2016 Honda Pilot: recalls, complaints & known problems

Every safety recall and owner complaint on record for the 2016 Honda Pilot, straight from the U.S. government's NHTSA database — so you know what you're buying before you message the seller.

High caution

Serious warning signs on record for this year — proceed carefully.

8Safety recalls
1,658Owner complaints
5Problem patterns
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Safety recalls

8 recalls on record. Recall repairs are free at the dealer — ask if they were done.

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
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
Seat Belts:Rear/Other
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 sidelin
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
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 vehicl

Most-reported problems

Recurring failures owners filed with NHTSA for this model year:

Stalling / loss of power while driving — 223 owner complaints
Engine failure / knocking — 153 owner complaints
No-start / starting problems — 56 owner complaints
Transmission slipping / jerking / failure — 48 owner complaints
Electrical / battery drain — 19 owner complaints

Complaints by area

Which parts of the car owners complain about most:

Engine
744
Electrical System
576
Unknown Or Other
285
Power Train
197
Fuel/Propulsion System
163
Structure
53

Is 2016 the bad year? Complaints by model year

Sometimes the same car one year newer or older has a far cleaner record. Complaint volume across the Honda Pilot years we track (click a year for its full report):

2013
270
2014
116
2015
107
2016 ◀ this
1,658
2017
897
2018
425
2019
859
2020
465
2021
400

Newer years have had less time on the road to accumulate complaints.

Frequently asked

How many recalls does the 2016 Honda Pilot have?

The 2016 Honda Pilot has 8 NHTSA safety recalls on record. Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers — always ask the seller whether the recall work was completed.

How reliable is the 2016 Honda Pilot?

NHTSA has 1,658 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Honda Pilot. The most-reported issues are stalling / loss of power while driving, engine failure / knocking, no-start / starting problems. Compare it against nearby model years above.

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Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.gov). Informational only — not mechanical or purchase advice. Always inspect the vehicle and test drive before buying.