NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 443 owner complaints for the 2018 Honda Pilot. It has 2 open investigations that name this model year.
Recalled components: body structure, air bags, fuel system, engine and cooling, and 1 more. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (91 complaints, 21%). Most-reported area: engine (158 complaints, 36%; median mileage when it happened: 80,900).
Fewer complaints than a typical Pilot year
The 2018 drew 50 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 122 for a typical Pilot year. It is not picked as a best year: it is named in an open NHTSA investigation.
No Pilot year stands out enough to avoid. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 4 investigations that name the 2018 Honda Pilot; 2 are still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Engine failure
Preliminary evaluation PE25008Open since Aug 20, 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: PILOT. Component: Engine.
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Engineering analysis EA25004Open since Mar 26, 2025
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: PILOT. Component: Engine and cooling (engine, crank/camshaft position sensor, engine control module (ecu/ECM), software, hard parts internal/mechanical).
Engine failure
Recall query RQ24013Closed Aug 20, 2025 (opened Nov 8, 2024)
On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: PILOT. Component: Engine.
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Preliminary evaluation PE22005Closed Mar 26, 2025 (opened Jun 3, 2022)
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: PILOT. Component: Engine and cooling (engine, crank/camshaft position sensor, engine control module (ecu/ECM), software, hard parts internal/mechanical).
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. A recall query is a review of whether a recall covered the right vehicles or whether its fix works. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
Owners have filed 443 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Pilot. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Stalling or shutting off91 · 21%
Median 58,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Auto start-stop problems71 · 16%
Won't start48 · 11%
Hesitation or slow acceleration43 · 10%
Median 74,800 miles at failure, from 22 reports with mileage
Median 80,900 miles at failure, from 19 reports with mileage
Electrical system85 · 19%
Median 51,200 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Powertrain78 · 18%
Median 51,000 miles at failure, from 22 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system63 · 14%
Fuel system62 · 14%
Median 79,200 miles at failure, from 28 reports with mileage
Speed control23 · 5%
Body structure18 · 4%
Most named: body (13)
Unknown or other75 · 17%
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: 443 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Honda Pilot
Model year
Complaints
2010
111
2011
293
2012
173
2013
273
2014
116
2015
109
2016
1,730
2017
943
2018
443
2019
929
2020
497
2021
459
2022
175
2023
151
2024
119
2025
217
2026
31
Safety recalls
2018: 7 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Honda Pilot
Model year
Recalls
2010
10
2011
11
2012
9
2013
6
2014
3
2015
4
2016
8
2017
4
2018
7
2019
13
2020
11
2021
10
2022
5
2023
6
2024
7
2025
5
2026
1
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.
In the 443 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda Pilot, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (91), auto start-stop problems (71), and the engine not starting (48). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
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.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Honda Pilot?
Yes. NHTSA has 2 open investigations that name the 2018 Honda Pilot: engine failure (PE25008, opened Aug 20, 2025) and no restart after auto start/stop engages (EA25004, opened Mar 26, 2025). It has closed 2 others. An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
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 Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
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.