RoadVitals

2018 Honda Pilot Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Dec 29, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 434 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Honda Pilot submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Dec 29, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID
11707576
Incident
Dec 29, 2025
Visibility
Filed Mar 31, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID
11651698
Incident
Mar 30, 2025
Mileage
16,990 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 30, 2025

My Honda Pilot’s Sunroof exploded and sounded like a gunshot. Today March 30 while I was driving to pick up an order at Walmart around 7:50 pm. It wasn’t too windy, no cars were in front of me and suddenly I heard a big loud noise followed by wind blowing, my first thought was that I had a tire that popped but then when I checked the pressure on them and everything was fine after I got into the Walmart parking lot and parked. I was able to see the big hole in my sunroof. I do not understand how my sunroof suddenly shattered like that especially when it’s not that old now going on 7 years old and which is not my first Honda Pilot. My latest one was the first model: a 2003 Honda Pilot that last me for 14 years and never had any problems whatsoever with the sunroof.

NHTSA ID
11651641
Incident
Mar 30, 2025
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Aug 21, 2024

The original manufacturer windshield and the adhesive holding it to the body of the vehicle was improperly installed by the manufacturer allowing water to leak into the A-pillar of the driver's side down into the lower dash and foot well. Moisture and degradation of the factory installed windshield adhesive can cause electrical faults, mold, a loose windshield, and other issues that can disable the vehicle and/or cause bodily harm. The dealer noted and advised about the possibility of the adhesive degradation before the vehicle was inspected, which confirms this is a common issue with this vehicle. Upon inspection, they advised that the windshield adhesive was the issue. The issues/symptoms presented themselves during recent and prolonged rain events at which time it was reported to the nearest authorized dealer. The local dealer claims a crack in the windshield as the cause of the problems. Unfortunately, there are no cracks in the area where the leak is originating from. The vehicle leaks from the upper driver's side corner of the windshield, with the crack noted being on the lower mid section of the windshield. Water would not run up into the corner from where the adhesive leaks.

NHTSA ID
11609999
Incident
Jul 26, 2024
Visibility
Filed Mar 4, 2023

While traveling at highway speed there was what sounded like an explosion and first thought was it was a blown tire, but upon stopping to inspect it was discovered that the sunroof had exploded, leaving a large gaping hole across it. There had been no warning signs and there was no previous known damage to sunroof. I was lucky that the sun shade had been closed at the time or there would have been the real risk of the interior passenger compartment being peppered with flying glass shards, posing a danger to all 6 occupants, including 4 minor children, and especially to the front passenger and driver sitting directly underneath the sunroof who would have been at greater risk of injury with the very real possibility of the driver losing control of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11510124
Incident
Feb 18, 2023
Visibility
Filed Dec 6, 2021

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that there was no windshield washer fluid coming from the nozzle while attempting to clean the windshield. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with the windshield washer fluid warning light illuminated. While attempting to replenish the washer fluid reservoir the windshield washer fluid was spilling. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that the windshield washer motor system needed to be replaced; however, the parts to repair the system were on backorder. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ID
11442796
Incident
Jul 1, 2021
Mileage
40,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 16, 2021

The driver side sun visor fails to swing down. Dangerous to drive in bright sun Replace commercially and mechanic said this is a common Pilot failure Why is this not a recall?

NHTSA ID
11429203
Incident
Aug 16, 2021
Visibility
Filed Jan 4, 2020

AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP AND ROUGHLY 6,500 MILES MY WINDSHIELD HAS TWO LARGE CRACKS IN IT FROM ROCKS HITTING IT. IT JUST SEEMS A BIT RIDICULOUS THAT THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE SO SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE IN SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME.

NHTSA ID
11297108
Incident
Oct 14, 2019
Mileage
6,500 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Jul 19, 2019

SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 12,181 MILES IN JUNE 2019 ON A 2018 HONDA PILOT ELITE, OTHER ISSUES HAVE POPPED UP. THE FORWARD COLLISION SYSTEM HAS GONE OFF TWICE ON A 2 LANE STATE HIGHWAY. IN BOTH CASES, I WAS ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR WITH NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME FOR AT LEAST A MILE OR TWO, NO VEHICLES COMING THE OTHER WAY, ON A STRAIGHT PART OF THE ROAD, NOTHING IN THE ROAD AND NOTHING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO THEM WHEN DRIVING THE CAR, SO THERE'S NOTHING TO FIX & HONDA CORPORATION SAID THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING TO FIX. ONE NIGHT WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IT IT STOPPED RAINING BUT WAS VERY MUGGY AND THERE WAS MOISTURE ON THE WINDSHIELD THE AUTOMATIC WIPERS DID NOT COME ON AND THE DEFROST DID NOT WORK - THIS WAS OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING TRYING DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES ON DEFROST AND NOTHING HELPED. EVEN WITH THE WIPERS ON MANUALLY, VISIBILITY WAS POOR. ALSO, ONE DAY AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING ALL DAY I DROVE IT 20 MILES AND THE CAR DID NOT COOL DOWN - I HAD TO RUN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON FULL BLAST THE WHOLE TIME. THE CAR IS NOT COOLING LIKE IT SHOULD! OF COURSE, WHEN THEY TRIED IT OUT IT HAD ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN DRIVEN 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE AIR IN EARLY MORNING AND THEN THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT TESTED IT OUT, THERE WAS COOL AIR AND SAID IT'S BLOWING JUST FINE NOW.

NHTSA ID
11233482
Incident
Jul 4, 2019
Mileage
13,350 mi
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Dec 12, 2018

DRIVER'S SEAT SINKS AND CHANGES THE SEAT/MIRROR FIELD OF VISION OF THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. THIS "SINK" HAPPENS SLOWLY (AND WITHOUT NOTICE) CAUSING DANGEROUS BLIND SPOT SITUATIONS WHILE DRIVING AND PARKING. THE "SINK" BEGAN ON FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN SEAT VS REAR VIEW MIRROR POSITION. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF SUV. MALE, 69 YEARS OLD. 180 LBS. DRIVER'S SEAT SLOWLY SINKS OVER TIME. APPROXIMATELY 2-5" PER DAY. WHILE DRIVING, IN ALL INSTANCES. ALSO WHEN THE SUV IS SITTING PARKED AND EMPTY OF PASSENGERS, BUT SINK IS SLOWER. DEALER AND HONDA MAIN PHONE COMPLAINT SITE SAY IT IS NORMAL. SERVICE WOMAN AT LOCAL BETTEN-BAKER HONDA SAID SHE HAS 2016 PILOT WITH THE SAME SEAT AND ISSUE. SAID THE SINK IS NORMAL. I BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLY A LEAKING AIR BLADDER. CAUSE UNKNOWN. LX MODEL WITH 5000 MILES.

NHTSA ID
11160889
Incident
Aug 17, 2018
Visibility
Filed Dec 3, 2018

HIGHWAY DRIVING, APPARENTLY A SMALL STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD. (PICTURE ATTACHED) AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE STONE IN BARLEY 1/4 INCH IN SIZE. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL SITUATION, A WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT CRACK, THIS IS A NORMAL DRIVING SITUATION. THE ISM'S WINDSHIELD IS ON BACK ORDER, AND WILL TAKE 4 WEEKS TO RECEIVE, AS ONLY HONDA CAN RECALIBRATE THIS AT THIS TIME, THEY WILL ONLY RECALIBRATE AN OEM WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
11155614
Incident
Nov 28, 2018
Mileage
15,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .