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2018 Honda Pilot problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
60% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 Honda Pilot are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 81% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 18 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 58%).
Does the 2018 Honda Pilot have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 254 of 422 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Pilot concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%), and the largest group is filed under engine (157). For comparison, the 2017 scores 70% and the 2019 scores 44%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2018 compares with other Honda Pilot years
Of the 14 Honda Pilot years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 3rd-worst on engine and transmission share (60%). The worst is the 2017 (70%), the best the 2023 (22%). By volume, the 2018 drew 440 complaints (254 drivetrain), against 928 for the 2017 and 907 for the 2019.
Honda Pilot years to avoid and best years →
2010 Pilot problems · 2011 Pilot problems · 2012 Pilot problems · 2013 Pilot problems · 2014 Pilot problems · 2015 Pilot problems · 2016 Pilot problems · 2017 Pilot problems · 2018 · 2019 Pilot problems · 2020 Pilot problems · 2021 Pilot problems · 2022 Pilot problems · 2023 Pilot problems
The rest of the picture on the 2018 Honda Pilot
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2018 Honda Pilot said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 254 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2018 Honda Pilot engine recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 Honda Pilot involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.…
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.
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
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…
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.
Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
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…
4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2018 Honda Pilot? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2018 Honda Pilot
Does the 2018 Honda Pilot have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 254 of 422 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Pilot concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Honda Pilot?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Honda Pilot is engine: 157 of 440 complaints (36%) name it, followed by electrical system (85) and power train (78). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2018 Honda Pilot reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 60% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 81% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Honda Pilot years we score, it ranks 3rd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Honda Pilot?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2018 Honda Pilot involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 23V858000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump), 23V751000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical), 19V298000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Honda Pilot years are better?
Among the Honda Pilot years we track, the 2023 (22%), the 2011 (27%) and the 2022 (30%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (60%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/honda-pilot
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.