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:
4 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,967 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.
When engine auto idle is engaged, instead of re-engaging when foot removed from brake, the car stalls in one of three ways. Grade 1, the fan and radio shut off but the engine engages once gas is applied. Grade 2, the fan, radio and engine shut off but restart once gas is applied. Various warning lights then appear on the dash. Grade 3, everything shuts off and the car will not restart until you shift into park and press the start button several times. This is very dangerous as it happens at intersections when cars expect you to be moving and you're stalled out. I have video of these incidents and have provided them to the Honda dealer.
Vehicle randomly does not automatically restart after auto idle stop engages when in stop-go traffic on freeway or when stopped at intersection, resulting in a stalled vehicle in the middle of freeway or intersection. Attempts to manually restart the vehicle generally successful after frantically (or slowly!) pushing the start-stop button several times. Video documenting issue available at https://1drv.ms/V/S!aqy6pdpsaknnnn5fxrz2ngstmnd0cg (additional videos available). Issue ongoing since ~ October 2018. Dealer has replaced battery & engine start-stop button to no avail.
I bought this vehicle as a "certified pre owned by Honda" and four days after the purchase the car was parked in my driveway, in "park" when I hit the start/stop engine button and the vehicle didn't start. Alarms started to go off so I assumed it was the key was still inside the house. As I went inside to check, maybe a few seconds, when I went back outside the vehicle was gone. I found it in my front yard. It had rolled off while in park without engine on. After getting it towed to Honda, days later I was informed that there was a problem with the start/stop engine system and that it also needed the entire A/C system replaced. Attached you will find the photo I took of the vehicle still in park when I found it in my front yard.
While stopped at a traffic light the car put itself into park without my (the driver) knowledge. When the light turned green I attempted to accelerate however the car was in park. I attempted to shift the car into drive and it would not do so. I had to turn the car off and then back on in order to place the car into drive and proceed through the intersection.
Car shuts down and stalls when idle stop engages very frequently over the past year in the middle of the intersection or highway. Have taken in to Honda dealers multiple times but they cannot recreate the problem and say the battery tests ok yet recommend changing the battery?!
While idol at red light, the automatic idol kicked in for power save yet jerked and all red light indicators turned on, including parking breaks, and car seized up. No power, no ability put car in park or drive. On/off switch no reaction to turn car on or off. No brake function. I sat in an unresponsive vehicle at very busy intercetion. Luckily the vehicle behind me was stopped and only laid on their horn for 2 red light cycles rather than hitting me. I activated my emergency flashers yet other driver did not respond. I repetitively kept pushing power button in effort for car to respond and restart, eventually did and was able to drive off. Have appt with dealership in am.
When my car stops while applying the break paddle completely, the car may start 'idle stop' which turns off the engine. The engine may restart either by releasing the break paddle or when ac or battery needs the engine to turn back on. We have had multiple occurrences where the car will completely reset the electrical system shutting down all the lights, displays, radio and engine, and it may or may not restart the engine. Sometimes, it requires multiple presses of the engine start button which may take multiple seconds at a stop. This creates a safety hazard where cars behind may rear end us while we try to restart. Today, it happened to my wife in motion after the engine restarted and she was in the middle of an intersection. I wonder if this could even happen on a railway... we reported it twice and tried fixing it at a Honda shop (1st Texas Honda @ austin, tx), they made multiple claims including bad battery that required replacing it (issue still reoccurred), blaming it on a power cable that goes to an optional trailer hitch connection that is not in use, but have not tried tried replacing the faulty idle start/engine module. Searching thru the internet, there are multiple reports of the same issue. Https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Pilot/2016/engine/auto_idle_stop_does_not_work.shtml there is no recall or a root cause analysis reported by Honda trying to resolve the issue for the owners. Needless to say, trying to take a video/photo when it happens is not simple, largely, because we don't hold our phones while driving the car and secondly, it's random event when it happens... the issue repeats multiple times a week, but not on every stop. Worse at hot temperatures.
Several times while stopped in traffic or at a traffic light the engine stop feature has not worked properly. The engine turns off completely and does not automatically restart. The SUV has to be placed in park and restarted manually. I plan on bringing it in next week to have them look into it.
The engine idle stop feature not working properly. When the vehicle is at a stop the engine turns off like intended. Sometimes the radio turns off and restarts immediately. Randomly when you take you foot off the gas the entire vehicle and all functions turn off. In order to turn the vehicle you need to press the ignition button and set the vehicle in park. This is very dangerous in stop and go traffic. The most recent time it happened was on the freeway at a crest. Took it to dealer and they could not replicate.
This has happened several times and Honda has been unable to replicate. It has happened on the freeway and on city streets. The car is in drive and my car has an engine idle so that when traffic comes to a halt the engine cuts out to conserve gas. On many a occasion it will not just automatically start but will instead kick the vehicle into park. It is extremely scary as it will then not start as if the battery is dead but the battery if fine and has been replaced as Honda thought that would resolve it. They also replaced all the fuel injectors and this also has not stopped the problem. I feel I am going to be killed in this car. I have case # 08783155 with Honda and after having just spoke to them they advised me to film problem!! yes they expect me to get my phone out and film while my vehicle has come to a halt in moving traffic!
2016 Honda Pilot, 68441 miles on it. Emissions system problem displayed on dash. Service advises it needs a software update and that there will be a charge for it. Complaint filed with Honda. Customer should not be charged for software updates that the manufacturer failed to get right. Imagine if you had to pay for every update that microsoft issues? software update did not correct problem and will not be refunding money spent. If anything, it should be covered under warranty.
Car was engaged in "idle-stop" at a traffic light. Following driver's lifting of foot off of the brake pedal, car shut off completely. All dashboard lights lit up, and car was not able to be turned back on for 1-2 minutes. Car was in the middle of a busy street, and a large vehicle nearly rear-ended the dead car. Driver was thereafter able to follow on-screen instructions for restarting vehicle, but was unsuccessful in several initial attempts. (in other words, car was not starting despite driver's complying with instructions. Prior to this incident, car had in some instances very momentarily "cut out" following an "idle-start." Driver noticed a "popping" at this time. But the problem, which the manufacturer and dealer claim to know nothing about and are "unable to replicate" during service, is clearly becoming worse and more dangerous over time. The best the Honda dealership service department appears to be able to do in diagnosing the problem is to suggest battery recharge or replacement, which has not been an issue for our car and is apparently a common suggestion from dealerships. This is an apparently bigger issue than Honda has been willing to admit.
Car will stall when stopped with the auto-engine idle engaged. First started with radio cutting out when engine was restarting. Progressed to stalling when engine idle is engaged and foot is taken off the brake - car will jolt and then stall. It switched to neutral and must be put back in park and the start button pressed multiple times to get it to restart - can take a few minutes. Very dangerous at busy intersections. Car was checked by dealer and found no problems. Next day the collision mitigation system problem light came on permanently and car stalled at lights twice more. Car is back at the dealer now but they still can't find anything wrong.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle lost power when the brake pedal was depressed. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to drive home. The failure did not occur while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was taken to galpin Honda (11151 laurel canyon blvd, san fernando, ca 91340) to be diagnosed, but no failure was found. The failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a case number. The manufacturer advised the contact to work with the dealer. The failure mileage was 27,817.
Auto idle stop doesn't restart. It stalls often depending on the length of the idle. It has been slowing progressing to unreliable. It stops entirely, often in traffic and then you have to put car in park, restart engine and then put in drive and go again. By this time traffic is already moving around you. Very dangerous and scary on freeway and at intersections. Had the battery checked at auto store, take in for regular maintenance - it tested strong but needed a "charge" should be recharging when running and on freeway.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle lunged forward and the contact smelled fumes. Also, the vehicle stalled while driving various speeds. The contact pulled over and it took numerous attempts to restart the vehicle. While driving various speeds, a piece of the fender on the front driver and passenger sides fractured and struck a person in the head. All the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired by multiple unknown dealers and independent mechanics and the catalytic converter was replaced four times and two injectors were installed; however, the failures continued. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 83,000. The VIN was invalid.
The engine fully stopped while driving on the hwy while driving almos got rear ended. I was moving tapped the break and the engine stopped ( like in idle) I quickly pushed on the gas and after seconds of no response it came back. On 9/2/2018 this happened when I was going tjru paying toll I touched the break trying to slow down it completly died, tried to push gas no response died and went in N. had to turn it on amd drive again. At that time went to dealer amd they did not see an issue. It is happenening more now. It is frightening to be under the mercey of tje peraon behind U to slow down in time. This is horroble very scary and can kill a family!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Toms River, NJ, USA