2018 Honda CR-V: harsh or hard shifting

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Steering · FL

The steering wheel sticks then breaks free with a jerk. It usually shows up at highway speed. When trying to make a small lane corrections, extra force is required and often causes overcorrection. A ticking or clunking noise also occurs when the wheel sticks or releases. I contacted a dealer and they knew of the problem but said my vehicle wasn't part of the recall. I don't understand why my vehicle can have a known problem and not be covered. I've read of people with this problem having the steering wheel lock completely and running into things. Right now I don't even feel safe driving the car to a dealer for repair.

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Suspension · CA

During a long road trip from [XXX], to [XXX], I started hearing a loud clunking noise coming from the rear suspension whenever I drove over potholes or uneven pavement. I also felt a strong vibration while driving. I pulled over to check the noise, but because it was dark, it was too hard to see anything. The next day, I continued driving and decided to inspect the rear suspension more closely. I noticed a visible gap between the nut and the frame on the stabilizer bar, and the threads were completely stripped out. After consulting the vehicle service manual for guidance, I ended up replacing both rear stabilizer bar links. A few days later, the exact same issue returned—the passenger-side link was coming loose again. This time, I torqued the nut to the manual's exact specifications and applied threadlocker to the bolt, which finally put an end to the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 6, 2026 · Steering · MD

Here’s the revised version with that important detail added naturally: For the past two years, my vehicle has experienced the same recurring steering problem during long highway trips. The issue consistently begins after approximately 1–2.5 hours of highway driving and always occurs during very hot or humid weather. The steering wheel starts to stick when making small corrections while driving straight, feeling as though it moves in notches instead of smoothly. Once the problem starts, it continues for the remainder of the trip, even after leaving the highway and driving at lower speeds. This has happened on multiple long trips over the last two years, typically toward the end of extended drives in hot or humid conditions. During some incidents, the steering wheel also produced a clicking noise each time it moved into a notched position. The sticking and clicking make it difficult to make small steering adjustments and create a jerky, clunky steering feel, especially on narrow or curvy roads, making the vehicle feel unsafe to drive. To rule out other causes, we replaced all four tires, but the problem continued exactly as before. There have never been any warning lights or dashboard messages associated with this issue. After researching the problem, we found information about EPS gearbox recalls affecting newer CR-V models. We discussed our symptoms with our mechanic, who agreed that the problem sounds consistent with an Electric Power Steering (EPS) issue and recommended reporting it to the federal safety agency. Because the problem only develops after extended highway driving in hot or humid conditions, it is difficult to reproduce during a typical short test drive. This wording makes it clear that the weather connection isn’t just a possibility—it has been a consistent pattern every time the issue occurs.

Filed Jun 9, 2026 · Steering · TX

May 15, 2026 - After driving highway speeds for 2 hours on a road trip, the steering wheel started to stick when trying to make small adjustments driving straight. It seemed like it could only move in notches, not glide smoothly. May 17, 2026 - After driving highway speeds for 1 hour, the same thing started happening again and continued for the remaining 2 hours of the trip. May 29, 2026 - After driving highway speeds for 2.5 hours, the steering wheel started to stick again but this time I could also hear a little clicking noise every time I made a small adjustment to the wheel that moved it into a "notched" position created by the stickiness. The clunky movements of the steering wheel made me nervous driving on narrow curvy roads. I drove 5 hours one way where it started doing this halfway into the trip and 5 hours back home the same day with it sticking & clicking the entire time as I made minor movements of the wheel. It was not isolated to fast speeds; it continued at slow speeds. June 2, 2026 - The rear tires had been replaced 6 months earlier, so we decided to replace the front tires now to see if that would help resolve the issue. June 4, 2026 - After driving highway speeds at 2 hours, the steering wheel started sticking and clicking again. New tires did not fix the problem. Our destination was 2.5 hours from home. We returned home later the same day with the sticking & clicking starting after about an hour and continuing the rest of the way home. There have been no warning lights or messages related to this problem. June 9, 2026 - We've seen online that there have been recalls on newer model CR-Vs for the EPS gear box. We called our mechanic and described what we're experiencing. He agreed that it sounded like an EPS issue and recommended we report it to the federal safety agency. Because the issue doesn't surface until at least an hour of driving highway speeds, it's hard to reproduce on demand.

Filed Jan 8, 2026 · Transmission · 60,500 miles · TX

The contact’s friend owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. While the friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The contact stated that the transmission sounded clunky while shifting. The vehicle lost functionality. Additionally, while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle was shaking erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission shift solenoids(#3) failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the failure was an internal failure with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle; however, the failure was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 60,500.

Filed Oct 2, 2025 · Steering · WA

-Steering gear box is failing. The steering wheel is sticking and clunking. -Failure of steering puts safety of driver and passengers at risk -This problem was diagnosed by a Honda dealer and also verified by an independent service center -No warning lights or messages appeared prior to problem onset. The issues with steering were initially mild and sporadic, began about 4 years after new vehicle purchase when mileage was <20,000. The issues became more persistent over time. -Of note, there is a 2018 Honda safety recall for the steering gearbox for some vehicles of the same year and model

Filed Jul 24, 2025 · Steering · TX

Stick in steering while driving; slight clunking noise when steering wheel is moved and same noise heard while backing out of parking spots slightly turning the steering wheel .

Filed Apr 1, 2025 · Driver assistance, Steering · SC

Steering sticks at highway speeds, particularly around curves. While driving on the highway I noticed around curves that instead of the steering wheel straightening out on it's own (or with very minimal effort) the steering would stick and I had to force it out of that stick. It was very alarming at first and frankly terrifying with how badly it was stuck. I did have the lane keep assist on so I thought maybe it was that, however I have since been driving this vehicle without the lane keep assist and although it doesn't stick as badly, it does indeed still stick. This issue occurs nearly each time I am going around a curve, sometimes when I am making slight turning maneuvers like lane switches, and rarely while going straight. The exception to that last one is when I have the lane keep assist on, then sometimes it will stick even when going straight. Now, before you start thinkin that this is somehow user error and I am unaware of how these systems are supposed to work. I was a service advisor for Honda for several years, I have driven many Hondas and many other vehicles with these types of systems; this is NOT supposed to happen and this is NOT normal. I have driven this car for just over a year and put over 20K miles on it and there is a distinct difference between normal operation and when the issue occurs. Additionally, there is a metal-on-metal clunk and what I think sounds like a very slight grind when turning the steering wheel fully to the left and right that comes from the steering box and you can feel that the steering wants to push you back in to the opposite direction. I believe that there is a connection between the steering and the lane keep assist for this issue and that it's related to Service Bulletin 18-103. However, I have not yet had this vehicle diagnosed at the dealership since I no longer work at Honda and I do not want to pay their diagnostic fee.

Filed Aug 2, 2023 · Driver assistance, Steering · IA

The steering moves left or right unexpectedly. A jerking motion is felt and a clunk noise is heard. The symptoms and offered solution are identical to Honda Service Bulletin 18-103. Supposedly our vehicle (VIN) is not included in the known recall for this safety hazard. We believe they have not identified all 2018 CRV's with this faulty steering box. Neither the Honda dealership nor Honda America have been responsive to this safety issue.