2017 Honda HR-V Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 95,000 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

This vehicle has been meticulously dealer-maintained, with 3 documented CVT fluid changes by 85,000 miles. At the third transmission fluid change, the dealer found CVT steel belt shards in the transmission pan. This failure matches the exact manufacturing defect described in Honda Service Bulletin 21-047, yet the manufacturer is refusing…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 28,000 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

4/22/2025, my Honda HRV 2017 is parked and locked. The front/rear head lights will come on after the car is locked for 45 second and around 5 seconds after the lights came on it will sound off the alarm. The next day i took it to Honda to do diagnostic and they told me is the Body Control Module(BCM) issue. It will cause $1,350 +tax to…Owner complaint, filed 2025

A few years ago my 2017 Honda HRV appeared to have what I thought was a glitch with the gas/millage gage. As time went on the glitch happened more frequently and the gage would either be blank or only fractions lit making it unusable. At times I was unable to tell how much gas I had and since I could also not track my miles I could not…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (15).

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

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

My 2017 Honda HR-V in White Orchid Pearl (NH-788P) has severe paint peeling on multiple panels (hood, roof, door). Honda issued Service Bulletin 19-064 covering this exact defect. However, I have been informed by Honda customer service and Honda dealers that my vehicle is no longer covered because it is 1 year beyond the 7-year extension…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 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

I’ve been to the Honda dealership twice. My passenger brake light is flickering and I’ve noticed other Honda vehicles on the road with the same passenger brake light out. I’ve googled and many people are having the same problem. Honda can’t seem to fix the problem because they don’t have staff. they complain. The appointment line is over…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Warning lights came on for ABS system which triggered other lights on dashboard as well. Went to the shop to get it fixed and it is an unclear problem. ABS sensors were replaced, then wheel bearings. Still unclear what the issue is. Lights remain on, car sometimes engages ABS brakes while driving.Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 71,000 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

My 2017 Honda HRV 1.8 the transmission went bad it started to lose speed and a the was making a lot of noise so I stopped the can an have not move the car it has around 120k + milesOwner complaint, filed 2025

My air conditioning stopped working one day to another. The vehicle was stationary, I got into it one morning and the ac was not working and blowing hot air, when the day before it was cold. I took it to honda services. They said it would be covered by the warranty, since it is a 2017 lease, and has less than 36 months and less than…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 14,120 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 14,000 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

While driving, starting from a stop sign / or traffic light, the vehicle will stall out upon light acceleration. Going through the recall information, it appears that many 2017 Honda HRV and 2018 Honda HRV have a safety recall for the fuel pump ( located inside the fuel tank / under the drivers seat). For whatever reason, my HRV is not…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Car stalled at an intersection with no warning. Tried to restart and engine would start but when gas pedal pushed there was no acceleration. I was stuck in the middle of a busy intersection putting myself and others in at risk of an accident or injury. Had the car towed to Honda dealership and was told the problem is the fuel pump. They…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 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

The contact owned a 2017 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and switching to the reverse position while very slowly releasing the brake pedal the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the vehicle to drive in reverse and crash into a tree. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed.…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 40,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 honda hr-v. While pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle [VIN] excessively and crashed into a wall. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to honda world westminster (13600 beach blvd, westminster, ca 92683, (714) 890-8900), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The body…Owner complaint, filed 2019

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

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…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 17,000 miles

I was just driving up the highway I did not have an accident and my airbags blewall the bags on the left side of the car and the driver seat bag they all blew for no reason honda is saying they are not responsible I really need helpOwner complaint, filed 2020, at 43,000 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 fuel gage/odometer light in the vehicle cluster goes in and out and turns off randomly, particularly during cold weather/high humidity. It seems like there is a faulty electrical connection behind the fuel cluster. It will go out sometimes for long periods of time without warning.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 - 40 MPH with the windshield wipers activated during the rain, the windshield wipers seized. The windshield wipers regained proper function after the vehicle was parked for a while. The contact stated that while attempting to replicate the failure while…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 25,000 miles

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

While being driven the steering locked up. It could not be turned. It caused an accident of hitting a parked car. This caused the 2017 HR-V to be totaled. The steering was back to normal after the event.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Bought vehicle brand new in may 2017. Around 1000 miles it started pulling to the left no matter what road I was on. Took to honda dealer twice and they performed two alignments and realigned the steering wheel - they said the alignment is within honda's requirements. Vehicle still pulls to the left. If I let go of the wheel at all it…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 1,000 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

Honda hr-v has the most uncomfortable seats. A couple of days after purchasing this brand new car, I started experiencing pain in my lower back and tailbone area. No matter how I adjusted the seat, the pain was still there. I contacted the dealer about it, they suggested trying out some cushions. I tried several different cushions and…Owner complaint, filed 2018

The seats in my 2017 honda h-rv were so uncomfortable I had to trade it in after having only put 250 miles on the car. No matter which way I adjusted the seats, it was no better. When I went to the doctor she told me everything below my waist was spasming. The seats were very hard, narrow and the drivers seat belt was pressed right up…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 75 miles

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

1,front windshield wiper suddenly stops working while driving in the rain.this thing happening since last two months 2,rear, right hand side suspension makes noise while driving, seams like something is loose and making pounding noise. This thing happening since last three months. 3,rain water leaks in from driver side where the gas and…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 8,600 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

On the highway and car completely came to a decreased speed of 60 from 75. Heavily revving. Rpm jumped continuously. From 60 to 20mph for a hood 15min constantly pulling over with hazards to let energy build while engine cooled. Leak huge leak under car out of no where 95000 +Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 96,000 miles