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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,036 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Honda Pilot electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2016 Honda Pilot:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2016 Honda Pilot Owner Comments (Page 22 of 26)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #90

May 242019

Pilot

  • 51,000 miles

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

"keyless start system problem" has been popping up on my dashboard for past month while I'm driving. I have 51,000 miles on Pilot. Doesn't seem to affect car yet but I have read online that others are having this problem which is causing issues with car not starting. Online comments suggest Honda has no clear resolution on what is causing this.

- Overland Park, KS, USA

problem #89

Jun 042019

Pilot

  • 65,000 miles
As I was parking my car this morning, the keyless start system problem error popped up. I started the car again just to make sure it would start, then turned it off again and then dropped off my kids at daycare. When I started it 5 minutes later, the car started and ran fine, but the system error light continues. We recently had the Pilot at the dealership because an emission error light came on and suddenly the car would not shift or accelerate properly. All three sensors were replaced (only the damaged one was covered under warranty) and the car was again running fine, but now this new error light.

- Auburn, WA, USA

problem #88

Jan 022019

Pilot

  • 75,000 miles
Keyless start system error displays on dashboard.

- Greensboro, NC, USA

problem #87

Apr 142019

Pilot

  • 38,000 miles

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

At 38000 miles the push button start began acting erratically. When the car is parked and turned off it takes 5 or 6 pushes of the break with succeeding depressions of the push start for the engine to fire up. Once it does turn over, an error comes up for keyless ignition

- Vancouver, WA, USA

problem #86

Mar 052019

Pilot

  • 61,000 miles
My 2016 Honda Pilot is showing the message on the dash which says that there is a problem with the keyless start system. It comes and goes from time to time, and I've changed the fob batteries with no fix. I had the vehicle back to the dealer and they said that the push button checked out ok, and suggested changing out the TPMS/keyless access control unit as a possible fix. At $600 cost and maybe no fix, I'm not happy. Many other owners have a similar problem, and its time in my opinion for Honda to have a recall to remedy the issue. This issue only occurs upon starting the vehicle and stays on until shutting down the engine.

- Armagh, PA, USA

problem #85

May 132019

Pilot

  • 30,000 miles
Our 2016 Honda Pilot has the auto stop/start feature ( used for saving gas when you are at a complete stop). There has been an issue that is dangerous- as you are driving and stop at a red light, the car with engage in the stop/start, but will then just turn off the car. It then asks for you to put your car in park. When you do the car completely turns off, but then wont allow you to turn the car back on. Takes around 30 seconds for the car to turn back on, but you are just sitting there with cars honking and almost rear ending your vehicle. This is happen almost every time the gas goes into the stop/start mode. It happened so much that we have now turned if off, which does help. First, I thought it was a battery issue, which we changed and nothing improved. I realize that this stop/start feature is relatively new car feature, but if there is going to be these issues- it is not safe, there needs to be an improvement to that part to prevent this. Not sure if this issue is happening with other people and if people are reporting that they are worried about Honda's stop/start feature

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #84

May 272019

Pilot

  • 42,000 miles

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

"keyless start system problem" message showing up on screen and going away randomly. Doesn't seem to be affecting start engine or anything else yet, but maybe it's a defective glitch or something.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #83

May 272019

Pilot

  • 40,377 miles
Suddenly 'keyless start system problem' popped up when I put my car into park.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #82

Oct 212018

Pilot

  • 0 miles
Ever so often all of the engine warning lights will cycle. It will sometimes last for 3 days and then reset itself. Then about a month or so later the lights will start cycling again. The car was stationary. The car had just been started. Before starting the car I did open and close the back hatch. The very first time the 5 lights cycled is when the back hatch jammed when closing. It hit something in the door jamb. The warning lights were: Trailer stability assist problem, hill start assist problem, vehicle stability assist problem, power steering problem and emissions system problem.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #81

Apr 052019

Pilot

  • 0 miles
Error display: Keyless start system problem vehicle was stationary, after started. In motion, while driving error displayed and mp/H change without accelerating to even over 100 mp/H when if fact driving about 60 mp/H.

- Antioch, CA, USA

problem #80

Apr 072019

Pilot

  • 39,000 miles

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

I have a 2016 touring Pilot with just over 38,000 miles. Since about 25,000 miles I have felt that there was an odd hesitation with the auto-off feature that I'd not noticed during the initial period of ownership. The issue escalated to the point which it would actually stall out at an intersection and the vehicle would not turn back on for a few minutes. The dealership replaced the battery and said that they could see the error and that there was an issue caused by the battery. A few months later the issue started to happen again and stalled for my wife again with our kids in the car at a busy intersection. The car went back into the dealership and they have now had it for close to 6 weeks with little to no update as to what is going on. This is a horribly unsafe issue and I know for a fact that many people are having the same issue as referenced in this blog: Https://www.piloteers.org/forums/114-2016-third-generation-Pilot/157005-elite-shuts-off-stop-light-5.html the fact that Honda can not come up with a fix for the issue is a very scary thought. We as consumers need someone to help hold Honda accountable to provide a safe driving experience for our families.

- Lake Oswego, OR, USA

problem #79

May 172019

Pilot

  • 52,000 miles
Idle stop fuel saver feature causes car to stall when brake is disengage. My car has stalled numerous times. It does not allow a quick restart. It has to reset before car can restart engine. Honda blogs site on this issue is numerous. This presents a hazard for car stuck in the middle of the road and in traffic conditions. Please help. Honda has not provided any solutions.

- East Setauket, NY, USA

problem #78

Feb 052019

Pilot

  • 58,174 miles
My car intermittently gives me a warning about a "keyless start system problem, " which began a couple of months ago. While I cannot detect any impact on the actual start or running of the vehicle, I'm concerned that the engine could cut out while driving which is obviously potentially unsafe or that the car won't start at some point and will leave me stranded. Because the indicator goes on and off, it's difficult to have it fixed and my online research indicates that the dealers frequently have no idea what causes this problem and that it's expensive to fix. Many Honda owners are complaining of the same problem online.

- Bel Air, MD, USA

problem #77

May 152019

Pilot

  • miles
I've had this car stop and turn off suddenly at intersections as I was pressing on the gas to accelerate after waiting for a res light. Now I'm getting an error that say 'keyless start system problem.' This happens right as I get in the vehicle and press the engine start button.

- Layton, UT, USA

problem #76

May 142019

Pilot

  • 55,000 miles
On and off, the past several months we've been getting "keyless start system problem" when attempting to start the car. Sometimes I get the issue once, then it starts after that. But recently I've had to try to start the car 10+ times before it finally works. For some reason it appears to have slightly better luck after I lock the car doors. In looking at carcomplaints.com and piloteers.com, there are a ton of people with the same issue. There are multiple threads regarding the complaint, but here is one example: Https://www.piloteers.org/forums/114-2016-third-generation-Pilot/142385-keyless-start-system-problem-error-2.html?amp=1

- Glenview, IL, USA

problem #75

Dec 012018

Pilot

  • 38,500 miles
Beginning about 4 or 5 months ago with about 38000 or 39000 miles on my vehicle I started to receive the message "keyless start system problem" on my dashboard display. As of now, this message appears to have no affect on the operation of the vehicle. However, I must admit I hold my breath every time I start the car and also am concerned that it will have some disastrous effect at a very inopportune and dangerous time. This message comes and goes - sometime lasting a couple of start/stop/restart cycles, sometimes hours or days at a time. Only appears or disappears with the starting of the car - never (yet) after the engine is running. I have discussed this problem with 3 dealers and none is familiar with it. From what I have been reading (on Honda Pilot user group forums) dealers have just been replacing parts that sound like they could have something to do with the problem. I have written american Honda in ca - am awaiting reply.

- Woodbury, MN, USA

problem #74

Jul 122017

Pilot

  • 5,000 miles
We have had multiple, ongoing problems with our 2016 Honda Pilot elite since early on in our ownership. When I try to go after coming to a stop, the car tries to stall and has stalled several times in the middle of the road. When it stalls, it has switched itself to neutral and for several minutes, it will not let me do anything to try to get the car going again such as change gears, start the car, etc. As I try to get it going, it will tell me that I need to start the engine to change the gear back to drive but will not do anything when I press the start button. Further, there are several issues with the infotainment system: The back up camera goes black, the entire system reboots while driving, the audio screen freezes and audio ceases while driving, the entire screen goes black except the time line on top while driving, and the navigation screen blacks out while driving. Despite providing video and photographic evidence of the issues, Honda kept saying they couldn't replicate it and thus couldn't test it, but when I was able to bring it to them with the screen frozen, they said there were no tests they could run. They finally tried replacing the infotainment system, but the issues returned. These issues are on top of the fact that they replaced the dvd player because it was looping. We feel we have received a lemon and that these issues cause a hazard during what should be normal operation of our vehicle.

- Lutz, FL, USA

problem #73

Apr 252019

Pilot

  • 21,300 miles
Sensors in ho da Pilot not work correctly. Example: "keyless start system problem"truns on even tho there is nothing wrong with it. This occurs when car is turned on. Locks will not lock/unlock when pressing and of the buttons on driver, passenger or trunk. This occurs when car is stationary.

- Aiea, HI, USA

problem #72

Nov 012018

Pilot

  • miles
When trying to start vehicle you receive 'keyless start system problem'. taken to the dealer twice and not able to diagnose the issue. Vehicle has 49000 miles today and have had this intermittent issue since 42000 miles. Fob batteries have both been replaced and supposedly reprogrammed. Still unable to resolve. Let me know if and how you were able to resolve the issue.

- Worcester, MA, USA

problem #71

Apr 152019

Pilot

  • 46,000 miles
"keyless start system problem" issue keeps popping up on dashboard

- Chicago, IL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?