Since Oct1st night, my car smells of Gasoline inside and out side the car. It just started late evening. And takes time to start?
Honda CR-V fuel smell problems
522 of the 16,122 owner complaints about the Honda CR-V describe gas smell in the cabin, most of them for the 2018 model year.
- owner complaints
- 522
- worst model year
- 2018
- typical mileage
- 8,100
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 61Fuel leak 24Check engine light 24Loss of power 19Engine failure 16Hesitation 10Misfire 9Warning lights 8
Trouble codes mentioned
P0172 3P0303 2P219F 1P1009 1P0304 1P0302 1P0301 1P0300 1P0087 1
What owners say
Recurring, intermittent fuel smell inside the vehicle, even with the air on recirculate. Seems to occur when on very hot days when the vehicle has been running a lot. The dealership found a soaked evap canister, replaced the fuel tank and evap canister, and the symptoms returned after about one week with a fuel smell entering the cabin. The fumes cause migraines and are unacceptable for a new car.
My 2007 Honda CR-V was repaired under the federal safety agency Recall 23V‑228 for corrosion in the rear frame at the trailing arm mount, a condition Honda's own filing says can allow the trailing arm to detach while driving. My vehicle received the support-brace remedy rather than a full structural repair. Since that July 18, 2023 repair, the vehicle has developed Right Rear (RR) tracking instability, whooshing and high-pitched whistling noises, tire bead damage, and toxic exhaust fumes entering the cabin. The component at issue is the rear frame at the trailing arm mount, along with the related RR suspension/tracking behavior and RR tire. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request and is currently located in Wilmington, Delaware. Because corrosion in this area can allow the trailing arm to detach while driving, and my vehicle now shows RR tracking instability, pulling, and a sheared RR tire bead along with toxic exhaust fumes in the cabin, I believe these conditions risk loss of vehicle control and expose occupants to hazardous fumes while driving. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent shop. Union Park Honda could not duplicate the noise I reported on October 30, 2023, and independent shops since December 2024 have performed repairs but have not confirmed a root cause for the tracking, noises, or fumes. No formal inspection has been performed by Honda's engineering staff, police, or an insurer. Mechanics at Union Park Honda and four independent shops (Penny Hill, Firestone, Harvey Road Automotive, and Mighty Muffler) have attempted repairs, but none has performed a structural or root-cause inspection. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared at any point. The first symptom I noticed was the whooshing noise, immediately after the July 18, 2023 recall repair.
Over the past 6/7 months, the following: ALL warning lights on dashboard flashing whenever car in running, strong smell of gasoline detected in home garage, and 5/6 times during the past 4/5 weeks engine "rough" when starting cold accompanied by loss of power. The lack of effective warning notices and/or the sudden loss of power increases the risk of crash and injury. I understand that these are related to a known Manufacturer's defect. The dealer replaced the fuel injectors and provided some additional service. I understand that Honda has issued some "campaigns" and some vehicles have been granted extended warranties, etc. but I was told that this vehicle is not eligible. I would like to try to obtain reimbursement for the repairs since it appears to be related to a documented manufacturer's defect. I also understand that there has been a recall under this issue in Canada.
System/Component Involved: Fuel System / Fuel Injectors / High-Pressure Fuel Joint Pipe Description of Incident and Safety Risk: My 2017 Honda CR-V (1.5T engine) experienced a fuel system failure evidenced by DTC P0172 and a failed AF cylinder test, confirmed by an authorized Honda dealer. This failure leads to engine hesitation and power loss, creating a safety hazard during operation. More critically, during the repair (Case #16244235), the dealer and manufacturer refused to replace the High-Pressure Fuel Joint Pipe. According to Honda’s official Service Manual and TSBs for the Earth Dreams 1.5T engine, this pipe is a mandatory, one-time-use component that must be replaced whenever fuel injectors are serviced. Reusing this component violates Honda’s own safety protocols and poses a severe fire risk due to potential fuel leakage under high pressure ($20\text{ MPa}$+). Safety Risk to Others: Reinstalling a non-reusable high-pressure fuel line creates a high probability of fuel spraying onto hot engine components, leading to an under-hood fire while driving. This endangers the occupants and others on the road. Reproduction and Inspection: The injector failure was confirmed by [Insert Dealer Name] in Houston, TX. The subsequent safety violation (failure to replace the mandatory fuel joint pipe) is documented on my repair invoice dated April 2026. The vehicle and the old part (if still on the car) are available for inspection. Symptoms and Warning Lamps: The Check Engine Light (DTC P0172) appeared shortly before the failure, accompanied by a strong gasoline odor and engine stalling symptoms.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was a strong fuel odor present. There was no warning light illuminated. The odor was also present while the vehicle was parked in the garage, and the odor spread throughout the home. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated after the dealer refueled the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
After filling up with fuel my vehicle wreaks of gasoline fumes for hours in the passenger compartment. There are no warning lights or open recalls. Issue is common it looked up online. This started about a year after owning the vehicle.
CRV Dashboard all warning lights illuminated including check engine and emissions system problem. I had to park my car and it smelled like gas. I immediately called Honda Care and I took my car to Unicars Dealer on 03/11/2026 They provided a diagnostic report, report retrieved PO172 fuel system Bank 1 too rich and P219F no 4 cyclinder air fuel ratio variation. Despite Honda issuing Service Bulletin NHTDA ID 10220352, 10208090 and similar 22-002 for the exact same part failure 2017-2019 models, and despite Manufacturer Communication MC -10201454 specifically requesting failed injectors from 2021 models for investigation, HONDA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE A WARRANTY EXTENSION OR GOODWILL ASSISTANCE FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. This is a premature failure of critical fuel system component that causes the vehicle to stall smell like gas, lose power unexpectedly posing a significant safety risk to the driver and others on the road. I opened a GoodWill case # 16219868- after two weeks Case manager said it did not meet their guidelines offered a $125 assistance. I have called Unicars dealer service technician multiple times with no avail and no return calls. I finally walked into the UNICARS Dealer yesterday 3/25/26 and made appointment to get vehicle fixed on 03/27/26. I am paying out of pocket for all repairs over $2000 dollars.
Started with what sounds like a pump running after car shut down then today whole garage smelled like gasoline.
The contact's daughter owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an oil change, the contact was informed that there was a mixture of oil and fuel in the oil pan. The contact stated that while checking the engine compartment later, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the engine compartment. Several unknown warning lights were temporarily illuminated. Several unknown dealers were contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was unreachable. The failure mileage was 50,399.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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 the federal safety agency recall numbers 21V‑215 and 20V‑314.
Recall number 23V858000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 CR-V vehicles. The clip for the absorber inside the fuel tank was not secured properly and may detach, which can cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading.
- Risk
- An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is RCB.
Recall number 22V380000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure 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.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V‑314.
Recall number 21V215000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 CR-V vehicles. The joint weld between the fuel tank and the vapor return line may have been insufficiently welded, causing the weld to fail.
- Risk
- The failed weld may allow fuel to leak, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began September 16, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is A5I.
Recall number 19V569000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 Honda CR-V 2WD and AWD vehicles. The affected vehicles have a fuel supply pipe that may have been improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the pipe disconnecting and leaking while driving.
- Risk
- If the pipe disconnects, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the disconnected pipe may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel supply pipe, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is KH1.
Recall number 17V442000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda CR-V fuel smell
Which Honda CR-V years have gas smell in the cabin problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2018 (218 complaints), 2017 (211 complaints) and 2016 (41 complaints).
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