CarComplaints.com Notes: It's worrying when the top category for 2016 Honda Pilot problems are transmission problems. Owners report jerking when accelerating. Also as the first model year of the redesigned 3rd generation Pilot, it's not a good sign.

Honda released a TSB on October 29 2016 that's possibly related. The TSB deals with a "a judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch ... while driving between 20 and 60 mph" due to deteriorated transmission fluid resulting from "specific driving conditions". In the TSB, Honda states they are developing a software fix to try to keep the transmission fluid temperature within spec.

We are keeping a close eye on this defect trend because if certain driving conditions can affect transmission shifting in the first year of ownership, we'd hate to think what 10+ years will do.

5.1

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
19,347 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Honda Pilot steering problems

steering problem

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2016 Honda Pilot Owner Comments

problem #14

Aug 302023

Pilot

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving home, about 30 mph, multiple warning lights came on, transmission feels like it is shifting oddly, the steering gets harder to steer the longer you drive and it got harder to break like the brakes were freezing up.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #13

Aug 072023

Pilot

  • miles
My 2016 Honda Pilot was recently repaired as the Cam-Shaft had move within the care engine. My car has 109,000 miles on the vehicle, and should not have this issue given the cars age and the way that the car is driven. I am a suburban mom, who drives the car to work and with both of my children within my car. This put my entire family as risk driving within the care and could have hurt other drivers if the malfunction happened in the middle of the free-way or otherwise. The vehicle was inspected by the Honda Dealership for the issue. The vehicle has all of the dash lights flashing and the car was driving erratically, so much so that mid driving the car, it we were in a near miss accident due to the mechanical malfunction. The 2nd issue that has presented itself, it the start and stop button within the vehicle. It is a known defect to the vehicle.

- Midlothian, VA, USA

problem #12

Sep 032022

Pilot

  • miles
When stopped at a red light with my foot on the brake and the engine in idle, the engine turned off when I put my foot on the gas peddle. The engine idle stop was on. This occurred while stopped in city traffic (6/2022) and again when I was stopped at a red light on a highway (9/3/2022). The car rolled backward. I had to put the car in park and restart the car. I now have manually turned off the engine idle stop.

- Fayetteville, GA, USA

problem #11

Jun 202022

Pilot

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on the highway on cruise mode, the car was driving fine. Then suddenly, cruise mode turns off, and the following four lights appeared on the dash: emissions system problem, vehicle stability assist problem, hill stability assist problem, and steering problem. When the car attempted to accelerate, it would not go above 50 mph on a 70mph highway. When it did go above 50mph, the car would bounce as if it was on a bumpy road even though the road was smooth. Additionally, when the problem would appear again, the car would suddenly slow down, increasing risk for an accident with the other cars driving so fast. We have bought many cars in the past but this was the first time we have ever experienced a problem like this with a Honda vehicle. I came on here to send this message to make other drivers aware that this is a common problem that 2016 Honda pilots have been experiencing, according to some mechanics.

- Bear, DE, USA

problem #10

Jun 272020

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Driving at 35 mph on my way home on a side street and my car jolted and stalled and several (5)warning lights came on. Vehicle stability, brake, trammision warning, and a couple other lights. I turned the vehicle off and restarted the car. I tried to drive it in a parking lot so I was able to get safely out of oncoming traffic. And it would not shift properly and I couldn+T drive it at all as I would try to start and it wojld rev to 4000-5000 rpms and would pop in and out from gear to park.. I had it towed from the parking lot I was in to my machanic. My concern is that I don+T feel safe driving on the highway with shifting issues, stalls and jolts that have happened if I were on the highway when that happened, going at 65 mph, it would have caused unnecessary accidents. It+S extremelyndangerous with my children in the car as well as innocent bystanders still no recall for my vehicle.

- Tolland, CT, USA

problem #9

Feb 202020

Pilot

  • 59,000 miles
Apear air bag light.and power stering light

- Queens, NY, USA

problem #8

Jan 102020

Pilot

  • 41,460 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Multiple warning lights on the dash, check engine light is on including road departure mitigation warning, trailer stability assist warning, hill start assist warning, vehicle stability assist warning, emissions system control warning, all wheel drive system warning, power steering warning and acc warning where all came up at the same time with a sudden jerk and car cannot go beyond 20 mi/hr while I was driving in the highway that almost got me into an accident with an individual on the rear almost bumped me. Now I'm afraid to drive it. I actually got the attention of my dealer (norris Honda) when the jerking started at the mileage of 34,100 miles and happened several times but with no warning light coming on. They did a test drive and it so happened that it didn't happen when they tested it and no check engine light on. They told me that they have had several incidence of the same problem with other customers with Honda Pilot 2016 and 2017 and is a common issue and ended up having to change the fuel injectors and have solved their problem. The problem though is, my car is only 3yrs old and having all these problems now and they charge $1800 to change the injectors, which I think is way too much for a fairly new car with dealer being aware of the first jerking problems before the warranty ended. I have been having all Honda cars since I started having a car because of its reliability and performance and now this happened. It has been a very common problem but no recall has been made. I hope that there will be no accidents with one losing life before a recall is made. I hope you can help me out with this, thank you

- Perry Hall, MD, USA

problem #7

Sep 172018

Pilot

  • 29,395 miles
My vehicle was in motion on a neighborhood street when several alerts went off on my dashboard: Road departure mitigation system problem, trailer stability assist problem, hill start assist problem, vehicle stability assist problem, emissions system problem, power steering system problem. I could find no reason for these alerts. I took my car into a dealership the next day and was told there was no issue and the lights were turned off. 10 days later they all came on again as I was driving on a local street. The next day when I went to take my car to the dealer, the lights had turned off. I took it in anyway, and they again said there was no issue. I reported the issue to Honda corporation and was told by one agent that this wasn't the first time the issue had come up in a newer model Pilot. Again 2 days ago, all the lights came on and now also the brake assist alert is also on. I will take it to the dealership again. I am concerned all the false alarms may be hiding an underlying issue that could result in a dangerous accident. I also feel that Honda global is not taking me seriously as I am active duty stationed overseas and have to rely on local Honda dealerships that do not have much experience with the Honda Pilot. The dates of the lights were 17 Sept, 27 Sept, and 6 Oct 2018.

- Apo, AE, USA

problem #6

Apr 262018

Pilot

  • 4,000 miles
When starting the car it shows the message "power steering system (eps) problem". first I noticed this problem within 6 months of I bought this car and at that time I did not take it as serious, but now at least once in a weeks it shows this message.

- Yonkers, NY, USA

problem #5

Apr 262018

Pilot

  • 4,000 miles
When starting the car it shows the message on the screen "power steering system (eps) problem. This problem started within 6 months I bought this car, but I did not take it as serious, but now it always shows this message. At first this problem was only on extreme cold weather, but now it shows at least once in a week.

- Yonkers, NY, USA

problem #4

Mar 022017

Pilot

  • 9,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Steering wheel is not straight since I bought the car. I took the SUV several times and they said that is a defect on the chassis or something like that. They said that Honda's engineer are working on this issue. Now is more than a year and my SUV has same problem still.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #3

Jan 052018

Pilot

  • 25,000 miles
On my 2016 Honda Pilot, all the lights come on in the dashboard ex; vsc, check engine, ABS, power steering. Took it to Honda and they performed a software update. Two days later the same problems occurs.

- Valley Stream, NY, USA

problem #2

Jan 032017

Pilot 6-cyl

  • 17,000 miles
I was driving in the rain at about 30 miles and hour towards a red light. I began to slow down with the brakes, but the car would not stop and skidded right through the red light. I also tried steering the car to the right, but the car would not steer right and kept skidding through the red light until it slightly hit the median and stopped. Luckily, no oncoming cars were coming or my car would have went right into them. The tires claim to be "all weather tires" which are Bridgestone dueler tires, 245/60R18. On other occasions in the rain, I have felt the car skid when tapping on the brakes while turning, but not to the extent of yesterday when I could have been in a terrible accident. I also read on line of another person reporting skidding while turning in the rain in a Honda Pilot. Something happens with this car in the rain that causes the brakes to not stop the car and instead skid as if it is on ice without control of the steering at the same time.

- Adamstown, MD, USA

problem #1

Sep 012015

Pilot

  • 2,000 miles
My car has a variety of dangerous behaviors in the driver assist functionalities that could either cause or fail to prevent an accident. I have only driven it 2,000 miles but observed these many times. I reported these to the dealer and was told the car was fine. Adaptive cruise control issues: - fails to detect vehicles in odd situations, such as a truck where the rear of the body protrudes out from the rear wheels, as if the radar is only at ground level, or if a vehicle is driving in my lane but one tire is in the other lane, or a wide load which occupies all of the adjacent lane and half of my lane, or a "bobtail" truck. - after an empty stretch, upon coming up to a slower car, rather than slow gradually by easing off the gas, the car will get very close to the car and then rapidly brake, causing drivers behind me to nearly rear-end me. Collision mitigation: - all of these trigger "brake" messages to be displayed, which is just 1 step before the brakes being auto-applied, which could cause me to be rear-ended. - false alarms while merging from lefthand onramps where a pending collision with the jersey barrier is detected - false alarms by the hills adjacent to the road when going around a sharp turn on back roads - false alarms when cresting a hill with a curve after the hill and it thinks an oncoming car will be hit, because it can't see the lane markings past the hill lane keep assist: - partially goes into exit ramps on its own if in the right lane, causing other drivers to think I am leaving the lane and start to merge themselves - is confused by lines of tar and will depart the lane on its own - often "fights" with the lane departure mitigation around corners - tries to prevent me from giving other vehicles some buffer when passing them, if they are wider or drifting toward me. - does not alert when it stops being able to detect the lines

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

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