2017 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet

Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing

54owner reports
24,600median miles
$6,000median quote
1involved a crash

Newest report Aug 5, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

535 of the 1,761 complaints on this car are about the engine. 54 of those describe engine failure.

Tick what matches of 54 reports

a knocking or ticking noise first

the engine seized

the engine was replaced

it was covered by a warranty or extension

I was denied coverage

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the engine (52 reports) and the turbo (21 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2017 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the CR-V

EA04-027opened Sep 9, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2003 to 2005

Underhood fires. Closed jan 19, 2005.

NHTSA summary

IN DOCUMENTS PROVIDED DURING EA04-027, HONDA IDENTIFIED A MECHANISM WHICH CAUSES THE RUBBER SEAL (GASKET) OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) OIL FILTER TO ADHERE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.IF AN ADHERED SEAL REMAINS WHEN THE OE FILTER IS REMOVED AND A NEW FILTER IS INSTALLED, A DOUBLE GASKET CONDITION RESULTS.A SUBSEQUENT RUPTURE OF THE EXTRANEOUS SEAL CAN RESULT IN OIL CONTACTING NEARBY EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.THROUGHOUT ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, HONDA HAS MAINTAINED THAT IT IS THE SERVICING TECHNICIAN?S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPECT FOR AND REMOVE THE SEAL PRIOR TO INSTALLING A NEW FILTER.ODI?S ANALYSIS FOUND THAT SEAL ADHESION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH TECHNICIAN ERROR AND EXHAUST COMPONENT LOCATION, RESULTED IN A HIGH RATE OF SUBJECT VEHICLE OIL FILTER FIRES COMPARED TO EARLIER MODELS AND PEERS.VEHICLES THAT HAVE NOT HAD THE OE FILTER DISTURBED ARE NOT AT RISK.SERVICE REPLACEMENT FILTER SEALS, WHICH ARE MANUFACTURED BY A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER, DO NOT EXHIBIT THE SEAL ADHESION CONDITION.THEREFORE, IF THE INITIAL OIL CHANGE IS DONE PROPERLY, THE ELEVATED FIRE RISK IS ELIMINATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE?S LIFE.BASED ON AVERAGE MILEAGE ACCUMULATION AND OIL SERVICE INTERVAL, ODI ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE RECEIVED THEIR INITIAL OIL CHANGE AND ARE NO LONGER AT AN ELEVATED RISK.HONDA CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE FILTER SEAL TO PREVENT THE ADHESION CONDITION AND INTRODUCED THE NEW SEAL AT BOTH CR-V ASSEMBLY PLANTS I

PE04-018opened Feb 19, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2003

Oil filter fires. Closed jul 1, 2004.

NHTSA summary

THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED 32 INCIDENTS OF OIL FILTER LEAKAGE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION, WITH 22 RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRES.ALL OF THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED FOLLOWING OIL CHANGES.HONDA'S INVESTIGATION OF 14 OF THE FIRE INCIDENTS DETERMINED THAT FIVE OIL FILTERS HAD STACKED SEALS (DOUBLE-GASKETING), AND NINE OIL FILTERS HAD DISTORTED OR PINCHED SEALS.ACCORDING TO HONDA, BOTH CONDITIONS RESULT FROM FAILURE TO FOLLOW NECESSARY REPAIR PROCEDURES. STACKED SEALS RESULT FROM FAILURE OF THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TO REMOVE THE OLD SEAL PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE NEW FILTER AND SEAL.DISTORTED OR PINCHED SEALS RESULT FROM FAILURE TO PROPERLY LUBRICATE THE NEW SEAL PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. OIL LEAKAGE FROM A STACKED, DISTORTED, OR PINCHED SEAL CAN BE IGNITED BY HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE OIL FILTER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.HONDA WILL ISSUE COMMUNICATIONS TO ITS DEALERS WARNING OF THE NECESSITY TO FOLLOW CORRECT PROCEDURES WHEN REPLACING OIL FILTERS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND OF THE POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE FIRES TO RESULT FROM IMPROPER REPAIRS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN MY 2003 AND LATER CR-V VEHICLES.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.

What owners paid

9 of the 54 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $4,000 to $7,000.

$4,000$6,000$7,000

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

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 8,900 and 62,839 miles, from the 32 reports that gave a mileage.

1718

719

120

122

523

224

825

1326

What owners wrote

“The car runs hot and needs antifreeze. I add antifreeze. The next week it runs hot again. There is no antifreeze leaking on the ground. The Honda dealer stated the antifreeze is leaking into the engine and blown a head gasket. I am advised this is very common problem for a Honda CRV. It should be a recall. This is why I am filing a complaint. The Honda dealer wants $7000 to fix it. The car has 102,000 miles.”
Filed Apr 7, 2026 · 102,000 miles

“Engine light came on loss of power. I had to have it towed back home. A independent shop investigated the situation found coolant in the cylinder head. They found out it was a bad head gasket, which led to engine failure when going to replace the head gasket part of the cylinder wall peace was missing. I had to replace the whole engine.”
Filed Mar 19, 2026

“Engine failure due to bad head gasket.i lost power to the vehicle. The problem was confirmed by independent shop. The vehicle was inspected by independent shop. The engine light came on when the engine failed.”
Filed Mar 16, 2026

“We kept Honda CRV EXL 2017 on time repair by the Honda dealership ,never missed one deadline of repair as recommended by the Honda repair shop. Now they are saying that head gasket is blown and engine has jammed. How can head gasket go bad randomly when maintenance was done regularly by the Honda dealer, who is fault it is ? Who should be paying for its repair?”
Filed Aug 15, 2025

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 54 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. 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.