Honda Rear Subframe Recall: Checking a Used Pilot or Ridgeline

Honda's rear subframe recall, NHTSA number 26V-365, covers 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2019-2023 Passport, 2017-2023 Ridgeline and 2014-2020 Acura MDX models sold in 22 salt-belt states plus Washington, D.C. Bad coating on the rear subframe can let rust eat the mounting points for the rear control arms until they crack. If you are shopping one of these used, run the VIN on Honda's or NHTSA's recall lookup, ask whether the inspection and reinforcement kit were done, and put the car on a lift either way. As of the last NHTSA update we saw on November 8, 2026, the final fix was expected in fall 2026, so plenty of these cars are still waiting.

This one is new enough that a lot of sellers have not heard of it. Honda filed it in June 2026, and the owner letters only went out over the summer. If you are buying in Ohio, Michigan or New York this winter, expect to see it on a lot of Pilots, Passports and Ridgelines, and on older MDXs too.

What is actually failing

Honda's Part 573 report is unusually plain about the cause. Rear subframes built with improper coating specs can have poor paint adhesion and paint peeling near the weld area by the arm bracket. Where road salt is heavy, that bare spot corrodes, the metal thins, and driving vibration can crack the mounting area. If the mounts for the rear control arm or lower arm fail, Honda says the rear wheels can go out of alignment or not be held properly, which can hurt handling, stability and braking.

The warnings Honda lists are abnormal noise or vibration from the rear suspension and changes in how the car handles. The subframes came from a supplier listed as F&P Georgia. Honda says the supplier improved the pre-paint process in August 2022 and increased coating thickness in January 2023, which lines up with the production dates in the filing, which end between December 2022 and January 2023 depending on the model.

Who is in it, and the numbers

The Part 573 report counts 880,514 vehicles: 463,253 Pilots, 217,517 MDXs, 110,070 Ridgelines and 89,674 Passports. Honda's own June 10, 2026 press release rounds the U.S. total to about 960,000. We could not find an explanation for the gap in the documents we read, so do not lean on either number. Lean on the VIN.

The states listed are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus D.C. Honda said there have been no reports from U.S. vehicles sold outside that region, and as of May 28, 2026 it had no U.S. warranty claims and no reports of injury or death. The first report came through Honda Canada in September 2025.

One detail worth slowing down on. The 26V-365 filing describes the population as vehicles "sold in" those states. Honda's older 2023 frame recall for the 2007-2011 CR-V (23V-228) was worded "sold, or ever registered in" the salt-belt states. So a Pilot sold new in Georgia that then spent five winters in Ohio may not show up in this lookup. We cannot tell from the filing how Honda handles that case. If the car has a salt-belt past and the VIN comes back clear, call Honda with the VIN, then inspect it like it was included.

Checking a used Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline or MDX

• Run the VIN on Honda's recall site or NHTSA's. Honda's recall codes for this campaign are AOU and AOT. Our Honda recall lookup guide and Acura recall guide show where to enter it.
• If it shows open, ask the seller whether they got the interim letter and whether a dealer has inspected the subframe yet. NHTSA's record says interim letters were mailed July 27, 2026, and the final remedy was anticipated in fall 2026.
• If it shows completed, ask for the repair order. The remedy is an inspection plus a reinforcement kit, with repair or replacement of subframe parts as needed, so the paperwork tells you how bad it was.
• Put it on a lift. Look at the rear subframe around the control arm brackets for flaking paint, scale and thin metal. A clean-looking rocker panel tells you nothing about this spot.
• On the test drive, listen for clunks or vibration from the rear over bumps and notice whether the back end feels loose in a lane change.

Our salt-belt history checklist covers how to tell where a car actually spent its winters, and why salt rust rarely shows on a report. Model notes are in the used Pilot guide and used Ridgeline guide. If the recall is open and the fix is not ready, our piece on buying with no remedy available is worth a read before you sign.

Where the history report fits

A report will not measure rust, but its registration history is how you find out that a Pilot sold new somewhere warm was later registered for years in, say, Cleveland. For this recall, that history matters more than the paint on the doors. Bought direct, a CARFAX is around $39.99 to $44.99. Through CarVins, a licensed reseller with no affiliation to CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian, a guest report has lately cost about $5.50, a member report about $4.50 and the CARFAX plus AutoCheck pair about $6.75. Those are recent numbers, not promises, so confirm at checkout. If the seller only has a screenshot of a report, that is not enough.

Sources

• Honda Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V-365 (NHTSA)
• NHTSA recall acknowledgement letter, 26V-365
• Honda press release: rear subframe recall, June 10, 2026
• NHTSA recall API record for the 2018 Honda Pilot (26V-365 letter and remedy timing)
• NHTSA acknowledgement letter for the 2007-2011 CR-V frame recall, 23V-228