2018 Honda HR-V recalls and problems

The 2018 Honda HR-V has 3 recalls and 161 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

2018 Honda Hr-V
Photo: 2018 Honda Hr-V by Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2018 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 12 HR-V model years — 4th most.

3recalls
161complaints
11crashes
0fires
5injuries
28,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Fuel System

Dec 18, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V858000 · 2,490,460 vehicles

Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Fuel System

May 28, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V314000 · 135,995 vehicles

Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Nov 1, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V777000 · 64,785 vehicles

Problem: 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."

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Electrical System51
Fuel System41
Unknown or other22
Power Train16
Service Brakes15
Engine13
Structure11
Vehicle Speed Control10
Visibility8
Air Bags7

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2018: 10 complaints20182019: 13 complaints20192020: 11 complaints20202021: 8 complaints20212022: 7 complaints20222023: 13 complaints20232024: 37 complaints2024372025: 34 complaints20252026: 28 complaints202628

NHTSA investigations

Rear Differential Seizure

PE22011 · opened Nov 28, 2022 · closed Jul 22, 2024
Summary

On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle’s wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion. These vehicles were towed to a dealership. Examination of these vehicles showed the driveshaft had broken and the differential unit was completely damaged. The field reports cited a lack of oil due to damaged oil seals as the cause. Honda provided data including consumer complaints, field reports, and warranty claims they received relating to the loss of oil retention and resulting differential damage. Honda’s data cited 1201 incidents with unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs). The rear differential oil seals  prevent the oil from leaking out and protect internal components from contaminants. A loss of oil lubrication results in failure of the vehicle differential.  Honda stated that the oil seal’s lip contact with the driveshaft may become unstable due to intermittent changes in internal pressure. Their review of field report and warranty data indicated that these failures occurred early in the vehicle’s life thus the failures were covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Honda stated that in November 2021 they changed the seal specifications and improved the packa…

2018 vs. other Honda HR-V years

2016: 244 complaints20162017: 124 complaints20172018: 161 complaints20182019: 242 complaints20192020: 88 complaints20202021: 66 complaints20212022: 90 complaints20222023: 689 complaints20236892024: 110 complaints20242025: 49 complaints20252026: 21 complaints20262027: 6 complaints20276

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2018. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2018 Honda HR-V have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2018 Honda HR-V, the latest from Dec 18, 2023 (fuel system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Honda HR-V?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (51), fuel system (41), unknown or other (22). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.