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2018 Honda HR-V

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

151 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

3 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life — a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.

Electrical system problems dominate (30% of complaints, typically reported near 20k miles).

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)83
Severity (30%)75
Recall load (20%)74
Trend (10%)38

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20182026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2018 Honda HR-V, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miElectrical system~20k mi · 46 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~68k mi · 15 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Fuel system (40) · Brakes (15) · Engine (13) · Speed control (10)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

30%

46 complaints · typically near 20k mi · 25 in the last 2 years

On September 17. 2025 I was at a red light on Normandie Avenue and Exposition Blvd the light turned green and as I was entering the intersection going southbound my do…

Fuel system

26%

40 complaints · 21 in the last 2 years

Fuel pump is failing and not properly propelling the fuel which is causing the car not to start correctly and failing during driving

Transmission & drivetrain

10%

15 complaints · typically near 68k mi · 9 in the last 2 years

We have a Honda 2018 HRV We purchased it new from Suburban Honda in April 2018 They have serviced the in our ownership The CVT Transmission was serviced and maintained…

Brakes

10%

15 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years

The car after a while drives sluggish & brakes very badly even after replacing the brake pads & the roater. I have replacement everything that could affect any of thes…

Recalls (3)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 23V858000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 20V314000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 18V777000

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 vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Risk: A reduction of braking performance increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners will be notified, and Honda or Acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C31 and L30.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Honda HR-V beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2018? See how every HR-V model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Honda HR-V against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2018 Honda HR-V as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.