CarComplaints.com Notes: It's worrying when the top category for 2016 Honda Pilot problems are transmission problems. Owners report jerking when accelerating. Also as the first model year of the redesigned 3rd generation Pilot, it's not a good sign.

Honda released a TSB on October 29 2016 that's possibly related. The TSB deals with a "a judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch ... while driving between 20 and 60 mph" due to deteriorated transmission fluid resulting from "specific driving conditions". In the TSB, Honda states they are developing a software fix to try to keep the transmission fluid temperature within spec.

We are keeping a close eye on this defect trend because if certain driving conditions can affect transmission shifting in the first year of ownership, we'd hate to think what 10+ years will do.

9.2

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$100
Average Mileage:
24,450 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (5 reports)
2016 Honda Pilot AC / heater problems

AC / heater problem

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2016 Honda Pilot Owner Comments

problem #5

Apr 292019

Pilot

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Took the car to Honda with my complaint, got a loaner which just getting the loaner took me over 2 weeks to schedule. (by the way the problem was never fixed from my first complaint almost one year earlier) Pick the car up still doing the same exact thing. Paid my deductible. Several days later get a call that my car is done the advisor actually says to me, he is not going to charge me a second deductible. CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING, I leave it again. Saturday 5/4 i pick it up after asking if they checked that the problem is fixed. I get half way home my side blows out extremely cold or hot, the other side of the car does not have the same temp and blows warm air. I now ask Honda to come and get the car from my driveway. I am waiting now on Monday at 1pm to hear anything ???????

- Terri L., Southampton, PA, US

problem #4

Apr 182018

Pilot

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

the heat blows very hot even at a moderate temp. the air does not come out cold

- Terri L., Southampton, PA, US

problem #3

May 052018

Pilot EXL V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,534 miles

The AC problem to my vehicle is so annoying, it happened twice already in 2 consecutive years. Same issue every summer with no permanent fix. Here is the sad part, the service department was so confident to tell me that I am good for summer only after fixing it for the second time. That means that I am going to have the same problem again in next Summer???? Isn't it ridiculous? By the end of this year my warranty is done for, this is going to be a headache next year for sure, and Honda did not give me warranty extension.

- Keirah Z., Wiunnipeg, MB, Canada

problem #2

Jun 012017

Pilot Touring

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles

Cool air does come out of the vents on auto. Have to turn on floor and vents and turn fan on high and still will take over 30 min to cool the car down to where it is comfortable. It feels like it has a Honda Civic A/C unit in it and it needs to be a larger output one.

- Jimmy W., Hesperia, US

problem #1

Mar 012017

Pilot LX 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,500 miles

  1. Air conditioner stops cooling and fan shuts down after 12-15 minutes of driving. Very tough to survive without working A/C in Texas heat.

    2. Dealer (David McDavid Honda of Irving, Texas) unable to diagnose problem. Says they don't see any trouble code and can't recreate the problem. I drove it with non-working A/C and service advisor acknowledged and A/C stopped working after 12-15 minutes of driving out. Seems like the dealer did not bother to drive for 15 minutes to recreate the problem. Told me to bring in vehicle after keeping it for three days, when the problem occurs again.

- Q M., Fort Worth, US

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