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NHTSA DATA · 2000–2026 MODEL YEARS
Honda CR-V engine noise: what owners report
12,613 complaints to NHTSA, sorted: where the trouble is, which sounds owners describe, at what mileage, and what the manufacturer told its dealers. Then check your own CR-V by sound, free.
The Honda CR-V has 12,613 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2000–2026 model years. In 12% of them (1,455) the engine or the transmission is named. The system named most often is steering (1,245 complaints). Owners most often describe grinding (209), rattling (144) and shuddering (91). The median mileage on an engine or transmission complaint is 20,000 miles. NHTSA lists 160 manufacturer service bulletins that touch the engine or the transmission and 4 engine or transmission recall campaigns (of 55 in total). These are counts of unverified consumer reports, not failure rates.
NHTSA data through October 2026. Counted by PulsCar, updated 2026-11-09.
12%
of complaints name the engine or the transmission (1,455)
12,613
owner complaints to NHTSA, 2000–2026
20,000
median miles when an engine or transmission complaint is filed
160
service bulletins on engine or transmission
4
engine or transmission recalls (of 55)
Where owners say the problem is
Systems named in the complaints. One complaint can name several.
Steering
1,245
Engine
1,059
Electrical system
759
Fuel and propulsion
455
Transmission and drivetrain
370
Brakes
256
The sounds they describe
How often each word appears in the written complaints. The bigger the bubble, the more owners used it.
Grinding209
Rattling144
Shuddering91
Humming53
Knocking46
Ticking36
Clunking34
Whining18
Also written about: stalling (480) and misfiring (153).
What each sound points to
Among the complaints that use a word, how many name each system. This is how owners connect a sound to a part, not a diagnosis.
enginetransmissionbrakessteeringsuspensionelectrical system
“grind” 209
69%
12%
6%
7%
0%
12%
“rattle” 144
71%
27%
1%
3%
3%
6%
“shudder” 91
37%
55%
0%
3%
8%
5%
“hum” 53
11%
6%
11%
11%
2%
15%
“knock” 46
37%
11%
7%
22%
2%
4%
“tick” 36
28%
6%
0%
17%
3%
22%
Hover a cell. Each row: the complaints that use that word, and the systems the same owners name.
Complaints by model year
Last 15 model years. Older cars had more time to collect complaints: read it as a map, not a ranking.
’12
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
’18
’19
’20
’21
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
2018 model year: 2,153 complaints (the most)
At what mileage
Engine and transmission complaints, by the mileage on the car when it was filed.
72%
19%
Under 50,000 miles · 72%50,000 to 100,000 miles · 19%100,000 to 150,000 miles · 7%Over 150,000 miles · 3%
950 engine and transmission complaints state a mileage. Median: 20,000 miles.
Official records
Manufacturer service bulletins and recall campaigns on file with NHTSA. Tap a line to read it.
SERVICE BULLETINS · WHAT HONDA TOLD DEALERS
160of 735 on engine or transmission, 2016–2026
Engine and cooling · 70Engine · 46Powertrain · 24Automatic transmission · 13Exhaust system · 5
To minimize the possibility for the judder to occur, a software update for the transmission is available at the customer's request Additionally, the transmission fluid will be replaced If the judder…
Bulletin A15-086 · 2017-07-31
Customers who experience the vibration have reported it may happen intermittently, either while stopped with the vehicle in gear or while driving at engine speeds below 2,200 RPM.
Bulletin DLR MSG - 2015 C · 2017-07-28
The identified vibrations occur under these conditions: ? While stopped with vehicle in gear. ? While driving between 1,100?1,500 rpm around 15?30 mph. ? While driving between 1,800?2,200 rpm around…
Bulletin Service Bulleitn · 2017-07-28
Here s the lowdown: noise from under vehicle: this noise is caused by the vacuum pump inside the fuel evaporation leakage check module (elcm) depending on conditions, the pump will come on for about…
Bulletin A17010C · 2017-06-19
A service bulletin is a manufacturer’s instruction to dealers. It is not a recall and not a finding about any particular car.
RECALLS ON THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION
4of 55 recall campaigns
The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.
Campaign 17V305000
The affected vehicles may have been assembled with improperly torqued connecting rod bolts, which can cause the engine to lose power or leak oil.
Campaign 15V121000
During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal As such, these vehicles fail to…
Campaign 13V143000
The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing may be broken during certain driving styles a broken outer race may cause abnormal noise, the malfunction indicator light to turn on, and allow contact between the transmission idle…
Campaign 11V395000
Check any VIN for open recalls free at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
In NHTSA complaints about the Honda CR-V, owners most often describe grinding (209 complaints), rattling (144 complaints) and shuddering (91 complaints). These are word counts in written complaints, not confirmed faults, and one complaint can use several words.
When a Honda CR-V makes a grind noise, what do owners say it is?
Among the 209 Honda CR-V complaints that use the word “grind”, 69% also name the engine and 12% also name the transmission. It shows how owners connect the sound to a part of the car; it is not a diagnosis.
At what mileage do Honda CR-V engine and transmission complaints appear?
Of 950 Honda CR-V engine and transmission complaints that state a mileage, 72% were filed under 50,000 miles, and the median is 20,000 miles.
Has Honda issued service bulletins or recalls for the CR-V engine or transmission?
According to NHTSA, 160 service bulletins touch the engine or the transmission (2016–2026) and 4 of its 55 recall campaigns concern the engine or the transmission. A service bulletin is an instruction from the manufacturer to its dealers; it is not a recall and not a finding about any particular car. Check any VIN for open recalls free at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Can a sound check diagnose my CR-V?
No. A sound check is not a diagnosis, because nobody has opened your engine. PulsCar’s free check analyses 30 seconds of audio and tells you what to ask a mechanic.
Check your CR-V by sound
Film the engine for 30 seconds, idling, hood open. Two independent AI engines analyse the sound and you see the result on screen: a health score, the systems the sound can speak about and what to ask a mechanic.
What this data can and cannot tell you. NHTSA complaints are unverified consumer reports. These are counts, not rates: we do not know how many Honda CR-V cars were sold or driven, so a higher count does not mean a worse car. A sound check is not a diagnosis, nobody has opened your engine. Data: NHTSA public database (nhtsa.gov), counted by PulsCar.
Safety first. If the engine overheats, the oil light is on or the car loses power while driving, stop and call a mechanic.