2016 Honda PILOT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Honda PILOT has 2319 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 29.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2016 honda pilot. while driving at 55 mph, the engine shut off and the entire instrument panel illuminated. the contact noticed smoke emitting from the front driver side. after lifting the hood, flames emitted from the passenger side near the engine. the contact was able to ex. ⚠️ 14 fire reports filed.

14 fire reports 22 crash reports 22 injuries

2319

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

29.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

780 complaints

34%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX
• ON NOVEMBER 10, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30PM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING ON NORTH I-75 IN SOUTHWEST OHIO. BESIDES OURSELVES, WE HAD OUR TWO YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CAR'S COMPUTER STARTED DISPLAYING A CHANGING SERIES OF WARNINGS GENERALLY INDICATING VARIOUS SYSTEM FAILURES. THE CAR BAS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL SOUND WAS HEARD, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE VEHICLE TEMPERATURE WARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

577 complaints

25%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A HONDA DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX DAYS LATER. WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE TRANS
• SAFETY RECALL 15V-668 ACTIVE, IT APPEARS CAR ALARM & SECURITY SYSTEM WAS COMPROMISED BY ANOTHER CAR REMOTE. IN SAMS PARKING LOT I APPROACHED MY VEHICLE AND OPENED REAR DECK AND WHILE LOADING ITEMS IN CAR A HORN STARTED BLOWING ANOTHER SUV IN LEFT PARK SPACE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING BUT IT WAS MY CAR H

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 3 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

288 complaints

12%

• I HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN THE TAILGATE WINDOW ON MY EIGHT DAY OLD, 2016 HONDA PILOT FORCEFULLY EXPLODED. IT BLEW SHARDS OF GLASS 15 FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE BROKE THE REAR WINDOW WIPER AND BENT THE WINDOW WIPER ARM DOWN. ALL THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING ABOUT 5 TO 1
• I WRITE TO YOU TO CONVEY MY SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING A NEW HONDA 2016 PILOT. MY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE MY CONCERNS WITH AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. WERE MET WITH TEPID RELUCTANCE AND A CAVALIER NEGLECTFUL ATTITUDE. 1.AT HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS AND DURING EMERGENCY AVOIDAN
• WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWAY, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE TOP OF MY CAR. THE SUNROOF GLASS HAD SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH MY REAR VIEW MIRROR I COULD SEE SOME PIECES FLYING. THANKFULLY, THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS FAR AWAY ENOUGH THAT THEY WERE NOT HIT BY THESE GLASS PIECES AN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN THE TAILGATE WINDOW ON MY EIGHT DAY OLD, 2016 HONDA PILOT FORCEFULLY EXPLODED. IT BLEW SHARDS OF GLASS 15 FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE BROKE THE REAR WINDOW WIPER AND BENT THE WINDOW WIPER ARM DOWN. ALL THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING ABOUT 5 TO 1”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

196 complaints

• I WRITE TO YOU TO CONVEY MY SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING A NEW HONDA 2016 PILOT. MY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE MY CONCERNS WITH AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. WERE MET WITH TEPID RELUCTANCE AND A CAVALIER NEGLECTFUL ATTITUDE. 1.AT HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS AND DURING EMERGENCY AVOIDAN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A HONDA DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX DAYS LATER. WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE TRANS
• VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD WHEN 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DURING COASTING OR LIGHT BRAKING. SURGING ROUTINELY OCCURS AT MODERATE SPEEDS ( 35-45MPH ) WHEN COASTING DOWNHILL ON A SECONDARY HIGHWAY. SURGING HAS ALSO OCCURRED AT PARKING LOT SPEEDS, AND HAS NECESSITATED EMERGENCY BRAKING TO AVOID

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“I WRITE TO YOU TO CONVEY MY SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING A NEW HONDA 2016 PILOT. MY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE MY CONCERNS WITH AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. WERE MET WITH TEPID RELUCTANCE AND A CAVALIER NEGLECTFUL ATTITUDE. 1.AT HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS AND DURING EMERGENCY AVOIDAN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

179 complaints

• ON NOVEMBER 10, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30PM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING ON NORTH I-75 IN SOUTHWEST OHIO. BESIDES OURSELVES, WE HAD OUR TWO YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CAR'S COMPUTER STARTED DISPLAYING A CHANGING SERIES OF WARNINGS GENERALLY INDICATING VARIOUS SYSTEM FAILURES. THE CAR BAS
• COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION IT HAS SURGED 4 TIMES TAKING ME OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION EVERY TIME, WITH FOOT OFF GAS AN ON BREAK I CAN NOT STOP IT. I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN USING THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP IT. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I TOOK IT TO DEALER 2X. AMERICAN HONDA IS LOOKING INT
• ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, OUR 2016 HONDA PILOT ELITE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE WE WERE DRIVING - TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ONCE IN BUSY TRAFFIC. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, POWER STEERING, ETC. ALL STOP WORKING AND THE CAR DISPLAYS EVERY ERROR YOU CAN IMAGINE. I HAVE POSTED A V

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“ON NOVEMBER 10, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30PM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING ON NORTH I-75 IN SOUTHWEST OHIO. BESIDES OURSELVES, WE HAD OUR TWO YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CAR'S COMPUTER STARTED DISPLAYING A CHANGING SERIES OF WARNINGS GENERALLY INDICATING VARIOUS SYSTEM FAILURES. THE CAR BAS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2319 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN THE TAILGATE WINDOW ON MY EIGHT DAY OLD, 2016 HONDA PILOT FORCEFULLY EXPLODED. IT BLEW SHARDS OF GLASS 15 FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE BROKE THE REAR WINDOW WIPER AND BENT THE WINDOW WIPER ARM DOWN. ALL THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING ABOUT 5 TO 1
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I WRITE TO YOU TO CONVEY MY SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING A NEW HONDA 2016 PILOT. MY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE MY CONCERNS WITH AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. WERE MET WITH TEPID RELUCTANCE AND A CAVALIER NEGLECTFUL ATTITUDE. 1.AT HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS AND DURING EMERGENCY AVOIDAN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)