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2018 Honda PilotProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 443 owner complaints about the 2018 Honda Pilot, most often about the engine. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-858 the manufacturer reports only 75% of affected cars repaired.

43
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.3× the Pilot median · #9 of 22 years by complaints
Safety recalls7Lowest repair rate 75%Owner complaints44319 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage81kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 5, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2018 Honda Pilot has problems

443 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine1581
Electrical system851
Power train781
Fuel/propulsion system631
Fuel system, gasoline620
Vehicle speed control235
Structure182
Seat belts121
Service brakes101
14 other systems654

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

7 recalls

2018 Honda Pilot recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

New

Recall 26V-365 · Jun 4, 2026 · 965,561 vehicles

Risk. 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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

31%repaired · 2026 Q3

Occupant classification: front passenger

New

Recall 26V-332 · May 21, 2026 · 98,892 vehicles · 30,654 repaired

Risk. Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2026 Q3

Delivery: fuel pump

Recall 23V-858 · Dec 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles · 1,866,761 repaired

Risk. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2025 Q4

Engine: hard parts internal/mechanical

Recall 23V-751 · Nov 13, 2023 · 248,999 vehicles · 186,678 repaired

Risk. A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 3 more recalls
87%repaired · 2023 Q4

Hood: latch

Recall 21V-932 · Nov 29, 2021 · 724,826 vehicles · 629,720 repaired

Risk. A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

94%repaired · 2020 Q3

Gasoline: belts and associated pulleys

Recall 19V-298 · Apr 12, 2019 · 93,946 vehicles · 87,916 repaired

Risk. Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2019 Q3

Seats

Recall 18V-221 · Apr 5, 2018 · 5,810 vehicles · 5,039 repaired

Risk. 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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.

Best & worst years

2018 vs. every other Pilot year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Pilot median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2018 Honda Pilot safety ratings

2018 Honda Pilot SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2018 Honda Pilot frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2018 Honda Pilot side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2018 Honda Pilot side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (16.4% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2018 Honda Pilot, and the recalls they led to.

  1. No Restart After Auto Start/Stop EngagesEA25004 · still open
    Open
  2. No Restart After Auto Start/Stop EngagesPE22005 · closed Mar 26, 2025
    No recall
  3. Engine failurePE25008 · still open
    Open
  4. Engine failureRQ24013 · closed Aug 20, 2025
    No recall
In owners' words

What Pilot owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

During acceleration between 1000-2000 rpm when I back out of the driveway or slowly start to accelerate on the street I hear a knocking sound only at that specific rpm. When cruising and I release the gas I feel a heavy sluggish and quick decrease of speed instead of it smoothly decelerating and…
Complaint 11774574 · Oct 29, 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.
Complaint 11765967 · Sep 21, 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…
Complaint 11758136 · Aug 20, 2026

Own a 2018 Pilot?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.