2018 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 440 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 9 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, frame and membersJun 4, 2026
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Campaign 26V365000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalNov 13, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Campaign 23V751000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, hoodNov 29, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Campaign 21V932000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, gasoline, belts and associated pulleysApr 12, 2019
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.
Campaign 19V298000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsApr 5, 2018
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles. The front driver and passenger powered seats in the Honda vehicles and the driver powered seats in the Acura vehicles may have been assembled with improperly manufactured rivets. In the event of a crash, the rivets can break causing the seats not to be secured to the floor. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the floor, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat frame assembly in Acura MDX vehicles, and replace the driver and front passenger seat slide rail frames in Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is D0S, and T0T.
Campaign 18V221000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
440 reports, newest first.
Engine, Sep 21, 2026
The contact owned a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was knocking very loudly, and the vehicle lost driving power. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired.
Other or unspecified, Sep 12, 2026
Auto restart issues. I have reported this before. When coming to a stop and the engine shuts off it does not automatically restart. It has left me sitting at a light having to sit and wait before I am able to turn my car back on. This can be a huge safety issue when in traffic or when a line of cars is behind me or at any time. I have had services done and computer upgrades in the past and the problem continues.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 11, 2026
All safety features turned off. I had a professional mechanic shop inspect. Since this happens randomly, they cannot provide exact diagnosis. This is a major safety risk! After I picked it up from the mechanic, I drove approximately 200 miles before the next occurance, while on a major interstate. All safety features turned off again. This is such a danger to all, driver & passengers to be on any roadway without safety features.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 29, 2026
High Pressure Fuel Pump fails after implementing recall listed below. See recall information: December 18, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V858000 Fuel Pump May Fail Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. NHTSA ID Number: 23V858000 Manufacturer Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) Components FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Potential Number of Units Affected: 2490460
Engine, Aug 20, 2026
The vehicle started to make some strange noises coming from the engine area. I brought the vehicle to our mechanic, who stated that the engine needs to be replaced. He described the problem as an issue with the piston that is appearing to be common with the shut off system, causing it in this vehicle. He classified as.’Engine has internal knock from wrist pin/rod bearing’. I’m looking at recalls and there are 2018s that appeared to have some sort of rod or piston issue that is under recall. Our particular VIN does not show a recall. This does appear to be a relatively common problem occurring with our model year though.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Aug 13, 2026
Failed Component: Lane Departure System Camera - Honda (P/N 36160-TG8-A51). This camera has completely failed which completely shuts down the following safety systems in this Honda Pilot: Adaptive Cruise Control Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning Lane Keeping Assistance It also fully disables the cruise control system. I have attempted to have this repaired at our Honda dealership - but parts are on backorder without a known delivery time.
Engine, Aug 11, 2026
When I press down on the gas, the car is delayed in responding. This has gotten increasingly worse, at times resulting in near collisions with on-coming traffic. I've reported this to my local dealership (Priority Honda in Chesapeake, Virginia) but they continue to tell me there are no diagnostic codes that allude to there being an issue and will not review it further. When I took a technician for a test drive and was able to replicate it, the technician said that it was normal that the gas was not immediately responsive. The unresponsiveness happens when I'm trying to get initial momentum (starting at a full stop), when I'm changing from reversing to moving forward, and when I'm already in motion and trying to advance speed.
Engine, Aug 3, 2026
Vehicle was being driven on the interstate going 70-77 mph. First noticed faint knocking sound and loss of ability to accelerate followed by check engine light and multiple system failure notifications. Pulled over on the highway between exits and turned vehicle off to call for assistance. Turned vehicle back on after 10-15 minutes to test, all warnings remained and acceleration was limited but possible. Drove vehicle on side of i70 until reaching an exit and parking for help to arrive. Two children and myself the driver were in the car. Vehicle was inspected and codes ran, but ultimately towed to our local Honda dealership. This event took place on July 18, 2026 causing us to miss a family wedding. The vehicle has been sitting at Penske Honda since then waiting for diagnostic tests to be run, scheduled for August 6.
Engine, Aug 3, 2026
We were driving from [XXX], to [XXX], on XXX. That morning we'd taken the Honda Pilot in to Xpresso Lube and got an oil change and all fluids checked out. Eight hours into the drive we heard a little clanking and started to pull off the freeway. As we did so, a Low Oil Pressure light came on for a few seconds and then we heard a loud bang and then very loud, rhythmic, clanking noises in the engine as it was losing power. The first mechanic shop we had it towed to diagnosed engine failure, so we had it towed to a Honda Service shop 30 miles away. They said it was a rod bearing and the entire engine needed replacing. Our mileage at the time it entered the Honda shop was 72, 275K. We have done regular, consistent oil changes and maintenance on this car that we bought new in 2019 (a 2018 model). We at first wondered if the wrong oil was put in or if it was a faulty oil filter, but Honda said there was plenty of oil in the engine. We did get a sample of the oil that came out. The filter will be sent in to the manufacturer for quality assessment. Our safety was at risk to some degree, but we were able to pull off the road. The Honda dealership is holding the engine for me and could be inspected.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Aug 3, 2026
-the transmission too hot message came up on my dashboard. yes it is available for inspection upon request -we could not continue to drive to our destination -they could not find any issue when i brought it to Honda Service center, they did recommend ATF cooler which i had it installed -there are no other warning messages, it first appeared in 2023 going to california, it happened again in 2024. and happened again last month.
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 3, 2026
If the auto engine shut off is activated the engine shuts off randomly and it does not restart the engine. The battery needs to be unplugged to reset the electrical system. This happens daily.
Power train, Jul 27, 2026
2018 Honda Pilot Transmission Failed at Only 34,726 Miles I want to share my experience so other Honda owners are aware of a very premature transmission failure. I am the original owner of a 2018 Honda Pilot with only 34,726 miles. My family has trusted Honda for many years, and my wife also drives a Honda HR-V. We believed Honda vehicles were reliable. While driving, my Pilot suddenly showed a “Transmission System Problem” warning. The vehicle became very slow and later was unable to engage into gear. I had to tow it to Capital Honda in San Jose. Capital Honda diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring a full replacement. The repair cost was about $11,800. I appreciate that American Honda provided goodwill assistance and covered a large portion of the repair. With that assistance, my out-of-pocket cost was reduced to $3,500. However, I am frustrated and disappointed that a Honda transmission could fail completely at only 34,726 miles. This is unacceptable for such a low-mileage vehicle, especially from a company known for engineering quality and reliability. All maintenance was completed on time at Honda dealerships. About six months before the failure, the transmission fluid service was also performed at a Honda dealer. I did not neglect this vehicle. Because of the low mileage, I asked American Honda to review my case for additional goodwill assistance. Unfortunately, that request was declined. Again, I appreciate the assistance already provided, but as a loyal Honda customer, I am deeply disappointed that I still have to pay $3,500 for a major transmission failure that happened far too early. I am sharing this so other Honda Pilot owners can watch for warning signs such as warning messages, delayed engagement, slipping, jerking, or abnormal shifting. Please keep your service records and report serious issues if they occur. Honda built its reputation on reliability, but this experience has made me question that reputation.
Engine, Jul 26, 2026
2018 Honda Pilot – Engine Failed to Restart During Auto Idle Stop I own a 2018 Honda Pilot that has experienced an intermittent Auto Idle Stop restart failure. Approximately 18 months ago, my Honda dealer performed the Honda service bulletin repair related to the Auto Idle Stop restart issue, including replacement of the starter. More recently, I began experiencing intermittent hard starts after driving the vehicle and allowing it to sit for approximately 10–15 minutes. The battery is new and has tested good multiple times, and no diagnostic trouble codes or check engine light were present. Based on the starting symptoms, the EVAP purge solenoid was replaced. Immediately after that repair, the Auto Idle Stop system began functioning normally again. However, two days later, while stopped at a traffic light, the Auto Idle Stop system shut the engine off as designed. When the vehicle attempted to automatically restart, the engine failed to restart and the vehicle remained disabled in the traffic lane. I had to shift the vehicle into Park and manually restart the engine using the Start button. The engine then started immediately and operated normally. Since that event, the vehicle has continued to exhibit intermittent hot-start hesitation after short drives, although it runs normally once started. This is a significant safety concern because a failure of the Auto Idle Stop system to restart the engine can leave the vehicle disabled in an active traffic lane or intersection, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other crash. I am submitting this complaint because the vehicle experienced an Auto Idle Stop restart failure despite having previously received Honda’s repair for this issue, and I believe the condition warrants further investigation.
Other or unspecified, Jul 19, 2026
As I was driving I had a transmission system error come up. Took it to a mechanic and code P0741 came up related to the torque converter problem. A service bulletin for 17-18 Pilots is out but does not include mine. I feel like this should be covered as I had to fork out $3000 for a known issue.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 15, 2026
The vehicle will not start occasionally and states brake issue. The brakes becomes rigid and I'm left stranded until it corrected itself. This is a KNOWN issue, and yet they won't do a recall. It seems like a deceptive practice.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 30, 2026
Honda pilot would not restart after auto ideal engine stop. This issue caused all the warnings lights to come on with blinking engine light! Honda dealer was not able to resolve the issue and ended up paying $1500 even though it was a part of their service bulletin 23-009.
Engine, Jun 26, 2026
Engine failure , has been confirmed by a shop. It is available for inspection upon request. No previous problems or warning lights. Stalled and put myself and my children at risk of serious injury.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 4, 2026
While driving down a freeway, my car shuddered and my engine suddenly lost power and was put into limp mode. Mechanic determined it was the high pressure fuel pump that failed. This vehicle was part of the recall for the low pressure fuel pump that was completed. It also had to have fuel injectors replaced under Honda’s extended warranty over faulty injectors.
Power train, Jun 2, 2026
While operating my vehicle on a public roadway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of transmission hydraulic pressure and vehicle propulsion, accompanied by a dashboard warning light with a blinking "D". The vehicle completely stopped delivering power to the drive wheels while moving with traffic, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard for a rear-end collision on an active road. We pulled into the high school parking lot, stopped the car, then restarted it. It had the error on the dashboard, but we were able to get it safely home, where it was towed to the dealership later. The vehicle was towed to Dick Hannah Honda (the local authorized dealership). The service department scanned the onboard computer (from the parking lot, NO actual physical inspection done) and pulled internal transmission fault codes P0730 (Incorrect Gear Ratio) and P0746 (Pressure Control Solenoid "A" Performance/Stuck Off). Based solely on these electronic fault codes, the dealership stated that the internal mechanics of the ZF 9-speed transmission had completely failed. They stated the transmission is completely unrepairable and quoted a full replacement cost of $11,984.41. Prior to this failure, the vehicle had service documentation and inspection records from authorized Honda franchise technicians, who repeatedly marked the transmission condition and vehicle health check sheets as completely healthy and "GREEN" at every visit for 60,000 miles by American Honda Motor Co. Case Management was contacted (Case #16371194), but they refused any financial goodwill assistance. This sudden operational failure of the ZF 9-speed transmission platform without ANY prior Maintenance Minders given by the computer system. This failure matches the exact software calibration and pressure defects currently cited in ongoing consumer protection litigation involving the 2016-2022 Honda Pilot 9-speed drivetrain.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, May 28, 2026
Safety recall on 2018 Honda pilot fuel pump Honda dealership refuse to repair unless other repairs where done due to engine light on . I ask advisor who was helping me [XXX] to give me clarification on the reason his respond was i am just doing my job no other dealer will be able to help you Technician doesn’t want to proceed with repair due to engine light on , unless you do other repairs rough estimate amount $1851.64 I politely denied those services walk out contact another Honda dealer on May 28 2026 , I spoke to advisor Jennifer Cruz explain the situation set up an appointment for safety recall on fuel pump @ location 9055 Washington blvd , Culver City , Ca 90232 [XXX] Repairs will be done by 3pm on May 29 2026 , Jennifer Cruz was really helpful and apologized for my bad experience with previous Honda dealership INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, May 21, 2026
DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY REASON WHITE GOING AT 35 MILES/HOUR FROM FRONT TO BACK OF THE TRUNCK
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2026
The moonroof glass shattered for no apparent reason while driving at highway speed. Fortunately, the inner moonroof cover was closed preventing glass pieces from entering the vehicle interior. The incident happened while driving on an interstate highway in light traffic.
Other or unspecified, Apr 21, 2026
While stopped at an intersection, the Auto Idle Stop engaged and the engine shut off. The vehicle failed to restart and became unresponsive. I had to shift into Park to restart the vehicle. This created a dangerous situation in traffic.
Steering, Engine, Electrical system, Apr 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle started shuddering. The vehicle was pulled over safely to the side of the road. The AWD, Hill Descent Assist, power steering, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact checked the manual and continued to drive. While driving days later, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact continued driving approximately 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The failure was associated with the fuel pressure pump. The lower fuel pressure pump was previously replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,320.
Power train, Apr 2, 2026
Transfer case exploded internally and cracked the transfer case while pulling out of parking lot. I still have the transfer case for inspection.