2016 Honda Pilot
The Verdict
The 2016 Honda Pilot has 1,658 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (907 complaints) and electrical (350 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Honda Pilot, consider the 2024 model year which has 94% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2024 has 94% fewer complaints
View the 2024 Honda Pilot dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 4
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
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 ...
Risk
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 ser...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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...
Risk
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 1-888-234-21...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak.
Risk
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.
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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...
Risk
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 1-310-78...
Reported Jun 7, 2015
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 183 | 26 | 248 | 77 | 211 |
| 2004 | 184 | 19 | 138 | 67 | 135 |
| 2005 | 165 | 122 | 165 | 94 | 130 |
| 2006 | 99 | 32 | 88 | 37 | 10 |
| 2007 | 78 | 19 | 79 | 25 | 10 |
| 2008 | 52 | 6 | 44 | 20 | 10 |
| 2009 | 44 | 13 | 31 | 39 | 7 |
| 2010 | 34 | 8 | 37 | 28 | 3 |
| 2011 | 113 | 37 | 80 | 44 | 16 |
| 2012 | 43 | 25 | 34 | 55 | 12 |
| 2013 | 91 | 38 | 27 | 89 | 25 |
| 2014 | 51 | 8 | 16 | 36 | 5 |
| 2015 | 42 | 11 | 22 | 28 | 4 |
| 2016 | 264 | 20 | 350 | 907 | 117 |
| 2017 | 141 | 19 | 107 | 550 | 81 |
| 2018 | 89 | 4 | 32 | 244 | 47 |
| 2019 | 218 | 33 | 166 | 370 | 62 |
| 2020 | 125 | 21 | 154 | 137 | 26 |
| 2021 | 161 | 24 | 96 | 105 | 13 |
| 2022 | 58 | 15 | 22 | 26 | 8 |
| 2023 | 66 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| 2024 | 59 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
| 2025 | 72 | 22 | 20 | 29 | 14 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2016 Honda Pilot stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
2016 Honda Pilot EXL. At 100,100 miles, an engine rod bearing went bad. Honda told me my VIN was not covered and it would be $8000 to replace the engine with a used engine. I sold them my car
My 2016 Honda Pilot Touring repeatedly stalls and shuts off while driving, including at lower speeds in traffic. When it happens, the engine and all electrical power shut off; the vehicle then has to be jump-started, and it will sometimes only restart after sitting for an hour or more. This is a serious safety hazard because the vehicle can lose power unexpectedly while in motion, creating a risk of a crash and of being stranded in a travel lane. The failed component is the fuel delivery system (fuel pump / fuel system pressure). The condition has been diagnosed repeatedly with trouble code P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure — Too Low). It was first documented on July 18, 2025 at 144,303 miles by an independent service center, which diagnosed a failing fuel pump. On March 13, 2026 a Honda dealer again retrieved code P0087 and diagnosed a failing fuel pump. In April 2026, a second Honda dealer could not reproduce the code, replaced the fuel injectors instead, and the stalling returned within about 670 miles. In May 2026 that same dealer documented the problem as a "reoccurring issue" and now recommends replacing the in-tank fuel pump. The warning symptom prior to failure was the check-engine/malfunction-indicator lamp, which set code P0087; the stalling followed. The problem has been confirmed and reproduced by both an independent service center and a Honda dealer, and the vehicle is still owned and available for inspection upon request. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred. This stalling/loss-of-power failure mode is the same one described in NHTSA recall 23V-858, in which the in-tank fuel pump can fail and cause the engine to stall while driving. This vehicle is exhibiting exactly that failure mode but is not currently included in that recall population. I am reporting it so the agency is aware, and I request that this vehicle be considered for inclusion in recall 23V-858.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light flashed continuously. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the noise emanated from the middle of the engine. The dealer advised that there might be a loose wrist pin where the piston meets the connecting rod, or a systemic oil delivery problem, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000.
Even though the vehicle has been regularly serviced and exceptionally maintained, the rod bearing failed and now the whole engine has to be replaced. Unfortunately my vin is not covered as part of the recall for this exact same issue. I reached out to Honda and they are not willing to cover any of the $14k quoted to replace the engine.
Complete engine failure while driving on an interstate highway, no previous issue or warning. The car made some knocking noises and then became completely inoperable. Was able to steer it to the side of highway, in traffic, just enough to get off the main roadway. The experience was terrifying and put us and others around us at risk or a highway speed crash due to loss of all power to the vehicle. The problem has been confirmed by a Honda dealership, and has been reported to Honda, with an open case pending. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of the problem prior to the event of it happening. The vehicle is up to date on all maintenance and I am the second owner, and know the first owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the battery became drained. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was taken to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the spool valve was leaking on the alternator, and damaged the alternator and the spool valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 121,891.
The 3.5L V6 engine in this vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic internal mechanical failure due to premature connecting rod bearing wear. The engine stalling occurred abruptly while actively driving, which created an immediate safety risk as the vehicle lost propulsion, power steering assistance, and power braking assistance. This forced a dangerous emergency maneuver to navigate through moving traffic to get to the side of the road. Prior to the engine failure, there were no persistent dashboard warning lights or clear messages indicating an imminent mechanical failure. The first distinct symptom was a brief, sudden metallic knocking sound from the engine bay immediately before the vehicle lost all power and stalled. An authorized dealership has since inspected the vehicle and dropped the oil pan, physically confirming a massive accumulation of metal shavings and bearing debris inside the block. The dealership verified that the complete destruction of the engine block is identical in nature, symptom, and cause to the manufacturing defects described in NHTSA Recall Campaign 23V-751. However, this vehicle's specific VIN was excluded from that original recall parameter. This catastrophic failure directly corresponds to the ongoing Office of Defects Investigation Probe PE25008 regarding extensive V6 engine rod bearing failures. The failed engine block remains fully intact at the service center and is available for regulatory inspection upon request.
While driving at night, the 2016 Pilot, it started making a loud rattling noise then just died in the middle of the road and failed to start. There were no service or check engine lights on at the time of failure or at any point prior to the failure. We were stranded in the middle of the road at risk of getting hit by other cars. The electronic transmission would not go into neutral and we had no way of even pushing the car to the safety of shoulder. We had to tow the vehicle. The tow driver also had a very difficult time of getting the car into neutral, necessary to tow it. Having the vehicle towed to a local mechanic, they reported it being very difficult to start and when it did, it had a sever engine skip with a loud rattling noise which is indicative of a connecting rod/bearing failure. The car has 140000 miles at time of failure. We had ALL required maintenance performed as they were scheduled. Approximately 95% was performed by Honda dealers. In fact we had a Honda dealer perform an oil change and inspection a week before the engine failure. We have had some local shops perform several required oil changes and the timing belt / plug service. We have all receipts. We contacted Honda dealership who quoted $18,225 for an engine replacement. We contacted Honda Customer Support who refused to offer any assistance, goodwill or other forms of reimbursement.
hEAR RATTLING NOISE ON my 2016 Honda Pilot which has only 111041 miles on it This is what the Honda service department said it was (which there is a RECALL on it but apparently my VIN isnt in the RECALL which i think is not very fari at all) Noise was a lower end RO/BEARING knockingCustomer will need new or used engine Now I have a recall letter that i printed online dtd Jan 2024 This isnt fair I now have a really good vehicle with a blown engine We babied this car too
My car has a knocking noise coming from the engine. It happened suddenly when I was driving. I took it to Honda dealer shop to check it out and they told me I need to replace the motor.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle was abnormally jolting and sputtering. The contact stated that the engine warning light was activating and deactivating. The contact stated that failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted, and a transmission flush was performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, there was a loud bang coming from the engine compartment, followed by a clunking sound. The contact stated that the engine started running rough and the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The Check Engine warning light illuminated after the failure, with unknown messages displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was coasted into a nearby parking lot and manually pushed into a parking space. The vehicle was towed from the parking lot to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with complete engine failure. The vehicle was then towed to a Honda dealer for further inspection. The dealer disassembled the engine and informed the contact that the engine had thrown a connecting rod. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was informed that the manufacturer would do a follow-up with the dealer; however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,800.
These safety features have failed on my 2016 Honda Pilot, Touring, AWD. The failures include Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance and Adaptive Cruise Control. When I reported this to my local Honda Dealership they did a plug in indicator test for $195.00. All they could tell me was that I needed a new camera. The cost would be $2000.00 plus. One of the reasons we purchased this vehicle was because of these safety features. We are both drivers [XXX], and thought these were excellent safety features considering [XXX]. However, the cost to fix seemed excessive. We are still able to drive the car but without the safety features that originally led us to buy this vehicle. We delayed reporting this failure thinking there would be a recall that would cover the failures. No recall has been reported to this point. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While driving my 2016 Honda Pilot (VIN: [XXX], approximately 125K miles) on the freeway at 65 mph, the engine seized and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. The check engine light began flashing, the oil pressure light came on, and the vehicle began making loud grinding noises. After pulling over safely, the vehicle was no longer drivable and required towing. Upon inspection by Northampton Car Care (6115 Root Road, Spring, TX), it was determined that the engine failure is consistent with the connecting rod bearing failure and crankshaft defect described in NHTSA Recall 23V-751. My VIN does not currently appear in the recall database; however, given that my vehicle experienced the exact failure mode described in the recall, I am requesting this complaint be considered under both Recall 23V-751 and NHTSA Investigation RQ24-013. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Summary of issue The vehicle developed an engine/emission warning light and failed mechanically without any crash or impact. The car drove fine until about one week ago. I have driven the vehicle normally and performed regular maintenance. Events and observations A warning light appeared indicating engine and emission problems. I took the vehicle to two separate mechanics: Mechanic A diagnosed engine damage and catalytic converter issues. Mechanic B diagnosed engine damage and a possible fuel pump problem. I am not a mechanic and cannot independently interpret technical findings, but both inspections indicate serious engine-related failures. The vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles and was purchased for more than $20,000 less than two years ago. No collisions, impacts, or abuse occurred that could explain the failure. I believe this is a potential manufacturing defect. I contacted a Honda dealer about the problem; they stated it is not a manufacturing defect and declined to accept responsibility for repair. I believe the dealer is avoiding responsibility. Requested action I request NHTSA open an investigation (or add my report to any existing investigation) into this vehicle’s engine and related components to determine whether a safety defect or noncompliance exists. I request guidance on next steps and that this complaint be considered in any recall evaluation.
Check engine light for fuel emissions and pulled codes. Codes included in known Honda service bulletin 20-100. My car was not included in the VIN search.
Was driving vehicle and experienced complete loss of engine power. No warning signs until after the failure. Vehicle was immediately pulled over and limped into a parking lot where it was shut off and then towed to mechanics shop. Upon further inspection, mechanic stated a complete engine failure as it "threw a rod". He stated engine had a complete failure and needs to be replaced.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine stalls out and shuts the car down. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving down the road, if the engine shuts off, myself, passengers, and other vehicles could cause a fatal crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? I have brought this in several times to try and fix this issue. The fuel pump has been replaced and the auto idle recall has been take care of. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The check engine light comes on occasionally when it happens; sometimes when it does not. Other details: Several times now my car has randomly shut off especially when driving down the road. I wasn't sure what happened, but I finally figured out a way to replicate it. Basically if you drive it after about an hour of non-stop driving / engine being turned on, the engine overheats causing the car to stall out and eventually turn off. I timed this at 10:15AM to 11:25AM and my suspicions were correct. At 11:25AM, the car stalled and shut off while I was parked in my driveway.
I heard knocking as I was leaving gas station. I was scared about what was going wrong and if it was safe to drive home. I was alone and it was after dark. I took the next day off and took the car to my mechanic. He said it sounded like rod knock but didn’t want to do the engine replacement so he sent me to another mechanic who also said it sounded like the engine needed to be replaced. I didn’t have the money or the time to deal with it so it has been parked for the last five months. Today I took it to the dealer (that I bought it from new) for a diagnostic inspection. They stated that the noise was coming from main shaft, unable to repair, will need to replace engine. Cost estimate to replace engine is $15,964.36. I do not remember a check engine light coming on, only the lights for the driving sensing items. Which I read were also problems on this vehicle. Photos of the inspection report have been uploaded. A mistake was made on the mileage it is 103,203 not 103,703. Thank you for your time.
The engine seized up and car will not start. Luckily, I was trying to start the car in my driveway when this happened, but it would have been dangerous had it happened while I was driving. All of the warning lamps and messages started when the issue begin. The vehicle was inspected and the problem has been reproduced by a service center AND a Honda dealer. I have attached the invoice from the service center. After their diagnosis, I had the car towed to Ourisman Honda in Bethesda, MD because I was hoping to start the recall process with them, however they will not do it because, stangely, my vin # is not included. There is a known recall for this issue (#23V-751) and the recall lists my exact car (2016 Honda Pilot) however, for some reason my vin # is not showing as being included in the recall. The car is experiencing the exact issue that this recall covers, but the Honda dealer will not cover it because my specific vin # isn't listed. This would be a significant expense that I am not able to cover out of pocket, and I have now been without my car for over a week. I am not sure why only certain vin #'s are eligible when there are obviously many other 2016 Honda Pilots experiencing the issue.
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