FaultScore

2018 Honda Cr-V engine problems

538 of the 2,994 complaints about the 2018 Honda Cr-V are about the engine — 18% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 5,937 miles.

C

538

Complaints

5

Crashes

1

Fires

4

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 524 97.4%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 10 1.9%
Emission Control 1 0.2%
Gasoline 1 0.2%
Turbo/Supercharger 1 0.2%
Engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm) 1 0.2%

Engine & Cooling across every Honda Cr-V year

1998 15 0.5%
1999 21 0.8%
2000 18 0.7%
2001 33 1.2%
2002 66 2.4%
2003 92 3.4%
2004 155 5.7%
2005 36 1.3%
2006 23 0.8%
2007 29 1.1%
2008 42 1.5%
2009 15 0.5%
2010 61 2.2%
2011 44 1.6%
2012 91 3.3%
2013 99 3.6%
2014 193 7.1%
2015 255 9.3%
2016 101 3.7%
2017 536 19.6%
2018 538 19.7%
2019 109 4.0%
2020 38 1.4%
2021 36 1.3%
2022 19 0.7%
2023 21 0.8%
2024 26 1.0%
2025 23 0.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Oklahoma City, OK

ENGINE

Head Gasket failure due to coolant interference in engine

NHTSA complaint #11758142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ithaca, NY

ENGINE

Vehicles began starting very rough. Had spark plugs and coils. Replaced still continued to have issues with rough starting. Got an engine overheating message and the thermostat begin reading hot cold hot cold. Discovered coolant jug was almost empty. Refilled that and then noticed every few days to a week. It would need refilling. Car was pressure tested three times showed no leaks.. Finally independent mechanic took it in and took it apart and replaced the head gasket which had blown. He said it was a design flaw the way the parts were connected and an engineer should have caught that before it was even put into the vehicle. So I was a victim of what is apparently a relatively common part flaw with this age CRV. I have seen and heard of multiple issues with head gaskets in 2017 and 2018 CRV‘s.

NHTSA complaint #11757360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bonney Lake, WA

ENGINE

I sometimes get a reduced engine power shutter grill problems

NHTSA complaint #11757553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Fernando, CA

ENGINE

Before the recall repairs, I did not experience any loss of acceleration, hesitation, jerking, or flashing warning lights. These symptoms began only after the recall service was completed. 1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle experienced a loss of acceleration while driving. The vehicle also began to jerk or stumble, and multiple warning lights flashed on the dashboard. The vehicle is currently at the Honda dealership and is available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The loss of acceleration created a potentially dangerous situation because the vehicle would not respond as expected while driving. I did not feel safe operating the vehicle, especially in traffic, because the vehicle hesitated and lost power. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The vehicle was inspected by a Honda dealership. The dealership initially diagnosed a shutter grille issue (code P16E8). After that repair did not resolve the problem, the dealership later indicated that the fuel injectors might be the cause. The symptoms persisted after the initial repair. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Honda dealership. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms before the failure, and when did they first appear? Multiple warning lights began flashing after the recall service was completed. The symptoms, including loss of acceleration and vehicle hesitation, first appeared after the recall repairs were performed.

NHTSA complaint #11756620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pensacola, FL

ENGINE

Cylinder head gaskets failure with coolant migrating into the cylinders, available for inspection upon request; Dahl Honda Sheboygan took videos of inspection and liquid in the cylinders. Upon starting the car, the engine sounded strange and sluggish. As I started to drive, engine sounded like it was misfiring. I was able to drive only 10-25 mph (safety issue) from residence to the Dahl dealership (2.8 mi). All electrical warning lights were flashing. I thought it was my battery or a loose connection. They appeared all at once upon starting the car that morning, no prior warning.

NHTSA complaint #11756112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deerfield, IL

ENGINE

While driving safely on the highway at 55mph speeds, my 2018 Honda vehicle suddenly displayed multiple unexpected warning lights and alerts on the dashboard. The vehicle experienced an abrupt loss of normal operation behavior, posing an immediate safety hazard and risk of a collision in fast-moving traffic. I took the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership for diagnostics, paying a $200 diagnostic fee. The dealership confirmed a severe mechanical failure involving the head gasket. Because the vehicle is out of the limited warranty window, the dealership quoted a prohibitively high repair cost and advised me to trade the vehicle in rather than fix it. As a Costco employee who relies entirely on this vehicle for my livelihood and commute, this sudden catastrophic engine failure jeopardizes my employment. A core engine component like a head gasket failing prematurely at highway speeds is a critical safety and structural defect that puts drivers at risk. I am filing this complaint to request a federal investigation into potential 2018 Honda 1.8L engine and gasket defects.

NHTSA complaint #11756212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarksburg, MD

ENGINE

In Feb-2020 While driving on [XXX] just south of Altoona, PA experienced sudden loss of power with multiple warning lights on in the dashboard along with engine light. Safely maneuvered the vehicle to the shoulder. Turned it off, waited some minutes and then tried restarting it. To my surprise vehicle started with normal power but lights still present. I continued my driving and after few miles later even the lights went off. Then covid pandemic happened. Did not drove this car much that spring and summer and ultimately took the car to Autozone to read the stored DTC codes on Nov 19 2020. Autozone read the Error codes as P0303, P0304 and P0300 as part of Autozone paperwork Report ID# [XXX] Called American Honda and registered complaint case # [XXX]. Honda advised to take it to the nearest Honda dealership to read the codes again but Honda dealership said there are no codes those they were able to read on 11/23/2020. Updated Honda with dealership findings on 12/15/2020. American Honda assured me that vehicle is still under warranty and they will do the right thing if problem resurfaced. 09/26/2025 - Once I got this problem again around 73k miles on odometer, I Called Honda again to make the things right with their July 2019 advisory and emissions warranty extension to me under Service bulletin #19-032. 11/06/2025 - American Honda tried to resolve the issue as per advisory to me under Service bulletin #19-032 at 80K on the odometer. 02/11/2026 - Experienced the same Engine misfire codes again in January 2026 and called American honda to reopen the case# [XXX] and took the car to local honda dealership again where the warranty work as per Service bulletin #19-032 was performed in Nov 2025. 03/04/2026 - Upon dealership's further diagnosis talked to Dominique at American honda and he refused to stand behind their product and refused any fix. To me Honda failed to address oil dilution issue for my 2018 CRV EXL AWD. See attachments INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 55

NHTSA complaint #11756292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coral Gables, FL

ENGINE

Parked car and engaged the push button keyless ignition system to shut the car down, SUV would not shut down, no recourse available to power down vehicle. We immediately drove to the local Honda dealership, Braham Honda 7000 Coral Way, Miami Florida for assistance with the issue. Was advised that even disengaging the battery would have still left the alternator engaged which eventually may have cause damage to that part. All new parts required to fix the "keyless," issue at a cost of $1,200. This seems like an obvious defect and safety issue, if needed we to refuel to get to the dealership, legally we couldn't, since we were unable to shut the car down. Complaint filed with Honda case #XXX. [XXX] Honda Invoice for Service #XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11755930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fitchburg, MA

ENGINE

My car started experiencing a loss of power and began to shake a lot when I was parked. When they put the scanner on it, it said that cylinders number 2 and 3 had faults, so they replaced them.But after a few days the same message returned, so they think it's the injectors. In addition to all that, the problem started after the fuel pump was replaced at the Honda dealership in Lancaster, MA.

NHTSA complaint #11753887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 153,500 miles Ballston Lake, NY

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was taken to the residence while driving approximately 30 MPH. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and that the head gasket and fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,500.

NHTSA complaint #11753230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Excelsior, MN

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70-75 MPH on the highway, after entering the highway uphill, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light flashing. The driver pulled over, and the vehicle was restarted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA complaint #11753025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Germantown, MD

ENGINE

1. Head gasket leaking into engine, car is overheating now. Told it is a slow leak, not safe for long distance travel, need new car. 2. My car is available for inspection upon request. 3. I am a woman and could have been stranded by this in vulnerable situations. I am a travel worker driving to places like Maine and California and camp alone in remote areas. Starting to overheat has happened on 270 in Maryland during a traffic jam after I had the mechanic tell me I can drive locally as long as the coolant is kept full — which was done 2 days ago. 4. My mechanic looked at the car Friday, July 24th, 2026 and can confirm the failure. 5. My car started overheating this week when I was idling in Park with the AC on and the air started blowing warm air. I had overheating light one time and it was a flash. I thought I was out of Freon and needed it serviced. Now, If I put my car in park with the engine still on, the thermostat goes up. If I drive in a traffic jam where I am stopping and going, the thermostat goes up. The AC won’t work most of the time now. 5.1. A year ago my check engine light came on, turned it off, and sat for a half an hour. I called my mechanic and he said to bring it over if the light was off. I started the car and the light was off. He looked at it and said all the coolant had blown, replaced the coolant and said to drive locally for a while, that it might be that the thermostat got stuck and as a safety, the coolant blew out. No more problems. Same mechanic. I have been the sole owner of this car, I have taken very good care of it. I have the same mechanic do 95% of the work. I only have the oil changed at his place or trusted mechanics in other area I see online that this is a known issue for this year, make, and model — on Reddit and it was Chat GPT that was the first that let me know that this is showing up on different auto boards and in articles for 2017 - 2018 Honda CRVs that have Turbo engines with links to sources.

NHTSA complaint #11752950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sterling, VA

ENGINE

I was driving on highway at 55 MPH speed, suddenly dashboard starting blinking (On and off) with some noise. I shocked to see that suddenly while driving on highway and I pulled my vehicle to shoulder and stopped vehicle. I started engine again after few mins and noticed all alights pop up on dashboard and it keeps continuing poping all lights. I took vehicle to Honda dealer service center. They did inspect and told me it is known issue for Honda vehicles. They said head gasket misfire and coolent leak through the head gasket, leading to a misfire. They estimated around $8000 USD for repairs. I am reporting safety concern and financial pressure on vehicle owner. Very much dissatisfaction when I see it is not added to RECALL when there are numerous compaints with same issue. This has to be added to RECALL immediately as it is known issue troubling many customers and it may cuase accidents on highways. It is potential safety concern on road and mental stress due to expensive repair.

NHTSA complaint #11752229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Milford, NJ

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact's daughter attempted to start the vehicle, and the vehicle started. The contact stated that the vehicle was running abnormally rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an inoperable head gasket. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA complaint #11750289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Perdido Beach, AL

ENGINE

My 2018 Honda CR-V began experiencing repeated battery drain and would not reliably start. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle also would not shut off after the ignition was turned off, continuing to run/stay powered on. The vehicle was taken to an authorized repair facility for diagnosis, where it was determined that the Body Control Module (BCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The repair shop indicated that BCM failure is a common and recurring issue on this model and model year, which is consistent with numerous other owner complaints I have since found describing the same failure pattern (battery drain, warning lights, no-start condition, vehicle failing to shut off, and in some cases stalling while driving) on 2017-2019 Honda CR-V vehicles. I am filing this report to document the failure and make NHTSA aware of what appears to be a widespread defect trend affecting this component across multiple model years of this vehicle. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential safety defect, given that BCM failure can result in sudden loss of electrical function, the vehicle failing to power off, and in some reported cases, stalling while driving.

NHTSA complaint #11749269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shoreview, MN

ENGINE

Driving at freeway (65 mph) speeds suddenly ALL dash lights went off and car lost power in the middle of the freeway. Has been undrivable since. There are MANY other owners of this model car (1.5l turbo engine) who have had this exact same experience. Honda refuses to fix or recall or stand by a product they know is faulty. Car has been maintained per Honda specifications.

NHTSA complaint #11747123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Reading, PA

ENGINE

The engine throw a P303 Code with a cylinder 3 misfire. Using coolant at a rapid rate as well. We have change the spark plugs numerous times, put in new coils and replaced the fuel injectors. This is with all Honda OEM Parts. There is an issue with the Headgasket. The car looses power and has left me sit on the side of the road. I will not drive it as this time due to safety concerns. The CRV is services at our local garage since the dealer is to expensive. This service center has been working on this CRV for the last few years. The garage is a well respected service center in our community. This issue has been going on for a month or two. All of the dashboard lights come on and then I loose power. When it does work, it will sputter when starting and then sputter at times while I am driving it. I know there has been a class action lawsuit filed because of this same issue but I am being told my VIN number does not fall into that category. I do not see how that is right when I am having the same issues with my car that is described in the lawsuit.

NHTSA complaint #11746212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Methuen, MA

ENGINE

My 2018 Honda CR-V has only 100,000 miles. A week ago, I noticed that my engine temperature gauge on my dashboard was spiking during low speed driving and I received several engine overheating alarms. There was no white smoke emitting from my exhaust. I checked the coolant reservoir and observed that the reservoir was almost empty. I brought my vehicle to my mechanic who found no external coolant leaks. He recommended that I bring my vehicle to a Honda service center to better diagnose the issue. The Honda service center diagnosed the issue as a head gasket failure, causing coolant to leak into my cylinders and burn off in the engine. This issue resulted in the engine overheating and could likely cause engine seizing, or in extreme cases, the engine to catch fire. This is a known issue for 2017-2022 Honda CR-Vs with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. My wife and I could have seriously been injured by this known defect. In addition, the Honda service center provided me a quote of approximately $5,000 to replace the head gasket and resurface the cylinders. A lawsuit was filed in 2025 in California documenting the same issue on many 2017-2022 Honda CR-Vs (Alcantara, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc., et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-06009). A recall should immediately be issued for Honda to cover repairs for this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11745869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bountiful, UT

ENGINE

The 2017 to 2022 Honda CR-V are lemons in my opinion. I bought the car new in 2018 and it has 79,000 miles on it. I recently had to have my head gasket replaced at a cost of $4,000. This seems to be a big problem with these years. I am in two different Honda CR-V blogs and a lot of people are having this same problem. I am [XXX] and I was hoping this would be my last car to buy. I like the car but I am concerned that it might happen again. I understand there are a few class action law suits for the deficiencies in these engines. Please let me know what I should do. Or if there is something that you can help me with. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11746094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reading, PA

ENGINE

power and began running rough. The check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle did not perform normally. I previously had the vehicle diagnosed and repaired at a Honda dealership for this same issue. The repair was completed less than two months ago. After only a few thousand miles since the repair, the exact same symptoms returned, including the check engine light, rough engine operation, and loss of power while driving. The recurrence of this issue raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle, particularly when operating in traffic or at highway speeds, as sudden loss of power could increase the risk of a crash. The problem appears to be the same issue that was previously repaired, but it reoccurred shortly after the repair was completed.

NHTSA complaint #11745486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pecatonica, IL

ENGINE

Honda 2018 CRV VIN [XXX]. Car was brought to Honda dealer due to smoking issue from exhaust directly after fuel pump recall. Work was done at Napleton Honda that was under direction from America Honda to replace the head gasket for no engine codes were found and engine light was not on. CRV head gasket was replaced for $6,000 and still smoke was coming from exhaust. Returned the vehicle to Napleton Honda dealer and America Honda then claims issue is a Turbo issue and that is what is causing the smoking for another $5,500 they can swap that part too. I expect America Honda will recommend next the rear-view mirror will need to be replaced for that is how we are seeing the smoke from the exhaust. The Dealer is under direction from America Honda on what to replace and they have failed to fix the issue. Multiple websites reference that the recalled fuel pump is causing engine trouble like fuel gasket and turbo which America Honda knows for that is what they are recommend being replaced so far. If you do some discovery on this, you will also see there are several class-action lawsuits on this same issue in the US and several other countries. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11745231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bartlett, IL

ENGINE

The systems affected with failure notifications were Electric Parking Brake, TPMS, Emissions, Brake, Brake Hold, Power Steering, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, Adaptive Cruise (including regular cruise), Collision Mitigation/Avoidance, Road Departure Mitigation. The stored codes in the vehicle that I was able to read were P0300, P0303, P0304. This failure bears a striking resemblance to that of TSB 21-010, directed at Keihin manufactured fuel injectors, PN: 16010-RLV-315, which was later replaced with updated ...-305 after the failure was determined, and the vehicles were given a 10 year 150,000 mile warranty. The CRV had injector PN: 16010-5PA-305, also manufactured by Keihin, which was also later revised to 06160-..., but the CRV was not given the same warranty extension, suggesting Honda acknowledged the same defect pattern across both injector families but chose not to extend equivalent coverage to the CRV. 21-010 also details that debris from the high pressure pump may contribute, and the CRV experienced the same fuel pump recall for low density impellers that these vehicles did. Honda is also obligated under TSB 98-081 to perform emissions services due to OBD inadequacy, which this vehicle experienced. Misfires were felt for months with no CEL. The Norm Reeves Honda parts catalog classifies injectors as emissions components, implying they should be covered. However, a Honda dealer in CA, mandated by CARB and EPA, refused to do the repairs or make any goodwill attempt on my behalf. I then reached out to American Honda, who delayed assigning a case manager as long as possible, then required phone contact after initially accepting alternate communication methods, then assigned a case manager whose hours conflicted with my stated availability, then assigned a second who has not answered the phone. I am still awaiting a callback. The vehicle has been immobile and in limp mode for the past two weeks while Honda's callback process remains unresolved.

NHTSA complaint #11742846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Louisville, KY

ENGINE

While driving home during rush hour traffic on the highway with my children in the vehicle, without warning it stopped accelerating when I passed the gas pedal and started slowing down. When I let go of the gas pedal it would speed back up. I couldn't safely merge over to the right with heavy traffic and ended up on the left shoulder. I turned the vehicle off and tried to restart it, it struggled to start, but when I let go of the key it would turn over. The brake system lights and check engine light were illuminated after the incident, but not during. The code was for p0087 and honda service confirmed it's a failed high pressure fuel pump, but it's not under the recall so the repair isn't covered. I'm extremely lucky to have gotten to the side of the road without causing an accident. I was not driving my normal route that day, but if i had been this would have happened on a stretch of the highway that's under construction where there was no shoulder to pull onto. So if I'd have gone a different way home that day, we'd have most certainly been involved in a collision. They've anyway Texans the low pressure fuel pump but these high pressure ones are just as dangerous when they fail, even more so!

NHTSA complaint #11738956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carlotta, CA

ENGINE

Looses power randomly when lights appear in dashboard lights. Even after the recall

NHTSA complaint #11736709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 124,358 miles Trumbull, CT

ENGINE

A known common issues that Honda are not addressing: car going limp randomly, oil dilution, head gasket failure causing fuel injector issues, dashboard lighting up which causes the safety features to also cease from operating. I have multiple times now with my 4 year old in the car been in traffic and my car has just stopped going unprovoked. This limp mode issue a huge safety issue and has almost caused me to wreck multiple times. This started around 70k miles.

NHTSA complaint #11735679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canonsburg, PA

ENGINE

Failed Head Gasket in the engin affected fuel injectors and spark plugs to fail or not perform normally and started misfiring in the engin. My 24 year old son drives this car and the problem happened at night when he was driving home at night on 3/4/2026 flashing all waring signs on the screen. The car's speed was abruptly reduced to very low and he was not able to drive the car . I put the car to repair shop and replaced the fuel injecton kit and spark plugs and paid $1650 for that and the problem happed again with same kind of signs and drop the car to dealership for detailed diagnostic analysis and they came with the conclusion that the engin has a failed head gasket which causes the engin coolent to enter into cumbustion chamber and mix with the oil/gas affecting fuel injectors and spark plugs. Upon extensive search on internet and social media , it has been found that there are hundreds of victims who own the same year vehicle & model ( or same engine types ) and faced same issues and paid too much money to repair even though the Honda is aware of the issue and not taking care of it. Honda is playing with american people's life when they know the issue very well and haven't done anything yet to recall the vehicles to resolve this issue . This need to be investigated thoroughly to save life of innocent people.

NHTSA complaint #11735293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

New Bedford, MA

ENGINE

The fuel injection system failed, specifically causing a cylinder 1 misfire (DTC P0301). The component is currently installed in the vehicle and available for inspection. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power and violent shaking while driving in traffic, creating a high risk of a rear-end collision or being stranded in a dangerous intersection. Multiple safety systems (VSA, Braking Assist, Power Steering) were disabled simultaneously. The problem was officially confirmed and diagnosed by Saccucci Honda [XXX] ) on Invoice #XXX. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer (Saccucci Honda), who confirmed the failure is internal to the fuel injectors. There were NO warning symptoms prior to the failure. All warning lamps and messages appeared suddenly on 04/20/2026 exactly 3 days after the official Honda Fuel Pump Safety Recall was performed at a different dealership of Honda . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11734936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Jackson, TX

ENGINE

Hello. We purchased this 2018 Honda CR-V new in 2018 from the local Honda dealer, Honda of Lake Jackson, TX. In the Spring of 2025 the A/C stopped working. We took it to a local shop and they had to replaced the following: Blower motor replaced, blower motor replaced, A/C evaporator replaced, A/C expansion/orifice valve replaced, Heater core replaced. This was around a $3,000 repair. A month or so later in May of 2025 we took the car to the Honda dealer because of steering instability issues. We were advised that the entire Steering Column would need to replaced due to known safety issues (drive shaft can fail completely at highway speeds). The following was repaired at this time: --Rack and pinion replaced, steering gear replaced, valve cover gasket replaced Vehicle was at 61,984 miles at this time. This was a $5,000+ repair. It cost so much that we actually had to take out financing to pay it, which in essence essentially renewed our car payment (car was already paid off at this time). Now for the past 8 months or so we have had a "juddering" issue where you can feel the transmission CTV system jump and jerk as you accelerate to highway speeds. This issue also puts the entire transmission at risk of failure. The Honda dealer here checked the vehicle out and suggested we do a transmission fluid swap. This cost $189 for the "diagnostic fee" and $179 for the swap. So another nearly $400. They did the swap and said that it did not fix the issue and now we need to pay $2800 to have the "Torque convertor" replaced. This is $10,000 plus dollars in repairs, nearly half to cost of the vehicle. This is a ridiculous amount of issues for a vehicle that had only 61,000 miles. We have always had regular maintenance performed also. From what I have read, Honda knows about these issues but has not issued a recall. In addition I've read that "juddering" CTV issue is a known issue in 2015-2018 Honda CR-V's. Needless to say we are not happy with Honda about any of this.

NHTSA complaint #11734448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sarasota, FL

ENGINE

I am reporting a potential safety defect with my 2018 Honda CR-V EX-L. While driving under normal conditions, the vehicle suddenly overheated without warning. The temperature gauge rapidly rose to “high,” and warning messages appeared indicating an engine overheating/cooling system issue. I was forced to pull over immediately to avoid engine failure and a potential accident. The vehicle was unsafe to continue driving and had to be inspected by a mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a blown head gasket, and coolant had leaked into the engine. I was informed that the engine may need to be replaced due to the severity of the damage. This issue occurred without prior warning and created a serious safety hazard because the vehicle could have stalled or seized while in motion, potentially causing an accident or leaving me stranded in traffic. The vehicle has been properly maintained and was being driven normally at the time of the incident. I am concerned this may be a manufacturing defect involving the engine, head gasket, or cooling system. I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be investigated for potential safety risks to other drivers.

NHTSA complaint #11733846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colorado Springs, CO

ENGINE

Head gasket/coolant leak. Dec 2 2025 my car started sputtering so I went into the AutoZone to use an obd2 reader for the check engine light. The code showed cylinders 2 and 3 were misfiring. I took it to the Honda dealership to fully diagnose the issue, they told me I needed new spark plugs but also that my coolant was low (they didn’t bring any concern for this) and just topped it off. They told me my fuel filter was recalled but the couldn’t service it cuz I had a full tank of gas. April 3 2026. Car started sputtering again but worse, it lost power and couldn’t drive more the 12mph. I assumed with the symptoms that the fuel filter was going out. April 4 2026 brought my car in to Honda for fuel filter replacement. After replacement was finished, the service tech said my coolant was almost depleted. And they don’t see any noticeable leaks. April 8 2026 car started sputtering again and I checked the coolant level and half the tank was gone. Brought it back to Honda for diagnostics There are thousands of Honda owners experiencing the same issue with the same engine (1.5L turbo). Honda made a deformed head gasket which causes the coolant to leak into cylinders 2 and 3. Head gasket blows requiring car owners to pay $5-$10,000 for repairs and in some cases, damages the engine beyond repair. Hondas negligence is causing its vehicles to be unsafe on the road. They need to be held accountable and the head gaskets need to be recalled

NHTSA complaint #11730858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2018 Honda Cr-V problems

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