Honda Pilot Complaints (2016)

1,724 consumer complaints on file.

#11648193March 13, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Vehicle's motor stopped running in traffic
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11647836March 12, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This accident happended about three months ago. While I was driving on highway, all of suddend, most the signals popped up like firework, AWD/VSV/EPS/TSA and Hill Start Asssitance and etc. My pilot just like lost power and hardly to be speeded up. This was really scarily on the highway. Then I managed to drive to my friends' garage. My friend, who owns a garage, helped me to diagnosis the issue and failed to find anything significant (See attached) . He then cleaned up a the signals above, and let me drive home. Amazingly after a the error signals cleaned up, my pilot was running normally. So couple of weeks later, I sent my car to DavisHonda, a dealer close to my home, to have a close check. Unfortunately, the report shows that everything is normally. At this moment, I am so surprised how could that happens to my car. My gut feeling for this accident is this one is mostly the software issue than hardware issue. So how in some particular conditions the software has some hacuup. But this could rely on your investigation. Maybe this is only one or two cases. But for me I still feel no comfortable to drive this car around, since I feel it is not that safe any more. Hope you guy can find some answer for me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11647028March 7, 2025
ENGINE
My wife was driving down a busy two lane main road when the vehicle stopped with no prior warning symptoms or dash lights. The vehicle would not jump or go into any gear. It was towed to Honda East in Cincinnati. They said it was showing multiple misfire codes. After a complete engine teardown at a cost of almost $1K, it was determined that it had two bent valves in cylinder #2. The timing belt components were intact and the mechanic had no explanation as to why the valves were bent. I suggested it could be the rod bearing failure that others had experienced and of which a recall had already been issued for some VIN's of the same year. But the mechanic didn't seem to think so. They said it was unrepairable and their solution was to install a used donor engine. Because I was not ready to part with the vehicle, I had no choice but to approve the donor engine install. The total job including the engine teardown and diagnosis cost me roughly $7,500. Like many others have experienced, my VIN did not fall under the recall, and I was held responsible for the full out of pocket repair cost. I am hoping that enough owners who have also been forced to replace their engines report their experience through the NHTSA, forcing Honda to step up and issue a blanket recall on all the 2016 Pilots.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646531March 5, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The ATF Warmer failed. This allowed engine coolant and transmission fluid to mix. This caused the engine and transmission to overheat. No warning messages appeared up until the transmission overheated. A warning appeared about the transmission, but not about the engine. Honda says that they do not think my VIN was impacted by this known issue. And, yet, my car has a textbook defective ATF warmer with 100% overlap in symptoms with a known service bulletin issue (17-035 from April 7, 2018).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646533March 5, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN SMELLING FUEL IN THE CABIN WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. ALSO WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS TOPPED OFF, WE SMELL FUEL WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR 1 TO 2 DAYS AFTERWARDS. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP WHO ADVISED THEY SEE SIGNS OF SMALL FUEL RUN-OFF FROM TOP SIDE OF TANK. THEY PERFORMED A SYSTEM PRESSURE TEST AND THE EVAPORATIVE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK FAILED THE PRESSURE TEST. THE VEHICLE IS OFFICIALLY NOT PART OF RECALL LISTED BY HONDA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 16-051 OR 17-021. THE REPLACEMENT TANK PART NO. 17044-TG7-A00 OR 17044-TG7-A01 IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM ANY HONDA OEM DEALER DUE TO BACKORDER WITHOUT ANY DATES. WE WERE ADVISED TO ENSURE VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTSIDE OF GARAGE FOR FUME AND FIRE SAFETY. CALLED Honda Automobile Customer Service Recall Line, THEY ONLY CAN ESCALATE AS A GOODWILL REQUEST FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646484March 5, 2025
ENGINE
Was driving car on 3/3/25 with 91,635 miles and lights started flashed saying "Emission System Problem" and "Transmission System Problem." Car slowed down and wouldn't shift gears putting me in danger of being stranded on the street. Screen showing drive mode went blank and wouldn't show if car was in drive or reverse. Luckily was able to get car back to home a few hundreds of feet away but car was very sluggish. Error message on car said engine system problem and not to drive the car and get it to dealer. Ran machine and found DTC code of P0717 Input/Turbine Speed Sensor A Circuit No Signal. On 3/4/25, car was towed to Right Honda dealer. Tow truck driver barely got car on bed since gears were not shifting. Dealer found at drop off that the car was smoking from exhaust. Tech at dealer diagnosed and found input shaft sensor to be "bad" or "faulty." The output had signal but NO signal from input. They proceeded with work to replace input shaft sensor and the DTC code cleared. There was no service bulletin out to cover the faulty part and I had to pay out of pocket, $330.25. Honda needs to have a service bulletin for this faulty part that could cause a loss in power to vehicle and leave driver/passengers stranded or in a collision with no warning! I would like to be reimbursed for my out of pocket expense as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646287March 4, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact observed a loud banging sound coming from the same area and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the connecting rod had gone through the oil pan, and the engine was blown. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646130March 3, 2025
ENGINE
My 2016 Honda Pilot engine had a rod knock and eventually was replaced by Acura of LibertyVille. When I reported this problem to libertyville Honda (IL) they said vehicle not on any recall list, but now I'm hearing that 2016 and newer Pilots have same issues as my car, when I called customer relations at honda, they are still telling me there are no recalls for your VIN, even though my vehicle 2016 Pilot. I believe that somehow something is missing and more VINs were impacted, according to what I read online.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645682March 1, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My Transmission went out on my 2016 Honda Pilot I bought it on 8/25/24 with 68,000 miles on it, six months later I have 81,000 miles on it and I’ve been quoted $9222 to install a rebuilt transmission at the dealership. 3 mechanics & transmission specialist do NOT even work or offer to replace transmissions on this model of honda pilot due to its known issues in the 6 cylinder V6 3.5 L. My car was in excellent condition, low miles, always well maintained. 2/21 It started rough/delayed shifting, during gear changes, hesitation when accelerating, unusual noise like quiet whining, on 2/22 the check engine & emissions & transmissions system lights came on I immediately took it to the Honda dealership/service on 2/22/25 I dropped it off and left it after hours (weekend Mon. 2/23 they diagnostic performed $200 transmission fluid flush and software update $500 it did not fix a thing. They evaluated & diagnosed on 2/24/25 Error codes stored P0776 & P0777. Recommending a rebuilt transmission for $9222. I got second and third opinions from experienced, highly recommended mechanics & transmission specialists who won’t even touch the 2016 honda pilot because it is considered problematic model/year with frequent reports of glitches & complex issues which can be make the job time consuming & potentially costly for the mechanic due to the need for speciality parts & diagnostics. Ive contacted American Honda & service/dealership inquiring “goodwill” program with no resolution. I have personally owned a 2005 pilot, 2011 pilot, 2007 odyssey, my parents & sister both currently own two Honda pilots & a Honda Ridgeline to say we’re loyal Honda customers is an understatement. I regret buying this 2016 Honda Pilot 6 cylinder V6 3.5 L I believe honda made a huge mistake and recalls must be issued. Show some integrity and take accountability this is unacceptable. If consumers & mechanics want nothing to do with it you should probably follow the evidence. From a very disappointed customer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645687March 1, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
High pressure and low pressure fuel pumps were defective.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645769March 1, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
When I was paring my phone to Bluetooth I noticed my car started to pop up alerts in accessory mode (low power state engine off) that my Honda was hiding critical safety alerts with the Brake System and Charging System Problem and a Anti-Lock Brake System Problem when fully powering the car most of theses alerts are fully hidden from driver view the only thing I was able to see consistently was the U3006 control module input power fault with my scan tool this is very concerning that a driver would have to do all of this work to find essential hidden driver major safety alerts
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645597February 28, 2025
ENGINE
While driving my Pilots RPM suddenly dropped and started to go up and down. My car started to lose power and the car suddenly slowed down as if it wanted to turn off. I was stopped in the middle of the road and turned off the engine. Waited 2 minutes to turn on again and was able to get home. I checked for a code and it gave me P0369 a CAMSHAFT SENSOR problem. So I research the issue and it turns out Honda has known about this issue enough to make a bulletin for it to their techs. The remedy for this code? REPLACE THE CAMSHAFTS AND PLATE! If they have to put a bulletin out then it's happened often. Also why am I paying to put the same type of Camshaft back in with nothing to help that this won't happen again in "X" amount of miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645078February 26, 2025
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
The brakes have been repaired and replaced repeatedly. The vehicle locked down yesterday 2/25/25 when the driver was headed to school to pick up the children. The car came to a complete halt and was a danger to others with a "transmission engine" warning light on the dash. This vehicle has numerous repairs in addition to being too dangerous to drive down a two lane road due to the severity of the following issues: •Abrupt jerking or 'juddering' while accelerating, which can cause sudden unintended movement. •Noticeable hesitation when pressing the gas pedal, impacting the vehicle's response time. •Unusual clunking noises or hard downshifting, indicating potential internal damage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644684February 24, 2025
ENGINE
Failure of the connecting rod bearing similar to the recall. Current recall does not apply to the vin.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644329February 23, 2025
ENGINE
While driving on the highway, I heard an unusual noise coming from the engine. Shortly after, the check engine light began blinking, and the vehicle’s performance worsened. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, who suggested that the issue might be related to the engine rod bearing. This issue posed a serious safety risk as the sudden performance deterioration on the highway could have led to an accident or left me stranded. The problem has been confirmed by an independent mechanic but has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or a dealership. Prior to the failure, there was a noticeable engine noise, and the check engine light began blinking while driving. After researching, I found that certain 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles were recalled for this same issue, but my vehicle was not included. Additionally, reports indicate that NHTSA is investigating similar problems in Honda vehicles. I am reporting this issue as I believe it may be part of a broader safety concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643995February 20, 2025
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I just got on the freeway and traveled about two miles into driving without any warning engine begin to lose power than stalled. I immediately pulled over checked out all fluid levels were good. There were no leakage present and no codes came up on instrumental panel,and still unable to start car.We had my pilot towed to a mechanic shop 20 miles from where incident happened. When mechanic looked over my engine he noticed a crack and mentioned that something was protruding out from the engine block he took a picture and than text it to me stating that the engine was damaged. We had another certified mechanic take a look at problem area that's when he also concluded that the motors extension rod broke thru causing engine failure admitting that engine is damaged and would need to be replaced. We thought this might be part of a recall we checked on (23V751000) that stated due to manufacturer error the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize damaging the engine, when I read this I had my pilot towed now to Honda service center where they claimed that my pilot had no known recalls and that I would have to pay out of pocket 10 k to repair because there was now a large hole in my engine.Originally I was told it would cost me about $200 to have them take a look at what was wrong with my car, but When I asked what the bill was for the inspection they said it was zero dollars because (without telling me first)they changed out the push start button,and that there wound be no charge. When I asked why they changed it out when I had already done 2 yrs ago myself and was reimbursed by Honda already. Honda service technician than proceeded to show me a photo that was taken of a large hole in my engine, telling me they had no idea why, and advised me my motor would have to be replaced. We purchased this vehicle new from this dealership and have had service regularly including transmission fluid and tune up.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643628February 19, 2025
ENGINE
Subject: VIN [XXX] My Honda Pilot has been diagnosed with engine failure by Bobby Rahal Honda in Mechanicsburg, PA despite having been cared for quite well. This failure occurred well before reaching the expected life of the vehicle, yet outside the warranty window and having NO symptoms before the sudden failure. After doing some research on Pilot owner online forums, as well as, the NHTSA website, it seems similar complaints have been well reported and a recall has been issued for some vehicles in the same year and model under NHTSA campaign number 23V75100. This relates to Honda manufacturer recall XG1 and Honda recall GG0. The failures of my engine should be considered in the NHTSA Campaign number 23V751000. Honda recall number XG1, Honda recall GG0. In addition, my claim should be considered as part of NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013. This is a current investigation as to why the NHTSA Campaign Number 23V751000 was limited to 249K vehicles while so many cars continue to have the same issue but fall out of the scope of the recall. The estimate of the work that needs to be completed was going to cost us $7,585 on my vehicle. They wanted to replace the engine with a used engine that has the same issue. We had no choice but to trade it in and buy a new Pilot. This is unfair to American consumers, and I feel we need to get reimbursed by Honda Motors. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your work to protect the American consumer, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643488February 18, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH from a complete stop, the vehicle stalled temporarily. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. A message advising that the vehicle needed oil was displayed. The contact started to pull over to the side of the road and the vehicle stalled. The contact's husband met the contact on the side of the road and added oil to the engine. The contact was able to drive to the destination; however, the contact stated that the failure recurred while driving from a complete stop. The message "Oil Empty" was displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where unknown engine parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 (Engine). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643035February 16, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Vehicle started jerking bad and all the lights on the dash started rotating through the error messages. Took care to shop and confirmed fuel pump was bad. There is a recall on 2016 Honda Pilot Fuel Pumps but not for this particular model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641706February 10, 2025
ENGINE
Connecting rod bearing issues
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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