Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
*my vehicle was running from tampa florida to atlanta georgia and The oil drain plug was ejected and my vehicle lost compression and locked the steering wheel . *I had to maneuver off the highway to try not to cause damage to myself, my passenger and other vehicles. * Yes, my vehicle was towed to the nearest Honda and it is Stone Mountain Honda located in Georgia and they performed a diagnosis which indicates the ejection of the oil drain plug. This diagnosis was sent to Westshore Honda in Tampa Florida where they performed maintenance by Warranty and they did not want to accept the diagnosis. *Yes, the diagnosis was made at the Stone Mountain Honda dealership located in Georgia. …
We experienced two problems with our Honda HRV, which was purchased in June 2025 (less than a year ago). The first issue is that the engine started displaying warning lights and would not turn on. This was due to rodents chewing on the wires, which were apparently soy-based plastic. The second issue is that the rear windshield shattered for no reason the other day. This is apparently a known issue with 2023 and 2024 HRV vehicles that led to a recall, but it also appears to be occurring with the 2025 HRV.
I parked, turned the car off and then my boyfriend, me and my dog went for 30 min walks. When we came back, we started seeing smoke coming out from a front hood, there were also flame on the right front side of the car. I immediately called 911 to describe the situation. While we were waiting for fire department, the car exploded. Insurance report stated no visual sign of tampering and fire department stated same thing.
I was going up a steep narrow road, a big truck was coming down so I stopped and honked so he would back up. When he did, I was unable to move my SUV. It frooze entirely, wouldnt go up, wouldnt go in reverse, just stayed on but would not move. After several attempts I was able to go back a little and move to a side and then I was able to drive up the road. This was the 2nd time this has happened so I asked the service shop at the dealer to check in driving the same road. The situation did not replicate, therefore they say theres nothing they can do or check, although I have read that this vehicle has been know to do this, but they did not even look at the printed evidence I took to them.. There were suggestions on what had to be checked but the manager refused to even read the information. …
The contact owns a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that all the warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle stalled upon starting. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the fuse was replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While depressing the start button, the look in the rear mirror was displayed. The vehicle failed to start. The brake pedal was kicking back. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
slowly pulling into head in parking in front of town homes and engine suddenly had sudden unintended acceleration . Car jumped curb, tried to brake but couldn't get car stopped and ran into end of group town home. Car is now in shop with about $8,000 to $9,000 dollars of damage. No knowledge of damage to home as Geico Insurance hasn't said Checked with Honda online forum and others reports of same . Contacted Honda dealer and they said no reports of this Now scared of this car as not sure it will not happen again
The contact owns a 2022 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed the instrument cluster warning lights were flickering. On another occasion while driving 65 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the parking brake warning light was also flashing. The contact released the parking brake and the brakes locked up and the vehicle drove off the road onto gravel. There were no reported injuries. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact was unable to drive above 50 MPH due to the vehicle shaking abnormally. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and an unknown module was reset. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. …
The contact owns a 2022 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact waited before restarting the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart immediately, and several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the battery had failed. The battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle failed to start when the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the dealer four times; however, the failure became persistent, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda HR-V years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (23), 2022 (19), 2019 (17), 2018 (13) and 2017 (12) model years. Engine complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Honda HR-V engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Honda HR-V model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Honda HR-V engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles; 63% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine › engine control module (ecu/ecm) (1 mentions).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.