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:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 0
Average Mileage:
26,439 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 fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2016 Honda Pilot Owner Comments (Page 2 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #111

Dec 212023

Pilot

  • miles

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

On December 21, 2023, at approximately 2:25pm, while driving approximately 63 mph on the freeway, my 2016 Honda Pilot suddenly stopped accelerating and I was unable to accelerate the vehicle. During this time, I received several dashboard warning notifications. These notifications stated the following: -Blind Spot Info System Problem. -Stop Driving When Safe. Transmission Problem. See Manual. -Transmission Problem. Apply Parking Brake When Parked. -All Wheel Drive System Problem. -Emission Systems Problem. I pulled over to the shoulder and parked my vehicle. While parked, I was still unable to rev the engine, and the warning indicators continued to flash on my dashboard. I turned off the vehicle. After a few minutes, I turned on the vehicle. At this this time, I was able to rev the engine by pressing on the gas pedal. All of the indicator warnings disappeared with the exception of the Emission Systems Problem. I drove home and parked the vehicle. For the remainder of the day, the vehicle was not used. On the following day, I turned on the vehicle and noted that there were no dashboard warnings. Additionally, I was able to rev the engine by pressing on the gas pedal. For the next 14 days, the vehicle operated normally with no issues. (PS. I attempted to upload the photos of the warning indicators but your NHTSA application is not working properly.)

- Alamo, CA, USA

problem #110

Nov 172023

Pilot

  • miles
All warning lights came on Vehicle stability assist (VSA) Problem, Hill Street Assist Problem, Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) Problem, Power Steering System (EPS) Problem, Emissions System Problem. Car was stalling and sometimes not starting at all. Took it in to the Honda dealer in mid November 2023 and they said it was reporting low fuel pressure but that it was probably low fuel in the tank that caused the issue and not to worry about it since the warning lights were off. After a month, the car stalled while diriving in the middle of the highway and all warning lights came on again. Had trouble starting car again but I was able to drive it my local mechanic which told me I had to replace both fuel pumps since they were the cause of my issues. I ended up getting both pumps replaced at a cost of $2,250. After reading about the Honda recall last week for 2017-2020 fuel pumps exhibiting the same symptoms, I dont think it's coincidence that my 2016 Pilot model is also having the same problem.

- Union, NJ, USA

problem #109

Jun 042023

Pilot

  • miles
Components that failed: engine blew up on a Freeway; car experienced oil leaks; air conditioner stopped working; electrical problems- windows and sunroof suddenly open on their own. Facts: In Feb. 2019, I bought a certified preowned 2016 Honda Pilot with 40K miles. I drove it for less than a year before COVID-19 began and I started working from home. Shortly after I bought the car, it started leaking engine oil, which Honda later repaired. In summer 2021, the air conditioner system stopped working. On June 4, 2023, I was driving the vehicle on the 57 Freeway, Northbound, when my engine suddenly blew up and failed in the middle of the Freeway. The sudden engine failure put me and others at risk of serious injury. Since purchasing my car, I had my car regularly serviced by a Honda dealership. After inspecting my car, the Honda dealership said they did not know what caused the engine to blow up. There were no warnings, messages, or other symptoms before the engine failure.

- Orange, CA, USA

problem #108

Dec 222023

Pilot

  • miles

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

There was a recall on the fuel injectors system and now this problem is causing the computer system to send false codes to the car and then the warning -??fuel emissions problem signs turns on showing false code problems and then they go off and back on-?? In April I had fuel injections done and now in December I got the emissions system problem signal and was told at a honda service location that it was faulty Catalina converter problem but the emissions system problem signal tuned off on its own a day later, mean while the honda service place told me it would cost me $2287 to correct a problem that didn-??t need to get repaired it-??s this faulty emissions system computer system that needs to be updated on all these vehicles with this emission system problem. If they up date the program that they use on the emissions system we will not have to pay for false readings codes that are being generated because of this false reading by the emissions system soft ware.

- Middletown , NY, USA

problem #107

Nov 302023

Pilot

  • miles
At 7:45AM EST on 11/30/2023 while stopped in heaving Pittsburgh traffic the auto stop start feature engaged. Once engaged everything in the car shut down. I received a notification on my dashboard that said to put the car in park and press start. It took me 3 times pressing the start button for the car to start. I later took it to get the battery checked and it showed the battery was good. This was a hazardous situation given the traffic conditions during rush hour.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #106

Mar 062023

Pilot

  • miles
After driving without incident, Pilot would not start 20 minutes after parking. Jumped and replaced battery. After replacing battery, car lost power while moving. Dash lights include hill start assist, traction control, AWD system, etc. Car goes into "limp mode", throwing code P0087 (loss of pressure to the rail). Visited Planet Honda dealer and was told to replace fuel pressure sensor, fuel rail and injectors. Replaced all, car still in limp mode. Back to dealer, told to replace low pressure fuel pump. Replaced, still in limp mode. Phone call to dealer told us to replace high pressure pump. Car comes out of limp mode. Continues to stall unexpectedly while in motion. Will not restart for several hours. Engine will turn over but will not ignite. When it does start it is a rough start, growling and sputtering. Stalls when driving or idling. Before stalling throws all original codes and all dash lights come on. Warranty extension on fuel system does not include P0087 code. After a second and third opinion we were told car is throwing multiple ECM/Wiring/voltage drop loss codes. Will run and drive as normal until it stalls. Will not restart after parking, engine cranks and sputters. CAN NOT SAFELY OR RELIABLY drive, especially with our kids in the car! Newest Honda recall on engine, causing stalling issues, does not cover this VIN. Just dropped off at a different dealer, hoping for solution.

- Campton , NH, USA

problem #105

Nov 172023

Pilot

  • miles

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

I have a very loud knocking noise in the engine of 2016 Honda Pilot. The dealership told me it was a bad rod bearing. The same day the dealership told me there was going to be a recall on my vehicle for this exact problem. They are now telling me my VIN number is not covered in the recall for this exact problem. I find it hard to believe this problem occurred on my vehicle and is not related to recall. Thanks

- Bentonville, AR, USA

problem #104

Oct 142023

Pilot

  • miles
Unable to open my gas cap door either by pushing the gas opener button by driver side door or manually from the latch located in the trunk. I was running low on gas and am unable to refill the gas. Others offered to help by forcing the gas door open but said they would definitely damage the car. Gas attended looked at it and was unable to open gas door to refill gas tank. Without gas, my car is unable to turn on and drive. My kids were in the car with me and we were stranded. My car did not show any signs of warnings for this issue.

- Vacaville, CA, USA

problem #103

Aug 302023

Pilot

  • miles
1. The camshaft on the engine, took to a mechanic and Honda dealership, they are both saying its the camshaft. 2. Cannot drive the vehicle because every time I get up to about 20 - 30 mph the shuts off without warning while driving, not even coasting to a stop enough to pull over to a shoulder of a highway, leaving me and my 3 kids stranded in the middle of busy roads/highways. 3. yes, Honda issued a "technical service bulletin" but refuses to fix the issue without causing unnecessary hardship to owners who are affected. 4. The manufacture Honda Co., is aware the Camshaft was "not machined according to spec" based on their own bulletin. 5. No warnings as far as I can tell, it just started happening more and more frequently until I can hardly drive it anywhere without it breaking down. Once it breaks down a bunch of unrelated warning lights come on such as, "Emission system problem, power steering problem, Vehicle stability /assist problem, Hill Start problem, Trailer Stability Assist problem, Road departure mitigation system problem, Keyless start problem, along with the check engine light.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #102

Aug 042023

Pilot

  • miles
vehicle died/lost power on interstate traveling near 75mph in heavy traffic. warning lights on dash came on. trying to maneuver through traffic to get to the side of the road was very dangerous. car taken to dealership and had a P0716 CODE stored in the computer. was told that there was a TSB for the issue but it was no longer in effect. they said it needed a TCM update. this is not an TSB issue but is a safety issue that should be addressed with a recall.

- Sevierville, TN, USA

problem #101

Aug 172023

Pilot

  • miles

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

at 45.000 miles all of my fuel injectors was replaced due to emission system problem appear on my dash board for free. At 97,000 miles we were on vacation in Houston TX, when the same emission system problem pop up on my dash board. I went to Honda dealership for engine diagnosis-"faulty fuel injectors". Sad thing the replacement fuel injectors are back ordered. So we left the vehicle behind in Houston and we went home with a rental car. 2 weeks after Honda informed me the parts have arrived. The vehicle was brought to the dealership and got fixed. we had it transported back here in Chicago. Back here same emission system problem came up. now they reprogram the vehicle computer. after a day they released the vehicle same error came up. now the Honda dealership says that the catalytic converter should be replaced. Parts and labor totals to $3,200. That is so upsetting considering the age of the vehicle and mileage. Suppose to get to 200,000 miles. Major defect on the 2016 Honda pilot that needs to be address by Honda of America and investigated by NHTSA.

- Westmont, IL, USA

problem #100

Sep 232022

Pilot

  • miles
Our Honda Pilot 2016 starting experiencing fuel surging issues in July 2018 and was taken to our nearest Honda Dealership on 7/03/18 in The Dalles, Oregon. Honda stated it was a code C1841-27 which was repaired with no mention of fuel injector extended warranty issues, document included. On September 23, 2023 my car stopped functioning on a busy road way and was brought into our local mechanic. The mechanic determined that the fuel pump failed due to Honda code P0087 (fuel rail pressure too low) and was repaired. Shortly after while driving the car check engine light came on and the car had a noticeable burning smell. The car was towed to our mechanic which in turn told us to have it towed to the Honda Dealership for misfiring counter associating with failing fuel injectors TSB #18-025 code. My vehicle was towed to the closest Honda Dealership and repaired under the extended warranty recall 6E6. The fuel injectors were replaced by Honda on April 10, 2023 under above warranty recall. All documents and extended warranty paperwork was submitted to Honda, however, Honda is stating that they will not cover the faulty fuel pump and cost of towing the vehicle when the fuel injectors failed.

- Trout Lake, WA, USA

problem #99

Mar 152023

Pilot

  • miles
My car got recall from Honda on: ?'? P0420 (rear bank catalyst system efficiency below threshold [bank 1]) ?'? P0430 (front bank catalyst system efficiency below threshold [bank 2]) ?'? P0300-P0306 (misfire) ?'? P219A (air-fuel ratio variation of cylinder [bank 1, rear bank]) ?'? P219B (air-fuel ratio variation of cylinder [bank 2, front bank]) but they fixed for P219A, and P219B only, now it still got issue on P0420 ( Catalyc conventer issue)

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #98

Mar 042023

Pilot

  • miles
idle-stop feature. When the idle-stop feature activates as the vehicle is stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle fails to restart when the brake is released and accelerator pedal pressed. I turn on the emergency flashers. The vehicle usually restarts within 3 minutes. I am afraid I will be rear-ended at high speed as I am stopped at a green traffic signal. This also causes others drivers to swerve around my vehicle causing unnecesary danger. This happens weekly.

- Frederick, Md, MD, USA

problem #97

Feb 212023

Pilot

  • miles
The instrument panel is flashing all alerts when the car is off. I am able to drive the car. It is unknown which component has malfunctioned. Several Honda owners on Google say to check the fuel injectors. I am hoping you all can assist me with that. My safety was put at risk as the alarm goes off randomly when the car is off. It is bothersome at my workplace. I am afraid to drive the vehicle. One of the alerts that flashes is the Antilock Brake System. I am afraid the brakes will go out during driving. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. I hope to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. All warning lamps and messages were blinking after the car was turned off. There were no signs of issues prior to turning the car off. Since the first initial flashing of alerts, the alerts now stay on during driving however not all lights are flashing. Could it simply need a software update? I do feel this needs investigating and a recall issued.

- Gaffney, SC, USA

problem #96

Jan 162023

Pilot

  • miles
The car consistently stalls out when we stop and the auto idle begins. When we remove foot from break the car doesn-??t restart and takes a few minutes of turning it on/off before vehicle resumes functioning. Honda says nothing is wrong but it has been an issue since purchase. It is more likely to occur when ac is running. I have to manually turn off auto idle every time I turn on vehicle to prevent stalling.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #95

Sep 202021

Pilot 6-cyl

  • miles
Since buying my 2016 Honda Pilot Elite in June of 2021 I have had innumerable instances of my vehicle's auto stop start feature failing to START after being engaged. I believe the first instance was in Sept 2021 (after the lemon law time frame passed for my state). When my vehicle is stopped, I try to hit the gas and the vehicle does not go. At this same time an error happens on the screen that says "shift car to P". The first few times this has happened I tried to shift to P and that did not help. I figured out that it is best (i.e. quickest, I am not sure it is the best for the vehicle) to just turn the car off. Wait a few seconds, and then turn the car back on and put it back into drive and go. Keep in mind that I have cars peeling by me, screaming at me, honking, yelling, etc. all with my 6/7yo daughter in the vehicle. I am often stuck in an intersection going left. Additionally, sometimes but not always, the radio and heat/ac turn off when this happens. This has occurred far more times than I can count but a few examples in bumper to bumper city traffic, when waiting to make a left hand turn in intersections, while taking turns at a stop sign both flat and uphill (which is terrifying), just while being stopped at red lights and having the light turn green, when taking turns to enter a rotary, when trying to go at a yield sign, etc. There is no warning light or lamp. The warning lights/sounds occur while/after its already happened. Sometimes the radio turns off and the heat/ac. I have had the vehicle repeatedly serviced by the dealer I purchased it from. They said they cannot replicate the issue. They have asked me to take video of it which is infuriating and UNSAFE as I am in the vehicle with a child in traffic, sometimes in the middle of an intersection, trying not to get T-boned. We have changed the battery. The dealer has cleaned carbon build up out of something. They continually say it is not an issue and cannot be replicated.

- Niskayuna, NY, USA

problem #94

Sep 142022

Pilot

  • miles
There is an emissions warning system that pops. Upon diagnosis, it is determined that the fuel injectors need replacement (all 6 of them) because the parts were manufactured with contaminants in them. There was no recall and due to the nature of the incident, it is NOT covered by an warranties once you pass a certain mileage (80,000, I believe). Unfortunately, this issue/alarm did not pop until after I had passed that mileage point and because it falls under an emissions system problem, not a drivetrain, I have to pay out of pocket. If this problem stems from a manufacturing issue, it should be a safety recall.

- Prior Lake, MN, USA

problem #93

Oct 242022

Pilot

  • miles
Emission system problem light - is VERY COMMON 2016-2018 Honda Pilot. Why is there NO recall/permanent fix for this? This is a Honda Defect in manufacturing/workmanship. Honda should resolve!

- Lawrenceville , NJ, USA

problem #92

Oct 192022

Pilot

  • miles
On multiple occasions, but the latest being 10/19/2022, my car will not restart after the auto idle start/stop feature malfunctioned while at a stoplight this afternoon. The battery is not old, and we recently had it checked because it has been doing this a lot lately. It checked out fine when tested. Something is majorly wrong with the electrical parts when this happens. Lights flash, my hazards didn-??t even work today, which was very scary and not safe. The only door that would open was my driver side door. This is a huge safety concern and I am now looking for a new car. This has happened at least 20-30 times, but today was the worst. It took awhile to get it jumped off. In the middle of traffic, with my hazard lights not working. Honda really needs to fix this. We took it to the dealership once about this issue and they said nothing was wrong. Please investigate this issue before it causes injury.

- Pearl, MS, USA

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