Car · Honda problems

2016 Honda HR-V problems

243 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Honda HR-V. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (31% of them). NHTSA also lists 47 service bulletins and 2 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 11. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 243 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)76 · 31%
• Electrical system57 · 23%
• Other or unknown45 · 19%
• Service brakes25 · 10%
• Engine and engine cooling23 · 9%
• Body and structure22 · 9%
• Speed control and throttle14 · 6%
• Air bags13 · 5%

11 smaller areas not shown (48 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 47 repair bulletins from Honda for the 2016 Honda HR-V. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. A21-047Received March 5, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Due to the possibility of early deterioration of the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) drive belt, American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on these CVT models to 7 years from the...

2. A22080BReceived September 9, 2022

   Visibility and wipers

   If you are inspecting an HR-V and notice oil residue on the A/C condenser, it's not always an indication that the condenser is leaking refrigerant.

3. 15090 JW4Received May 9, 2022

   Body and structure

   A non-galvanized door handle bracket located inside the front passenger's door was installed during manufacturing and may be susceptible to corrosion.

4. 03286Received December 13, 2021

   Equipment

   Honda Job Aid - Tech Line Calling Guidelines Affected vehicles General Info.

5. A16020DReceived December 13, 2021

   Exterior lighting

   Fog Light Lenses look melted or discoloredf?- All models with fog lights affected vehicles.

6. NSS300Received December 13, 2021

   Equipment

   Recall Information update: Service Bulletin NSS300 #2.

7. SB15059Received December 13, 2021

   Air bags

   Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator Collection - This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete.

8. A21-046Received August 17, 2021

   Service Bulletin - An incorrect value in the PCM may cause a pressure problem in the CVT under certain driving conditions, causing increased surface pressure on the belt leading to a partial or...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Honda HR-V. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer.

1. 18V777000November 1, 2018

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance.

2. 15V472000July 28, 2015

   Equipment

   The affected vehicles may be missing the required tire placard indicating "Tire and Loading Information."

See all 2 recalls for the 2016 Honda HR-V, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your HR-V will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 76 complaints · 31%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 57 complaints · 23%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Service brakes 25 complaints · 10%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Engine and engine cooling 23 complaints · 9%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2016 Honda HR-V: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Honda HR-V?

Of the 243 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Honda HR-V, 76 (31%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 57 (23%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2016 Honda HR-V reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 13 of the 243 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 11 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 Honda HR-V have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Honda HR-V. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 47 repair bulletins for the 2016 Honda HR-V.

More

• 2023 HR-V problems
• 2019 HR-V problems
• 2016 recalls
• All Honda recalls
• Honda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.