2018 Honda Pilot engine problems
156 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2018 Honda Pilot — 36% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The vehicle started to make some strange noises coming from the engine area. I brought the vehicle to our mechanic, who stated that the engine needs to be replaced. He described the problem as an issue with the piston that is appearing to be common with the shut off system, causing it in this…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
“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…”
filed Aug 11, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and…Campaign 23V751000 · Nov 13, 2023
- Timing belt teeth may separate from the beltCampaign 19V298000 · Apr 12, 2019
Related service bulletins
Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the…
A23-009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2025Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through…
A23-078 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through…
A23-078 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the…
A23-078 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 2025Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a…
AEBM04182025901 · Other · issued Apr 18, 2025
Engine problems in other Pilot years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pilot | 30 | 15% |
| 2024 Pilot | 10 | 9% |
| 2023 Pilot | 13 | 9% |
| 2022 Pilot | 28 | 18% |
| 2021 Pilot | 104 | 24% |
| 2020 Pilot | 101 | 21% |
| 2019 Pilot | 233 | 26% |
| 2017 Pilot | 465 | 50% |
| 2016 Pilot | 768 | 45% |
| 2015 Pilot | 22 | 20% |
| 2014 Pilot | 31 | 27% |
| 2013 Pilot | 79 | 29% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Honda Pilot
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.