2,751 of the 21,242 complaints filed about the Honda Cr-V are about the engine — 13% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2018.
2,751
Complaints
13%
Share of all complaints
60
Crashes
76
Fires
ENGINE
Head Gasket failure due to coolant interference in engine
NHTSA complaint #11758142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the vehicle decelerated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be removed and replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred immediately after the vehicle was at the dealer and serviced for a scheduled oil change. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,090.
NHTSA complaint #11758000 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I am the owner of a 2020 Honda CR-V equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. The vehicle is experiencing a severe and dangerous engine oil dilution manufacturing defect where unburnt gasoline enters the oil pan. This is an active driving hazard. After a fresh oil change meant to remediate the issue, the oil level rapidly rose back up past the top dipstick indicator within less than 200 miles of driving, and the oil smells strongly of raw gasoline. This severe dilution degrades the engine oil viscosity, creating an immediate risk of sudden engine stalling, loss of propulsion, or catastrophic internal engine failure while driving at speed. Honda is aware of this defect on 1.5L turbo engines but has failed to issue a recall or provide a permanent engineering solution for 2020 models. I currently have 44,443 miles on the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11757640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
ENGINE
I sometimes get a reduced engine power shutter grill problems
NHTSA complaint #11757553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I was driving on hwy when I had to do a hard stop because traffic stopped suddenly in front of my vehicle, no physical contact was made to any cars in front or back of me, suddenly dark smoke started coming from under the hood of car, The car started stalling in middle of the hwy I got out safely opened hood and seen engine area was on fire another person in a vehicle pulled over came out with a fire extinguisher and sprayed to put fire out. there were no prior symptoms or warnings prior to this problem occuring.The car was picked up by my insurance company and taken to a Honda dealer and that is where car is located as they are trying to repair fire damages and no one knows why this fire ocurred.
NHTSA complaint #11757427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Hello NHSTA -- My Honda is a 2021 CR-V AWD Hybrid. Two very unsafe events to report which occurred within a few weeks of each other, apparently from the same cause. First event, on 27 Feb 2026, I was driving on a two lane county road, traveling about 40 mph, I was in the lead with 2 or 3 cars behind me. Suddenly, on a fairly level grade, I noticed that the car was gradually slowing down; I was not touching the brakes, my foot was on the accelerator. When I pushed it to speed up, there was no effect, no change in the engine sound. I put on my flashers, and scanned for a place to pull-over, but there was no shoulder. My speed had reduced to around 5 mph. The check engine light flashed I believe, but it did not stay on. In about a hundred yards I was able to locate a broad drive-way entrance to pull in to and I was able to let the cars behind go by. Turned the engine off 2 or 3 times. On the 3rd time, the car moved a little bit. When I put it in reverse, it moved back a little bit. So, when the road was clear I put it in drive again and it took off like normal. I drove directly to my local Honda shop. The kept it for a couple of days. They couldn't find anything, and said that no service codes had been recorded in the system. Given the age of the battery, we put in a new one. And the car ran fine from that point. Then, second event, a few weeks later on 30 March 2026, I was driving on an Interstate (3 lanes each way), traveling around 55 mph, flat terrain. Suddenly, the car began to lose power and gradually slow down, I had no acceleration or control over it. I was in the middle lane, Put on the flashers and drifted into the right lane, the other cars slowed for me. Got over to the shoulder. Check engine light was on steady. Called Honda, per their instructions from the first event. They told me to have it towed. Bottom line, Honda said that the intake valves were too tight. See attached worksheets. Clearly a factory build defect. Valves are not checked until 90K.
NHTSA complaint #11757183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
vehicle may experience driveability issues, which may result in DTCs P0300 (random misfire detected), P0301 (No. 1 cylinder misfire detected), P0302 (No. 2 cylinder misfire detected), P0303 (No. 3 cylinder misfire detected), P0304 (No. 4 cylinder misfire detected), or P0172 (fuel system too rich) or a whirling noise coming from the engine compartment. POSSIBLE CAUSE Based on certain driving patterns and environmental factors, the DTC's stated above may be set or a whirling noise may occur. Apparently only certain vin numbers were affected, mine is not in the list but im still having the exact same issues.
NHTSA complaint #11757046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Driving downhill on Ohio Turnpike at high speed the check engine light started flashing and the car lost power. 2nd time this has happened in one month's time this summer. First time was also on the Turnpike at high rate of speed, going uphill, on a 90+ degree day. Second time was mid 80's, going downhill. Both times after turning car off and on again, check engine light was no longer visible. No codes stored to help determine issue.
NHTSA complaint #11756895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
While driving, multiple dashboard warning lights suddenly illuminated simultaneously (including the Check Engine light, Emissions system warning, and various safety sensor alerts). The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of engine power, rough idling, and hesitation upon acceleration, which created an immediate traffic hazard. I took the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership service center. The diagnostic scan revealed a failure of the fuel injectors (with diagnostic trouble codes indicating a system too rich and cylinder misfires). The dealership service advisor informed me that this premature fuel injector failure is a highly common and widespread systemic defect with Honda’s 1.5L Turbo direct-injection engines, stating that their shop actively stocks these parts because they perform at least one of these replacements every week. This premature component failure at low mileage (54,000 miles) is a severe safety risk that causes unexpected engine stalling or power loss while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11756771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
ENGINE
On the evening of [XXX], I started my vehicle while it was parked in my garage. Within approximately five minutes, the vehicle suddenly produced a violent and unusually loud mechanical noise, followed by visible smoke billowing from beneath the hood. Recognizing the immediate potential fire and safety hazard to both myself and my property, I immediately shut the vehicle down. The following morning, I took directly to Honda North, an authorized Honda dealership in Clovis, California, for a professional diagnostic inspection. The dealership's certified inspection determined that the A/C compressor had suffered a catastrophic internal mechanical failure and had completely seized. According to the dealership, the compressor's internal failure while the system was operating resulted in metallic debris being circulated throughout and contaminating the A/C system. This catastrophic seizure heavily strained the engine's drive belt system. The failure was a direct result of the factory compressor shaft seal leaking out all system refrigerant and lubricating oil, causing the unit to run dry and seize. As a result, the dealership determined that replacing only the failed compressor would not be sufficient to properly restore the system. The recommended repair requires a complete A/C system overhaul, including replacement of the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and associated refrigerant lines/components. Honda has openly acknowledged this exact factory defect in Service Bulletin 23-040, extending the shaft seal warranty to 10 years. However, Honda Corporate Customer Service is refusing responsibility for the downstream consequential destruction caused by their own defective component, citing only general vehicle age and mileage, despite the vehicle having 55,782 miles and sitting well within the 10-year extended warranty window. They have refused to provide an engineering justification or written analysis for this safety-related coverage denial. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),
NHTSA complaint #11756507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ENGINE
Head Gasket failure at 105,000 in 1.5L Turbo engine like all the other CRVs.
NHTSA complaint #11755294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
My wife’s 2017 Honda cr-v lost power while on the highway. Which could’ve been a safety issue had she not known what to do. We limped it to Honda dealership. They say it was a blown head gasket. The blown head gasket caused the turbo to fail. This is a known issue on the 2017-2022 Honda 1.5 turbocharged engine. Top all that off we already replaced the turbo 4 months prior to the head gasket going out. So that’s two turbos and a head gasket in a 2017 vehicle that has 150,000 mile on it. I attempted goodwill with Honda which was denied.
NHTSA complaint #11755149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
On my 2023 Honda CR-V with 79,567 miles, the engine experienced a cylinder 1 misfire while driving, causing the vehicle to lose power and enter limp mode. At the same time, every warning light on the dashboard illuminated. The sudden loss of power created a serious safety risk because I was unable to accelerate normally and had to safely maneuver the vehicle out of traffic, increasing the risk of a collision. I took the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership, where the problem was confirmed and the engine was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The vehicle has been inspected by the Honda dealership but has not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or any other parties. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights or messages indicating a problem.
NHTSA complaint #11754673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.