine. The transmission has transmission overheating problem and I took a picture on the dash board. I show it to the service advisor and they won't acknowledge about the overheating problem. Honda care customer service won't do anything regarding the engine and transmission problem.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Catastrophic internal engine mechanical failure. My 2016 Honda Pilot (3.5L V6 engine) has developed a severe connecting rod bearing knock that is highly audible during cold starts and heavily intensifies upon pressing the gas pedal to accelerate. This issue is an exact match to the mechanical defect and symptoms detailed in NHTSA Recall Campaign Number 23V751000 (Improperly ground crankshaft pins causing premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure). However, when running my vehicle's 17-digit VIN, the system states that my vehicle is excluded from the recall list. This is a severe, life-threatening safety hazard. The engine is at immediate risk of throwing a rod, throwing metal debris into the oiling system, or completely seizing without warning, which would cause an abrupt loss of motive power at highway speeds or a catastrophic engine fire. Because thousands of owners outside the original production window are experiencing this identical failure, I am filing this complaint to urge the NHTSA to mandate that Honda expand Recall 23V751000 to include all affected 3.5L V6 engine blocks.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2016 Honda Pilot had a U3000-49- Integrated Driver Assist System code. Multipurpose Camera Unit Internal Electronic Failure. It has been happening intermittently for the past 2 weeks. No lane assist. No safety features.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The car has spent its entire life in southern Arizona; no road salt and minimal moisture. Both front struts were required to be replaced - the front right strut had rusted and broken from its mount and the the front left strut was rusted in place.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
In order to complete the safety recall on the rear subframe, the control arms, which are seized to the frame, need to be removed. Honda will cover the cost of these parts but not the labor associated with replacing them. The labor was quoted as $900. I’m unable to see the specific components covered under the recall, but reading the general description, I don’t understand how I’m responsible for any cost to complete the recall. I’ve spoken with the dealer and filed a complaint with Honda Care and have been repeatedly denied.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
Owners named Engine most often — 593 of 1,708 reports (35%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2016 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA lists 8 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Seat belts, Electrical, Fuel system, Engine, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2016 Honda Pilot?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.