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#BS-2018-HONPIL-40CD2018 Honda Pilot
Based on reports from 607 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 607 complaints, 15 crashes, 2 fires, and 5 recalls.
Top reported problems
driver side seat belt is too short
2 complaints • Severity 7/10
shift flair transmission slipping
2 complaints • Severity 10/10
rough shifting
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
Preview: What's in your full report
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
149 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 40K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (60 reports) • Median: 40K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Engine (149 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2018 Honda Pilot: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 25% of all reports filed for the 2018 Honda Pilot, with 149 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 40,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 40K-mile mark.
Fuel System Issues
Fuel System complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 2018 Honda Pilot, with 119 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2018 Honda Pilot, with 77 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2018 Honda Pilot, with 70 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2018 Honda Pilot. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
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 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."
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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
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 driving.
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 the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Honda Pilot is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2018 Honda Pilot vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
607
Class avg
436
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles from 2018.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 607 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Honda Pilot Model Years
View all Honda Pilot years →2018 Honda Pilot: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Honda Pilot?
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How much does it cost to fix 2018 Honda Pilot problems?
Does the 2018 Honda Pilot have any recalls?
What mileage do Honda Pilot problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
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Get the Full 2018 Honda Pilot Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 607 owner reports. Know before you buy.