2016 Honda Pilot · symptom sheet
Car won't start
- 38owner reports
- 50,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Jan 16, 2025 · checked Sep 19, 2026
38 of the 159 reports of dead battery on the 2016 Pilot describe won't start.
Part of Battery dies or the car will not start (159 reports)
Tick what matches of 38 reports
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (21 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the electrical system covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Pilot
Ignition interlock failure - rollaway. Closed jan 14, 2013, led to recall 12V-573.
NHTSA summary
Low beam headlights stop illuminating. Closed sep 17, 2012, led to recall 12V-136.
NHTSA summary
None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 38,000 and 60,000 miles, from the 22 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“The start/stop turn the car off and when I tried to restart the car nothing happen. The battery is good and I heard a click sound but it won't start back for a few minutes sometimes.”
Filed Oct 7, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 38 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 411 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 348 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 165 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 147 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 97 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 74 reports
- Auto start-stop will not restart the engine 54 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 51 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 38 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 37 reports
- Fuel pump failure 34 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 30 reports