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, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 7, 2024
Recall needs addressed. Car is throwing codes and serging going down the road.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle briefly hesitated and struggled to maintain speed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 5, 2024
Intermittent sluggish performance No risk yet Dealer confirms fuel pump problem No Warning lights Dealer refuses to provide information or an estimate date to make required repair!!!!
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was expected to be available in the Fall of 2024. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,500. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel/propulsion system, May 29, 2024
We continue to experience stalling while driving our Honda Pilot exactly as described in the Recall. We took our vehicle to Honda, but because they were unable to duplicate our problem and this problem does not generate an error code, they sent us home without any repair. Honda has said they have limited parts to make the replacement, so they are holding parts at their HQ and not allocating any to dealers. So, we, like most other Honda Pilot owners, continue to have to drive vehicles that may be unsafe. When driving in traffic, our vehicle has lost power for several seconds, which can be dangerous if we are in a passing mode or needing power to maneuver safely. We ask the Traffic Safety Administration to engage with Honda to accelerate their processes to effect required repairs before we or others are injured. Thank you.
Fuel/propulsion system, May 28, 2024
My 2018 Honda Pilot has a fuel injector recall. Per Honda, "Safety Consequence: An inoperable fuel pump could prevent an engine from starting, cause a vehicle to lose drive power, or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash or injury." - My car is hesitating with acceleration at low (20-25mph) along with (45-55mph). The RPMs do not stay steady and the car is hesitating to shift into gear. - I called Westbrook Honda, Westbrook, CT on [XXX] to inquire and was told I would know if the car was part of the recall because it will stall. - Unsatisfied, I took my car to Brandfon Honda, Branford, CT for diagnosis on [XXX] and was told by service that if it's an issue they will prioritize it since the part will not be available until Fall 2024. Brandfon Honda is advising 4 other recommendations to see if it will fix the problem versus addressing the fuel injector recall which points to what is the issue with the car (as advised by my independent auto shop) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 23, 2024
The contact's husband owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that her husband informed her that the vehicle had experienced a loss of motive power while driving. No further information was provided. The local dealer and another unknown dealer were contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,690. Parts distribution disconnect.
Power train, Electrical system, Back over prevention, May 23, 2024
“Transmission system problem” message is displayed. Vehicle still runs fine, but reverse camera becomes disabled.
Electrical system, May 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was stopped at a stop light, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power; however, the vehicle was able to immediately restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The STOP/START warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000. The VIN was not available.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel system, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, May 21, 2024
The vehicle's auto stop/start function shut down power to the engine at an intersection and would not restart. The vehicle was unable to move at a busy intersection and would not manually restart either. A dealer or independent service center has not reproduced the problem, but I do see plenty of other cases on different automotive forums. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, or others. There were no warning lights or other symptoms prior to the engine shut down. This has happened on more than one occasion and usually in the summer months when the A/C system is running. It doesn't seem to be an issue without the A/C running. Thank you
Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, May 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving from a complete stop, nearly causing a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure could be related to the fuel injectors and the transmission. The TCM software was updated, and a transmission flush was performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and related the failure to the recall; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,155. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated before responding as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and flushed the fuel system twice; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 45,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, May 18, 2024
Unknown
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 18, 2024
Misfire code cylinder 4 injector
Engine, May 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving or parked, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 13, 2024
This issue started last year upon purchasing my used Honda Pilot. The gas save mode that allows the engine to shut off at stops and restart does not work properly. Rather than the engine restarting, the car will instead shut down. Taking about 2-3 minutes to have to put the car in park and being able to restart after several attempts. The Pilot was taken to Honda last year where they did a computer upgrade. This issue happened again last week on 5/8/2024 and again this morning, 5/13/2024. This can cause a safety issue as the car is stopped at a stop sign or a light, and when traffic is trying to move, I am holding traffic up which may cause cars to attempt to go around or cause an accident. I need to know why this is happening and when Honda plans to have a solution.
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 30, 2024
I am experiencing a delay in acceleration. This can occur when I am completely stopped and press the gas, there is a delay (3-5 seconds) and then the car jerks forward and accelerates quickly. Or, when I've slowed down to almost a stop, begin a turn, step on the gas and it won't accelerate for a couple of seconds, almost causing an accident on several occasions. This occurs about once every 10-15 times I drive the vehicle. It's unpredictable.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 28, 2024
Honda Of Rockwall Texas says this remedy is not available yet. But it clearly is.
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 22, 2024
The adaptive cruise control doesn't work for the vehicle in front of me but the vehicle on the side. It will slam on the brakes when there is no vehicle in front of me but with a vehicle on the side. Tbsi has almost caused numerous accidents. The automatic braking/forward Collison warning happens when a vehicle is passing me going the oposite direction.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle began to lose motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure recurred. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but was unable to confirm when the part would be available. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Apr 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was unknown.