2016 Honda CR-V Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report rough idling vibration, stalling or hesitation that some dealers trace to the fuel pump, and a gasoline or exhaust smell inside the cabin. Many complaints come in at relatively low mileage, and several describe the problems as intermittent or only reproducible under specific conditions such as cold starts or hot weather.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Stalling, hesitation or loss of power

   • 62 complaints (16%)
   • median 38,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (32 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off or losing power while driving, after a stop, or shortly after startup, and sometimes failing to restart. Several owners report hesitation, jerking or the vehicle refusing to accelerate above a certain speed, and a number say a mechanic diagnosed a failed fuel pump. Others said the dealer could not duplicate the problem, and some were told their vehicle was not covered by a fuel pump recall. Most often reported between roughly 10,000 and 90,000 miles, with some at higher mileage, and in some cases shortly after startup or when accelerating from a stop.

   Recall 23V858000

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump has been replaced and whether the vehicle's VIN was included in the fuel pump recall; a road test that includes a stop-and-go stretch and a cold start can help reveal hesitation.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine stall after a few seconds backing up. Possible transmission problem from what I have read. 22,000 mile vehicle, purchased new 3-16-2016 starts fine, the after I back a few seconds later, motor abruptly stalls. Very intermittent, happens only upon starting in am, once every few weeks”

   NHTSA complaint #11414898, filed 2021-05, 21,000 miles

   “2016 Honda CR-V driving highway with only 38,000 miles and cut off. Got tow home scan obd2 computer say fuel pressure I saw there was a denso fuel pump recall for Honda trying see if crv are effect please call contact me back I pictures of mileage tow truck pictures”

   NHTSA complaint #11342883, filed 2020-08, 38,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Rough vibration while idling or stopped in gear

   • 42 complaints (11%)
   • median 19,950 mi at 3.3 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners describe the whole vehicle shaking or vibrating strongly while stopped with the brake pedal down and the engine idling, sometimes saying it was noticeable from the day the vehicle was purchased. A few report that switching the climate control on at a moderate setting makes the vibration fade. According to the complaints, some dealers said the vehicle operated as designed, while others replaced motor mounts but the vibration returned. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles up to around 80,000, and typically while idling at a stop.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car and sit at a stop in gear with the engine idling; feel for a strong shake through the seat and steering wheel. Ask whether engine mounts or idle-related bulletins have been addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine vibration at idle and engine noise when starting in the cold. When hot, whining noise inside by timing chain area. Sent 5 times for repair at paragon Honda and the situation was never fixed and every time sent, they keep the car in the dealer for one week and an extra week in hillside Honda. My car has 23,700 miles and have all services done at paragon Honda and at hillside Honda and the noises continue. I contacted american Honda and the situation is never resolved yet they know about the issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11406790, filed 2021-04, 21,000 miles

   “The vehicle vibrates excessively when at a stop light. It starts vibrating intensely when idling. It will stop if I turn on the AC or heat to a moderate range and it seems to cancel out the vibration. It has been checked out and there is nothing they can do to fix it. This is a known issue with prior models, but it was supposedly fixed in the 2016 vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11307678, filed 2020-02, 25,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Gasoline or exhaust smell inside the cabin

   • 58 complaints (15%)
   • median 5,000 mi at 1.4 yrs old (42 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2025

   Owners report a strong gasoline or engine-type smell inside the passenger compartment while driving or parked, and in one case an abnormal engine oil odor. Several complaints say the dealer could not identify a cause or declined to act. Service bulletins from the manufacturer describe investigating fuel smell or leaks from the fuel tank area and a fuel or engine smell entering through the climate control unit. Reported from around 20,000 to 50,000 miles in the sample, and in some cases noticed while parked or idling as well as while driving.

   Recall 23V85800010 related service bulletins

   What to check: Sit in the car with the engine running and the climate control on, and check under and around the fuel tank area for a fuel odor; ask whether any fuel smell investigation or related bulletin work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I smell gasoline while sitting in the cabin driving. My car has sat all night and I'm parked in the driveway with the car running and I smell gasoline. It smells like when there is a small can of gas in the car a lawn mower. Speaking of which, the smell is not unlike the smell you get when you spill gas on your lawnmower and start mowing the lawn. Honda refused to do anything. I was supposed to take the car to a dealership but then they wanted to charge me. I can't afford it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11405245, filed 2021-03, 43,000 miles

   “The cabin is filling with engine/fuel fumes. I purchased 11/2016 and began having debilitating headaches, nausea and chest pains off and on in 06/2017. I have incurred a lot of expense going to neurologists, cardiologists, opthamologists to try and diagnose the source of the problems. I was finally told it was migraines. I have never believed this, and think they just settled on that because all of the mri's and ct scans came up clean or inconclusive. And they couldn't come up with anything else. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11394932, filed 2021-02, 49,100 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Delayed or unusual transmission behavior

   • 21 complaints (5%)
   • median 10,427 mi at 2.0 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2025

   Owners describe the engine stalling shortly after a cold start when shifting into Reverse, and a few report the transmission slipping into neutral or failing to respond while accelerating. Some complaints mention coolant mixing with the transmission fluid. Manufacturer bulletins describe a cold-start stall tied to a torque converter drain-back and a transmission software update. Reported from around 15,000 to 75,000 miles, often in the first seconds after a cold start or during acceleration.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a cold start, shift into Reverse and see whether the engine stumbles or stalls; ask whether the transmission software update was applied and whether the fluid has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated, and the transmission occasionally slipped into neutral while attempting to accelerate uphill. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also became aware of a grinding sound while depressing the accelerator pedal, with a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11683939, filed 2025-08, 101,500 miles

   “The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, there was an abnormal odor of smoke detected. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where they informed her the coolant had mixed with the CVT transmission fluid. The vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11472592, filed 2022-07, 74,879 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a cold start, an extended idle in gear and a stop-and-go road test will surface most of what owners describe here. Ask for records on the fuel pump recall, the transmission software update and any engine noise or mount work before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.