2018 Honda Pilot: recalls, complaints & known problems

Every safety recall and owner complaint on record for the 2018 Honda Pilot, straight from the U.S. government's NHTSA database — so you know what you're buying before you message the seller.

High caution

Serious warning signs on record for this year — proceed carefully.

7Safety recalls
425Owner complaints
5Problem patterns
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Safety recalls

7 recalls on record. Recall repairs are free at the dealer — ask if they were done.

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 drivin
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.
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 vehicle
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

Most-reported problems

Recurring failures owners filed with NHTSA for this model year:

Stalling / loss of power while driving — 51 owner complaints
Transmission slipping / jerking / failure — 14 owner complaints
Engine failure / knocking — 13 owner complaints
No-start / starting problems — 13 owner complaints
Paint peeling / rust — 4 owner complaints

Complaints by area

Which parts of the car owners complain about most:

Engine
150
Electrical System
83
Power Train
77
Unknown Or Other
70
Fuel/Propulsion System
62
Fuel System
62

Is 2018 the bad year? Complaints by model year

Sometimes the same car one year newer or older has a far cleaner record. Complaint volume across the Honda Pilot years we track (click a year for its full report):

2013
270
2014
116
2015
107
2016
1,658
2017
897
2018 ◀ this
425
2019
859
2020
465
2021
400

Newer years have had less time on the road to accumulate complaints.

Frequently asked

How many recalls does the 2018 Honda Pilot have?

The 2018 Honda Pilot has 7 NHTSA safety recalls on record. Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers — always ask the seller whether the recall work was completed.

How reliable is the 2018 Honda Pilot?

NHTSA has 425 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Honda Pilot. The most-reported issues are stalling / loss of power while driving, transmission slipping / jerking / failure, engine failure / knocking. Compare it against nearby model years above.

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Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.gov). Informational only — not mechanical or purchase advice. Always inspect the vehicle and test drive before buying.