2016 Honda HR-V Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 78,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle: 2016 Honda HR-V Approximate Mileage: 114,400 miles Incident Description: While driving at highway speeds on the freeway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power and dropped into an emergency "limp mode." The vehicle suddenly refused to accelerate and could not maintain highway speeds, forcing me to…Owner complaint, filed 2026

CVT has gone into safety/limp mode. June 7 2026 First sign was the EPB not releasing. Became drivable after warm up period. Replaced EPB switch and vehicle drove normally. There was still a parking brake caution light. On July 12, 2026 the issue repeated. This time the check engine light and transmission light have come on. Had it…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle advertised mileage was 92,340. However, after the purchase, the contact noticed that the mileage was approximately 83,000. While driving at a later date, the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 194,000 miles

My daughters 2016 Honda HRV (59k) has continual electrical issues. First it's the battery sensor $617. Then the keyless access control module $1100 but given a discount. Something is also wrong with the heated seat it burned a hole in the seat. Honda says it's 10 years old it's gonna start falling apart. Numerous complaints online with…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 49,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 12 MPH, the vehicle experienced a brake failure, resulting in a frontal collision with a utility vehicle. The airbag deployed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a private salvage auto auction yard. The contact stated that the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 64,612 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while stopped, the ABS, Brake, traction control, and several other warning lights flashed on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was safe to drive to the residence, but not for regular daily use. Once the contact was at the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 195,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 66,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Description of Safety Defect: This vehicle represents an immediate public safety hazard and total safety certification invalidation due to an unauthorized, mismatched engine model swap executed by Camelback Toyota Collision Center under Workfile ID: XXX. The facility utilized official manufacturer network credentials under a certified…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I was never notified of the CVT Belt Software Update and now I have to replace my whole transmission. Very frustrating how I was not informed so I can try to update before it goes out and I'm stuck. How did this happen?Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 52,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (21).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Subject: Paint Failure, Known Defect (Honda White Paint Peeling) Vehicle Information: - Year: 2016 - Make: Honda - Model: [Fit or HR-V, fill in] - Color: Orchid White Pearl (NH-788P) - Purchase Date: August 2016 Complaint: I am reporting a paint defect affecting my 2016 Honda vehicle with Orchid White Pearl paint. The paint has been…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The car is a 2016 Honda HRV. The car is orchid pearl (white) and has developed extensive paint issues where the paint is peeling on the doors and potentially places on the roof. The car is an excellent overall condition with no history of auto accidents. This paint issue is common for this color HRV and impacts the value of the vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 69,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving the car with the cruise control being set, the setting gets cancelled automatically while the vehicle is in motion and the vehicle slows down immediately. This has happened to my vehicle more 20-30 times now in the past less than one year. I reset the cruise speed again and it again cancels the set speed.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 65,500 miles

Push start/stop button was noting working properly (this had a recall and was replaced). However after it was repaired, I noticed the right-sided gas gauge with service repair numbers, milage etc is not working properly; the gas guage and service repair codes disappear and/or are scrambled. I took this to the Honda dealership in Coon…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 21,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that water had accumulated in the tail lights, causing the lights to become inoperable. The contact stated that he had noticed an abnormal water sound while driving the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 80,000 miles

I have a 2016 HR-V A large amount of water gets trapped inside the rear tail light which can short out the lights if not repaired. I noticed it after hearing water sloshing around every time I opened the rear trunk. This is a manufacturing defect and a definite safety issue for Honda. Problem has been an issue since at least 2017 but…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Subject: Airbag System Issue - Honda HRV 2016 (Rebuilt Title) Dear NHTSA, I am writing to report a potential safety issue with the airbag system in my 2016 Honda HRV, which has a rebuilt title. On [XXX] after returning to my vehicle from shopping at a Costco parking lot, I noticed that the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) warning…Owner complaint, filed 2024

I have been in two car accidents and none of my airbags went off . In 2017 I tried to keep from hitting a deer . My car went down a embankment and I had 10,000 dollars of front end damage. My airbags didn't deploy I had head injuries and a broken nose due to hitting the steering wheel. 2nd accident I was stuck in traffic a stand still.…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Went to put car seat in rear drivers side seat to find the seat belt doesn't latch. Seems to be similar to current Honda recallOwner complaint, filed 2023

My vehicle is parked when this occurs: I have cloth interior and the upholstery material and foam on the passenger side gets pushed down into the seat and collapses, I have to have a dealer pull it out and one time the seat had to be replaced. It is off warranty and I will have to pay for it next time, I am so disappointed in this…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 34,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Tires were purchased from Discount Tires a few years back and on 6/08/2021 I went back to them due to a flat back passenger tire and they stated they are unable to patch and replaced the tire with a cost of $122. On Sunday October 31, 2021 I am driving on I-75 and the same tire explodes and takes out the wheel well and all the trim…Owner complaint, filed 2021

I live on a dirt road. When the road is wet, the wheels collect mud around the rear surface while driving, then the mud settles to the bottom while the car is stationary, dries, and throws the wheels out of balance. Sometimes the wheels are so badly unbalanced they shake violently above 50 MPH and is impossible to drive safely at highway…Owner complaint, filed 2019

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

I have been told my shocks are leaking after less than three years of having the vehicle. I do not do any irregular driving. Just to and from work on paved streets and highways.Owner complaint, filed 2020

On september 16, 2017, while driving, we discovered a noise from the rear of the vehicle that sounded like a loose shock or strut. We brought our car in to the dealership and after several hours of inspection, it was determined that the shock went bad. So the dealership replaced the shock. On approximately january 7, the same sound has…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 24,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The odometer cluster began flickering and froze up disallowing driver the ability to view mileage, fuel level, and other maintenance information. The safety of all involved will be severely impacted if car runs out of gas during trip. The problem is cited in a number of online posts related to this make and model. The problem is too…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Our 2016 Honda HR-V experienced a significant issue when the fuel pump unexpectedly failed, causing the car to stall while driving uphill over an overpass. Thankfully, this incident occurred in town. It could have happened while driving on the interstate, which would have posed a severe safety risk to our family. We promptly had the…Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Today at 1:30pm the car completely stopped. When the car was turned on the lights and electronic panel was showing in yellow and flashed rapidly. The car completely stopped, but the lights and electronics kept flashing. The systems on the electronic panel kept flashing and the car will not start. One week ago, I noticed when I started…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 8,150 miles

The contact owns a 2016 honda hr-v. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. Aaa arrived and attempted to drive the vehicle onto the flatbed of their truck, but the vehicle failed to shift out of gear. The vehicle was towed to coral springs honda (located at…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 14,700 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

My car was in idle and suddenly all of these lights come on the dash board. The traction control light, brake system light, power steering light, the brake light, and the abs light. I was told that this was a abs module issue and the dealership haven't figured out how to remedy those that come in for this same issue.Owner complaint, filed 2023

The problem started after sitting and talking on a phone with car running while waiting for groceries. About a week later, I started having on and off electrical system issues. and all the lights came on the dashboard with ABS as the main one. If I locked my trunk over and over it would go away. During this time, I got locked in my car…Owner complaint, filed 2024