CarComplaints.com Notes: It's rare when a newer vehicle has defect trends, & the 2017 Honda CR-V has at least two — overfilled oil levels with a gas smell, & heat not working.

Both problems affecting the Honda CR-V's 1.5L "Earth Dreams" engine appear to be related to cold-climate regions.

CR-V owners report overfilled oil levels due to fuel in the oil, & sometimes a gas smell in the cabin. That problem appears to be related to fuel injection which Honda hopes to fix via a software update. Honda so far has only conducted a recall in China & a "product update" in Canada.

CR-V owners also report no heat even after warming up their CR-Vs for 30 minutes — not even enough to defrost the windshield. So far, there has been no fix from Honda for this issue.

8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
12,550 miles
Total Complaints:
89 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (37 reports)
  2. no solution!!! (18 reports)
  3. no solution; Honda told me to check oil every 500 miles (13 reports)
  4. tech says nothing wrong (8 reports)
  5. change oil frequently (4 reports)
  6. software update (3 reports)
2017 Honda CR-V engine problems

engine problem

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2017 Honda CR-V Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #69

Nov 012018

CR-V EX Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 7,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine oil level is more than a quarter inch above the orange bar and smells strong gasoline on it.

- Shine S., Ithaca, NY, US

problem #68

Nov 162018

CR-V EX 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 10,559 miles

Dipstick smells like gas. Take it to the dealer they change the oil and state that Honda has not given them a fix. Call Honda got a case number but no solution from them either. Problems from this issue of oil dilution will probably not show up until warranty is over. Honda needs to step up and get the fix out to us in Kansas (according to them not a cold weather state) too.

- Peggy M., Shawnee Mission, KS, US

problem #67

Nov 212018

CR-V EX-L 1.5L Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles

This seems to be a widespread issue for the Honda CRV 1.5L Turbo (2017-2019) that Honda has not fixed. The dealership acts like this is normal for this engine but I don't think it's normal to have your engine oil level far above the max smelling of gasoline. They say it only effects engines in cold climates but I live in Phoenix, AZ.

- David B., Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #66

Nov 282018

CR-V LX 1.5L T

  • CVT transmission
  • 3,853 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Yesterday i checked the oil level which was higher than normal and also it was smelling crazy gas.

I do not have heating system issue since i never warm-up the engine in idle which is not a good practice at all.

OK, i went to the Honda dealership today to replace the tires with Winter tires , and also the software update. Honda Canada sail they will change the ECU unit and air conditioning control unit and also they will change the oil.

I think this is what they are doing; they will change the heating system control unit to let the engine warm-up very soon and then this will burn the vapor of the gas in a shorter time , this means that there is no fix for this issue at the of the way because they can never change the nature of the direct-injection engine.

- S N., Montreal, QC, Canada

problem #65

Nov 262018

CR-V Touring 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 8,046 miles

click to see larger images

high oil level with gas in oil high oil level with gas in oil

June 2017 bought new 2017 CR-V from Honda Dealer.

Jan 2018 vehicle had 3970 miles so brought it to same dealer for 1st oil and filter change. No apparent issues.

Nov 2018 vehicle had 8046 miles and Maintenance-minder indicated only 15% oil life remaining so I scheduled an oil & filter change at same dealer.

Before the appointment I checked oil dipstick and it was way over the maximum mark (pictures attached) and smelled heavily of gasoline. Owners manual says never over-fill can cause engine damage. The only fill ever was done by the dealer at the1st oil change in Jan 2018.

I related the gas smell of the dipstick to gas fumes my wife and I detected in the cabin at times. At that time I researched online and discovered there was an oil-dilution issue that was being investigated by Honda for this issue but no solution yet. I reported this situation to the service department when I brought in for the 2nd oil change but they couldn't offer a solution as well so took my info and said all we can do is wait for Honda to announce a solution.

Meanwhile it is not known if there is engine damage occurring due to the overfull engine oil level and mix of gasoline in the engine oil.

- bob.right, Shelton, US

problem #64

Nov 282018

CR-V Touring 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 8,501 miles

While looking for 2019 Honda CR-V colors, I stumbled upon a video on the 2017-2018 CR-Vs from a young man detailing the Oil Dilution issue causing the Oil Level to exceed the Maximum limit AND the definitive smell of gasoline in the Oil (via the Oil dipstick). I began to read where this was an issue with epidemic proportions. This "mixing" is causing premature Engine wear and worse for many drivers. My experience has been limited as the majority of my driving is mostly 80 mile drives in the Spring and Summer and I have not had any stalling issues yet. Upon the recommendation of the young man in the video, I checked my Oil which had been changed in Aug 2018 with only 500 miles and 80% Oil level showing to use. BINGO! The Oil absolutely smelled of gasoline and the level was above the Orange area of the dipstick I took my CR-V into my usual Dealership that does my service and the mechanic and service manager agreed that there was gasoline present in the oil and an Oil change was recommended and I was not charged. The manager indicated that Honda hasn't "officially" given them a SOP to deal with the issue until the fix is distributed to dealerships across the US. Latest information indicates that the "fix', which is to include to new software for the engine and transmission control units with an oil change, are being distributed in the most northern states (MN, WI, ND, SD & ME) in December. Other more northern states will follow in the following two months. I am fortunate in that our family has a second car and I won't need to drive the CR-V until the "fix" is available. CERTAINLY NOT great having to put your new car on "ice" while HONDA makes US wait!

Update from Jun 1, 2019: I had this update in December of 2017 and it did make the engine rev-up more quickly but all this seems to due is dump more gas into the cold engine and appeared to have done nothing to clear up the issue. The oil level continued to rise with the additional gas mixed in. I spoke with a longtime tech at Honda who confirmed that when they are doing these oil changes the oil comes rushing out like water as the gas is nearly a quarter of the oil reservoir. So, with only 8,685 miles on my beautiful black Touring CR-V which included many expensive options (Floor lighting, Illuminated Sills, etc.), I traded it in for Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring. I was a Honda owner for 28 years. Trade and Purchase in February 2019.

- phillyfire, Warminster, US

problem #63

Jan 012018

CR-V EX 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 3,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The oil smell is very strong. I have to change the oil very frequently. After I changed the oil, two days later, I notice that oil level become above the max limit mark and the oil become black very soon in less than 1000 miles. It seems there are also some debris inside. Honda should really fix this problem as soon as possible instead of try to ask the customer change driving behavior and change oil. This is my first car, overall I like its feature but it's very sad with such an annoying problem and disappointed about Honda since they did not come any way to fix it after discovering the problem for such a long time.

- Yuqing X., Fort Lee, US

problem #62

Jan 022019

CR-V EX L 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 13,589 miles

Oil level was more than half a quart over capacity and smelled strongly of gas. Had oil changed at Honda dealer only 180 miles ago. Was told this was not unusual and not to worry. I think it is a serious problem and reported it to Honda of America and opened a case for further review.

The dealer changed the oil and just told me to keep checking the oil level. Not very satisfactory to me.

Update from Jan 19, 2019: After filling the gas and checking the oil after 241 miles since last dealer oil change the oil level on dipstick is creeping up again over high mark and is smelling of gas again.

I have also noticed smell of gas inside cabin while excelerating.

- Bartow B., Virginia Beach, US

problem #61

Mar 012018

CR-V EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,967 miles

I bought my CRV in 2017. Only one week, my car stalled on the highway. I had to take it back to dealer. They did not want to pay tow fee. It's ridiculous. After they fixed my car, I asked what was wrong, they said nothing. One more month later, the gas mixes with the oil. It's terrible. Honda still tells me there is nothing wrong with it. Honda won't admit it's a problem.

- Tommy L., Flushing, NY, US

problem #60

Dec 072018

CR-V EX 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 14,000 miles

Oil sample submitted to Blackstone, 12/18, showed fuel concentration at 4.8% with a flashpoint of 290 degrees. I have contacted Honda dealership twice but no response. Oil has been changed twice on schedule at dealership, July and December. No problems with engine heating up or gasoline smell in cabin. Gasoline odor detected by smelling dipstick with oil level elevated approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch above full mark. Car is located in Virginia and not one of the states where Honda is providing a fix (reprogramming computer and changing out air conditioning control unit).

- Mike J., Newport News, US

problem #59

Oct 252018

CR-V LX 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 6,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

SOLVED THE PROBLEM. 6000 MILES ON AN ENGINE AND DRIVING IT 6 MILES TO THE DEALER WITH A CRANKCASE FULL OF FUEL, IS LIKE PUTTING 60,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. SO I TRADED IT FOR A 2018 RAV4. PROBLEM SOLVED.

- Richard F., Lebanon, PA, US

problem #58

Nov 162018

CR-V EX 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 6,827 miles

I discovered fuel in the oil of my 2017 turbo Honda CR-V when checking the oil level. I have approximately 2500 miles since my last oil change. I took the care to Beaverton Honda on 11/16/2018 to check it out. They "verified customers concerns of fuel in engine oil". They also "adjusted oil level" and then referred me to a Honda video On YouTube. It would appear that they simply removed good oil to make room for more gas in the oil. This is unacceptable and dangerous. Apparently Honda does not have a fix for this issue.

This is a serious problem that requires a recall. I have filed a complaint on NHTSA.com and encourage all other owners to check their oil and file a complaint if you discover this same problem.

- Michael B., Portland, US

problem #57

Nov 192018

CR-V EX - L 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 10,948 miles

I bought a used 2017 Honda CR-V last week and read about the high level oil problem and gas smell and didn't really want to check to see if mine had it as well, but I thought it's something I should check. It does. I'm also in warm sunny SoCal and don't have many short trips at all. It got great gas mileage out to the desert and back. The car is great, so I'm going to stick with it, but I checked it yesterday and the oil level was half an inch too high and smelled of gas. So, this isn't just a cold market problem. Honda needs to step it up. I'm not a car expert, but I'm pretty sure gas isn't a good engine lubricant. And the dealer changed the oil just a couple weeks before I bought it, so the oil is still quite new.

- Mike M., Mission Viejo, CA, US

problem #56

Mar 012018

CR-V Touring 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 30,000 miles

I've owned 13 Hondas so far in my life. This may be the last one based on how poorly Honda is handling it.

Update from Jan 27, 2019: Recall work has been done. No change in problem whatsoever.

- Aaron L., Jackson, WI, US

problem #55

Sep 032018

CR-V EX-L 1.5t

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,500 miles

After reading about this problem on carcomplaints.com and CRVForums, I checked my vehicle and sure enough, the oil smelled like 87 octane gasoline. I had minimal oil overfill, less than 1/4 inch on the dipstick, but the gasoline smell was very strong. I try to never take drives without warming my vehicles thoroughly and live in SoCal, so I'm probably on the lesser end of the problem with gasoline accumulation.

I talked to the service rep at my dealership and she had never heard of this problem, but another service rep overheard our conversation and acknowledged he talked to another customer with the problem. They had nothing from Honda to deal with this problem. I've read Honda's plan to deal with the problem in Canada and seven northern US states, but no help published for the rest of the US.

Honda knows this is a big deal (China banned sales of CR-Vs until this is fixed), but sadly, they know there is no one in the US government with cajones big enough to force a fix for all buyers of the Civics and CR-Vs with the 1.5T engine. I'm very suspect Honda's fix to change the direct injection and CVT such that it will stop fuel from bypassing the rings and diluting the oil.

I've had it with Honda over issues from missing standard equipment on my new vehicle (refused to provide it), CVT surging at half throttle or higher, CVT causing a stumble when leaving a stop. Now an oil dilution issue with so many cars? This is all normal according to Honda. First and last Honda for me.

- Larry S., Apple Valley, CA, US

problem #54

May 052018

CR-V 1.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,220 miles

We took the 2017 CRV in for it's first schedule oil change and also complained of a noisy and rough idle. The dealer's Service Tech stated that there was excessive oil in the crank case and that Honda is researching an issue where fuel dumps into the crankcase and that may be the cause of the noise. There currently is no fix.

This is a Major Problem that obviousness will adversely affect the engine and the value of the vehicle.

- Google M., Madison, WI, US

problem #53

Nov 072018

CR-V EXL 1.5L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 12,268 miles

Gas is mixing in the oil of our new 2017 Honda CR-V. The 1.5 liter engine does not warm up sufficiently in cold weather.

- Mildred R., New York, US

problem #52

Feb 152018

CR-V EX 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 11,500 miles

Same excessive fuel in the oil issue as everyone else. Manifested itself as 12 different system failures appearing in succession. Took to dealer thinking it was a software or sensor issue. Surprised to see the dealer write it up as excessive fuel in the oil. Honda customer support was shocking. They basically told us to pursue our consumer rights if we were not happy with their answer which as that there was no issue. No matter what I do, I can't keep oil level down. I drive w/o heater on and even that does not help. This engine just runs too cold they way they have it set up. Can't keep windshield clear in winter. I have sent oil sample in for analysis. I'll update this complaint when I get the results back. I'm sure it will show high levels of fuel in oil as it was about 20mm high when the oil was changed. I assumed I didn't have to check it everyday in the summer. That was a mistake as the level increased over the summer as well.

After buying nothing but Honda for 15 years I'm done with them. Dealer was great but American Honda was less than honest with me and is not backing their product. I was a Honda owner for life until this experience.

- Chuck G., Houghton, US

problem #51

Oct 172018

CR-V EX-L 1.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 9,000 miles

After learning of the fuel in oil problem via an article in Consumer Reports, I checked my oil, which had been changed 2,000 prior to that check. The oil smelled strongly of gasoline, and the level was very high. I called the dealership from which I’d purchased the car and received no assistance at all from the service manager, who denied beng aware of the problem.

I then called Honda U.S.A. and spoke with a customer services rep. He confirmed that Honda was aware of the problem and that a fix would be available sometime in mid November. In the interim, he suggested that I have the oil changed frequently and avoid short trips - a remarkably ludicrous recommendation for a car my wife uses frequently for shopping. I did finally manage to convince a local dealership to provide a “courtesy” oil change.

The mid November fix is now projected to be initially available in only five northern states. The rest if us must wait another couple of months while we drive around with thinned oil in the crankcase, avoid short trips, and beg the dealership for frequent oil changes at Honda’s expense.

Honda has been aware of this problem for quite some time but failed to notify owners. In fact, broad notification has yet to take place.

I want this fixed now, not three to four months from now. If Honda doesn’t move more rapidly, they’ve lost me as a customer.

- Robert W., Bozeman, US

problem #50

Oct 102018

CR-V Touring 1.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,000 miles

Three weeks ago, I pulled into traffic when my CR-V came to a near stop, lights on the dash came on. I barely made it to the berm without getting hit by a dump truck. Could easily have been killed or caused a horrible accident. The car would go no more than 3 mph forward or backward. I shut the car off and restarted it, and finished my trip without mishap. Upon hearing of this problem Honda is denying, I checked my oil and found it overfull with the strong smell of gasoline. I had it rechecked by a technician at an AutoZone. He confirmed.

When I called Honda America, I was told I probably had my foot on the gas and brake at the same time! Sorry, just because I am female doesn't mean I don't know how to drive. He, my local Honda dealer service technician and a Honda technician where I had traveled all seemed to think that they could get away with denying the problem and accusing me of driving incorrectly. When I told them this problem is all over the internet with a class action suit, they relented and each said they had seen "a couple", then it turned into a few, then when I had the oil changed in Muncy, PA the service manager there told me no charge-they actually have a process for dealing with these cases! They send the bills to Honda Americal! Apparently they have seen more than a couple. Has Honda coached the dealerships to deny, deny, deny?

- MaryJane P., Mercer, US

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