2016 Honda Pilot Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 579 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2016 Honda Pilot, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 49,008 miles. The words owners use most often: “keyless start” (30% of reports).
- 579electrical system complaints
- 49,008median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $710typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Keyless start: mentioned in 173 of 579 complaints (30%)
- Idle stop: mentioned in 61 of 579 complaints (11%)
- Put park: mentioned in 43 of 579 complaints (7%)
- Error message: mentioned in 40 of 579 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2016 Honda Pilot at $710, and half of them between $390 and $900.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 302 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 579 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 5 a fire.
Honda Pilot electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pilot | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Pilot | 44 | 21% | 16,000 |
| 2024 Pilot | 11 | 9% | — |
| 2023 Pilot | 28 | 19% | 8,550 |
| 2022 Pilot | 38 | 23% | 40,000 |
| 2021 Pilot | 132 | 30% | 47,000 |
| 2020 Pilot | 214 | 43% | 1,850 |
| 2019 Pilot | 265 | 29% | 6,100 |
| 2018 Pilot | 85 | 19% | 51,250 |
| 2017 Pilot | 266 | 29% | 38,000 |
| 2016 Pilot | 579 | 34% | 49,008 |
| 2015 Pilot | 13 | 12% | 35,500 |
| 2014 Pilot | 9 | 8% | 18,500 |
| 2013 Pilot | 9 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2012 Pilot | 22 | 13% | 30,000 |
| 2011 Pilot | 26 | 9% | 48,500 |
| 2010 Pilot | 9 | 8% | 2,000 |
| 2009 Pilot | 5 | 4% | 96,000 |
| 2008 Pilot | 9 | 7% | 78,500 |
| 2007 Pilot | 22 | 10% | 108,500 |
| 2006 Pilot | 18 | 7% | 96,000 |
| 2005 Pilot | 57 | 8% | 119,000 |
| 2004 Pilot | 60 | 11% | 106,000 |
| 2003 Pilot | 129 | 18% | 130,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to September 8, 2015 and 2016 Pilot 4WD vehicles manufactured May 7, 2015 to September 4, 2015. In the affected vehicles, when one of the safety systems such as tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking or electronic stability control malfunctions, there is potential that the instrument panel will not illuminate the corresponding warning light, however the warning lamps will illuminate when the ignition is turned off and then turned back on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic stability control systems", number 135, "Light vehicle brake systems" and number 138, "Tire pressure monitoring systems".
Risk: If a safety system cannot immediately warn the driver when needed, the driver may be at increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began on December 11, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV7.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal dinging sound coming from the vehicle, and the ignition control, stability control, power steering, and hill-start assist warning lights were illuminated. The warning lights initially…
Vehicle flashing warning signs for multiple system functions including battery and mechanical, forcing driver to pull over, unable to put vehicle in neutral to tow. Took vehicle to Honda dealership in Phoenix, AZ dealership unable to recreate issue. Stated it was cleared as a certified used Honda…
The contact purchased a 2016 Honda Pilot. The vehicle was a dealer sale on July 7, 2026. At the time of the sale, the odometer reading was 89,991. The contact later purchased an Auto Track and Carfax report, which indicated that in April 2026, the odometer reading was 198,387.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Honda Pilots have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 579 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2016 Honda Pilot (34% of the 1,712 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Honda Pilot electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 49,008 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
Owners report a typical cost of $710 (half paid between $390 and $900), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
The most frequent phrase is “keyless start”, in 173 of 579 complaints, followed by “idle stop” (61).
Other 2016 Honda Pilot problems
- Engine problems (771)
- Power Train problems (201)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (171)
- Structure problems (54)
See all 2016 Honda Pilot problems or electrical system problems across all Pilot years.