2016 Honda Pilot: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 2262 complaints
2262
Total Complaints
48,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
39
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
30,000
25th Percentile
48,000
Median Mileage
71,625
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
710
Electrical System
563
Unknown Or Other
283
Power Train
193
Fuel/Propulsion System
155
Body
46
Vehicle Speed Control
37
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
37
Engine And Engine Cooling
37
Service Brakes
28
Severity Assessment
39
Crashes
15
Fires
43
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EX..."
"ROOF RAIL COVERS BLEW OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. POOR FIT ON FRONT ROOF RAIL COVER MOLDINGS LEAVES AIR GAP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS CAN CAUSE THE 8 FOOT STRIPS OF RUBBER, PASTIC MOLDINGS TO FLY OFF VEHICLE. THIS HAS SERIOUS ACCIDENT POTENTIAL AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS. ONLINE FORUMS ARE FLOODED WITH SIMILAR ..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
710 complaints
25th: 37,520 mi
Median: 60,000 mi
75th: 88,964 mi
Electrical System
563 complaints
25th: 35,875 mi
Median: 48,450 mi
75th: 65,000 mi
Unknown Or Other
283 complaints
25th: 21,000 mi
Median: 42,000 mi
75th: 59,800 mi
Power Train
193 complaints
25th: 24,000 mi
Median: 47,000 mi
75th: 67,750 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System
155 complaints
25th: 36,471 mi
Median: 51,000 mi
75th: 67,850 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 320
TX: 196
NY: 146
FL: 141
PA: 105
NC: 100
IL: 87
VA: 86
GA: 82
MD: 76
Who Files Complaints?
0.3%
Original Owners
99.7%
Second+ Owners
Honda Pilot — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (7)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Storage
Campaign 17V219000 | 30/03/2017
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KE8.
Tank Assembly
Campaign 16V417000 | 09/06/2016
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. The recall began on July 29, 2016. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA9 (Honda vehicles) and KB0 (Acura vehicles).
Rear/Other
Campaign 15V424000 | 06/07/2015
If the third row seatbelt is trapped, the occupants may not be restrained properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the rear third row seat belt, free of charge. The recall began on August 6, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-310-783-2000. Honda's number for this recall is JS7.
Instrument Cluster/Panel
Campaign 15V668000 | 16/10/2015
If a safety system cannot immediately warn the driver when needed, the driver may be at increased risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV7.
Hood
Campaign 21V932000 | 29/11/2021
A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Campaign 23V751000 | 13/11/2023
A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner
Fuel Pump
Campaign 23V858000 | 18/12/2023
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28