72 complaints reported

2016 Honda Pilot FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
72
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2019

AFTER FUELING, NO TOPPING OFF, DRIPS OR LEAKS, VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN INTERIOR. SO STRONG COULDN'T DRIVE. HAD TO LEAVE IT SIT WITH OPEN WINDOWS. STRONG FUEL SMELL CONTINUED THROUGHOUT DAY, CONTINUED MILDER SMELL, BUT VERY NOTICEABLE NEXT DAY. WENT TO DEALER, THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS. KEEPING IT OVERNIGHT. AFTER RESEARCH HONDA KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM BUT HAS NO CURRENT FIX OR OFFERS OF BUYBACK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

THE 2016 HONDA PILOT FEATURED REDESIGNED FUEL INJECTORS THAT ARE UNDER INTENSE PSI. AFTER APPROX. 3 YEARS, THEY ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. MOST FUEL INJECTORS ARE DESIGNED TO LAST THE LIFE OF A CAR. MOREOVER, IT'S IS STATISTICALLY EXTREMEMLY IMPROBABLE THAT EVERY FUEL INJECTOR WOULD GO BAD AT THE SAME TIME. APPARENTLY, THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE PUTTING OFF TINY PIECES OF METAL THAT ARE BUILDING UP INSIDE AND RENDERING THEM USELESS. IF UNTREATED, THIS COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO BREAK DOWN AND BECOME A HAZARD IF DRIVING AT THAT TIME. HONDA EVEN RECOGNIZES THE DEFECT IN THAT THEY HAVE PUT OUT AN INTERNAL SERVICE MEMO DIRECTING THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO REPLACE ALL THE INJECTORS WHEN THEY SEE THIS ISSUE COME IN. THAT SAID, THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY INSTEAD OPTING TO LET CUSTOMERS FEEL THE BURDEN OF REPLACING ALL OF THEIR INJECTORS AT A COST OF $1500 EVERY THREE YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN APPROX. 407,666 HONDA PILOTS SOLD SINCE 2016 AND ALL OF THEM ARE SUBJECT TO THIS PROBLEM. A QUICK GLANCE ONLINE SHOWS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

OUR 2016 HONDA PILOT HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR FAULT CODE P0420. DEALER DIAGNOSIS WAS FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS IN CYLINDERS 2 AND 3. DEALER REPLACED ALL 6 FUEL INJECTORS FREE OF CHARGE. IT SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS THAT ANY OF THE 6 FUEL INJECTORS HAD FAILED WITH ONLY 41,632 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. HONDA IS CLEARLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS THEY RELEASED SERVICE BULLETIN 18-025. IN MY OPINION, THIS SHOULD BE A NATIONAL RECALL INSTEAD OF A SERVICE BULLETIN. AND HONDA SHOULD FOOT THE BILL FOR ANY OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF YEARS IN SERVICE OR MILES

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2019
Nov 2019

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. DEALER INSPECTED AND DETERMINED FUEL INJECTOR DAMAGE. HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN STATES "DEBRIS FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP OR THE FUEL INJECTOR MACHINING PROCESS CAN CAUSE INTERNAL WEAR OR CLOGGING INSIDE THE INJECTOR". HONDA DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE MANUFACTURER DEFECT DESPITE FUEL INJECTORS NOT DESIGNED TO WEAR OUT AT 62K MILES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

MY CAR IS AT 37,000 MILES (OF COURSE JUST OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY) AND NOW HAS FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE. CAR IS HESITATING AND SPUTTERING DURING ACCELERATION ON ANY ROAD. THE FAILURE IN OUR FUEL INJECTORS HAS CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BECOME DIRTY AND IS MAKING THE CAR DRIVE STUTTER AND HESITATE DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE NEED TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTORS AND REPLACE TRANSITION FLUID. VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Oct 2019

WARNING LIGHT ON DASH. EMISSIONS SYSTEMS PROBLEM. HONDA SERVICE SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTORS FOR $1500. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL I THINK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2019

EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM LIGHT APPEARS. MANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AS WELL. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTS TO BLINK. THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE AND SPUTTERED AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE CAR MANUAL STATES TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER AND LET ENGINE SIT FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN DRIVE IMMEDIATELY TO DEALER. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN PULLING OUR BOAT AND WE WERE UNABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THIS POSES A RISK OF FIRE. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN I AM NOT IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PULL OVER. THE FIRST FEW TIMES, THE DEALER WAS NOT OPEN WHEN IT WAS OCCURRING. NOW THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED IT. THEY RETRIEVED MISFIRE DTC'S AND P219A CODE. FOUND FUEL INJECTORS ARE CAUSE OF DTC. HONDA ISSUED A HONDA SERVIE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE TSB A18-025. THEY ALSO REDESIGNED THE FUEL INJECTORS AND ARE NO LONGER USING THE OLD ONES. MANY VEHICLES ARE EFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. THEY WANT $1500 FOR REPAIR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2019

I PURCHASED THE CAR AT AROUND 43,000 AND FIRST 'EMISSION SYSTEM PROBLEM' LIGHT APPEARED IN THE CAR DASH AROUND 46,500 MILES. I GOT AN APPOINTMENT FROM MY HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS, BUT BY THE TIME I BROUGHT IT, THE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF. THEY READ THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE AND UPDATED SOFTWARE PART OF TSB #17-036. AFTER COUPLE HUNDRED MILES, LIGHT KEPT COMING ON-OFF AND EVERY TIME I GOT APPOINTMENT IT DISAPPEARED AND I CANCELLED THE APPOINTMENT. FINALLY I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AT 58.500 MILES EVEN IF THERE IS NO LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD. THEY READ THE SAME SOFTWARE CODE BUT THEY RUN DIAGNOSIS AND FINALLY FOUND ISSUE WITH INJECTORS. THEY TOLD ME THAT INJECTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I REACHED TO AMERICAN HONDA AND MADE THEM AWARE OF MY PROBLEM. AFTER WAITING NEARLY 1-WEEK, HONDA DEALER REACHED ME AND SAID AMERICAN HONDA IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE SINCE IT IS CONSIDER AS PART OF 3 YEARS/36.000 MILES WARRANTY. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND INJECTOR ISSUE AFTER RUNNING DIAGNOSIS FOR 3-4 HOURS AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE SHOWING THIS ISSUE IS USER RELATED. AMERICAN HONDA ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE(TSB #18-025) WHICH SHOWS THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE FOR PILOT MODELS AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY PRODUCTION/DESIGN PROBLEM AND MIGHT NEED A RECALL FOR FUTURE RISKS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2019
Oct 2019

DURING START UP AND WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT COME ON, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND INFORMED THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED REPLACED. FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THAT HONDA HAS FOUND FUEL INJECTORS WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING MANUFACTURING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2018
Sep 2019

THE SYSTEMS EMISSION LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND OFF. ALSO THE CAR SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH RECEIVING FUEL CORRECTLY AND THE CAR SEEMS TO HESITATE ABOUT WHEN ACCELERATING. KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS ON THE 2016 PILOT BUT MINE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2019
Sep 2019

GAS TANK LEAKING IN GARAGE WHILE ENGINE OFF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2019
Aug 2019

ON 8/29/2019 I RECEIVED AN ERROR CODE THAT APPEARED ON THE CENTER DASH DISPLAY UNIT OF MY 2016 HONDA PILOT. THE ERROR CODE SAID "EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM". I TOOK MY CAR TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM, AS A CERTIFIED USED CAR, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN AN ERROR CODE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ERROR CODE WAS "P219A/B - FOR FUEL INJECTORS. THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THIS INDICATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE FAULTY AND THEY WERE OUT OF WARRANTY (3 YRS OR 36,000 MILES)AND I WOULD BE NEEDING TO REPLACE ALL 6 FUEL INJECTORS. IT WAS STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL COME AS A SET OF 6 AND YOU CAN NOT PURCHASE THEM AS INDIVIDUAL INJECTORS. HONDA PART NUMBER 16010-RLV-315 APPEARS TO CONFIRM THIS. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 34671 MILES AT THIS DATE AND IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FUEL INJECTORS CAN BE BAD WITH THIS MILEAGE. A SEARCH OF THE HONDA PILOT OWNERS WEBSITE SHOWS THAT NUMEROUS OTHER 2016 PILOT OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ROUGHLY THE SAME MILEAGE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAULTY PRODUCT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUSTAIN REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT EXPENSE. WITH THIS BEING A FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT, I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ONE OR MORE INJECTORS WERE TO FAIL COMPLETELY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN A SEVERE TRAFFIC SITUATION?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2019
Aug 2019

WHEN I'M DRIVING HIGHWAY OR LOCAL CAR BUCK BETWEEN 1000RPM AND 2000 ON OVER DRIVE AND REGULAR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2019
Jul 2019

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AWD SYSTEM LIGHT BOTH SPORADICALLY ON AND SLUGGISH ACCELAERATION - DISC IWTH MECHANIC, AFTER INSPECTION AND RESEARCH - FUEL INJECTOR ASSEMBLY NEEDING REPLACMENT LESS THAN 3 YEARS OWNERSHIP, ACCORDING OT MECHANIC, HONDA DELAERSHIPS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ARE SELLING A LOT OF FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM AND AN ADDITIONAL REQUIRED PART

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2019
Jun 2019

THE FUEL INJECTORS FAILED AT 41,000 MILES AND THE CAR WAS 2 AND HALF YEARS OLD. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH NO OUTWARD CONDITIONS OF A PROBLEM. HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULDN'T CLEAR ENGINE LIGHT. HE CLAIMED IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTORS AND THEY REPLACED AT 1200 HUNDRED DOLLARS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD OTHER HONDA OWNERS WITH THE 2016 PILOT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. HONDA HAS BEEN TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE TO MY CONCERNS. THIS WAS WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2019
May 2019

FUEL IN HECTORS NEED REPLACING AFTER 51000 MILES. CODE STATES THAT FUEL INJECTOR WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AT THE FACTORY. THE EMISSIONS CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON WHICH PROMPTED THE INSPECTION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2019
Mar 2019

CABIN FILLS-UP WITH GASOLINE FUMES WHEN AT REST/IDE/NOT MOVING. FUMES COME FROM AIR VENTS AND ONLY HAPPENS WHEN PULLING AIR FROM OUTSIDE. NO GASOLINE SMELL OCCURS WHEN AIR SYSTEM IS IN RE-CIRCULATION MODE. GASOLINE SMELL GOES AWAY WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IN BOZEMAN, MT AND THEY STATED THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THE COMPUTER DOES NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TECHNICIANS SAY THEY CAN'T SMELL THE FUMES BUT EVERY PASSENGER THAT RIDES IN MY CAR CAN EVENTUALLY SMELL THE GASOLINE FUMES. I THINK THE TECHNICIANS CAN'T SMELL IT SINCE THEY ARE DESENSITIZED FROM BEING EXPOSED TO GAS FUMES ROUTINELY, SO NOT THEIR FAULT. GASOLINE SMELL CAN ALSO BE DETECTED WHEN IN THE GARAGE (CAR NOT RUNNING) AND NO OTHER SOURCE OF GASOLINE IS IN THE GARAGE (GARAGE DOORS WERE LEFT OPEN FOR 15 MINUTES TO EVACUATE ANY FUMES FROM WHEN CAR WAS ON PRIOR TO GAS SMELL). THIS STARTED TO OCCUR APPROX. NOVEMBER 2018. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND A FORUM OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME STATE THAT TECHNICIANS EVENTUALLY FOUND LIQUID GAS IN THE EVAPORATION CANISTER. FORUM HERE: HTTPS://WWW.PILOTEERS.ORG/FORUMS/114-2016-THIRD-GENERATION-PILOT/99809-GAS-SMELL-CABIN.HTML I WILL KEEP TAKING MY PILOT BACK TO DEALERSHIPS UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED AND WILL SUGGEST CHECKING THE EVAP. CANISTER. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE PROBLEM TO BE OCCURRING WITH HONDA NOT TAKING THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY. THIS IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS BUT WITH HONDA ITSELF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2019
Feb 2019

WARNING LIGHT: EMISSION SYSTEMS PROBLEM I PURCHASED THE CAR AT AROUND 56,000 MILES FROM A NON-HONDA DEALERSHIP. THIS LIGHT FIRST APPEARED AROUND 58,000 MILES WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON IN MY DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK. I CALLED MY LOCAL MECHANIC (I.E NOT A HONDA DEALERSHIP) TO ASK TO BRING IT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS, BUT BY THE TIME I BROUGHT IT IN ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER, THE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF. MY MECHANIC READ THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0430. PER TSB #17-036, THIS CODE MEANT I NEEDED TO UPDATE PCM SOFTWARE, AND HE TOLD ME TO TALK IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP. FROM THIS POINT UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, THE WARNING CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 6/8/19 AND THE CAR WAS AT 59,184 MILES. I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR WHAT I HAD DONE SO FAR. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE PCM SOFTWARE HAD ALREADY BEEN UPDATED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, AND THAT THEY FOUND CODE P0430 B2 CAT FAULT, INDICATING THE NEED FOR A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS FELL UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY AND IT WAS REPLACED A NOT COST TO ME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE WARNING LIGHT PATTERN OCCURRED AGAIN, COMING ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. I WAITED A WHILE BEFORE TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT TOOK IT THERE ON 9/21/19 WITH 64,788 MILES. THIS TIME, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS CODES P0430 AND P219B, WHICH IS EXPLAINED IS TSB #18-025, AND I WAS INFORMED I WOULD NEED NEW FUEL INJECTORS, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY REMAINING WARRANTY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2019
Jan 2019

AS YOU ACCELERATE, THE CAR GOES IN AND OUT OF GETTING FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE RPM’S DROP AND INCREASE AT LEAST 1,000 RPMS EACH SECOND. VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HAPPENS BOTH ON CITY STREETS, BUT MORE SO ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY IF SMALL TEXAS HILLS ARE INVOLVED. TOOK CAR TO HONDA DEALERSHIP. THEY CLEANED THE FUEL LINES, AND RESET THE COMPUTER. THIS HAS HELPED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2018
Aug 2018

2016 HONDA HAD RECALL FOR FUEL TANK LEAKAGE. MY VIN OUT OF THAT RANGE BUT I NOTICE RECENTLY MY HONDA PILOT 2016 HAVE LEAKAGE TOO. WHEN FUELING I SAW UNDERNEATH CAR THERE'S FUEL DROPPING. HONDA SAID MY CAR NOT IN THE RANGE. SO I WANT TO CLAIM REPORT THERE IS MORE CAR OUT THERE EXPOSED SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD SITUATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2018
Apr 2018

THE VEHICLE STARTS TO STUTTER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING THE RPM GAUGE FLUCTUATES GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHILE MAINTAINING SPEED. BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO HONDA DEALERSHIP THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS FUEL INJECTOR FAILED AND IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME OF THEM HEARING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MANY INSTANCES SEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2018
Jan 2018

MY CAR CONSTANTLY HESITATES AND MAKES A NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. MY HONDA DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2016

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Honda Pilot has 72 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.