YearToAvoid

2018 Honda HR-V Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 15 transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2018 Honda HR-V, 10% of its 156 total complaints for the year. Owners typically report CVT failure or sudden power loss near 95,861 miles. No related recalls are listed.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
15
10% of 156
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
95,861 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Sudden loss of power or deceleration to 15-40 mph at highway speed, often with warning lights on the dash.
  • CVT transmission failure requiring full replacement, sometimes diagnosed as metal shavings in the transmission fluid.
  • Vehicle enters a limp mode that limits speed to about 30 mph after repeated power cycling.
  • Oscillating engine RPM and surging speed under light load, such as climbing a slight grade.
  • Bucking or jerking followed by the transmission dropping into neutral, sometimes tied to a parking brake sensor and pulley system.
  • Multiple dashboard warning lights appear alongside hard steering and unresponsive brakes during a power loss event.

When 2018 Honda HR-V transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 16, 2020, latest Jul 2, 2026.

2018 Honda HR-V transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2020Aug 2020Nov 2022Feb 2025Sep 2025Mar 2026Jul 2026
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2020 to Jul 2026; peak Sep 2025 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Honda HR-V

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by HR-V model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201674 (31%)
  2. 201732 (26%)
  3. 201815 (10%)
  4. 201914 (6%)
  5. 202013 (16%)
  6. 20215 (8%)
  7. 202219 (22%)
  8. 20231 (0%)
  9. 20243 (3%)
  10. 20251 (2%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems on the 2018 Honda HR-V?
NHTSA has 15 transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2018 HR-V, which is 10% of the 156 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage does the 2018 HR-V CVT usually fail?
The median mileage at failure among these complaints is 95,861 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Honda HR-V transmission?
No. NHTSA's related_recalls list for this transmission and powertrain issue on the 2018 HR-V is empty.
Do these transmission failures cause crashes or fires?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes and 0 fires among the 15 transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2018 HR-V.
How does the 2018 HR-V compare to other years for transmission complaints?
The 2018 HR-V's 15 complaints are fewer than the 2016 model's 74 and the 2017 model's 32, but transmission complaints continued through the 2022 model year with 19 complaints.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.