2014 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet

Engine rattles or ticks

55owner reports
50,000median miles
$2,000median quote
0involved a crash

Newest report Jun 3, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

188 of the 498 complaints on this car are about the engine. 55 of those describe engine rattle, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2014 CR-V.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

No crash reportedin 55 reports

Tick what matches of 55 reports

a ticking or tapping at idle

worse on a cold start

a rattle that comes and goes

the check engine light followed

the dealer named a specific part

it got worse over weeks

Engine rattle on other CR-V years

201455 reports 2017131 reports 2018126 reports

Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

What this problem usually is

Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the timing chain (18 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the CR-V

EA04-027opened Sep 9, 2004

Engine · model years 2003 to 2005

Underhood fires. Closed jan 19, 2005.

PE04-018opened Feb 19, 2004

Engine · model years 2003

Oil filter fires. Closed jul 1, 2004.

None of these investigations covers the 2014 model year.

What owners paid

13 of the 55 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $1,000 to $2,600.

$1,000$2,000$2,600

$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 28,000 and 70,000 miles, from the 42 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Honda CR-V that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

Service bulletinA16-012Feb 23, 2017
SERVICE BULLETIN AT COLD START-UP, THE ENGINE RATTLES LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. THIS MAY BE INTERMITTENT AND OCCURS WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 40° F. THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING CONTROL (VTC) ACTUATOR IS DEFECTIVE.
Service bulletinATS150301Dec 10, 2015
TECHLINE SUMMARY ARTICLE EDITORS NOTE: THIS ARTICLE REPLACES THE ONE POSTED IN SEPTEMBER 2015 TO EXTEND THAT ARTICLES SHELF LIFE. THE ISSUES COVERED ARE STILL BEING ADDRESSED.
Service bulletinA15110ENov 19, 2015
SERVICE NEWS ARTICLE DOES THE ENGINE RATTLE AT COLD STARTUP FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS WHEN ITS COLD OUTSIDE? CHANCES ARE THE VTC ACTUATOR IS THE CULPRIT.

What owners wrote

“Rattles and shakes between 25 and 40 mph, bad actuator will cause timing failure. It only has 71,000 miles. Honda is well aware of this defect in this vehicle. When will they be held accountable to fix this issue? At 33k I was definitely taken for a ride! No engine warning light either!”
Filed Jul 15, 2024 · 71,000 miles

“A VTC actuator rattles and is damaging the timing chain that will fail and cause catastrophic engine failure on road that can cause life threatening event”
Filed Feb 22, 2024

“The engine has rattled noises when starting, I look online and a lot of people have the same problem, they said the VTC actuatorâs problem, even after they changed it, the noise is back 1-2 years. Honda needs to recall and replace this part for Hondaâs customers.”
Filed Feb 17, 2023

“VTC Actuator making rattling noise during start up in the morning and every five hours of sitting”
Filed Aug 8, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 55 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.

Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found