2018 Honda Pilot

2018 Honda Pilot recalls (7)

• STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• SEATS

  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."

  Remedy: 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.

• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

• STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

  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.

  Remedy: 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.

2018 Honda Pilot safety ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.

2018 Honda Pilot owner complaints (15)

• ENGINE

  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

  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

  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.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  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.

• UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  -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.

• ENGINE

  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)

• ENGINE

  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.

• POWER TRAIN

  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

  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.

• UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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.