2016 Honda Pilot: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
1,691 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The second-generation Pilot (2009–2015) is one of the quieter three-row SUVs in the dataset. The third generation arrived for 2016 with a nine-speed automatic on the upper trims, cylinder deactivation on the V6, and a new infotainment system — and 1,688 complaints: harsh and delayed shifts, warning-light cascades, and the engine idling roughly under cylinder deactivation. Read the full note on the model page. 2016 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 1,691 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Honda Odyssey and Pilot: the transmission years to avoid, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 1,691 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 169.1
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke inside the vehicle. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the contact's son noticed an abnormal sound. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a hole in the rear of the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repla…
My 2016 Honda Pilot Elite has developed a loud, heavy metallic knocking sound coming from the engine block that increases in speed with engine RPMs. Despite strict regular maintenance and oil changes, the engine noise is getting progressively worse, creating an immediate risk of catastrophic engine failure, stalling, or seizing while driving on the highway. While this vehicle matches the exact failure symptoms of NHT…
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving on a cross-country trip, the vehicle stalled on four separate occasions. The contact stated that on one occasion the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. On several occasions, the vehicle restarted after approximately 45 minutes. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failu…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
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What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,650
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine763 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System579 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other289 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train198 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System169 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Structure53 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Honda Pilot years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Honda Pilot?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (763 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Honda Pilot a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 46/100, computed from 1,691 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Honda Pilot's most common problem?
763 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Honda Pilot sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Honda Pilot cost to run per year?
About $7,932 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $39,662 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Honda Pilot really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 1,691 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 1691 NHTSA complaints on record (169.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (54.5/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems