The Lemon Index2016 Honda Pilot.
The 2016 Honda Pilot is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 428 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 340, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 8 recalls, and it gets 21 to 23 mpg combined. The best Honda Pilot year is 2010.
Lemon alert. 3.4× the average car's complaints.
Best year 2010
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2016–2022 Honda Pilot, 18.8M views. The 2016 is the same generation.
- Infotainment, battery & electrical655K views
How To Replace Honda Pilot Key Fob Battery 2016 - 2022 Change Replacement Pilot Remote Key BatteriesPYR Automotive · 186K views · 6 videos - Transmission & shifter277K views
Honda Pilot - Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Change - 2016-2020MINUTE DIY VIDEOS · 190K views · 2 videos - Fuel pump, filter & tank261K views
2016 Honda Pilot P0430 Service Emissions System - Fuel Injector Replacement-Part 1Pete's Garage · 261K views - Brakes & ABS183K views
How to Change Honda Pilot Brakes - Pads and Rotors - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 | DIYFix and Play · 119K views · 2 videos
Show 4 more
- Cooling system119K views
How to Replace Timing Belt Kit With Water Pump Honda Pilot 2016-2022 3.5L V6TRQ · 119K views - Driveshaft, axles & 4x483K views
2016 - 2023 Honda Pilot Rear Differential Fluid Replacement (With Bleeding Procedure)Owen Lucas · 83K views - No-start: theft light, key & ignition83K views
2016 - 2022 Honda Pilot no startBCauto_ · 83K views - Oil changes & service72K views
2017 Honda Pilot Basic Maintenance Quick ReferenceOn The Workbench · 72K views
Before you buy, watch
Highlander Vs. Pilot: Which 2017 3-Row SUV Should You Buy? — Cars.comCars.com · 464K views
2016 - 2018 Honda Pilot common problemsBCauto_ · 141K views
2019 - 2022 Honda Pilot problemsBCauto_ · 106K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 1,715 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Honda Pilot year. 2016 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 30K to 77K miles on the car (735 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 37K–91K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 35K–65K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 24K–70K miles
Recalls 8
- body structure 2026
The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
- fuel system, gasoline 2023
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- engine 2023
Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Show all 8 recalls
- body structure 2021
The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
- fuel system, gasoline 2017
The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak.
- fuel system, gasoline 2016
The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that were manufactured with insufficient welds which may separate and allow fuel to leak out.
- electrical 2015
In the affected vehicles, when one of the safety systems such as tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking or electronic stability control malfunctions, there is potential that the instrument panel will not illuminate …
- seat belts 2015
Due to an assembly issue, the third row seatbelt may be trapped between the rear seat and the rear sideliner.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 365 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- On some 2016 Pilot Touring and Elite vehicles, the gauge control module software installed did…
- Service bulletin - the timing belt area makes a chirping noise after the engine warms up
- Techline summary article - if the ignition intermittently wont turn to off or it just turns to…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenNo restart after auto start/stop engages2025
- OpenEngine failure2025
- ClosedEngine failure2024–2025
- ClosedNo restart after auto start/stop engages2022–2025
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Pilot SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Honda Pilot SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2800–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Error message 'keyless start system problem' this recently start happening, I have recently brought it in to the dealer and they ran a diagnosis and found no real error so they have reset the ignition switch but now it's back on.
2016 Honda Pilot owner · NHTSA complaint 11170217
More owner reports
Suddenly 'keyless start system problem' popped up when I put my car into park.
NHTSA complaint 11210219
When driving in eco mode the car shuts partially down at red lights and other stops as is expected, but lights, radio, ac., etc still function. Every 5 or 6th time my car now shuts off completely and requires me to restart it.
NHTSA complaint 11252277
Quick answers
Is the 2016 Honda Pilot reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 3.4× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 340; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Honda Pilot year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2016 Honda Pilot problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (41%), engine (20%) and transmission & drivetrain (18%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2016 Honda Pilot have?
8 safety recalls (latest: body structure). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Honda Pilot get?
21 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2016 Honda Pilot safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2016 Honda Pilot problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 30,000 and 77,000 miles. The middle report was at 50,000 miles, from 735 complaints.
Does the 2016 Honda Pilot have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 18% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2016 Honda Pilot cost in fuel a year?
About $2800 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2016 Honda Pilot have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Honda Pilot year is better than the 2016?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2015 and 2014.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works