Honda CR-V Engine Problems by Year

By CarWhere Research · Updated

Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 2,298 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Honda CR-V. For the Honda CR-V, that's 0.6 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.44 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2018, 2017 and 2015.

Engine complaints

2,298

Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models

Per 1,000 sold

0.6

2015–2022 cohorts

Share of all complaints

18.9%

of 12,165 complaints for this model

Engine recalls

2

NHTSA campaigns, all years

Honda CR-V engine complaints by model year

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.

Honda CR-V engine complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year
Model yearEngine complaintsPer 1,000 soldShare of all complaintsCrash / fire / injuryEngine recallsEngine TSBs*
200842—4.4%4—6
200915—3.9%2—6
201061—12.7%3—26
201143—7.8%3—16
201291—22.8%6—19
201399—26%5—20
2014192—32.8%9—0
2015WORST2540.7338%717V30500015V12100017
20161010.2826%1117V30500011
2017WORST5191.3730%13—41
2018WORST5231.3825.1%9—43
20191050.279.9%3—26
2020590.1814.3%0—24
2021730.216.3%4—29
2022320.1310.2%1—20
202325—4.1%1—5
202439—8.7%3—5
202525—9.7%6—2
  • Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
  • Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
  • Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
  • *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.

Common Honda CR-V engine problems owners describe

We searched the narratives of all 2,298 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.

Misfire or check-engine light330 · 14.4%
Stalling or shutting off while driving327 · 14.2%
Loss of power or limp mode183 · 8%
Engine failure, seizure or replacement155 · 6.7%
Knocking, ticking or rattling130 · 5.7%
Oil consumption or oil leaks101 · 4.4%
Smoke, burning smell or fire99 · 4.3%
Overheating or coolant loss97 · 4.2%
Timing chain or belt61 · 2.7%

Honda CR-V years to avoid for the engine

2018 Honda CR-V

523 engine complaints (25.1% of the year's 2,082), 1.38 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.

2017 Honda CR-V

519 engine complaints (30% of the year's 1,729), 1.37 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: misfire or check-engine light.

2015 Honda CR-V

254 engine complaints (38% of the year's 668), 0.73 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving. Covered by engine recalls 17V305000, 15V121000.

Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Honda CR-V years to avoid.

Honda CR-V engine recalls

NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Honda CR-V model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.

  • 17V305000 · 2017-05-04 · 2015–2016 models

    The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.

  • 15V121000 · 2015-03-02 · 2015 models

    The affected vehicles may have been assembled with improperly torqued connecting rod bolts, which can cause the engine to lose power or leak oil.

Related research

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Honda CR-V have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 523 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda CR-V, 25.1% of all 2,082 complaints for that year, or 1.38 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (94 complaints). 9 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Does the 2017 Honda CR-V have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 519 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Honda CR-V, 30% of all 1,729 complaints for that year, or 1.37 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (80 complaints). 13 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Does the 2015 Honda CR-V have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 254 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Honda CR-V, 38% of all 668 complaints for that year, or 0.73 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (44 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 17V305000, 15V121000. 7 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Which Honda CR-V years have the most engine complaints?

2018 (523), 2017 (519) and 2015 (254), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.

What are the most common Honda CR-V engine problems?

In the 2,298 engine complaints, owners most often describe misfire or check-engine light (14.4%), stalling or shutting off while driving (14.2%) and loss of power or limp mode (8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.

Is this a engine failure rate?

No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.

How we count

Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Honda CR-V model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.

Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.

These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

Sources

  1. NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  2. NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  3. Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration