2018 Honda Pilot Problems

When I press down on the gas, the car is delayed in responding. This has gotten increasingly worse, at times resulting in near collisions with on-coming traffic. I've reported this to my local dealership (Priority Honda in Chesapeake, Virginia) but they continue to tell me there are no diagnostic codes that allude to there being an issue and will not review it further. When I took a technician for a test drive and was able to replicate it, the technician said that it was normal that the gas was not immediately responsive. The unresponsiveness happens when I'm trying to get initial momentum (starting at a full stop), when I'm changing from reversing to moving forward, and when I'm already in motion and trying to advance speed.

Vehicle was being driven on the interstate going 70-77 mph. First noticed faint knocking sound and loss of ability to accelerate followed by check engine light and multiple system failure notifications. Pulled over on the highway between exits and turned vehicle off to call for assistance. Turned vehicle back on after 10-15 minutes to test, all warnings remained and acceleration was limited but possible. Drove vehicle on side of i70 until reaching an exit and parking for help to arrive. Two children and myself the driver were in the car. Vehicle was inspected and codes ran, but ultimately towed to our local Honda dealership. This event took place on July 18, 2026 causing us to miss a family wedding. The vehicle has been sitting at Penske Honda since then waiting for diagnostic tests to be run, scheduled for August 6.

Honda pilot would not restart after auto ideal engine stop. This issue caused all the warnings lights to come on with blinking engine light! Honda dealer was not able to resolve the issue and ended up paying $1500 even though it was a part of their service bulletin 23-009.

While driving down a freeway, my car shuddered and my engine suddenly lost power and was put into limp mode. Mechanic determined it was the high pressure fuel pump that failed. This vehicle was part of the recall for the low pressure fuel pump that was completed. It also had to have fuel injectors replaced under Honda’s extended warranty over faulty injectors.

If the auto engine shut off is activated the engine shuts off randomly and it does not restart the engine. The battery needs to be unplugged to reset the electrical system. This happens daily.

The vehicle will not start occasionally and states brake issue. The brakes becomes rigid and I'm left stranded until it corrected itself. This is a KNOWN issue, and yet they won't do a recall. It seems like a deceptive practice.

2018 Honda Pilot Transmission Failed at Only 34,726 Miles I want to share my experience so other Honda owners are aware of a very premature transmission failure. I am the original owner of a 2018 Honda Pilot with only 34,726 miles. My family has trusted Honda for many years, and my wife also drives a Honda HR-V. We believed Honda vehicles were reliable. While driving, my Pilot suddenly showed a “Transmission System Problem” warning. The vehicle became very slow and later was unable to engage into gear. I had to tow it to Capital Honda in San Jose. Capital Honda diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring a full replacement. The repair cost was about $11,800. I appreciate that American Honda provided goodwill assistance and covered a large portion of the repair. With that assistance, my out-of-pocket cost was reduced to $3,500. However, I am frustrated and disappointed that a Honda transmission could fail completely at only 34,726 miles. This is unacceptable for such a low-mileage vehicle, especially from a company known for engineering quality and reliability. All maintenance was completed on time at Honda dealerships. About six months before the failure, the transmission fluid service was also performed at a Honda dealer. I did not neglect this vehicle. Because of the low mileage, I asked American Honda to review my case for additional goodwill assistance. Unfortunately, that request was declined. Again, I appreciate the assistance already provided, but as a loyal Honda customer, I am deeply disappointed that I still have to pay $3,500 for a major transmission failure that happened far too early. I am sharing this so other Honda Pilot owners can watch for warning signs such as warning messages, delayed engagement, slipping, jerking, or abnormal shifting. Please keep your service records and report serious issues if they occur. Honda built its reputation on reliability, but this experience has made me question that reputation.

While operating my vehicle on a public roadway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of transmission hydraulic pressure and vehicle propulsion, accompanied by a dashboard warning light with a blinking "D". The vehicle completely stopped delivering power to the drive wheels while moving with traffic, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard for a rear-end collision on an active road. We pulled into the high school parking lot, stopped the car, then restarted it. It had the error on the dashboard, but we were able to get it safely home, where it was towed to the dealership later. ​The vehicle was towed to Dick Hannah Honda (the local authorized dealership). The service department scanned the onboard computer (from the parking lot, NO actual physical inspection done) and pulled internal transmission fault codes P0730 (Incorrect Gear Ratio) and P0746 (Pressure Control Solenoid "A" Performance/Stuck Off). Based solely on these electronic fault codes, the dealership stated that the internal mechanics of the ZF 9-speed transmission had completely failed. They stated the transmission is completely unrepairable and quoted a full replacement cost of $11,984.41. ​Prior to this failure, the vehicle had service documentation and inspection records from authorized Honda franchise technicians, who repeatedly marked the transmission condition and vehicle health check sheets as completely healthy and "GREEN" at every visit for 60,000 miles by American Honda Motor Co. Case Management was contacted (Case #16371194), but they refused any financial goodwill assistance. ​This sudden operational failure of the ZF 9-speed transmission platform without ANY prior Maintenance Minders given by the computer system. This failure matches the exact software calibration and pressure defects currently cited in ongoing consumer protection litigation involving the 2016-2022 Honda Pilot 9-speed drivetrain.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to accelerate, and the RPM became elevated. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where a partial diagnosis was performed, and it was determined that there was a catastrophic failure in cylinder #3. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, a case was opened, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

Whining noise during acceleration in any gear, gets louder as acceleration advances

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 21V932000 (STRUCTURE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). The contact stated that the vehicle was at the dealer, pending the repairs. The dealer informed the contact that all 6 fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. However, while diagnosing the vehicle, the diagnostic tool failed to retrieve any fault codes. The dealer refused to replace the fuel injectors. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 72,100. Parts distribution disconnect.

There seal on the doors doesn’t hold up all the wind comes howling inside the car it’s so loud

The front passenger seatbelt snapped into 2 pieces toward the floor. It is physically impossible for that portion of the seatbelt to get caught in the door that would weaken it. The only people who are in the vehicle since we bought it new from Honda are my wife and I who are both in our 70's. The car is not abused and kids are never in it. This piece of metal should not have snapped and broken into two pieces. Honda told us that it was not under warranty and not their problem. We told them that this was a safety feature that should not have failed within this time period. I also have a 1994 Ford Pickup with the original flimsy seatbelts and they still operate like they were new. We believe that since this is a safety issue, it should have been covered by Honda. We are assuming that it was caused by faulty materials. We still have the broken seatbelt in case anyone wants to inspect it. We had to pay $993.89 to repair it. We are asking for assistance in recovering that cost.

SECOND SEATBELT FAILURE. I previously reported second row passenger seatbelt that was found completely detached from anchor, at point where belt was looped and sewn. This was replaced by dealer. The second row middle belt locked in extended position at that time, and I requested dealer check this and repair or replace as needed. This was supposedly also done. The row 2 middle belt is rarely used, using first time since repair was reportedly done, found webbing that is frayed 50%+ through, in portion that is retracted when not being used. I checked all belts when I found this, and found fraying at the 3rd row middle seatbelt (buckle portion webbing), with associated damage to the plastic where the third row seat folds down. It appears the belt webbing has been rubbing on this plastic part of seat back, causing damage. This belt is also rarely used: not at all in last 13 months, and around 5-6 times, every 6-10 weeks in non-pandemic times. The third row is normally kept folded down, with the middle row belt retracted into ceiling when not in use. I am left wondering if the geometry of the belt placement is causing mechanical/friction damage, if there are sharp edges in the 2nd row middle belt storage (overhead), or if there was chemical damage to some belts in the factory. It is odd and concerning to find multiple issues with the belts, and I want all to be replaced, and their housing inspected for possible points causing the damage.

Driver side mirror has been vibrating since my purchase of the vehicle. Today the mirror glass has separated from the mirror housing while driving causing me to lose the ability to use this mirror. There is an open recall for the 2020-2021 production years of this vehicle for this same issue which should be extended to the include the 2016-2019 range as well.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, an abnormal popping sound was heard coming from the top of the vehicle. Shortly afterwards, the contact attempted to open the sunroof and became aware that the glass had shattered without impact. In addition, the contact stated that the sunroof glass was tinted and was held together by the tint film. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 16,990.

The vehicle will not start occasionally and states brake issue. The brakes becomes rigid and I'm left stranded until it corrected itself. This is a KNOWN issue, and yet they won't do a recall. It seems like a deceptive practice.

The car was placed in park, and somehow it rolled backwards into a gas station post causing serious damage. The very badly designed 9 speed transmission is designed to shift into park when the door is opened this is a safety feature that failed! My child could have been in there! It could have rolled back into the file pump! DANGEROUS! I have heard of others complaining this happened to them too. I have video evidence but I need to obtain it from the gas station it happened at.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 21V932000 (STRUCTURE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). The contact stated that the vehicle was at the dealer, pending the repairs. The dealer informed the contact that all 6 fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. However, while diagnosing the vehicle, the diagnostic tool failed to retrieve any fault codes. The dealer refused to replace the fuel injectors. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 72,100. Parts distribution disconnect.

In March of 2018, a recall came out for the electric motor and and mounting bracket on the driver side seat adjustment. We purchased this Pilot new in September of 2018. The seat motor has quit working, but we cannot find the recall anywhere. It seams to me like we should be able to get it recalled and get the motor and bracket replaced!!

DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY REASON WHITE GOING AT 35 MILES/HOUR FROM FRONT TO BACK OF THE TRUNCK

My wife was in an accident where she struck a vehicle crossing an intersection in front of her. She believed she was traveling at between 25-30 mph. Following the accident, the Honda Pilot dash indicated a problem with the airbag. My wife suffered bruising across her chest and her hips from the belt. After extensive repairs, documents attached, the dash continued to display a fault with the airbag system that was subsequently addressed by a local Honda dealership.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle started shuddering. The vehicle was pulled over safely to the side of the road. The AWD, Hill Descent Assist, power steering, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact checked the manual and continued to drive. While driving days later, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact continued driving approximately 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The failure was associated with the fuel pressure pump. The lower fuel pressure pump was previously replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,320.

There is a popping noise when turning and hitting bumps and a slight clicking noise when driving. I am very unsure as to where the issue is coming from (CB axle, steering rack, ball joints, bushings, some say welds or loose bolts). I see many people online talking about this issue online. It needs to be addressed

Leaking front shock, front differential, and transmission

I did mentioned this recall when I got my car I am having issues with acceleration, fuel pump . Car takes a bit long to take offline

All warning lights triggered on by faulty rear view camera sensor making one unable to discern if there is a true issue with one of the systems

The High beams are giving a warning when driving during the day and at night. “High support system problem “. I have taken it to the dealership and they can’t find the issue and I have reported twice and they still can’t figure it out. The high beams come on and off during driving which is a safety issue for both drivers, this issue continues to occur since July 2021 and is reoccurring.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with torque converter failure. The contact was informed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced a TSB; however, the VIN was not associated. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,443.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-65 MPH, the vehicle jerked, and the message "Transmission Systems Failure" was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the transmission downshifted unexpectedly, and a short while later shifted to normal drive and operated as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the torque converter clutch had failed; DTC: P0741. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become progressively worse and occurred more frequently. The contact related the failure to TSB: 23-078; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT LX SPORT TIRES. I HAVE DRIVEN CAR SINCE OCT 2018. TIRES WERE IMMEDIATELY LOSING AIR.. THEY HAVE BEEN FILLED SEVERAL TIMES WITH AIR. NOW THE 4 TIRES ARE SPLITTING EVERYWHERE THERE WAS A SEAM. 20000 MILES AND ROTATED AS REQUIRED AT HONDA DEALERSHIP. JUST NOTICED. NO IDEA WHEN IT ACTUALLY STARTED