427 complaints filed with NHTSA describe gasoline getting into the engine oil. 309 of them, 72%, are about the Honda CR-V, and 266 of those come from just two model years, 2017 and 2018.
The fault is called oil dilution. Fuel gets past the piston rings and collects in the crankcase. Owners notice it in two ways: the oil level rises between changes instead of falling, and the dipstick smells of gasoline. 58% of these complaints mention the smell, often inside the cabin too.
| Model year | Oil dilution complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 Honda CR-V | 129 |
| 2018 Honda CR-V | 137 |
| 2019 Honda CR-V | 26 |
| 2020 Honda CR-V | 6 |
| 2016–2018 Honda Civic | 24 |
| 2018 Honda Accord | 8 |
The pattern points to one engine: the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Honda introduced in the 2016 Civic and the 2017 CR-V. Small turbo engines with direct injection spray fuel straight into the cylinder. If the engine doesn't reach full temperature, some of that fuel never burns and ends up in the oil. Short trips in cold weather are the worst case. That's why one complaint in seven mentions the cold, and why direct injection brings trade-offs most used buyers never hear about.
A first-year problem
The cars were new. Where owners gave a mileage, the median is 7,000 miles and a quarter reported it before 3,000. The typical car was a year old, still under full warranty.
By filing date, complaints peaked in 2018 at 144, fell to 111 in 2019 and 37 in 2020. Since then about 20 a year have arrived. That drop followed Honda's response: a software update and extended engine warranty coverage for many of these cars, mainly in colder states.
How serious it is
It rarely causes a crash, at 0.2% of these complaints. The damage is slower. Oil thinned by fuel protects the engine less well. 16% of these complaints describe rough running or hesitation, 14% a warning light, and almost one in five says the engine stalled or lost power.
Buying a 2017 to 2019 CR-V
Pull the dipstick. An oil level above the full mark, or a gasoline smell, is the clearest sign. Ask for oil change records and confirm with a Honda dealer that the software update was done and whether any extended coverage applies to that VIN. A car that spent its life on short trips in a cold state deserves more caution than a highway car from the South.
The full CR-V complaint record shows how this generation compares with the ones either side, and a VIN check covers recalls and history.
Frequently asked questions
What is oil dilution in the Honda CR-V?
Fuel getting past the piston rings into the engine oil, which raises the oil level and makes it smell of gasoline. It is linked to the 1.5-liter turbo engine, especially on short trips in cold weather when the engine doesn't fully warm up.
Which CR-V years have oil dilution problems?
The 2017 and 2018 CR-V account for 266 of the 309 CR-V complaints. The 2019 has 26 and the 2020 six. The 2016–2018 Civic with the same engine adds 24.
How do you check a used CR-V for oil dilution?
Check the dipstick: oil above the full mark or a gasoline smell are the clearest signs. Ask for oil change records and have a Honda dealer confirm the software update and any extended warranty coverage for that VIN.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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