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.
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 1, 2019
2018 HONDA PILOT ELITE-- WHILE DRIVING ON A SMALL, CONGESTED, CURVY TWO-LANE ROAD, IN A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION, MY FRONTAL IMPACT SENSORS ALERTED ME TO FRONTAL IMPACT MULTIPLE TIMES BY SHAKING MY STEERING WHEEL. THE DASH LIGHTS ALSO FLASHED THE WORD "BRAKE" IN ORANGE AND BLACK. THIS SO-CALLED "SAFETY" FEATURE ALMOST CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS ROAD BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING STEERING WHEEL. THIS FRONTAL IMPACT ALERT ALWAYS OCCURRED WHEN A LARGE RV TYPE OF VEHICLE PASSED BY ME. ALTHOUGH I LATER DISCOVERED AN "OFF" SWITCH FOR THIS FRONTAL IMPACT ALERT SYSTEM, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TURN OFF MULTIPLE "SAFETY" SENSORS EVERY TIME I START THE VEHICLE. IF YOU DO NOT TURN OFF THESE "SAFETY" SENSORS, THEY WILL ACTUAL CREATE UNSAFE CONDITIONS BY SHAKING YOUR STEERING WHEEL.
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 1, 2019
MY 2018 HONDA PILOT ELITE TURNS ON THE "AUTO IDLE STOP" FEATURE EACH TIME I START THE VEHICLE. BASICALLY, THIS MEANS THAT THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN I'M AT A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN I RELEASE THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE STARTS AGAIN. HOWEVER, THERE IS LAG TIME BETWEEN THE TIME I RELEASE THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATION. THIS HAS NEARLY CAUSED A DEATHLY ACCIDENT ON MORE THAN A DOZEN OCCASIONS DURING THE PAST 6 MONTHS AT INTERSECTIONS. I'VE NEARLY BEEN T-BONED EACH AND EVERY TIME BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL SIMPLY NOT ACCELERATE AT THE PRECISE MOMENT WHEN I NEED IT TO. THERE IS OVER A 1 SECOND LAG BEFORE ACCELERATION OCCURS. PERHAPS THIS IS MEANT TO BE AN EMISSIONS CONTROL FEATURE, BUT IT COMES AT THE PRICE OF SAFETY. THIS "AUTO IDLE STOP" FEATURE MAKES THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE FOR FAMILIES. THERE SHOULD BE A PERMANENT ON/OFF SWITCH RATHER THAN HAVING TO TURN THIS FEATURE OFF EACH AND EVERY TIME I START THE VEHICLE. COMPLETELY UNSAFE!
Other or unspecified, Dec 28, 2018
VEHICLE AUTO LOCKED WITH KEYS IN CAR AND COULD NOT UNLOCK. FORTUNATELY, CAR WAS IN MY GARAGE AND DID NOT CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, HAD THIS OCCURRED IN THE SUMMER WITH A SMALL CHILD OR PET INSIDE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD, POSSIBLY LEADING TO FATAL CONSEQUENCES. THIS VEHICLE IS NEVER SUPPOSED TO LOCK WITH KEYS IN THE CAR.
Seats, Visibility/wiper, Dec 12, 2018
DRIVER'S SEAT SINKS AND CHANGES THE SEAT/MIRROR FIELD OF VISION OF THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. THIS "SINK" HAPPENS SLOWLY (AND WITHOUT NOTICE) CAUSING DANGEROUS BLIND SPOT SITUATIONS WHILE DRIVING AND PARKING. THE "SINK" BEGAN ON FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN SEAT VS REAR VIEW MIRROR POSITION. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF SUV. MALE, 69 YEARS OLD. 180 LBS. DRIVER'S SEAT SLOWLY SINKS OVER TIME. APPROXIMATELY 2-5" PER DAY. WHILE DRIVING, IN ALL INSTANCES. ALSO WHEN THE SUV IS SITTING PARKED AND EMPTY OF PASSENGERS, BUT SINK IS SLOWER. DEALER AND HONDA MAIN PHONE COMPLAINT SITE SAY IT IS NORMAL. SERVICE WOMAN AT LOCAL BETTEN-BAKER HONDA SAID SHE HAS 2016 PILOT WITH THE SAME SEAT AND ISSUE. SAID THE SINK IS NORMAL. I BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLY A LEAKING AIR BLADDER. CAUSE UNKNOWN. LX MODEL WITH 5000 MILES.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 3, 2018
HIGHWAY DRIVING, APPARENTLY A SMALL STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD. (PICTURE ATTACHED) AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE STONE IN BARLEY 1/4 INCH IN SIZE. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL SITUATION, A WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT CRACK, THIS IS A NORMAL DRIVING SITUATION. THE ISM'S WINDSHIELD IS ON BACK ORDER, AND WILL TAKE 4 WEEKS TO RECEIVE, AS ONLY HONDA CAN RECALIBRATE THIS AT THIS TIME, THEY WILL ONLY RECALIBRATE AN OEM WINDSHIELD.
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 28, 2018
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT IN "DRIVE" WITH THE AUTO-IDLE FEATURE IN USE. CAR WOULD NOT RE-START WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF BRAKE. RADIO CUT OUT BRIEFLY AS WELL. DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH MANY ERROR MESSAGES - ONE OF THEM WAS "COLLISION MITIGATION PROBLEM" OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. PLACED CAR IN PARK AND PUSHED START BUTTON NUMEROUS TIMES. ONLY GOT CLICKING SOUNDS, WITH OCCASIONAL ENGINE TURNOVER NOISE, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. TURNED OFF A/C AND RADIO. CAR FINALLY STARTED AFTER SEVERAL MORE MINUTES OF PUSHING START BUTTON WHILE IN PARK WITH FOOT ON BRAKE.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Nov 15, 2018
WHILE DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, I HEARD A LOUD 'POP' AND SAW DEBRIS FLY IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE, BUT FOUND MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO ROCKS, PROJECTILES, ETC, AND NO OVERHEAD STRUCTURES WHERE SOMETHING COULD HAVE FALLEN. THE GLASS BLEW OUT AS IT MAY HAVE BEEN UNDER STRESS AND NOT IN AS IF SOMETHING MAY HAVE HIT IT.
Seat belts, Oct 26, 2018
DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT BELT IS DRASTICALLY SHORTER THAN PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT. I AM RESTRICTED IN ABILITY TO LOOK AROUND AND MAKE SURE THERE IS NO OTHER VEHICLE IN MY BLIND SPOT. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PER THE DEALER AS HONDA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AN ERROR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
Seat belts, Sep 16, 2018
THE DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT ON MY 2018 HONDA PILOT IS NOT THE STANDARD SIZE AND IS SHORT. IT DOES NOT EXTEND LIKE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT AND PREVENTS THE DRIVER FROM LEANING FORWARD TO CHECK OUT IT IS SAFE TO TURN. THE DRIVER SEATBELT DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE WHEN STOPPING VEHICLE.
Seat belts, Sep 16, 2018
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS SHORT LOCKS. IN ADDITION, IT PROHIBITS AND RESTRICTS DRIVER FROM LEANING FORWARD. THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION.
Structure, Aug 27, 2018
THE MOONROOF SHATTERED EXPLODING GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS ON A HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 60MPH. THERE WAS JUST A LOUD NOISE AND BOOM. WE OWNED THE CAR JUST FOUR MONTHS AND IT HAS ONLY 6,200 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT.
Structure, Aug 2, 2018
ON MY 2018 HONDA PILOT - EXL, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED TWICE (SHATTERED). THE FIRST TIME WAS ON FEB 2018 AND THE SECOND TIME WAS ON JULY 2018.
Seat belts, Jul 19, 2018
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS TOO SHORT. IT IS TIGHT ACROSS MY CHEST AND THE LEFT SIDE OF MY NECK. THE DEALER OFFERS NO FIX FOR THE OTHER THAN A SEAT BELT EXTENDER WHICH HONDA DOES NOT SELL. I AM 5'2' TALL AND 220 LBS. YES I AM OVER WEIGHT BUT I'VE OWNED 8 OTHER HONDA'S AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A BRAND NEW VHICLE I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING.
Seat belts, May 16, 2018
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS TOO SHORT, NOT AS LONG AS PASSENGERS SEAT BELT. IT PROHIBITS / RESTRICTS LEANING FORWARD TO CHECK ONCOMING TRAFFIC (BOTH LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT) AT INTERSECTIONS AND MERGING SITUATIONS. I BELIEVE THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION.
Seat belts, Mar 9, 2018
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS MUCH SHORTER THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE. UNLESS YOU ARE AN EXTREMELY SMALL PERSON IT IS DIFFICULT TO MOVE OR CLEARLY LOOK AT YOUR BLIND SPOTS WHEN DRIVING. THE SEAT BELT SITS ACROSS YOUR NECK AND BREAST WHICH WOULD CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THIS SEAT BELT WAS MADE TOO SHORT.