2016 Honda Pilot Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

748Engine complaints

45%Of all 1,664 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE748 · 45%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM568 · 34.1%

Unspecified / other286 · 17.2%

POWER TRAIN197 · 11.8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM164 · 9.9%

Share of the 1,664 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Honda Pilot overview page.

What owners report

“ENGINE STOPS WON'T RESTART MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHT FLASHING GIVING APPEARANCE OF COMPUTER FAILURE. SECOND INCIDENT. FIRST INCIDENT DEALER SAID NO PROBLEM AFTER CHECKING BATTERY. SECOND…”NHTSA complaint 10991579 — filed 05/25/2017

“SURGE WHILE BRAKING DURING PARKING CAUSED VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AHEAD AND HIT VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE EXCEEDING $1600.00. SEE HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN…”NHTSA complaint 10966344 — filed 03/16/2017

“I WAS DRIVING AROUND TOWN RUNNING ERRANDS. AS I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT, MY DISPLAY PANEL SHOWED EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE…”NHTSA complaint 10944437 — filed 01/11/2017

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Honda Pilot have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2016 Honda Pilot: 748 of 1,664 complaints on file (45%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Honda Pilot have in total?

1,664 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 9 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.