Air bag did not deploy on impact. Driving approximately 15 MPH on a residential road when brake's locked and car did not respond, running directly into a telephone pole while on a hill/slope. Car picked up speed before impact. Air bag sensor or error appeared on impact, car smelled of smoke/burning. Front body and frame had extensive damage, ie. Radiator cage(?). Air bags did not deploy and…
2016 Honda Pilot airbags problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
6crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 13 airbags complaints filed for the 2016 Honda Pilot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2016 Pilot has been linked to multiple airbag failures—unprompted deployments at low or highway speed with no accident, and non-deployments during actual impacts where police said they should have fired. A known cable reel defect also recurs even after repeated replacements under warranty, and Honda reportedly refuses further repairs.
Owners report two opposite and serious problems: airbags deploying without any accident, and airbags failing to deploy during crashes.
Several owners describe spontaneous deployments at low or highway speed with zero impact. One driver hit a slight road depression at 45 mph and both passenger and side-curtain airbags deployed, destroying the interior; the car exterior was untouched. Two other owners report both front airbags firing at 5–10 mph while driving straight on residential streets with no accident or damage—they provided photos and video. In one case, the only trigger was passing over a storm drain.
Conversely, four owners report the opposite: airbags not deploying during genuine impacts. A 50 mph interstate side-impact, a 15 mph telephone-pole collision, and two separate deer strikes at 40 and 55 mph all resulted in no deployment. Police and witnesses stated the airbags should have fired. Owners also report SRS error codes appearing on the dash during and after impacts, plus burning or smoke smells suggesting internal electrical failure.
One recurring issue is a cable reel defect beneath the steering wheel that causes loud clicking. A dealership replaced it four times under warranty without fixing it; the dealer then said Honda knows about the problem and refuses to replace it further. A connector incompatibility between passenger airbag and connector also appears in the complaints.
Same Honda Pilot airbags reports on nearby years: 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Spontaneous airbag deployment without impact
Passenger-side and side-curtain airbags deployed at highway speed while vehicle traveled straight over a minor road depression (storm drain). No collision, impact, or accident occurred. Vehicle exterior remained pristine.
When: May 11, 2019; approximately 45 mph on residential road
Symptoms owners cite: Side-curtain airbag deployed and blocking visibility; Front passenger airbag deployed; Headliner damaged; Passenger seat torn apart; Interior damage despite no impact
Repairs/costs cited: Honda dealership estimated $5,000–$10,000 for repairs. Honda blamed bent control arm on passenger side, but owner reported no symptoms of bent control arm (no pulling, shaking, tremors, or bumping).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda denied responsibility and attributed deployment to alleged bent control arm, which owner disputes.
Airbag non-deployment after impact
Multiple complaints of airbags failing to deploy during frontal and side impacts at moderate to high speed. In several cases, witnesses and police stated airbags should have deployed given impact severity. SRS error messages appeared on dash after impact.
When: Various incidents: 15 mph into telephone pole; 50 mph interstate collision; 40 mph deer strike; 55 mph deer strike; head-on pole collision
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal impact; No airbag deployment during side impact; SRS airbag system error message on dash; Burning or smoke smell from airbag area; Passenger side seat belt stuck
Codes mentioned: SRS airbag system problem, SRS airbag failure
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple incidents reported no diagnosis or repair performed. One case involved body repair facility with vehicle held for two weeks.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda notified in one case only; no recall or TSB mentioned by owners.
Spontaneous dual airbag deployment without accident at low speed
Both driver and passenger front airbags deployed while vehicle traveled at very low speed on residential street with no collision, impact, or damage to vehicle structure or undercarriage.
When: Two separate incidents: one at 10–15 mph, one at 5–10 mph on residential streets
Symptoms owners cite: Both front airbags deployed simultaneously; No visible body damage; No undercarriage damage; No accident or collision; Owners provided photos and video evidence
Steering wheel cable reel defect and repeated failed repairs under warranty
Steering wheel produces loud clicking noise. Honda dealership replaced the cable reel assembly under airbag four times without resolving issue. Dealership stated Honda is aware of the faulty part and refuses to replace it.
When: Soon after purchase; vehicle now out of warranty
Symptoms owners cite: Loud clicking noise when turning steering wheel left or right; Noise persists after four cable reel replacements
Repairs/costs cited: Schaumburg Honda dealership replaced cable reel under airbag four times without resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated Honda knows about the faulty part and does not want to replace it; warranty no longer covers vehicle.
Airbag connector incompatibility
Passenger seat airbag connector will not connect to original airbag.
Symptoms owners cite: Connector mismatch with passenger airbag
SRS system error while driving
SRS airbag system problem warning appears on dash while vehicle is in motion on highway.
Symptoms owners cite: SRS system problem warning appears on dash during highway driving; Error occurs while vehicle in motion
Codes mentioned: SRS airbag system problem
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2016 Honda Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 61,261 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Honda/Pilot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.