85 of the
697 complaints filed about the Honda Cr-V Hybrid
are about the engine —
12% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2021.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact scheduled an appointment for a maintenance repair on the vehicle and was informed that recall services would also be performed on the vehicle while the vehicle was with the dealer. The vehicle received repairs under 23-049 (HYBCKP Emission Recall) and 24-049 (HTBrid Press Fuel Safety Recall). Upon retrieving the vehicle, the contact stated that an "Engine Temperature Too Hot" message was displayed on the instrument panel within 5 miles of driving. The dealer was alerted to the failure, and the contact was instructed to bring the vehicle back to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the vehicle the following day and another message "Avoid Acceleration and High-Speed Engine Temperature Near Limit" was displayed on the instrument panel. A diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was notified of a head gasket leak in cylinder #1, and that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The contact contested that the vehicle was never test driven once the initial repairs were performed and believed that the dealer was aware of the issue prior to returning the vehicle. The dealer maintained that the fault was not on the dealer and the vehicle remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 79,276.
NHTSA complaint #11756906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact scheduled an appointment for a maintenance repair on the vehicle and was informed that recall services would also be performed on the vehicle while the vehicle was with the dealer. The vehicle received repairs under 23-049 (HYBCKP Emission Recall) and 24-049 (HTBrid Press Fuel Safety Recall). Upon retrieving the vehicle, the contact stated that an "Engine Temperature Too Hot" message was displayed on the instrument panel within 5 miles of driving. The dealer was alerted to the failure, and the contact was instructed to bring the vehicle back to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the vehicle the following day and another message "Avoid Acceleration and High-Speed Engine Temperature Near Limit" was displayed on the instrument panel. A diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was notified of a head gasket leak in cylinder #1, and that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The contact contested that the vehicle was never test driven once the initial repairs were performed and believed that the dealer was aware of the issue prior to returning the vehicle. The dealer maintained that the fault was not on the dealer and the vehicle remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 79,276.
NHTSA complaint #11756906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid with approximately 91,000 miles. Vehicle is less than two years old, has received all required maintenance and mileage is predominantly highway driving. I experienced intermittent chugging/rough engine operation, particularly when the gasoline engine engaged at light throttle. There was no check-engine light. The vehicle subsequently displayed: “POWER REDUCED - Shutter grille system problem. Power may be reduced. See your dealer.” I brought the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealer. According to the technician's written diagnostic notes, no diagnostic trouble codes were present. During inspection, however, the technician found the engine coolant level low. The spark plugs were removed and the cylinders inspected. The technician found coolant leaking into cylinder #4, which was documented by borescope photograph. Honda authorized replacement of the cylinder-head gasket. My safety concern is that an internal coolant leak/head-gasket failure was present without a check-engine light or stored diagnostic trouble code, and the vehicle ultimately displayed a warning that power could be reduced. I am concerned that this condition could potentially result in unexpected reduced propulsion or overheating while driving. American Honda has also issued Service Bulletin 26-088, Product Update: 2023-26 CR-V Hybrid PGM-FI Software Update, dated August 7, 2026. Honda states that the update was developed “to better manage engine temperatures” by optimizing electric water pump operation. My Honda dealer has advised that the applicable campaign update will be performed on my vehicle. I am not alleging that the software condition caused my head-gasket failure, but I believe NHTSA should evaluate whether internal coolant leakage/head-gasket failures in these vehicles can occur without an appropriate engine warning or stored DTC and whether the condition could result in reduced power, overheating, or loss of propulsion while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11756658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2023 Honda CRV hybrid bought from dealership in Clarksville, Indiana. at 63,000 miles the head gasket blew causing major damage. Regular maintenance and oil changes done. Technician said the component just failed for no known reason and exploded. Repair priced at $5300 Honda Corporation refusing to provide any assistance. Research shows many people having same issues of blown head gaskets at only around 60,000 miles of CRV Hybrid.
NHTSA complaint #11756315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manufacturer Dealer Diagnostic confirmed that Head Gasket is leaking on cylinder 1 and that this is a known issue. Vehicle just 3 months and barely 2000 miles out of new car warranty. Manufacturer fails to cover repair at 100% Power Loss while driving on the freeway on 2 separate occasions. Engine did not provide power in response to accelerator pedal, car slows down w/o control. Incident 1 traveling 65 mph Hwy [XXX] in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11755481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
i was driving my 2023 crv hybrid which is well maintained and has only 73200 miles i was only driving it for 10 min when the cylinder gas kit has blown out and vehicle went into limp mode and power has dropped luckily no one was behind and i pulled over.
NHTSA complaint #11753541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2024 Honda CRV Sport Touring Hybrid AWD has the very same engine and parts as the Canadian model. So far the Canadian version with the exact same equipment as well as the U.S. version has a poorly designed HEAD GASKET that have resulted in NUMEROUS engine failures with no warning. In CANADA the engines have been recalled for this safety concern and resulting catastrophic engine failure. My complaint is that since there are many drivers in the U.S. that have the EXACT same engine with the EXACT same problem deserve the SAME recall to correct this manufacturing defect that will result in an UNSAFE condition without repair.
NHTSA complaint #11751652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving the vehicle will lose acceleration and not allow me to accelerate. It feels like it wants to shut off. The check engine light will come on when this happens. I turn the car off and turn it back on and it goes back to baseline and lets me drive as normal. This has happened while accelerating to get on the highway from an on-ramp, at around 45-60 miles an hour and also at city speeds slowing down to a stop light. I notice some rough idling/shaking during idle at times as well. I have not taken it into the dealer yet because it started happening over the weekend when the dealer was closed. Vehicle has not yet been inspected by anyone. I do believe the first time it happened that an error message came on my dashboard but I'm not 100% sure. The check engine light definitely did though both times it's happened.
NHTSA complaint #11751399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On four separate occasions while driving anywhere from 35 to 55 mph the engine light begins to flash and I lose all power. I am given just enough time to pull to the side of the road. I turn off the engine, wait a few minutes, and turn the engine back on, which seems to remedy the problem. At that point, I am able to drive off like nothing happened. I am on a CRV forum and I’m seeing more and more people discuss the same issue! Because there’s no code that comes up, and I am not able to replicate the scenario at the mechanics… There is nothing that can be done. It’s quite scary to be going 55 miles an hour and have to pull over on the side of the freeway. One time there was not a shoulder of the road that I was on, luckily a gas station was just up ahead and I was able to pull in there to reset the engine.
NHTSA complaint #11750885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Description of event: I was driving approximately 35 mph when the check engine light began flashing, the engine began shuddering, and acceleration began decreasing. I was able to safely pull over and turn off the vehicle. After approx. 10 minutes, I turned on the car and plugged in a code reader but no codes were available to view. I restarted the car and it functioned normally and the check engine light has not returned. Safety: If there had been more traffic, if I had been on a highway, or some other circumstance, it could have been difficult to safely pull over with a loss of power. The car has not been inspected by a third party but there are numerous anecdotal accounts of this same issue on Reddit and Honda forums.
NHTSA complaint #11734944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Urgent Safety Concern – 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid Engine Defect: I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid related to a manufacturer defect that has not been properly resolved. My vehicle experienced an issue where engine oil leaked into the engine and spark plugs due to a defect. As a result, I received a critical dashboard warning instructing me to “stop vehicle immediately.” This created a dangerous situation and placed me at risk while driving. Although the issue was later identified as a manufacturer defect, it was not properly addressed when I initially reported engine shaking concerns in 2025. The problem escalated over time and ultimately led to this failure.Despite attempts to repair the vehicle, I continue to experience engine-related issues, including ongoing shaking. I have made multiple efforts to resolve this through the dealership and American Honda, but my concerns have not been adequately addressed.This vehicle is my only means of transportation, and the unresolved defect presents a continued safety risk not only to me but potentially to other drivers. I am concerned that similar issues may be affecting other 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles. I am requesting assistance in reviewing this matter as a potential safety issue and ensuring appropriate accountability and resolution.
NHTSA complaint #11730901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in the morning, and in the evening, the fire department knocked on the contact's door, advising that neighbors had called to report that there was a significant amount of smoke coming from the contact's garage. The contact stated that the garage was detached and was located in the rear of the residence. The contact stated that upon opening the garage door, the contact noticed a significant amount of smoke. The contact noticed that the front end and the hood of the vehicle had caught on fire, and the fire had spread to the entire garage. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire; however, the contact later noticed a spark of fire on the rear wooden wall of the garage after the fire department had left. The contact called the fire department, and the fire department returned, extinguished the fire, and removed the garage's wooden wall for safety precautions. A fire department report was filed. The police arrived at the scene, but it was unknown whether a police report was filed. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle had significantly burned, and the engine and other unknown parts were dismantled. There was property damage. The contact sustained cough and breathing issues due to smoke inhalation. The contact was a medical physician and had contacted a colleague, who brought a steroid inhaler to the contact. The vehicle remained parked in the garage and was awaiting inspection from the insurance company. The dealer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
NHTSA complaint #11713450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced a premature failure of the head gasket; it was blown at 130,000 miles. I was close to home when I received a dash alert stating not to accelerate as the engine was nearing a critically high temperature. If I had not been able to get home so quickly, my safety may have been compromised as my car could have overheated forcing me to pull over on the shoulder of a busy bridge. My local dealership inspected the vehicle and has quoted me nearly $4,500 for the repair, despite it appearing as this is a known issue with this particular engine.
NHTSA complaint #11688230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2.0L engine VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure: ~73,000 miles Dealer: AutoNation Honda Fremont, California Estimated repair cost: ~$4,200 Issue: Blown head gasket Summary of Complaint: At approximately 73,000 miles, my 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid suffered a blown head gasket. The vehicle began showing symptoms of overheating and coolant loss, and a dealer diagnostic confirmed head gasket failure. The repair estimate from AutoNation Honda Fremont is approximately $4,200. A head gasket failure at this mileage is abnormal and indicates a potential design defect. I am aware of an ongoing class-action lawsuit concerning premature head gasket and engine failures in late-model Honda vehicles with turbocharged and hybrid engines, and my experience appears consistent with these allegations. This defect is a safety hazard because it can lead to sudden overheating, engine stalling, or complete failure while driving, which puts drivers and passengers at risk. It also creates an unreasonable financial burden on owners. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential widespread defect across Honda CR-V Hybrid and related models. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11685914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Traveling on 4 lane highway at 65 mph on slight upgrade-check engine light started flashing and vehicle started to shudder slightly and went into "limp" mode I think. Started to slow down with NO power. Turned on emergency flashers and was able to pull over without incident, although it was close to causing an accident with a tractor trailer. I shut the vehicle down and after 10 minutes, started it again> I was able to drive home another 45 miles without incident. This happened a week ago and so far it hasn't happened again.
NHTSA complaint #11679040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the message that the engine was reaching the max engine temperature and to pull over was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the EV water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired three times. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on four times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
NHTSA complaint #11678795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The issue occurs seemingly randomly about once a month when driving on the highway. All of the sudden the car starts de-accelerating. Even if you push the gas pedal all the way down it doesn’t go. It just goes slower and slower and thank goodness I’ve been able to pull over every time. Once I shutdown the car completely and turn back on then I have power again.
NHTSA complaint #11678339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid began displaying multiple warning messages around February 2025: “Transmission System Problem,” “Blind Spot Info System Problem,” and “Emission System Problem.” The issue was eventually traced to incorrect transmission fluid used from the time of purchase. A diagnostic report confirmed widespread internal transmission damage (e.g., shift solenoids stuck, low fluid pressure, excessive clutch slippage). As the transmission failed, it overwhelmed the vehicle’s main computer (PCM), causing a breakdown in the F-CAN network and disabling connected safety systems like the blind spot monitoring and emissions modules. The drivability of the vehicle deteriorated rapidly—gear shifting became rough and unpredictable. The car began struggling to accelerate above 40 mph, especially during inclines or highway merges. This posed a safety risk not only to me but also to passengers and other drivers due to reduced control and system failures. I rely on this vehicle for work and have since had to limit driving to local roads only, avoiding highways entirely. The issue was confirmed by an independent service center. Diagnostic reports and dashboard photos were submitted to the manufacturer, but they have not accepted responsibility. Their representative acknowledged the symptoms but insisted it was the selling dealer’s issue. Meanwhile, the transmission continued to degrade. I believe this defect originated at the manufacturing or pre-delivery stage. The wrong fluid caused irreversible internal damage that has now jeopardized the vehicle's powertrain and safety systems. Despite reports, photos, and repeated communication, the manufacturer has delayed action, and the vehicle is now outside the powertrain warranty mileage due to this delay.
NHTSA complaint #11673853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When I accelerate up a hill at speed I lose power of the car. Once I pull over and turn the car off and wait a few minutes, the car starts up and drives fine. I have taken it in to be fixed and one time they changed spark plugs and a head gasket and then about 8 months later it did the same thing. I took it in to be checked out and they cannot find anything wrong with it. I have searched online and have found out there are other people having the same issue with this model (2021 CRV hybrid). I've only owned the car for 4 years and love Honda's and have owned one most of my life so this is disappointing.
NHTSA complaint #11673100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving at highway speeds (60-70 MPH), vehicle showed blinking check engine light, indicating a misfire. Pressing the gas pedal did not provide power to the wheels, though the engine was still running and revved up. My safety and that of those around me was in danger due to my inability to continue to maintain speed. I had to coast while pulling over to the side of a freeway. I turned the car off and turned it on and the issue appeared to resolve itself with no light on the dash. Took the vehicle to an independent service center, who would not look at the vehicle since the error code would not show from a cleared code. Told me to hope it was a 1 time issue and to stop back by with the light blinking. However, this will not be possible since I get no acceleration when the issue persists. The issue has not been reproduced, nor do I intend to attempt to reproduce it due to the safety issues involved with losing the ability to accelerate while traveling at high speeds on the freeway.
NHTSA complaint #11669524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.