YearToAvoid

2016 Honda Pilot Fuel System Problems

NHTSA lists 187 fuel system complaints for the 2016 Honda Pilot, 11% of its 1,703 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 54,500 miles. Two recalls (17V219000 and 16V417000) cover fuel tank leaks and fuel pump issues on this year.

Fuel System complaints
187
11% of 1,703
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
8
Median mileage
54,500 mi
Related recalls
3

Typical fuel system symptoms owners report

  • Fuel pump inside the tank fails while driving, causing the engine to stall on the highway.
  • Check engine and emissions system warning lights turn on and off intermittently, often tied to fuel injector faults.
  • Faulty fuel injectors trigger code P0420 and require dealer replacement of multiple injectors, sometimes at low mileage.
  • Fuel rails have been replaced after reports of sudden stalling with no warning.
  • Fuel tank leaks are addressed by a Honda recall replacing the tank on affected 2016 Pilots.
  • Some owners report the car sputters or hesitates when accelerating, especially merging onto highways.

When 2016 Honda Pilot fuel system complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 6, 2016, latest Sep 8, 2026.

2016 Honda Pilot fuel system complaints: complaints filed per quarter122016 Q12018 Q22019 Q32020 Q42022 Q12023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
187 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (12).

Fuel System recalls for the 2016 Honda Pilot

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 17V219000Mar 30, 2017Fuel System136 vehicles

    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.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 16V417000Jun 9, 2016Fuel System39 vehicles

    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 fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.

    Risk: 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).

Fuel System complaints by Pilot model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20057 (1%)
  2. 20066 (2%)
  3. 20073 (1%)
  4. 20085 (4%)
  5. 20091 (1%)
  6. 20104 (4%)
  7. 201110 (3%)
  8. 201216 (9%)
  9. 201313 (5%)
  10. 20145 (4%)
  11. 20156 (6%)
  12. 2016187 (11%)
  13. 2017141 (15%)
  14. 2018125 (28%)
  15. 2019193 (21%)
  16. 202054 (11%)
  17. 202121 (5%)
  18. 20229 (6%)
  19. 20235 (4%)
  20. 20247 (6%)
  21. 202515 (7%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Honda Pilot have a fuel system recall?
Yes. NHTSA recall 17V219000 covers fuel tanks that may leak, and recall 16V417000 covers a related fuel tank issue on 2016 Pilots. A third recall, 23V858000, covers fuel pump modules across multiple Honda models including some Pilots.
How common are fuel system complaints on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has logged 187 fuel system complaints for the 2016 Pilot, making up 11% of the 1,703 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do fuel system problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 Pilot's fuel system is 54,500 miles.
Have fuel system problems caused crashes or fires?
NHTSA data tied to 2016 Pilot fuel system complaints show 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 8 injuries reported.

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.