The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost power with the fuel pressure failure, causing the vehicle to decelerate, and there was heavy smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact pulled over safely and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode while driving back to the residence. The check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact became aware of an abnormal burning rubber odor prior to and during the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to a local dealership, where it was diagnosed with a blown engine head gasket, lack of oil in the engine, and other internal engine damage. The failure mileage was 244,372.
Honda CR-V fire or smoke problems
208 of the 16,113 owner complaints about the Honda CR-V describe fire, smoke or burning smell, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 208
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical repair cost reported
- $700
- typical mileage
- 35,000
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 11Headlights 10Check engine light 10Overheating 8Fuel smell 7Engine failure 7Door locks 6Oil consumption 5
Trouble codes mentioned
P0172 1C0040 1
What owners say
My wife and I leased this 2026 crv on XXX. Six days old, with approx 89 miles on it. We were heading to [XXX] from [XXX] on [XXX] when there was a engine noise, then a loud pop, my wife said it was smoking and no oil pressure came across the instrument panel, immediately after that message the screen turned red saying to turn vehicle off immediately. We were on a corner on the interstate right at XXX exit, we coasted to shoulder, there was flames coming up from hood cowl between windshield wipers/hood/ windshield while we were still in the vehicle. We were able to exit the vehicle and get to a safe distance and i called [XXX]. [XXX] fire department responded to put out the fire, as well as montana highway patrol to make a report. The Honda dealer we leased from sent us a replacement vehicle, they also had the towing company haul the car to there lot, and the payed the wrecker bill. We initially called our insurance to let them know about the fire, and that the car was a total loss. But we thought it would be best to talk to corporate honda before we filed a claim. It took honda about a week to respond, they said we have to turn it into our insurance. We finalized our insurance claim XXX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving on hwy when I had to do a hard stop because traffic stopped suddenly in front of my vehicle, no physical contact was made to any cars in front or back of me, suddenly dark smoke started coming from under the hood of car, The car started stalling in middle of the hwy I got out safely opened hood and seen engine area was on fire another person in a vehicle pulled over came out with a fire extinguisher and sprayed to put fire out. there were no prior symptoms or warnings prior to this problem occuring.The car was picked up by my insurance company and taken to a Honda dealer and that is where car is located as they are trying to repair fire damages and no one knows why this fire ocurred.
The contact's son owned a 2025 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while her son was driving on the parkway at approximately 40 MPH, a loud, booming sound emit from the vehicle. After the booming sound emitting from the vehicle, several warning lights appeared on the instrument panel as the vehicle caught fire. Due to the sudden failure, the vehicle caught fire and the authorities were called to the scene. Once the fire department arrived at the scene the fire was extinguished. No injuries or property damage were reported. A police and fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent body shop where it was deemed a total loss as the vehicle was incinerated as a result of the fire. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was given a case number by the manufacturer. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,850
On 3/17/26, my husband and I started heading N on RT 83 to a medical appointment in our 2025 Honda CR-V Touring Sport. We were doing between 40 to 50 miles/hr. Twenty minutes later, we smelled faint smoke which was attributed to the trucks driving around us. Upon exit to our next route we immediately came to a red light and stopped and found heavy dark smoke coming from inside the front of our hood. We slowly moved to the R lane to get to a strip parking lot to move vehicle to a safe spot. When we finally found a safe parking a vehicle stopped to alert us of a noticeable fire at the bottom front of the Honda. We jumped out and 911 was called. By the time Police, followed by the Fire Dept, the front of my CR-V was engulfed by fire. I had just purchased this 2025 Touring Sport from Carmax 6 months earlier and it had just 7091 miles to it. My insurance and Honda were notified and claim and case #s were filed. Insurance offered a settlement but no word yet from Honda. Inspections were performed by both. Insurance inspectors report it as potential mechanical failure. Honda should offer reparations for the loss of my vehicle and placing our lives and those around us in danger.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while seated in the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the driver’s side door and the power window master switch was melted. The contact refenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V768000 (VISIBILITY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,077.
Woke up at [XXX] [XXX] to neighbor banging on door and yelling your car is on fire. Vehicle is parked in front driveway, front part of the car where engine is ablazed. Neighbor said he heard "pops" like firecrackers/gunshot when he went to look out his window the fire was reflected on the fence across the car. I did google search for possible fire causes and search returned with Recall notice for fuel pump, battery and battery cladding on model. Contacted Honda but Aileen just promised to send inspector for joint inspection with USAA inspector but hasn't been responsive to call or emails for follow up. Fortuntaely, didn't park in the garage or we would have been burned down with the house also quite fortunate that car was driving on the road. Vehicle is being inspected by insurance USAA and will get report on insurance details with AMERICAN HONDA not responding to Report Case #[XXX] they keep fobbing me off by asking to call back 1‑800‑999‑1009 x 88146 or email [email protected]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2017 Honda CRV VIN [XXX] AC compressor has completely seized/locked up. This has caused: (1) loss of engine power while driving with AC on, (2) burning smell from engine compartment, (3) loud grinding noise. A seized AC compressor risks snapping the serpentine belt while driving, which causes sudden loss of power steering — a direct safety hazard at highway speeds. This is a known Honda defect covered under TSB 23-040, yet the dealer denied warranty coverage claiming the compressor failure is unrelated to the shaft seal defect. The root cause was never addressed despite my car being serviced in May 19 2023 and they charged for discharge hose and freeon filling for 900$. The same day honda extended warranty of parts via TSB 23-040. I feel Honda dealership never found the root cause and beating around the bush. We lose money and health and safety is also getting intona concern. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While operating a 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, the vehicle suddenly caught fire with flames originating from the rear seat/rear passenger compartment area. There was no crash involved. Smoke and flames rapidly spread inside the vehicle, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of serious injury. I evacuated immediately and emergency services were contacted. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The vehicle sustained severe fire damage and was declared a total loss. The fire appeared to start from inside the cabin near/under the rear seating area. The incident occurred without warning and there were no prior signs of mechanical issues immediately before the fire. This failure put the safety of the occupants and the public at risk due to the sudden and aggressive nature of the fire. The vehicle is currently in storage and remains available for inspection upon request by the manufacturer, insurer, or investigators.
The fuel injector valves started leaking resulting in a P0172 Rich Fuel mixture diagnostic code. When fuel injector valves leak gasoline into the engine oil it can cause an engine fire, severe damage to the engine and catalytic converter. My daughter was driving the car when this happened which makes me very upset that a known safety issue has not been addresses by the federal safety agency or Honda. This effects millions of CRVs which is why Honda is fighting a recall and why the federal safety agency must step in and fine Honda and force a recall. The potential for engines catching on fire should result in an immediate recall. When I talked to the Honda shop manager he told me that he is seeing several CRVs every week with faulty fuel injectors and quite frequently bad catalytic converters. This is a well-documented problem which makes me wonder why nothing has been done.
Related recalls
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2006 cr-v passenger cars manufactured from october 3, 2005, through july 21, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt.
- Risk
- If the switch fails, the power windows may become inoperative preventing them from being rolled up or down. If the switch melts, it will produce smoke and a fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side power window switch assembly free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about october 5, 2011. Owners may contact honda automobile customer service at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 11V456000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2010 honda accord and cr-v vehicles. There is a potential failure with the engine wiring harness connector which may cause intermittent spark firing or the engine to stall.
- Risk
- An engine stall will increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealer will inspect and replace the ignition wiring harness connector free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 24, 2011. Owners may contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 11V004000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, metal particles in the key cylinder body could interfere with the interlock lever operation, making it possible to remove the ignition key without shifting the transmission to "park."
- Risk
- If the vehicle operator does not shift to "park" before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and test ignition switches for contamination interference. Any switches that fail the test will be repaired. Owner notification began on novenber 3, 2003. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 03V422000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
- Risk
- Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or acura at 1‑800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 02V120000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An improperly routed under dash wire harness could be damaged by contact with the brake light switch, possibly resulting in a blown fuse. If this occurs, operation of a critical component can be lost, including windshield wipers, headlights, turn signal and hazard lamps, tail lamps, the anti-locking function of the brakes, and battery charging system.
- Risk
- A sudden, unexpected loss of lighting or a failure of the windshield wipers in bad weather, could be hazardous increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a 70mm protective, corrugated plastic tube over the wire harness, in the area of the brake stop switch. If any wire or wires are damaged, they will be repaired.
Recall number 99V282000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda CR-V fire or smoke
Which Honda CR-V years have fire, smoke or burning smell problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (49 complaints), 2003 (25 complaints) and 2002 (17 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix fire, smoke or burning smell on the Honda CR-V?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $700 (median of 12 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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