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Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2016 Honda PilotRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 1,725 owner complaints for the 2016 Honda Pilot. Most complaints involve engine (781) and electrical system (583). The EPA rates it 21–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
21–23mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest Jun 2026
Owner complaints
1,725
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,800est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Structure: frame and members

Remedy pending

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

StructureReported Jun 5, 2026NHTSA 26V365000

Fuel system

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Dec 19, 2023NHTSA 23V858000

Engine and engine cooling: hard parts internal

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 13, 2023NHTSA 23V751000
See all 8 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

1,725 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jul 2015 – Nov 2026
  1. Engine781
  2. Electrical system583
  3. Power train201
  4. Fuel/propulsion system174
  5. Structure54
  6. Engine and engine cooling45
  7. Vehicle speed control39
  8. Electronic stability control (esc)37
  9. Service brakes29

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Pilot model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2003746
2004544
2005679
2006268
2007211
2008133
2009134
2010111
2011293
2012172
2013272
2014116
2015109
20161,725
2017937
2018442
2019927
2020493
2021452
2022172
2023148
2024117
2025216
202629
Crashes reported
23
Fires reported
10
Injuries reported
20
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

781 reports5 crashes8 fires
“I have been having issues with my 2016 Honda Pilot and I looked on Experian and it stated that there is a recall. There are two different recalls, the first one says Fuel Injector/W Software Update the date is 11/24/2020 and recall # W8V. Also recall for Start/Stop Switch that the recall date was 12/9/2020 and recall # Y93. I bought my car in 2024 but I did not get an extended warranty. The car is having same symptoms for the past 2 years, my husband tries to fix what he can. Even though it is not under warranty they never fixed these issues before selling my car. It started acting up after 3 months of having it. So I am thinking they just took of the system problem and tweaked it so the car would be sold.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2026Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11774204

Electrical system

583 reports3 crashes5 fires
“The auto idle malfunctioned; the vehicle did not restart when the break was released and/or moving steering wheel. It was in the middle of a busy intersection so that is definitely putting my safety as well as my daughter's and others safety at risk. It took at least a minute to restart the vehicle, by putting the gear in park and restarting the vehicle (which took several attempts). Those steps were produced on the dashboard when it didn't restart after being idle. It has happened several times over the last four months. I've taken it to my local car shop, but they are not able to find anything wrong; however, the manager of the car shop did experience the malfunction when driving on 10/10/2026. It was suggested to report the malfunction as an incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2026Electrical systemODI 11774936

Power train

201 reports5 crashes
“My 2016 honda pilot has 97,500 miles. The engine stop working and I have it replaced a used 3.5 engine. The transmission has transmission overheating problem and I took a picture on the dash board. I show it to the service advisor and they won't acknowledge about the overheating problem. Honda care customer service won't do anything regarding the engine and transmission problem.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2026Power train, EngineODI 11768126
All 2016 Pilot problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S9) · Automatic 6-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Pilot 2WD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202723$2,800388
Pilot 2WD
Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
192722$2,900405
Pilot 4WD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
192622$2,900406
Pilot 4WD
Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
182521$3,050423
  • Pilot 2WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Pilot 2WD
    Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    19 city · 27 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Pilot 4WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    19 city · 26 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Pilot 4WD
    Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    18 city · 25 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Honda Pilot SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.4%
Overall
5 / 5
Honda Pilot SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
17.5%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 10564Vehicle 10563
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2016 Pilot questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Honda Pilot have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2016 Honda Pilot problems?

Owners filed 1,725 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (781), electrical system (583), power train (201). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2016 Honda Pilot get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Honda Pilot at 21–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

How safe is the 2016 Honda Pilot?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2016 Honda Pilot 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026