Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 123 safety complaints
about the 2017 Honda HR-V with the US government. Of those, 13 describe a crash, 7 people were injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the power train,
named in 32 complaints, 26% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 20,000 miles,
the median across the 51
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers March 2017 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
123 complaints on file
123
Complaints
13
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
7
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
Complaints fell 33% year on year: 16 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 24 in the twelve before.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 32 · 26%
32 26%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 28 · 23%
28 23%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28 · 23%
28 23%
STRUCTURE 16 · 13%
16 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 12 · 10%
12 10%
ENGINE 11 · 9%
11 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 11 · 9%
11 9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 · 7%
8 7%
AIR BAGS 6 · 5%
6 5%
STEERING 4 · 3%
4 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 · 2%
3 2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 · 2%
2 2%
01531
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 123.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2024 at 20.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2017 Honda HR-V, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
13.5%
15.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
2 injured · crash · towed
I WAS WAITING ON THE LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT ON A CITY STREET WHEN A VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT ME HEAD ON AND HIT THE FRONT OF MY CAR. THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THAT IT BEND THE FRAME, THE HOOD, LIGHTS AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND AS A RESULT I WAS INJURED BY THE SEAT BELT IN THE LOWER ABDOMEN, HAVE BACK PAIN, FEEL DIZZY AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint 11080190. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 5,030 miles
I WAS REAR-ENDED AS I WAS STATIONARY WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ON A HIGHWAY NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. FAULT THE 17 YEAR WAS TAILGATING A TRACTOR AND SLAMMED INTO MY CAR.POLICE CAME I WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL
NHTSA complaint 11011512. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles
HAD ACCIDENT WHEN BRAKES FAILED ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO. HONDA NEVER ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY. CITED DRIVER ERROR. GOT CAR BACK. DRIVE ABOUT 4 MONTHS. BRAKES FAILED AGAIN MARCH 19, 2019. SAME EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS TIME I KEPT MY FOOD ON PEDAL I DEPRESSED UNTIL CAR HIT PARKED CAR. MY FOOT WAS ON BRAKE PEDAL. SO FAR HRV'S FROM 2016, 18 AND 19 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint 11191448. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 17,000 miles
IN NOVEMBER 2018, WHILE WAITING IN TRAFFIC, WHEN IT WAS MY TURN TO TURN LEFT, I WAS T-BONED BY A CAR THAT WAS DRIVING ILLEGALLY ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY HEAD HIT THE DRIVER'S WINDOW VERY HARD AND THE LATERAL AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER"S SIDE NEVER DEPLOYED. AT THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY HONDA, THAT IF YOU ARE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR...AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY. RECENTLY, I DISCOVER THAT THE ACCIDENT DAMAGED REALLY BAD MY LEFT EYE, THE SIDE I HIT MY HEAD ON THE WINDOW. LAST MONTH, I NEEDED 3 PROCEDURES AND SURGERY AND I HAVE NOW AN IMPLANT IN MY LEFT EYE. ALL SPECIALISTS I CONSULTED ARE UNANIMOUS THAT ONLY A VERY IMPORTANT IMPACT COULD HAVE CAUSED THAT MUCH DAMAGES, DAMAGES …
NHTSA complaint 11376687, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
The vehicle has experienced extensive factory paint adhesion failure/delamination. The White Orchid Pearl paint is separating and peeling in large sheets across multiple panels, including the hood, roof/roof-rail areas, and multiple doors. The damage is not consistent with isolated rock chips, scratches, or collision damage. The peeling first began approximately 2½ weeks ago, approximately two years after the expiration of an existing Honda paint-related recall/warranty extension. The timing raises concern that the coverage period may have expired before the underlying paint failure had sufficient time to materially manifest. An independent automotive estimator inspected the vehicle and …
NHTSA complaint 11767770, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
In 2020/2021 Honda did a * Honda Service Bulletin 21-046 Honda Service Bulletin 21-047. They knew the CVT on models 2016/2021 had early CVT failure. They had us come in to add a program that was supposed to give us warning if the belt was going to break so we had time to get to a mechanic or the dealer before complete failure ; which I had done. On August 8th 2026 I was driving on the highway doing the speed limit of 60 mph in the middle lane, when the CVT completely failed & I could not move the car ! No warning lights (that program was pointless) no prior warnings AT ALL. I did the trans flush every 30,000 miles as they suggested to extended the life of the transmission. My point is that …
NHTSA complaint 11762862, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Aug. 27,2026..There has been several episodes of water getting into the interior of my car when it rains. This time the water came rushing down the driver’s side interior windshield & soaked the floor.In July 2026, rain water came in on the roof and went into the rear section of my car, water stains are on the inside roof and soaked the floor. In June 2026, there was water inside the driver’s side that flooded the floor. April 2026, the interior of my car front and back seat on the driver’s side were soaked from rain getting in. I do have a moonroof but there has not been any signs of water or water stains coming in through it. My major concern is the electrical components under the dash …
NHTSA complaint 11759941, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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. …
NHTSA complaint 11747739, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
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 …
NHTSA complaint 11742593, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
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 complaint 11741082. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst