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Total NHTSA Complaints
155
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Electrical System
47 reports (30.3%)
Crash Incident Reports
11
Filings citing a crash
Fire & Injury Reports
5
0 fire • 5 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 155 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Honda HR-V. Electrical System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 47 complaints (30.3% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 11 filings cite a crash, 5 report one or more injuries.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 155 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Electrical System accounts for 30.3% of submissions (47 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Fuel & Propulsion System (40), Brakes & Traction Control (18).
  • • Crash Incidents: 11 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 0 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 5 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2018 Honda HR-V

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Electrical System
47
30.3%
Fuel & Propulsion System
40
25.8%
Brakes & Traction Control
18
11.6%
Powertrain & Transmission
15
9.7%
Engine & Cooling
11
7.1%
#1 30.3% SHARE

Electrical System

47 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 3 Crash 🩹 2 Injury
#2 25.8% SHARE

Fuel & Propulsion System

40 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
⚠️ 2 Associated Recall Campaigns
#3 11.6% SHARE

Brakes & Traction Control

18 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 5 Crash 🩹 2 Injury
⚠️ 1 Associated Recall Campaign
#4 9.7% SHARE

Powertrain & Transmission

15 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
Deterministic Text Analysis

Recurring Symptoms Identified in Owner Reports

Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis

Powertrain & Transmission 3.9%

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

6 complaint narratives describe this symptom.

NHTSA Narrative Match
Federal Oversight

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

ODI Action #PE22011 CLOSED Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
Opened: 2022-11-28 • Closed: 2024-07-22
Subject / Subsystem
Rear Differential Seizure
Affected Component
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
Recall Linkage
No direct recall linkage
On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle’s wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion. These vehicles were towed to a dealership. Examination of these vehicles showed the driveshaft had broken and the differential unit was completely damaged. The field reports cited a lack of oil due to damaged oil seals as the cause. Honda provided data including consumer complaints, field reports, and warranty claims they received relating to the loss of oil retention and resulting differential damage. Honda’s data cited 1201 incidents with unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs). The rear differential oil seals  prevent the oil from leaking out and protect internal components from contaminants. A loss of oil lubrication results in failure of the vehicle differential.  Honda stated that the oil seal’s lip contact with the driveshaft may become unstable due to intermittent changes in internal pressure. Their review of field report and warranty data indicated that these failures occurred early in the vehicle’s life thus the failures were covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Honda stated that in November 2021 they changed the seal specifications and improved the packaging process of the parts for transport.  Honda also enacted an enhanced visual inspection process both before and after the oil seal installation on the assembly line. Honda stated that in the event of differential failure, the operator can control the vehicle without stability loss. After the drive shafts break due to differential failure, the operator will hear noises and the vehicle will still function as a 2WD vehicle preventing complete loss of motive power. Based on the following factors, ODI is closing this investigation: ·       Information regarding field failures does not indicate hazardous outcomes ·       The failures are occurring early in the life of the vehicle ·       Repairs are covered under the manufacturer’s warranty ·       The vehicle can continue functioning as a 2WD without loss of stability control in the event of failure The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Honda HR-V

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Electrical System ODI #11758802
Filed: 08/22/2026
Defect Report

"Far right gauge in cluster, namely fuel level, mileage, warning icons etc only is visible when the vehicle is extremely warmed up. Otherwise, this gauge is totally black. Has been this way since 2019."

Incident Date: 10/01/2019 NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Body & Structure ODI #11757340
Filed: 08/17/2026
Defect Report

"Car paint is White Orchid Pearl and had been issued NHTSA complaint about it. The manufacturer lately issued warranty for the paint limited to 7 years (Mar/2025). Car paint started to chip off firstly on the driver side door as a small spot in 2022 and when notified the dealer, they did not pay..."

Incident Date: 06/20/2026 NHTSA Component: STRUCTURE
Air Bags & Restraints ODI #11756868
Filed: 08/14/2026
Defect Report

"SRS / airbag light permanently remain on which indicates a fault with the system. Technician said it’s most likely due to a faulty sensor in the passenger seat."

Incident Date: 07/21/2026 NHTSA Component: AIR BAGS
Visibility, Wipers & Glass ODI #11755924
Filed: 08/10/2026
Defect Report

"The rear glass/rear windshield of my parked car unexpectedly broke after using the rear defrost on XXX I am concerned about a possible defect involving the rear glass and/or rear defroster. Curry Honda, a Honda-authorized dealer, inspected the vehicle and confirmed the glass failure, but the..."

Incident Date: 06/11/2026 NHTSA Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER
Electrical System ODI #11748651
Filed: 07/06/2026
Defect Report

"I am filing a formal complaint regarding two critical manufacturing defects on my 2018 Honda HR-V that pose immediate safety risks and financial losses: 1. CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE (Instrument Gauge Failure): The digital display gauge on the right side of the driver's dashboard consistently blinks out..."

Incident Date: 07/05/2026 NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for Honda HR-V

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2016–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2016 Honda HR-V 238 13 2 View 2016 Problems →
2017 Honda HR-V 121 13 0 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Honda HR-V Current Page 155 11 3 Current
2019 Honda HR-V 227 17 7 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Honda HR-V 83 8 5 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Honda HR-V 62 5 4 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Honda HR-V 84 10 3 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Honda HR-V 685 7 3 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Honda HR-V 107 8 4 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Honda HR-V 42 2 1 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Honda HR-V 0 0 0 View 2026 Problems →
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Honda HR-V

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 45 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 31 0 0 0 0
Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 26 0 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15 0 0 0 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 10 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 8 3 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 7 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6 0 0 0 0
Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER 5 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 4 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 3 2 0 2 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES 2 2 0 2 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 1 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
Tires NHTSA category: TIRES 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE 1 1 0 1 0
AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 1 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 1 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY 1 0 0 0 0
VISIBILITY,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
Related Workstations

Related Official Reports for 2018 Honda HR-V

Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year

← 2018 Honda HR-V Overview

Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.

2018 Honda HR-V Safety Recalls (3) →

Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.

2018 Honda HR-V Safety Ratings →

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.

2018 Honda HR-V MPG & Range →

EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2018 Honda HR-V

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Honda HR-V

What are the most common reported problems with the 2018 Honda HR-V?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2018 Honda HR-V is Electrical System, appearing in 47 records (30.3% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Fuel & Propulsion System (40) and Brakes & Traction Control (18).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2018 Honda HR-V a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 155 consumer defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2018 Honda HR-V.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Cross-reference official safety recall campaigns →
Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2018 Honda HR-V?

Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda HR-V, 11 filings cite a crash, 0 cite smoke or fire, and 5 report one or more injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs

Has NHTSA formally investigated defects on the 2018 Honda HR-V?

NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2018 Honda HR-V (all closed).

Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Registry
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.