Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| At 160,000 mi | Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) |
Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Pilot.
The 2016 Honda Pilot is an SUV equipped with a nine‑speed automatic transmission and rated at 20/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined. It recorded 1,665 owner complaints—the highest total in the model’s 2003‑2025 complaint history—with engine‑related issues leading the list and eight recalls on file. This peak in complaints positions the 2016 model year at the less reliable end of the Pilot’s timeline, in stark contrast to the far lower complaint count of 101 seen in 2024.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (S9) |
| Overall length | 194.9 in |
| Overall width | 79.9 in |
| Overall height | 69.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 111 in |
| Curb weight | 4255 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 66.1 / 66.1 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 57/43 |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 20 / 27 / 23 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Recommended fuel | Regular Gasoline |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Pilot of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.00 sec | 14.60 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2016 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.10 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2016 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.20 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2016 | EX 3.5L V6 | 6.20 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | FWD |
| 2016 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.50 sec | 15.10 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2017 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.00 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2019 | Elite 3.5L V6 | 6.30 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
| 2020 | Black Edition 3.5L V6 | 6.20 sec | 14.80 sec | 280 hp | AWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine Honda DPSF-II in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.
| Automatic Transmission Fluid | ATF |
| Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity | 3.5 |
| Automatic Transmission Fluid | ATF |
| Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity | 3.5 |
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil | Honda DPSF-II |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 3.8 qt |
| Engine Coolant | Use Honda Type 2 antifreeze |
| Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug | 29.0 ft-lbs |
| Driveshaft Flange to Transmission | 53.0 ft-lbs |
| Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts | 44.0 ft-lbs |
| Automatic Transmission Drain Plug | 36.0 ft-lbs |
| Front Wheel Hub | Install a new nut and torque to 242.0 ft-lbs |
| Rear Wheel Hub | Install a new nut and torque to 181.0 ft-lbs |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-4-2-5-3-6 |
| Spark Plug Manufacturer | NGK, DENSO |
| Spark Plug Gap | .039 - .043 in |
| Spark Plug Torque | 16 ft-lbs |
| Spark Plug Manufacturer | NGK, DENSO |
| Spark Plug Gap | .039 - .043 in |
| Spark Plug Torque | 13 ft-lbs |
| Ignition Timing | 5 degrees |
| Refrigerant | R1234yf |
| Refrigerant Capacity | 1.50-1.60 lbs |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 24F |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 550 cca |
| Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum) | 57-64 psi |
| Engine Compression | 135 min. / Max Variation 28 psi |
| Intake Valve Lash | 0.008-0.009 in |
| Exhaust Valve Lash | 0.011-0.013 in |
| Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque | Front: 53; Rear: 26 /; Front: 53; Rear: 25 |
| Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque | Front: 101; Rear: 66 /; Front: 101; Rear: 65 |
| ABS Sensor Torque | 7.5 / NS |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in |
| Minimum Shoe Thickness | 0.039 in |
| Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement | Front: 1.024; Rear: .354 |
| Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation | .0006 |
| Maximum Rotor Runout | .0016 |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| At 160,000 mi | Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 2016 Honda Pilot generated 1,665 federal complaints, far exceeding the 107 complaints recorded in 2015 and the 899 in 2017. While recalls remained modest at eight for 2016, the number of investigations rose to four and TSBs jumped to 365, compared with 85 in 2015 and 181 in 2017. This peak coincides with a disproportionate share of engine‑related and electrical‑system complaints, accounting for 424 and 272 of the total respectively. Across the model generation, complaint volume had been trending downward until 2016, after which it fell sharply, indicating that 2016 represents an anomalous outlier. Consequently, from a reliability standpoint the 2016 Pilot is a less advisable purchase than later model years.
All 1,665 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak. Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015 Acura MDX 2WD and MDX 4WD vehicles, 2016 Acura MDX 4WD vehicles, 2015-2016 Honda Odyssey vehicles, and 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles. The… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda/Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2138. The recall began on July 29…
Showing 5 of 365 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| A23-009 | 2025-07-07 | Engine | Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle… |
| A24-048 | 2024-11-22 | Structure | Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into… |
| A16-013 | 2024-09-04 | Engine | Service Bulletin - Drivers may experience a chirping sound coming from the engine area… |
| A24-085 | 2024-07-19 | Engine | Service Bulletin - MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After cycling… |
| A24-085 | 2024-06-19 | Engine | Service Bulletin - The MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.