The Lemon Index2018 Honda Pilot.
The 2018 Honda Pilot is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 77 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 48, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 21 to 23 mpg combined. The best Honda Pilot year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2016–2022 Honda Pilot, 18.8M views. The 2018 is the same generation.
- Infotainment, battery & electrical655K views
How To Replace Honda Pilot Key Fob Battery 2016 - 2022 Change Replacement Pilot Remote Key BatteriesPYR Automotive · 186K views · 6 videos - Transmission & shifter277K views
Honda Pilot - Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Change - 2016-2020MINUTE DIY VIDEOS · 190K views · 2 videos - Fuel pump, filter & tank261K views
2016 Honda Pilot P0430 Service Emissions System - Fuel Injector Replacement-Part 1Pete's Garage · 261K views - Brakes & ABS183K views
How to Change Honda Pilot Brakes - Pads and Rotors - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 | DIYFix and Play · 119K views · 2 videos
Show 4 more
- Cooling system119K views
How to Replace Timing Belt Kit With Water Pump Honda Pilot 2016-2022 3.5L V6TRQ · 119K views - Driveshaft, axles & 4x483K views
2016 - 2023 Honda Pilot Rear Differential Fluid Replacement (With Bleeding Procedure)Owen Lucas · 83K views - No-start: theft light, key & ignition83K views
2016 - 2022 Honda Pilot no startBCauto_ · 83K views - Oil changes & service72K views
2017 Honda Pilot Basic Maintenance Quick ReferenceOn The Workbench · 72K views
Before you buy, watch
Highlander Vs. Pilot: Which 2017 3-Row SUV Should You Buy? — Cars.comCars.com · 464K views
2016 - 2018 Honda Pilot common problemsBCauto_ · 141K views
2019 - 2022 Honda Pilot problemsBCauto_ · 106K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 440 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Honda Pilot year. 2018 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 16K to 86K miles on the car (104 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 50K–120K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 18K–91K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 18K–67K miles
Recalls 7
- body structure 2026
The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
- airbags 2026
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
- fuel system, gasoline 2023
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Show all 7 recalls
- engine 2023
Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- body structure 2021
The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
- engine 2019
The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
- seats 2018
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.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 140 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Service bulletin - The transmission end cover leaks on vehicles with a 9-speed A/T
- Engineering Request for Investigation - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenNo restart after auto start/stop engages2025
- OpenEngine failure2025
- ClosedEngine failure2024–2025
- ClosedNo restart after auto start/stop engages2022–2025
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Pilot SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Honda Pilot SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2800–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The car locks itself while the key fob is inside the car after the driver closes the door from the outside. The key is now locked inside the car.
2018 Honda Pilot owner · NHTSA complaint 11318742
More owner reports
2018 Honda Pilot. Consumer writes in regard to malfuncations with the vehicle that prevents it form start up.
NHTSA complaint 11206670
The push button start feature will not start the vehicle. No error messages are displayed. 4 to 7 repeated attempts must be made in order to start the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 11318743
Quick answers
Is the 2018 Honda Pilot reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.1× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 48; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Honda Pilot year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2018 Honda Pilot problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (18%), transmission & drivetrain (18%) and engine (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2018 Honda Pilot have?
7 safety recalls (latest: body structure). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Honda Pilot get?
21 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2018 Honda Pilot safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2018 Honda Pilot problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 16,200 and 86,300 miles. The middle report was at 47,500 miles, from 104 complaints.
Does the 2018 Honda Pilot have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 18% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2018 Honda Pilot cost in fuel a year?
About $2800 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2018 Honda Pilot have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Honda Pilot year is better than the 2018?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2015 and 2014.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works