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.

7.3

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
7,300 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 suspension problems

suspension 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

problem #5

Jan 302024

Pilot

  • miles

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

I was driving my vehicle on the highway at approximately 70 kph when the engine seized and all of the warning lights in the dash went out simultaneously. The car would barely accelerate but I was able to pull over and get it towed to a shop. The shop diagnosed total engine failure as a result of tension rod shavings showing in the oil filter. I researched recalls for my model & year and found November 13, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V751000. Although my specific VIN is not yet included, both the model/ year and symptoms of the issue match exactly with what happened to me. I urge you to include my VIN in this recall.

- Bristol, TN, USA

problem #4

Jul 052019

Pilot

  • miles
My car keeps displaying 'key start system problem' it comes on and off. Sometimes for a week or just a few days. I have now taken to the dealership twice and they can not figure out why it comes on then turns off. This last time lasted a week and it felt like my car was struggling to move when I accelerated. This is consistent problem with the Honda Pilot. I checked online and other customers are experiencing the same problem, they tried replacing the push to start button, key batteries and the harness. This happens when I start my car only, I have not made any alterations to my vehicle. I just got my car in April of this year.

- Germantown, MD, USA

problem #3

May 122018

Pilot

  • 26,500 miles
Broken sway bar rust at crack short trip home from shopping noice load clunk clunk and on andon

- Shreveport, LA, USA

problem #2

Nov 022015

Pilot

  • 7,000 miles
Front end creeking/loud pop when taking off and turning. Not continuous. Had it test driven by Honda dealership mechanic twice. I was told it was normal... and never check under the vehicle. Also, Honda recalled software for navigation panel... but the same issues have arisen again.

- Vallejo, CA, USA

problem #1

Nov 042015

Pilot

  • 3,000 miles
I write to you to convey my safety concerns regarding a new Honda 2016 Pilot. My attempts to resolve my concerns with american Honda motor co., Inc. Were met with tepid reluctance and a cavalier neglectful attitude. 1.at high speeds (55-75 mph) the vehicle oversteers and during emergency avoidance maneuvers becomes unstable. Twice while avoiding dear on interstate highways, I have almost lost control and was seriously concerned about rolling the vehicle over. I own and have driven a 2003 Pilot for over 180,000 miles and never experienced this sort of issue. I believe the suspension is incorrectly designed and that unexpected and unnecessary rollovers are imminent. 2.the 'auto idle off' feature turns the engine completely off at certain times and under certain circumstances. It takes between 900 and 1,300 milliseconds to recover power to the wheels when this happens. Unlike hybrid vehicles (from which this feature was taken), there is no alternative electrical motor to provide torque to the drivetrain while the engine restarts and as a result, there is delay in accelerating. In the vast majority of times, this is of no consequence however in a small fraction this delay increases the risk of collision. About once per week, I experience a delay in entering dense traffic within short interstate merge lanes. This delay of about one second is enough to remove my margin of error and increases the risk of collision during a merging maneuver. While there is a switch to defeat this feature, it resets every time the vehicle is turned off and remembering to override it every time is inconsistent with human memory and performance.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Not what you are looking for?