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Honda CR-V won't shift problems

107 of the 16,122 owner complaints about the Honda CR-V describe stuck in gear or won't shift, most of them for the 2017 model year.

owner complaints
107
worst model year
2017
typical repair cost reported
$2,200
typical mileage
80,000
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

  • 2027
    1
  • 2026
    1
  • 2025
    5
  • 2024
    1
  • 2023
    4
  • 2022
    3
  • 2021
    1
  • 2020
    6
  • 2019
    13
  • 2018
    11
  • 2017
    37
  • 2016
    2
  • 2015
    5
  • 2014
    2
  • 2013
    1
  • 2011
    2
  • 2009
    1
  • 2008
    2
  • 2007
    2
  • 2002
    1
  • 2001
    1
  • 2000
    1
  • 1999
    3
  • 1997
    1

Often reported together

Warning lights 24Check engine light 19Misfire 17Fuel pump 14Loss of power 12Adaptive cruise 10Stalling 7Lane assist 7

Trouble codes mentioned

P0303 4P219F 3P0172 2P0087 2U0416 1P2101 1P0304 1P0300 1P0299 1P0011 1

What owners say

Filed Nov 9, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · SC

Steering wheel and vehicle started shaking and vibrating, sluggish acceleration, rpm flares, limp mode wouldn’t go over 1500 rpms, when releasing brake pedal vehicle revved to 1200 rpms and accelerated on its own up to 10 mph, when starting vehicle brake pedal went to floor. Noticed fuel economy gauge jumping around at steady speed, fuel consumption and noticed oil cap has gash in it and oil filler neck has oil on it. No engine light or warning lights. Waiting on dealership to diagnose.

Filed Nov 6, 2026 · Fuel system, Transmission · CA

What failed?: The Power Control Unit Assembly part number 1B000-69F-A53 failed and required replacement. This is a hybrid powertrain part that supplies electrical energy to the motor/generators in the transmission to propel the vehicle. How was safety put at risk?: Loss of motive power. The vehicle went into a limp mode and could barely move under its own power. It could only move at a few MPH on level ground after the failure. Fortunately this event occurred in a rural location. Was problem confirmed?: Yes, by Honda Dealer. Part number 1B000-69F-A53 confirmed to have failed and required replacement. Vehicle was repaired under new vehicle warranty by dealer. The single part replaced (1B000-69F-A53) list cost is $6247.93. Unknown if the part has been inspected by the manufacturer. The dealer indicated the failed part was requested to be returned to Honda. Zero indication of an impending failure were observed prior to the powertrain failure. Immediately upon the vehicle losing motive power while driving an indication on the dashboard described "Power System Failure" and to stop driving the vehicle immediately.

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Fuel system · WI

High pressure fuel pump failed. The failed one is not available. My car went into limp mode, and I could not maintain enough speed to stay in the flow of traffic. The car was diagnosed at an independent service center. The component was not inspected by a manufacturer. There were no warnings prior to failure. They first appeared right when the car went into limp mode.

Filed Oct 29, 2026 · Engine · 244,372 miles · TN

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.

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · MO

When driving around a corner at 2.5k RPMs, it felt like a cylinder in the engine went out, and the entire car put itself into limp mode, and the dashboard lit up like a Christmas Tree, with every indicator light being illuminated. I pulled the car over, shut it off, and checked the engine for any signs of damage, and there were none. After turning the car back on again, it the car ran like normal; however, every light was still on the dashboard. I took it into a shop later that day, and had it hooked up to a code reader. The only code that was still being transmitted was the P0011 code. I had previously gotten the oil changed by that exact same shop for the car the day prior, so I had no indications that this was an oil related issue. We then cleared the code, disconnected the battery for 15 minutes, started the car again, and all of the warnings and errors for the car had been cleared. After doing some research on Reddit, the shop found that there had been previous incidents where this same behavior took place for many of this make, model, and year of car, all happening randomly with no warning.

Filed Sep 7, 2026 · Fuel system · CA

While driving on a winding, two-lane rural mountain highway, I came up behind a slower vehicle. When a designated passing lane opened up, I pulled out to overtake them. The driver ahead safely slowed way down to let me pass, so I applied normal, moderate acceleration to complete the maneuver.Mid-way through the pass, the vehicle suddenly suffered a catastrophic loss of motive power and entered "Limp Mode." Simultaneously, the entire dashboard lit up frantically with warning alerts indicating that virtually every Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) had failed.The vehicle lost nearly all forward momentum and would barely move. Because of the immediate power loss, I spent a grueling half-mile struggling to find a safe place to pull off the roadway. I was forced to come to a stop on a highly dangerous, blind mountain corner. On a highway where traffic routinely travels at 55 mph or faster, being stranded at a dead stop around a blind curve placed me in imminent danger of a severe, high-speed rear-end collision. Safety Concern & Product Defect:While the vehicle's programming forces "Limp Mode" to protect the mechanical components of the engine, the real-world execution of this feature creates an extreme, life-threatening hazard. Cutting power entirely during routine highway maneuvers—such as passing or merging onto a 65+ mph freeway—renders the driver helpless. Rather than preventing damage, this defect actively creates a high-probability scenario for a fatal high-speed accident. Honda's safety systems should not prioritize engine preservation over human life. After thoroughly researching this specific failure pattern, the evidence strongly indicates that the root cause is premature fuel injector failure—an issue that is heavily documented as a common defect in this specific engine layout.This component should not be failing at this stage in the vehicle's lifespan. My husband is a certified mechanic and meticulously maintains all of our personal vehicles!

Filed Sep 7, 2026 · Electrical · GA

July 3 2026 multiple error codes vehicle assistant, brakes, steering wheel, vehicle stability. Vehicle was stuck in Park. Unable to put in reverse drive or neutral was stranded for 30 plus minutes before vehicle would shift out of park. Vehicle towed to dealership by tow truck driver who witness codes Vehicle stayed over night was not looked at until the next day and Honda dealer stated no error on their end I submitted photos fir referenceand evidence. August 1 driving vehicle dashboard went black was able to pull over turn vehicle off then dashboard return drived up to dealer on Monday was told the vehicle would have to stay over night but because the dashboard was on at the time probably will not get an error code. Vehicle has been feeling like it wants to stop while driving since July 3rd. Since August 1st Vehicle has been making this on and off humming noise from the AC and Heater. August 27th took a video of the constant humming . Filed a case with Honda manufacturer I was told that if they can't produce the errors then I would have to keep the car and nothing they can do about it. That seems a little more like willfully putting a human life in harms way with safety issues. September 7th Vehicle is at Honda to see about the humming noise and the feeling of shutting off.

Filed Aug 21, 2026 · Fuel system · ND

I request a $2,935.58 reimbursement from Honda for a catastrophic manufacturing defect on my 2020 CR-V (78,248 miles). This includes a $2,105.58 dealer repair bill and an $830.00 emergency highway tow bill. Honda Corporate denied goodwill solely on mileage, ignoring proof of an internal component defect.THE FAILURE & SAFETY RISK: While driving on a highway, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and entered a dangerous "limp mode" in active traffic. This immediate safety hazard forced an emergency $830 flatbed tow directly to an authorized Honda dealership.CERTIFIED DEALER DIAGNOSIS: Factory technicians diagnosed the failure at 78,248 miles. The itemized invoice documents Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0087 (Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low). Physical testing confirmed the high-pressure fuel pump suffered a total internal mechanical collapse, outputting a baseline of only 300 PSI instead of the required 2,000+ PSI. The dealer verified the failure was entirely internal.EXTREME PRICE MARKUPS: To remain mobile, I paid $2,100.00 out of pocket. The dealership charged $996.91 for the part (MSRP is ~$530) and $971.52 for labor for a highly accessible part that requires only 1.2 to 1.5 factory book hours. This is an unreasonable financial penalty for a defective part.FLAWLESS MAINTENANCE: Direct-injection high-pressure pumps rely on clean oil for lubrication. I have meticulously serviced this vehicle with professional oil changes and check-ups every 5 months without exception. My records prove zero oil dilution or neglect. The collapse was structural, not operational.KNOWN DEFECT PATTERNS: Honda has issued major safety recalls (like the federal safety agency Campaign 24V-763000) for internal structural cracking and sudden pressure drops within their high-pressure fuel pump assemblies on identical engine families. My pump failed in the exact same manner.REMEDY SOUGHT: Order Honda to reimburse the full $2,935.58 for the repair and tow bills. All receipts are attached.

Filed Aug 18, 2026 · Fuel system · IL

I was driving at 70mph on the highway when the dashboard started to display a series of problem notifications (Brake Problem, Hill Start Problem, Power Steering Problem…, etc.). The vehicle also went into “limp mode” and slowed down to 35-40mph max. This was very dangerous given the other traffic going 70+ mph on a very busy highway. Thankfully, we were able to pull over to the shoulder and bring it to a nearby car repair shop. Based on the diagnostics, they determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed. They are charging us more than $1300 to fix it.

Filed Aug 17, 2026 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · MA

The hybrid fan died after 23k miles of use and put the car into limp mode on the highway, the lane departure system frequently does not work, and the car has never come to close to the estimated MPG.

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmissionReported April 15, 2013 · 204,169 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk
If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.

Recall number 13V143000 · Recall details

Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)Reported August 4, 2011 · 1,512,107 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 accord, 2007-2010 cr-v, and 2005-2008 element passenger cars manufactured from july 1, 2004, through september 3, 2010. The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing may be broken during certain driving styles. A broken outer race may cause abnormal noise, the malfunction indicator light to turn on, and allow contact between the transmission idle gear and an electronic sensor housing within the transmission.
Risk
This could result in a short circuit causing the engine to stall. Additionally, broken pieces of the outer race or ball bearing from the secondary shaft may become lodged in the parking pawl resulting in the vehicle rolling after the driver has placed the gear selector in the park position. Engine stall and unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash or personal injury to persons within the path of a rolling vehicle.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on august 27, 2011. Owners may contact honda automobile customer service at 1‑800‑999‑1009.

Recall number 11V395000 · Recall details

Power train: automatic transmissionReported July 29, 2003 · 247,019 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions, excessive corrosion of the shift cable linkage could prevent the driver from shifting the automatic transmission into park.
Risk
If the vehicle operator fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur. Dealers will inspect the shift cable linkage for corrosion. If corrosion causes binding, they will replace the shift cable.
Remedy
Dealers will also install a new corrosion-resistant control pin. Owner notification began on august 19, 2003. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009.

Recall number 03V274000 · Recall details

Questions about the Honda CR-V won't shift

Which Honda CR-V years have stuck in gear or won't shift problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2017 (37 complaints), 2019 (13 complaints) and 2018 (11 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix stuck in gear or won't shift on the Honda CR-V?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,200 (median of 8 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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