2018 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet

Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing

44owner reports
30,000median miles
$4,000median quote
0involved a crash

Newest report Aug 29, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

539 of the 2,132 complaints on this car are about the engine. 44 of those describe engine failure.

Tick what matches of 44 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 (42 reports) and the turbo (11 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2018 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 2018 model year.

What owners paid

7 of the 44 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $400 to $6,300.

$400$4,000$6,300

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

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 3,000 and 70,000 miles, from the 26 reports that gave a mileage.

918

719

220

222

423

424

625

1026

What owners wrote

“I took my car to honda north for a diagnostics test bc its not running correctly and they told me I need a head gasket my car is to new to need a head gasket and I still have a loan out on it it has 115,000 miles the head gasket should not be blown”
Filed Mar 10, 2026 · 115,000 miles

“While driving on highway , I attempted to accelerate to pass , as I did all warning lights came on and I lost ability to accelerate. The car went into âlimp mode â . Took it to local mechanic, the to Honda dealer . I was told I need a new engine , at a cost of over $16k .”
Filed Sep 30, 2024

“Engine failure while driving on the highway. This is related to the oil dilution issue with the 1.5 turbo engines on our 2018 CRV. Valve got destroyed. Honda dealer replaced the cylinder head under warranty at no cost to us.”
Filed Dec 22, 2023

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 44 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.