2016 Honda HR-V: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
43%
93 of 216 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
43% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Honda HR-V are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 52% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 23 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 39%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN07/17/2026
CVT has gone into safety/limp mode. June 7 2026 First sign was the EPB not releasing. Became drivable after warm up period. Replaced EPB switch and vehicle drove normally. There was still a parking brake caution light. On July 12, 2026 the issue repeated. This time the check engine light and transmission lig…
POWER TRAIN05/21/2026
Car went into limp mode far from home. Lots of lights on the dash lit up. I scanned the OBD and it came back with code P271E to replace the automatic transmission assembly. This was confirmed by a transmission repair shop. This is a known issue by Honda and they have issued service bulletins 21-046 and 21-047. Howeve…
POWER TRAIN05/08/2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle would not accelerate past approximately 35MPH while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was towed to the same local dealer on several occasions, where it …
Three of 93 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (2)
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX, 2017-2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey, and 2016 Honda HR-V v…
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 HR-V vehicles manufactured January 12, 2015, to May 20, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing t…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2016 Honda HR-V
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
