2021 Honda CR-V engine problems
70 of the 435 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda CR-V name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 48 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 70 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2021: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 13 · 2025: 29 · 2026: 19
Half of the 14 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 15,000 and 61,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
435 complaints in all about the 2021 Honda CR-V, 19 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Honda CR-V engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I am experiencing the problems that are described in investigation NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: PE25016. When driving on the highway, there have been multiple times (8-10) when the car stops accelerating and the check engine light starts flashing. I am not able to accelerate the car.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the battery failed to start the engine. The vehicle was jumpstarted, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact noticed acid on top of the battery by the terminals and noticed that acid had dripped down the vehicle, and the battery was hot.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the fuel injector was faulty and needed to be replaced.
Head gasket failure. 79,600 miles. Car consumes coolant. Coolant is entering the firing ring when car sits after being driven a distance of 5 miles or more and sits for about 8 hours, vehicle starts with a misfire and makes a small amount of white sweet smoke out of the exhaust pipes even in 85 degree weather.
While Driving on Highway engine lost power and check engine light went on so i had to pull over turn off engine wait a few minutes and restart this happened on 3 occasions
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- PE25016 Loss of Motive Poweropened Oct 28, 2025 · open
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 48 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and some Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging intermittent loss of motive power in Model Year (MY) 2020–2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles. These incidents are alleged to occur without warning at highway speeds and are accompanied by a flashing check engine light immediately before the…
48 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- A26-018 Service bulletinSep 25, 2026
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
- A26-016 Service bulletinSep 25, 2026
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
- AEBM08262026901 OtherAug 26, 2026
- Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.
- A26-018 Service bulletinAug 26, 2026
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- A26-016 Service bulletinAug 26, 2026
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- ATI&03272026903 OtherMar 27, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2021 CR-V FHEVs with a customer complaint of an oil leak coming from the passenger side transmission/differential oil seal. The leak may also be found during normal service or an oil change. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempt
The 6 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0172 P0087 P0304 P0300 P0441 P04F1 P0302
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 Honda CR-V names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2021 Honda CR-V
Source: the same files- automatic emergency braking problems 138 complaints
- electrical problems 58 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 Honda CR-V?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 70 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (16% of everything owners filed about it), and 48 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2021 Honda CR-V?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 5 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 Honda CR-V?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 48,000 miles; half of them between 15,000 and 61,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.