Honda CR-V Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 499 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda CR-V across 26 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (142). The words owners use most often: “air conditioner” (11% of reports).
- 499engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air conditioner: mentioned in 54 of 499 complaints (11%)
- Oil change: mentioned in 53 of 499 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Honda CR-V at $3,200, and half of them between $1,900 and $5,050.
Based on 101 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 409 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 499 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 46 a fire, 7 an injury.
Honda CR-V engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 CR-V | 1 | 0% | 50 |
| 2021 CR-V | 3 | 1% | 41,250 |
| 2020 CR-V | 1 | 0% | 112,000 |
| 2019 CR-V | 4 | 0% | 85,000 |
| 2018 CR-V | 15 | 1% | 70,000 |
| 2017 CR-V | 10 | 1% | 110,500 |
| 2016 CR-V | 2 | 1% | 73,490 |
| 2015 CR-V | 12 | 2% | 500 |
| 2014 CR-V | 3 | 1% | 2,864 |
| 2013 CR-V | 2 | 1% | 22,015 |
| 2012 CR-V | 2 | 0% | 27,100 |
| 2011 CR-V | 7 | 1% | 4,800 |
| 2010 CR-V | 8 | 2% | 2,679 |
| 2009 CR-V | 7 | 2% | 29,850 |
| 2008 CR-V | 19 | 2% | 49,084 |
| 2007 CR-V | 15 | 2% | 60,250 |
| 2006 CR-V | 12 | 3% | 45,750 |
| 2005 CR-V | 20 | 4% | 37,000 |
| 2004 CR-V | 142 | 28% | 54,000 |
| 2003 CR-V | 86 | 18% | 64,000 |
| 2002 CR-V | 58 | 11% | 74,500 |
| 2001 CR-V | 24 | 17% | 87,185 |
| 2000 CR-V | 15 | 12% | 83,000 |
| 1999 CR-V | 16 | 13% | 100,000 |
| 1998 CR-V | 9 | 7% | 112,531 |
| 1997 CR-V | 6 | 6% | 149,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2015
Problem: American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured July 29, 2014, to July 31, 2014, 2015 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to January 30, 2015, and 2015 CR-V vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to February 6, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with improperly torqued connecting rod bolts, which can cause the engine to lose power or leak oil.
Risk: Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JP2 (for Accord models) and JP3 (for CR-V models).
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his daughter was sitting at a red light and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle bucked and sputtered and failed to accelerate as intended, before losing power. The check engine, air bag, power train, and other unknown…
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while reversing out of the garage, the ABS, traction control, braking system, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with fuel injector failure. The vehicle was…
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and failed to exceed 50 MPH while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "Cooling System Failure" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was…
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the engine was occasionally overheating. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a fractured A/C discharge hose and refrigerant leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda CR-Vs have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 499 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Honda CR-V. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Honda CR-V engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda CR-V?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,200 (half paid between $1,900 and $5,050), from 101 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda CR-V?
The most frequent phrase is “air conditioner”, in 54 of 499 complaints, followed by “oil change” (53).
Other Honda CR-V problems
- Electrical System problems (2,504)
- Air Bags problems (2,392)
- Engine problems (2,276)
- Steering problems (1,761)
- Forward Collision Avoidance problems (1,349)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,183)
- Power Train problems (1,017)
- Service Brakes problems (844)
See all Honda CR-V problems.