YearToAvoid

2016 Honda Pilot Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 16 Pilot years

The 2016 Honda Pilot ranks worst of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 100, 1,703 complaints, and 8 recalls. Engine problems (49% of complaints, median 66,000 miles) and electrical issues (34%, median 49,000 miles) dominate. It is rated Avoid relative to other Pilot years.

Complaints
1,703
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
23 / 10
Injuries / deaths
20 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2016 Honda Pilot problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine838 (49%)
  2. Electrical System586 (34%)
  3. Other293 (17%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain200 (12%)
  5. Fuel System187 (11%)
  6. Brakes67 (4%)
  7. Structure & Body62 (4%)
  8. Collision Avoidance & Cameras29 (2%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires24 (1%)
  10. Steering18 (1%)

What owners report

  • Engine rod failures reportedly punched through the block and caused under-hood fires, sometimes without warning.
  • Owners describe sudden engine cranking noises followed by jolts and smoke coming from under the hood while driving on the highway.
  • Electrical shorts led to fires, including one case where the vehicle burned up shortly after being serviced and inspected.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in multiple frontal and side-impact crashes despite significant vehicle damage.
  • Some owners report the transmission unexpectedly downshifted or refused to engage properly at low speeds, including one case tied to a self-accelerating brake complaint.
  • A cabin fire and smoke were reported at very low mileage (1,600 miles), with flames visible near the engine bay.
2016 Honda Pilot complaints: complaints filed per quarter1372015 Q32017 Q12018 Q32020 Q12021 Q32023 Q12024 Q32026 Q1
2348 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q3 (137).

2016 Honda Pilot recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V365000Jun 4, 2026Structure & Body880,514 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 23V751000Nov 13, 2023Engine248,999 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical

    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.

    Risk: 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.

See all 8 recalls for the 2016 Honda Pilot →

2016 Honda Pilot fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Pilot years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Best7116320
2015Best13109420
2016Avoid1001,703822
2017Avoid80924422
2018Caution60440722

All Honda Pilot years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Honda Pilot a bad year?
Among 16 model years of the Pilot, 2016 has the highest Complaint Index (100) and ranks worst overall, with 1,703 NHTSA complaints and 8 recalls, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Pilot years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Honda Pilot?
Engine problems make up 49% of complaints (838 complaints), with a median failure mileage of 66,000 miles, followed by electrical system issues at 34% (586 complaints, median 49,000 miles).
Does the 2016 Honda Pilot have recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2016 Pilot, covering fuel tank leaks, a hood latch striker defect, an instrument cluster software issue, a third-row seat belt assembly issue, a rear subframe reinforcement, a fuel pump module, and a connecting rod manufacturing defect.
How does the 2016 Pilot compare to other years?
The 2016 Pilot has a Complaint Index of 100, the highest of any Pilot year in the data, while years like 2014 and 2015 scored 7 and 13 respectively and are rated Best.
What fuel economy does the 2016 Honda Pilot get?
The 2016 Pilot is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.