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2016 Honda HR-V

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most HR-V years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Honda HR-V are substantially higher than the model-year median of 97.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

117 reports with mileage · 122 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports1 fire reports11 injury reports

Power Train complaints

74 reports
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108,000 miles · Jan 17, 2020
Power Train

2016 HRV ON THE THIRD TRANSMISSION - FIRST ONE FAILED IN LATE NOV 2018 AT 108K MILES, SECOND ONE FAILED IN APRIL 2019 AFTER ONLY 11K MILES. BOTH TIMES IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE - VERY DANGEROUS. DETAILS: ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON SUDDENLY AND THE HRV WENT INTO LIMP MODE (WOULDN'T GO ABOVE 35-40MPH) AND FIN…

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2016 HRV ON THE THIRD TRANSMISSION - FIRST ONE FAILED IN LATE NOV 2018 AT 108K MILES, SECOND ONE FAILED IN APRIL 2019 AFTER ONLY 11K MILES. BOTH TIMES IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE - VERY DANGEROUS. DETAILS: ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON SUDDENLY AND THE HRV WENT INTO LIMP MODE (WOULDN'T GO ABOVE 35-40MPH) AND FINALLY WENT INTO TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FROM THE SECOND FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME, IN NOVEMBER 2018, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE HRV WAS TRAVELING UP A LARGE HILL AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN A STEADY SPEED. THAT'S WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE ENGINE REVVED REALLY HARD (I ASSUME BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL ON, SO I TAPPED THE BREAK TO RELEASE THE CC) AND THEN IT WOULD BARELY ACCELERATE, SO I PULLED OVER, TURNED ON MY HAZARDS, AND COASTED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TRYING TO GAIN SPEED BECAUSE I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GO 35 MPH. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I GAVE UP REALIZING I COULD NOT DRIVE LIKE THAT AS IT WAS A DANGER TO BOTH MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. CALLED A TOW TRUCK. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BOTH ONTO AND OFF OF THE TOW TRUCK. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT TO MY MECHANIC, THE HRV GOT TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF MY STREET AND WOULD GO NO FURTHER. HAD IT TOWED - AGAIN. THE SECOND FAILURE BEGAN ON THE INTERSTATE AS WELL. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP LIKE BEFORE. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO AN ADVANCE AUTO AT A NEARBY EXIT AND THEY PULLED THE CODE - IT WAS FOR THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID. IT SEEMED TO BE DRIVING FINE BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ALL BLINKING, SO I TOOK THE HRV TO MY MECHANIC. THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS A SOLENOID THAT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, BUT HAD NOT "FAILED ENTIRELY", SO THAT IS WHY IT KEPT ON DRIVING. HONDA KNOWS ALL ABOUT MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE IT DOCUMENTED.

NHTSA ODI #11300037

58,000 miles · Jan 15, 2020
Power Train

CVT FILL PLUG POPPED OUT ON ITS OWN; WAXY SMELL IN VEHICLE STARTING IN NOVEMBER, 2019 POST ROADTRIP FROM LOS ANGELES TO ARIZONA. HONDA DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS WAS NEGLECT ON BEHALF OF OIL CHANGE IN JUNE, 2019. ONLINE FORUMS (HTTPS://WWW.CIVICFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/321-TRANSMISSION/372757-CVT-FILL-PLUG.HTML) AND HONDA SERVICE EMPLOYEE …

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CVT FILL PLUG POPPED OUT ON ITS OWN; WAXY SMELL IN VEHICLE STARTING IN NOVEMBER, 2019 POST ROADTRIP FROM LOS ANGELES TO ARIZONA. HONDA DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS WAS NEGLECT ON BEHALF OF OIL CHANGE IN JUNE, 2019. ONLINE FORUMS (HTTPS://WWW.CIVICFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/321-TRANSMISSION/372757-CVT-FILL-PLUG.HTML) AND HONDA SERVICE EMPLOYEE STATES THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH HRVS AND CIVICS; OIL CHANGE COMPANY ALSO CONFIRMS THIS ANECDOTAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA ODI #11299584

82,000 miles · Jan 9, 2020
Power Train

BELT IN CVT TRANSMISSION BROKE AT 80,000 MILES, REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE WHEN IT OCCURRED, AND BEGAN JERKING LEFT AND RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #11298216

85,112 miles · Dec 17, 2019
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REV AND ACTED AS IF IT WAS NO IN GEAR, NO POWER, IT BEGAN TO SLOW AND WHEN I STOPPED IT WOULD NOT CHANGE INTO ANY GEAR EXCEPT PARK. THE VEHICLE HAS 85,112 MILES

NHTSA ODI #11289581

101,800 miles · Dec 9, 2019
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING MY 2016 HONDA HRV AND STARTED TO LOSE POWER. WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKE SYSTEM AND ENGINE, ALONG WITH OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF AND TURN CAR ON AND WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD WERE STILL ON, HOWEVER I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE CAR IN EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE POSITION…

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I WAS DRIVING MY 2016 HONDA HRV AND STARTED TO LOSE POWER. WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKE SYSTEM AND ENGINE, ALONG WITH OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF AND TURN CAR ON AND WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD WERE STILL ON, HOWEVER I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE CAR IN EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE POSITION. WHEN TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED, HE WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE CAR TO DRIVE. HONDA DEALERSHIP RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SPEED SENSOR CAME OUT, BUT IT WAS RULED OUT. ONLY THING WRONG, WAS A LOOSE BATTERY CABLE ON POSITIVE SIDE. CAR IS RUNNING FINE. HOWEVER TWO WEEKS LATER, I AM 150 MILES FROM HOME AND JUST GOT OFF FREEWAY, WHEN MY CAR LOSES ALL POWER. I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO PULL OVER AND LUCKILY CAR BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME AND DID NOT REAR END ME. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. I AM ABLE TO TURN CAR OFF AND ON. HOWEVER WILL NOT ENGAGED IN DRIVE OR REVERSE POSITION. I HAD IT TOWED TO HONDA DEALERSHIP (AGAIN). I WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY OUT AND ITS DUE TO METAL SHAVINGS IN MY TRANSMISSION OIL. I ONLY HAVE 101K MILES IN MY CAR HOWEVER IT IS NOT LONGER COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, SO IT WILL COST ME $6,500 TO REPAIR. I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS ON HRV FORUMS FROM DRIVERS WHO OWN 2016-2017 HONDA HRV WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11287998

98,900 miles · Nov 30, 2019
Electrical SystemPower TrainSuspension

IT FIRST STARTED OUT BY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST A ISSUE WITH ME HAVING THREE NEW TIRES BC IT WOULD DRIVE AS IF IT WAS SCRUBBING. ONE DAY I WAS ON MY WAY BACK FROM A HAIR APPOINTMENT AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CAR WENT FROM BEING IN DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND FLASHING WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SO FROM THAT MOMENT ON I PULLED THE …

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IT FIRST STARTED OUT BY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST A ISSUE WITH ME HAVING THREE NEW TIRES BC IT WOULD DRIVE AS IF IT WAS SCRUBBING. ONE DAY I WAS ON MY WAY BACK FROM A HAIR APPOINTMENT AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CAR WENT FROM BEING IN DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND FLASHING WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SO FROM THAT MOMENT ON I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF AND HIT THE ELECTRICAL PARK BRAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. CRUNK BACK UP AND WAS ON MY WAY. SO TODAY 11/30 WHICH IS A WEEK LATER I WAS AT THE RED LIGHT STOPPED AND ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I RELEASED MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK AND GENTLY PRESSED THE GAS AND THE CAR ACTED AS IF IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO. SO AFTER STILL LIGHTLY HITTING THE GAS PRAYING IT WOULD MOVE ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE ROAD FOR ME TO PARK IT IN FRONT OF A STORE; I MADE IT DIRECTLY OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO THE STORE PARKING LOT. ONCE I GOT IT THERE I PUT THE CAR IN PARK TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON. I THEN RIED TO PUT IT IN DRIVE AND REVERSE AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE. ASSUMING IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BUT NONE OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DAHS CAME ON. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN OCCURING A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, THE MONITOR SHUTS OFF AND ON IN THE CAR AND GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL HONDA LINK SCREEN EVERY TIME IT RESTARTS.

NHTSA ODI #11283061

70,900 miles · Aug 21, 2019
Power Train

2016 HONDA HRV WITH 70,900 MILES SUDDENLY LOST POWER AT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY. ACCELERATOR WOULDN'T WORK. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND STOP.

NHTSA ODI #11245489

75,000 miles · Jun 18, 2019
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVING MOTION AT 50MPH THEN STARTED TO SLOWLY DECELERATE WHILE ON DRIVE. ACCELERATOR WAS INCREASED BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL WIRING DOWN. ALL INDICATORS LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD. BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK AND COULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP UNTIL THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED FROM IT SLOWLY WIRING DOWN. CAR STOPP…

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VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVING MOTION AT 50MPH THEN STARTED TO SLOWLY DECELERATE WHILE ON DRIVE. ACCELERATOR WAS INCREASED BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL WIRING DOWN. ALL INDICATORS LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD. BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK AND COULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP UNTIL THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED FROM IT SLOWLY WIRING DOWN. CAR STOPPED MOVING WHILE ON DRIVE AND WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE SPEED INDICATOR KEPT MOVING FROM 0 TO 120 YET THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND IT APPEARS TO BE AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKS GOOD YET THE TRANSMISSION IS HAVING ISSUES. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 75,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11221053

70,000 miles · Mar 5, 2019
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA HR-V. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SPEED SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO 35 MPH. DURING THE FAILURE, SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, INCLUDING THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ED MORSE HONDA (3790 W. BLUE HERON BLVD, RIVIERA BEACH, FL) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUS…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA HR-V. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SPEED SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO 35 MPH. DURING THE FAILURE, SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, INCLUDING THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ED MORSE HONDA (3790 W. BLUE HERON BLVD, RIVIERA BEACH, FL) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR FAILED AND DISLODGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #11184257

70,400 miles · Jan 15, 2019
Power Train

I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL OF 2016, IT HAS 70K MILES ON IT, AND I'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT. LAST WEEK I WAS GOING ABOUT 40-50 MPH AND MY DASH SAID THE GEAR WAS IN NEUTRAL, AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK IT TO A FEW PLACES AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY SHOT.

NHTSA ODI #11170205

Official recalls

2

18V777000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper

Nov 1, 2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX, 2017-2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey, and 2016 Honda HR-V vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A reduction of braking performance increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners will be notified, and Honda or Acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C31 and L30.

15V472000 · Equipment:other:labels; Tires

Jul 28, 2015

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 HR-V vehicles manufactured January 12, 2015, to May 20, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing the required tire placard indicating "Tire and Loading Information." These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the tire placard is missing the driver or owner may not know at what pressure to inflate the tires, resulting in over or under tire inflation which potentially increases the risk of a tire failure and crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle, and apply a new label, free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JT2, or JT4.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment:other:labels

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 HR-V vehicles manufactured January 12, 2015, to May 20, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing the required tire placard indicating "Tire and Loading Information." These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."

Consequence: If the tire placard is missing the driver or owner may not know at what pressure to inflate the tires, resulting in over or under tire inflation which potentially increases the risk of a tire failure and crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle, and apply a new label, free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JT2, or JT4.

Tires

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 HR-V vehicles manufactured January 12, 2015, to May 20, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing the required tire placard indicating "Tire and Loading Information." These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."

Consequence: If the tire placard is missing the driver or owner may not know at what pressure to inflate the tires, resulting in over or under tire inflation which potentially increases the risk of a tire failure and crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle, and apply a new label, free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JT2, or JT4.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.