2018 Honda CR-V Owner Complaints

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 ID

11756620

Incident

Jul 31, 2026

Around 68432miles my 2018 Honda CRV EXL AWD has started getting the problem of "Shutter Grill problem, power reduced" warning light. It often happens on highway speeds after about 75-100 miles of driving on long trips. Its very dangerous once I encounter it in the middle of the highway with reduced power to operate the vehicle safely. Have not encountered this issue in city driving at all. Once I receive this issue, only solution is to safely pull over on the shoulder of the highway, turn the vehicle off. wait 5-10 minutes and then restart the vehicle hoping it will not come again. But on long trips and at highway speeds of 65-75mph It usually comes on again after 30-50 miles again after the restart of the engine. Verified that engine temperature gauge is at normal position when this happens (Please see attached picture for dashboard controls). So that tells me engine is not running hot even though system throws this warning and suddenly reduces the engine power for the driver. American Honda is hiding behind this issue with my car to avoid fixing the Oil dilution problem that I am experiencing as well and I have reported that as part of NHTSA complaint number 11756292. To me these two are separate issues those American Honda has to address separately. After American Honda failed to address these issues separately I am bringing both of these issues to NHTSA 's attention with hope that American Honda should do the right thing and stand behind their defective product.

NHTSA ID

11756304

Incident

Aug 25, 2024

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 ID

11756292

Incident

Feb 2, 2020

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 ID

11756212

Incident

Jul 10, 2026

The steering on my 2018 Honda CR-V intermittently sticks around the center position. When making small steering corrections, the steering wheel does not move smoothly and requires additional force to move past the center position. This creates difficulty making precise steering corrections and is a safety concern, particularly at highway speeds. I am concerned about a potential steering gearbox/EPS steering defect. I contacted Honda Customer Service regarding this issue, but Honda denied assistance because there is currently no recall associated with my VIN. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a safety-related defect affecting 2018 Honda CR-V vehicles. I want to report this as a potential safety defect and honda should rectify with their own cost.

NHTSA ID

11756141

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

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 ID

11756112

Incident

Aug 10, 2026

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 ID

11755930

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 65 MPH, the wheels locked up unintendedly. The BRAKE warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the failure reoccurred with several unknown warning lights flickering. The contact stated that a local independent mechanic arrived on scene, and the failure codes were cleared. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.

NHTSA ID

11755507

Incident

Jan 15, 2019

Mileage

19,000 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the brakes independently activated. In addition, the contact stated that the brake pedal was firm while depressed and the tires squealed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,565.

NHTSA ID

11754969

Incident

Aug 4, 2026

Mileage

99,565 mi

Component Affected: BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW CAMERA / INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMDescription of Safety Defect:The factory infotainment/Display Audio screen intermittently freezes, loses power, and goes completely black while driving or transitioning into reverse. When this manufacturing hardware defect occurs, the backup safety camera completely fails to activate and display any video feed. This introduces a severe, immediate backover safety hazard, leaving a massive blind spot that prevents the detection of pedestrians, small children, or objects behind the vehicle.This vehicle is a one-owner vehicle purchased brand new in May 2018. The defect matches the exact symptoms, hardware failures, and software glitches documented in Honda Service Bulletin 19-066. A certified dealer (Honda of Columbia in Lexington, SC) diagnosed the vehicle on 7/27/2026, confirming the internal radio head unit is defective and requires a complete replacement at an estimated consumer cost of $800.Because this hardware failure directly compromises a critical safety feature mandated by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, it poses an unreasonable risk to public safety. American Honda has refused to cover the repair under the existing TSB campaign, claiming the issue is VIN-specific. I am filing this complaint to urge the NHTSA to investigate this systemic failure and expand the scope of the campaign into a mandatory safety recall.

NHTSA ID

11754548

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 53 MPH with the cruise control feature engaged, the vehicle started losing motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the highway and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed a diagnostic test and discovered that the fuel pump was inoperable and needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,176.

NHTSA ID

11754391

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

Mileage

78,176 mi

Vehicle steering wheel would eventually seize up, then snap out while driving on all types of roads, causing the whole car to jerk left or right. Happens at all speeds on any road type Upon inspection from Schofield Honda in Wichita KS, they determined that it was the electronic power steering module that failed and needed to be replaced. A $4,949.31 bill for parts and labor. This vehicle just hit 51,000 miles so not new necessarily, but for something to make the vehicle inoperable while driving... There were no warning lamps, message, anything at all and progressivly got worse the more it was driven over the span of a month

NHTSA ID

11753959

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

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 ID

11753887

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Have replaced the fuel injectors twice after completing the recalled fuel pump and now getting P0172 code with another bad injector!!! This is a piece of shit and I’m going to trade it in on a Toyota.

NHTSA ID

11753645

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

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 ID

11753230

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Mileage

153,500 mi

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 ID

11753025

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

Mileage

115,000 mi

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 ID

11752950

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Second time in the last two months, while traveling on a 55mph roadway, vehicle started auto braking with no vehicles ahead of me or any obstacles. Scared the daylights out of me, I cant imagine what the outcome would have been if this happened on a highway.

NHTSA ID

11752847

Incident

Jul 25, 2026

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 ID

11752229

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

There is an ongoing problem with the electric power steering on my 2018 Honda CR-V that has begun malfunctioning. The steering sticks near the center position and requires additional force before it releases. When it releases, the steering changes from tight to loose, making it easy to overcorrect. It sometimes feels as though gears are catching inside the steering system. There is also a clicking or cracking sound when the steering wheel is turned, along with occasional creaking during slow turns, such as when leaving a driveway. The condition makes it difficult to make small steering corrections and could cause the vehicle to leave its lane or become difficult to control. The symptoms have become more noticeable and create a safety concern during normal driving. An independent mechanic scanned the vehicle with a diagnostic scanner and reported a fault involving the electric power-steering system. The exact diagnostic code is unavailable. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Honda, and the failed component has not yet been replaced. The vehicle and steering components remain available for inspection upon request. No power-steering warning lamp was observed before the symptoms began. Honda previously issued NHTSA Campaign 18V-663 and Service Bulletin 18-103 involving steering-gearbox failure in certain 2017–2018 CR-V vehicles. My vehicle is not included in that recall despite exhibiting similar steering symptoms. Other 2018 CR-V owners outside the recall population have reported sticking, clicking, and confirmed steering-rack or steering-gearbox failures. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the recall population should be expanded.

NHTSA ID

11752162

Incident

Jan 2, 2026

1. Steering, yes 2. Momentary hesitation to steer, until sudden release 3. No couldn’t reproduce 4. No have appt July 27,2026 with Honda service dept 5. Tire pressure light came on afterwards

NHTSA ID

11752118

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

I was proceeding through a green light and the “BRAKE” warning engaged when I was going through the intersection - there was nothing in front of me. I had no control of the braking system. Thankfully, there were no other cars on the road. This has happened about 4 other times, including a couple of times on the freeway.

NHTSA ID

11751967

Incident

Jul 21, 2026

While driving straight and then attempting to make a Lane Change or take an Off Ramp or On Ramp the Steering would require extra effort to make the vehicle do what was needed. The Assist Features were OFF at the time. I took the vehicle into Jim White Honda, Maumee, OH and what they found was in line with the 2017, 2018 Honda CRV recall for "STICKY STEERING". They informed me that my VIN was not included in the recall even though it demonstrated the same problem and the procedure to repair the vehicle was the exact procedure in the recall. How can the Recall exclude certain VIN numbers when the exhibit the same issue as the recall?

NHTSA ID

11751584

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

I was driving on the interstate and the tread just separated from the sidewalks. 235/65R17. I didn’t hit anything. There was no damage to the tire. It just disintegrated.

NHTSA ID

11751284

Incident

Jul 18, 2026

The steering wheel is jerking or sticking and now it is making a clicking noise when slightly going left or coming back from the left. After reading on line there is a lot of the same problem going on with others. It ended up the Steering Gearbox and from your site 5 out of 5 things has been recalled with this type of Honda CRV #5 was a recall for the steering. It said consumers were not notified.

NHTSA ID

11751208

Incident

Jun 22, 2026