Honda WRV Exhaust Issues: Black Smoke & Power Loss Help

Hey there! I had a really similar issue with my 2019 Honda HR-V. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I dealt with last year. Turned out one of the lambda sensors was shot, which was messing with the fuel mixture and causing all those problems. Took it to my regular mechanic who diagnosed it pretty quickly with their diagnostic tools. The repair cost me 375 Euro, including parts and labor. It's been running perfectly since then, no more black smoke, power loss, or funky smells. Before I share more specific details though, How many miles/kilometers are on your WR-V? Have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption? Did the check engine light come on suddenly or did it flicker first? This info would help confirm if we're dealing with the same issue.

Thanks for the detailed response! My WRV has done 75963 KM and had its last service about 3 months ago. Actually, my fuel consumption has gone up by about 15% in the past few weeks, and the check engine light started flickering before staying permanently on. I'll definitely get those lambda sensors checked out. Really hoping it's just that and not something more serious. By the way, did you notice any performance improvements after getting yours fixed?

Hey again! Yeah, those symptoms match exactly what I experienced with my HR-V! The fuel consumption increase you're seeing is spot on, I had the same thing before getting the lambda sensors fixed. Mine was burning through fuel like crazy, probably around the same 15% increase you're seeing. After the fix, it went right back to normal. And the performance improvement was actually pretty noticeable! My car felt way more responsive after the repair, especially during acceleration. That sluggish feeling completely disappeared. It's like getting a new car, honestly. The black smoke and that nasty exhaust smell vanished too. Your mileage is pretty close to what mine was when I had the issue (I was at around 70,000 km). Since you've mentioned the flickering check engine light before it stayed on permanently, that's exactly what happened with mine too. It's a classic sign of lambda sensor problems. Given all these matching symptoms, I'm even more convinced now that we're dealing with the same issue. Just make sure to get it checked soon, I learned the hard way that driving too long with faulty lambda sensors can potentially damage the catalytic converter, which is way more expensive to replace! Let me know how it goes after you get it checked out!

Thanks so much for all this info, it's really reassuring to hear your experience! That's amazing that you got such good performance improvements after the fix. I've actually just called my mechanic and booked it in for tomorrow morning. They said they'll run diagnostics first thing and check those lambda sensors. Really hoping it'll be as straightforward as your repair was! The part about potential catalytic converter damage is super helpful too, definitely glad I'm getting it looked at right away. I was worried this might turn into some massive repair bill, but 375 Euro sounds way better than what I was imagining! I'll update the thread once I get it fixed to help anyone else who might run into similar issues. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience!