RoadVitals

2017 Honda HR-V

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
120
Latest Jul 1, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
13
7 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 120 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 Honda HR-V, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), electrical and body & structure categories. 77 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Filed Jul 1, 2026

SAFETY HAZARD NOTIFICATION: INTERMITTENT IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE & STRAND RISK I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a known manufacturing defect in the ignition start/stop switch of my 2017 Honda HR-V. This component is suffering from an intermittent failure that creates an unpredictable and immediate strand risk, compromising driver safety by leaving the vehicle unable to start or power down correctly in potentially hazardous or isolated environments. Manufacturer American Honda Motor Co. is fully aware of this systemic defect, having issued Technical Service Bulletin TSB 20-116 (Diagnostic Trouble Code DTC B12C5) specifically addressing ignition start/stop switch failure. Despite this being a documented engineering flaw admitted by the manufacturer, American Honda Case Management (Case 16436837) is actively enforcing predatory financial barriers to prevent remediation. They are refusing to issue a conditional diagnostic waiver to verify the code, choosing instead to force an upfront out-of-pocket dealer diagnostic fee onto the consumer with no guarantee of goodwill coverage. Furthermore, corporate representatives handling this file on July 1, 2026, actively refused to provide their names or employee identification numbers when requested. I request that NHTSA review this case file and investigate American Honda’s bad-faith deployment of cost barriers to intentionally depress the reporting and remediation of a documented, safety-critical manufacturing defect.

NHTSA ID
11747739
Incident
Jun 2, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 7, 2026

THE CVT TRANSMISSION BELT IS BREAKING APART WHICH SUDDENLY SLOWED THE CAR WHILES DRIVING ON A FREEWAY, AMERICAN HONDA QUIETLY SENT NEW BULLETIN TO DEALERS WITHOUT INFORMING ME AS A OWNER OF THIS CAR FROM 02/2019. AMERICAN HONDA NEW ANOUT THE BELT DETERIORATION AND DID NOT TOOK STEPS TO SAFEQUARD MY INVESTMENT, LIKE ADVISING TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUIS MORE FREQUESNTLY THAN MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS LACK OF COPORATE GREED AND WHEN I ASKED FOR A GOODWILL REPAIR THEY DENIED IT WITHOUT ANY REMORSE OF THEIR WRONG DOING. AN APOLOGY WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCETABLE. SINCE AMERICAN HONDA ID NOT CORRECTING THERIR ACT, IAM REQUESTING NHSA TO ADVISE DMV TO NOT RENEW THESE UNSAFE CARS UNTIL HONDA FIXES ITS PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
11742593
Incident
Mar 26, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 30, 2026

The car suddenly was unable to move forward or back even though engine was still running. I was able to roll to a stop in the parking lot at work, but moments before had been on the highway. Tow truck driver noted cap to transmission fluid had popped off. The car was towed to Honda dealer which determined new transmission needed. Even though there had been Honda technical service bulletins describing issues with transmissions for Honda HRVs for years 2016 to 2020, both the dealership (not purchased there), corporate Honda and dealer where car was purchased, all refused to pay for the problem.

NHTSA ID
11741082
Incident
May 11, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 16, 2026

cVT transmission failure Honda Eatontown diagnosed and gave 8400 estimate to replace/repair it

NHTSA ID
11738312
Incident
May 14, 2026
Fuel system
Filed May 14, 2026

While driving, starting from a stop sign / or traffic light, the vehicle will stall out upon light acceleration. Going through the recall information, it appears that many 2017 Honda HRV and 2018 Honda HRV have a safety recall for the fuel pump ( located inside the fuel tank / under the drivers seat). For whatever reason, my HRV is not included in the recall but suffers from the exact same problems as the recalled vehicles. This has happened numerous times, in light traffic and in extremely heavy traffic where my life was put in danger by this stalling issue.

NHTSA ID
11737980
Incident
May 14, 2026
Electrical
Filed May 12, 2026

BCM module failure. Car controls flash on and off. Vehicle won’t start. Alarm goes off randomly.

NHTSA ID
11737460
Incident
May 1, 2026
Filed Apr 22, 2026

issues with my car paint peeling. many hondas and other makes have had issues with the white paint peeling off in specks and in sheets

NHTSA ID
11732977
Incident
Apr 22, 2026
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 8, 2026

Dear American Honda Motor Co., Inc. ,I am writing to formally document my experience with a premature failure of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in my Honda HR-V. The vehicle was covered under the extended warranty program Honda implemented specifically for the known CVT issues affecting 2016–2020 model years.In On 3/10/26 the CVT failed at approximately 96,000 miles. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Honda dealership, where technicians confirmed premature belt deterioration and breakage. Prior to the failure, I had the vehicle serviced at the dealership for the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software update outlined in Honda Service Bulletin 21-047. During that visit, I reported a noticeable burning smell, which I now believe originated from the failing transmission belt. The dealership assured me there were no issues and stated that the software update had adjusted the gear ratio to reduce strain on the transmission. The vehicle was returned to me with no further action recommended. Subsequent communication with American Honda revealed that the company had been aware of widespread CVT belt issues in these model years. Rather than issue a full recall, Honda extended the powertrain warranty to 7 years or 150,000 miles (whichever occurs first). My repeated attempts to escalate the matter with Honda Customer Service, including multiple requests for contact information for a regional manager, were unsuccessful. After several weeks of delays—during which my vehicle remained at the dealership for over 20 +days—Honda Corporate initially offered to cover a remanufactured CVT replacement at a cost of $4,500 to me. The dealership ultimately assisted by reducing my out-of-pocket expense to $2,900.I find it unacceptable that a vehicle with only 96,000 miles required a major transmission replacement costing nearly $3,000, especially after Honda had already acknowledged the defect through a technical service bulletin and an extended warranty. The dealership’s

NHTSA ID
11730064
Incident
Mar 10, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

A21-047

POWER TRAIN

Service Bulletin - Due to the possibility of early deterioration of the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) drive belt, American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on these CVT models to 7 years from the original date of purchase or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first.

A21-047

POWER TRAIN

Service Bulletin - Due to the possibility of early deterioration of the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) drive belt, American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on these CVT models to 7 years from the original date of purchase or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first.

A22080B

VISIBILITY

Servicenews article - If you are inspecting an HR-V and notice oil residue on the A/C condenser, it's not always an indication that the condenser is leaking refrigerant. The source of oil residue can potentially come from other components.

ATI&07112022902

VISIBILITY

Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2016-2021 HR-V that exhibits a leak at the A/C Condenser. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.

ATI&06032022901

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2016-2021 HR-VS that exhibit a leak at the A/C Condenser. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.

ATI&05252022901

VISIBILITY

Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2016-2021 HR-V that exhibits a leak at the A/C Condenser. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Honda HR-V by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027200
2026120043.8
2025421046.9
20241074159.7
20236813152.7
2022823165.9
2021624165.0
2020825165.4
20192227166.9
20181523163.4
2017Viewing1200047.7
20162382053.6

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.