Honda CVT reliability: years to avoid, problems & recalls

By CarWhere Research · Updated

NHTSA and Honda records for Honda's CVT point to a few specific campaigns, not a broad warranty extension or class settlement. Recall 15V574 updated software on 2014–2015 Civics and 2015 Fits because the drive pulley shaft could break. A 2016 product update addressed CVT belt slip and code P1890 on 2015–2016 Accords and CR-Vs. Recalls 20V769 and 25V422 replace corrosion-prone driveshafts on 2013–2015 four-cylinder CVT Accords in salt-belt states.

Honda CVT at a glance

Honda continuously variable transmission (belt-type CVT, 2013–present US models): key facts
FactDetail
TypeContinuously variable (CVT)
Used byHonda
Years in use2013–present (US Accord, Civic, CR-V, Fit, HR-V)
Transmission-related NHTSA recalls listed3
Warranty extensions / special coverage listed0
Court settlements listed0

What the Honda CVT is

Honda began using a continuously variable transmission across its mainstream US lineup in the 2010s. EPA listings show the four-cylinder Accord switching from a 5-speed automatic to a CVT for 2013, the Civic for 2014 and the CR-V for 2015; the 2015 Fit and 2016 HR-V also list a CVT. Like most CVTs, it varies the ratio continuously between two pulleys instead of stepping through fixed gears, with some versions offering simulated steps (listed by EPA as AV-S7).

From 2018 the Accord paired the CVT with its 1.5L turbo, while the 2.0L turbo used a 10-speed automatic. The documented problems below come from NHTSA recall records and Honda notices filed with NHTSA. We found no Honda warranty extension or court settlement specific to the CVT.

Which vehicles use the Honda CVT?

Makes, models and model years equipped with the Honda CVT
MakeModelModel yearsNotes
HondaAccord2013–present2.4L four-cylinder 2013–2017 (V6 kept a 6-speed automatic); 1.5L turbo from 2018, the only 2025 non-hybrid listing[1][2][3][4]
HondaCivic2014–present1.8L for 2014–2015; 2.0L and 1.5L turbo from 2016; manual gearboxes also offered[5][6][7][8]
HondaCR-V2015–present2.4L for 2015, replacing a 5-speed automatic; 1.5L turbo with CVT listed for 2025[9][10][11]
HondaFit2015–20201.5L; 6-speed manual also offered; EPA lists no Fit after 2020[12][13][14]
HondaHR-V2016–present1.8L at launch, 2.0L by 2025; EPA also lists a 6-speed manual for 2016[15][16]

Honda CVT years to avoid vs. safer years

“Years to avoid” here means the model years with the most documented action — recalls, manufacturer warranty extensions or court settlements — not a prediction about any single vehicle. A car from these years with completed repairs and good records can be a sound buy; one without them deserves a closer look.

Model years with the most documented problems

  • 2014–2015 Civic and 2015 Fit (CVT) — Covered by recall 15V574, a software fix for CVT programming that could break the drive pulley shaft.[17]
  • 2015–2016 Accord and CR-V (CVT) — Subject to Honda's 2016 product update for CVT belt slip and code P1890, with transmission replacement where the code was already set.[19]
  • 2013–2015 Accord four-cylinder CVT from salt-belt states — Covered by driveshaft corrosion recalls 20V769 and 25V422.[21][22]

Known Honda CVT problems

CVT software can damage the drive pulley shaft (2014–2015 Civic, 2015 Fit; recall 15V574) (2014–2015)

NHTSA recall 15V574 covers 143,676 2014–2015 Civics built January 16 to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fits built March 12, 2014 to May 12, 2015. Honda's owner letter says high stress from the CVT programming, combined with drive pulley shafts made with low hardness, could break the shaft, so the car may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock. Dealers update the CVT software free of charge.[17][18]

Reported symptoms

  • Loss of acceleration
  • Abnormal transmission noise

CVT belt slip and code P1890 (2015–2016 Accord and CR-V; product update 16-053) (2015–2016)

Honda's August 2016 product update says an incorrect learning value in the engine computer may cause a CVT pressure problem under certain conditions, so the CVT belt slips at highway speeds, producing an RPM surge and eventually setting DTC P1890. Dealers update the software; if P1890 is already set, they replace the transmission and update the software. Honda said it expected very few vehicles to need a transmission.[19][20]

Reported symptoms

  • Engine RPM surge at highway speed
  • Check-engine light with code P1890

Driveshafts may corrode and break (2013–2015 Accord four-cylinder CVT, salt-belt states) (2013–2015)

Recall 20V769 covers 235,034 2013–2015 Accords with the four-cylinder engine and CVT that were sold or registered in 22 salt-belt states and D.C.; the driveshafts were assembled with a lubricant that may have degraded their protective coating, making them more prone to road-salt corrosion and breakage. Recall 25V422 added 72,256 more 2013 Accords. Dealers inspect and replace the driveshafts. The fault is in the driveshafts, not the CVT itself.[21][22]

Reported symptoms

  • Clicking or clunking from a front axle
  • Sudden loss of drive power

Honda CVT recalls

Transmission-related NHTSA safety recalls (campaign numbers link to NHTSA)
NHTSA campaignReportedVehiclesSummary
15V5742015-09-152014–2015 Honda Civic; 2015 Honda Fit143,676 vehiclesCVT software settings may damage the transmission drive pulley shaft; if it breaks the car may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock. Dealers update the transmission software free of charge.[17]
20V7692020-12-102013–2015 Honda Accord, 4-cylinder with CVT, sold or registered in salt-belt states235,034 vehiclesDriveshaft protective coating may have been degraded by the assembly lubricant, letting road salt corrode the shafts until they break. Dealers inspect and replace the driveshafts free of charge.[21]
25V4222025-06-202013 Honda Accord, 4-cylinder with CVT, sold or registered in salt-belt states72,256 vehiclesExpansion of 20V769: the driveshaft may corrode and break due to road salt. Dealers inspect and replace the driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge.[22]

Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of age or owner. Check a specific car by its 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with the CarWhere recall check.

NHTSA owner complaints: the power-train signal

Owners file complaints with NHTSA and tag each with the components involved. The tables below count, for each model year, how many complaints include NHTSA’s “power train” component (transmission, transfer case and driveline). Raw counts are not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age, so compare the power-train share across years of the same model rather than across models.

Honda Accord

In the model years that used the Honda CVT (highlighted), 273 of 4,092 NHTSA owner complaints (6.7%) list the power train as a component, versus 6% across the other Honda Accord model years in the same snapshot. The highest count is the 2013 model year, with 109 power-train complaints.

Honda Accord: NHTSA owner complaints by model year, all components vs. power train
Model yearAll complaintsPower-train complaintsPower-train share
20081,520704.6%
2009720354.9%
2010579447.6%
2011295217.1%
2012378297.7%
2013Honda CVT1,4171097.7%
2014Honda CVT969636.5%
2015Honda CVT593406.7%
2016Honda CVT588294.9%
2017Honda CVT525326.1%
20181,7911297.2%
2019644416.4%
2020334144.2%
2021211115.2%
202221362.8%

Honda Civic

In the model years that used the Honda CVT (highlighted), 397 of 3,598 NHTSA owner complaints (11%) list the power train as a component, versus 4.9% across the other Honda Civic model years in the same snapshot. The highest count is the 2015 model year, with 175 power-train complaints.

Honda Civic: NHTSA owner complaints by model year, all components vs. power train
Model yearAll complaintsPower-train complaintsPower-train share
2008914525.7%
2009395235.8%
2010396123%
201116842.4%
20124544910.8%
2013314227%
2014Honda CVT2909833.8%
2015Honda CVT37717546.4%
2016Honda CVT1,059363.4%
2017Honda CVT574295.1%
2018Honda CVT601142.3%
2019Honda CVT348123.4%
2020Honda CVT2163114.4%
2021Honda CVT13321.5%
2022877101.1%

Honda CR-V

In the model years that used the Honda CVT (highlighted), 410 of 5,927 NHTSA owner complaints (6.9%) list the power train as a component, versus 6.6% across the other Honda CR-V model years in the same snapshot. The highest count is the 2015 model year, with 147 power-train complaints.

Honda CR-V: NHTSA owner complaints by model year, all components vs. power train
Model yearAll complaintsPower-train complaintsPower-train share
2008960373.9%
2009386112.8%
2010480306.3%
2011551142.5%
20123994812%
20133819524.9%
20145856811.6%
2015Honda CVT66814722%
2016Honda CVT3884511.6%
2017Honda CVT1,7291408.1%
2018Honda CVT2,082592.8%
2019Honda CVT1,060191.8%
2020330185.5%
2021307113.6%
202223493.8%
2023504142.8%
2024362195.2%
202522852.2%

Source: NHTSA owner-complaint records (api.nhtsa.gov complaintsByVehicle), snapshot as of 2026-07-14. Complaints are unverified owner reports; one complaint can list several components.

Buying a used car with the Honda CVT: what to check

  1. Run the 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm 15V574, 20V769 or 25V422 shows as repaired where it applies.
  2. On a 2015–2016 Accord or CR-V, ask a Honda dealer whether product update 16-053 (P1890 software) was completed.
  3. Scan for stored codes, especially P1890, and note any RPM surge at highway speed on the test drive.
  4. On a 2013–2015 Accord from a salt-belt state, have the front driveshafts inspected for corrosion.
  5. Ask for service records showing CVT fluid changes and any transmission repairs.

Related research

Year-by-year verdicts for models with the Honda CVT

Engines and model known-issues pages

Compare other transmissions

All transmissions: reliability and years to avoid

Frequently asked questions

Which Hondas have a CVT?

EPA listings show a CVT in the four-cylinder Accord from 2013, the Civic from 2014, the CR-V from 2015, the Fit from 2015 and the HR-V from 2016. Before that, those models used conventional 5-speed automatics. The 2018 and later Accord 2.0L turbo uses a 10-speed automatic instead.

Has the Honda CVT been recalled?

Yes. Recall 15V574 updated CVT software on 143,676 2014–2015 Civics and 2015 Fits because the drive pulley shaft could break. Recalls 20V769 and 25V422 cover driveshafts, not the CVT, on 2013–2015 four-cylinder CVT Accords from salt-belt states.

What is Honda code P1890?

Honda's 2016 product update describes P1890 as a CVT speed control system code. On 2015–2016 Accords and CR-Vs, an incorrect learning value could cause a CVT pressure problem and belt slip at highway speed. Dealers update the software, replacing the transmission if the code was already set.

Did Honda extend the warranty on its CVT?

We found no Honda warranty extension specific to the CVT in NHTSA's records or Honda notices. The fixes on record are the 15V574 recall, the 16-053 product update and the driveshaft recalls, all done free at Honda dealers.

How CarWhere compiled this page

Every problem, recall, warranty extension and settlement above is CarWhere’s own summary of a primary record — NHTSA recall campaigns, manufacturer service bulletins and warranty-extension notices filed with NHTSA, manufacturer press material, and court or settlement-administrator records — and is numbered to its source below. We list a model year under “years to avoid” only when a manufacturer, regulator or court record ties it to the transmission. Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public owner-complaint data, counted once per complaint. We do not estimate failure rates or repair costs. See also the years-to-avoid methodology.

Sources

Descriptions are CarWhere’s own summaries of the records below. Recall details are as reported to NHTSA by the manufacturer.

  1. 2012 Honda Accord: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  2. 2013 Honda Accord: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  3. 2018 Honda Accord: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  4. 2025 Honda Accord: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  5. 2013 Honda Civic: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  6. 2014 Honda Civic: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  7. 2016 Honda Civic 4Dr: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  8. 2025 Honda Civic 4Dr: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  9. 2014 Honda CR-V 2WD: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  10. 2015 Honda CR-V 2WD: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  11. 2025 Honda CR-V FWD: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  12. 2015 Honda Fit: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  13. 2020 Honda Fit: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  14. 2021 Honda model list (no Fit listed) — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  15. 2016 Honda HR-V 2WD: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  16. 2025 Honda HR-V FWD: engine and transmission options — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  17. NHTSA recall 15V574 — NHTSA
  18. NHTSA Recall 15V-574 owner notification letter (Oct. 2015) — American Honda Motor Co. (filed with NHTSA)
  19. Product Update: 2015–16 Accord and 2015–16 CR-V DTC P1890 (Aug. 3, 2016) — American Honda Motor Co. (dealer notice filed with NHTSA)
  20. Service Bulletin 16-057: 2015 CR-V DTC P1890 (Sept. 9, 2016) — American Honda Motor Co. (filed with NHTSA)
  21. NHTSA recall 20V769 — NHTSA
  22. NHTSA recall 25V422 — NHTSA

Independent reference compiled by CarWhere Research — not affiliated with or endorsed by any manufacturer or transmission supplier. Product and model names are trademarks of their owners.