Model Years

2018 Honda Pilot Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 440 owner complaints for the 2018 Honda Pilot.

7Safety recalls
440Owner complaints
9Complaints citing a crash
2Complaints citing a fire

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Honda dealers.

Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Recalled components: body structure, air bags, fuel system, engine and cooling, and 1 more. Most-reported area: engine (157 complaints, 36%; median mileage when it happened: 80,900).

7 safety recalls for the 2018 Honda Pilot

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Body structure

Jun 4, 2026

frame and members

The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

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.

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

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.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Components: Body structure: frame and members; Suspension: rear. Honda campaign AOU, AOT.

Air bags

May 21, 2026

sensor · occupant classification · front passenger

The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

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

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

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.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Honda campaign Refer to Comments.

Fuel system

Dec 18, 2023

delivery · fuel pump

The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

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

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

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.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Honda campaign KGC, KGD.

Engine and cooling

Nov 13, 2023

engine · hard parts internal/mechanical

Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.

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

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

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.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Honda campaign XG1, GG0.

Body structure

Nov 29, 2021

body · hood

The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.

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

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Components: Latches, locks and linkages: hood, latch; Body structure: body, hood. Honda campaign PBV.

Engine and cooling

Apr 12, 2019

engine · gasoline · belts and associated pulleys

The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.

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

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

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.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Honda campaign L4M, Z4L.

Seats

Apr 5, 2018
  • Fails federal standard 207 (seating systems)
  • NHTSA 18V-221
  • 5,810 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."

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.

The fix and full notice

Fix: 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.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles.

NHTSA listing: PILOT. Honda campaign D0S, T0T.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What owners report

The areas named in the 440 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Pilot. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Honda Pilot recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Pilot drew the most (206) and the 2018 drew 50.

Owner complaints

2018: 440 complaints

Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Honda Pilot
Model yearComplaints
20161,703
2017924
2018440
2019904
2020487
2021433
2022156
2023142
2024113
2025201
202622

Safety recalls

2018: 7 recalls

Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Honda Pilot
Model yearRecalls
20168
20174
20187
201913
202011
202110
20225
20235
20246
20254
20261

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

Tested versionOverallFrontalSideRollover
Honda Pilot SUV AWD
Rollover risk 16.4%
Honda Pilot SUV FWD
Rollover risk 17.5%

Questions

What are the most common 2018 Pilot problems?

The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (157), electrical system (85), powertrain (78). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.

Is the 2018 Honda Pilot safe?

In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Honda Pilot earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.

How do I check if my Pilot has an open recall?

Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Honda dealers.

Sources and method

  • NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
  • NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
  • NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
  • NHTSA model names covered: PILOT.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.