Honda CR-V problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 6,037 owner complaints and 25 safety recalls for the Honda CR-V. That averages 139.4 complaints per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (index 3.46 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Compact SUVs segment it ranks #12 of 12 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 60.3.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 16% of the 2018 and 2019 models (441 early complaints per model year versus 415).
The 2018 model year has the highest rate (245.5 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (64.7). The 2018 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 139.4 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2020, 2021 and 2022 run at least 40% below this model's average of 139.4 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Steering (23.0% of complaints), followed by Engine (15.5%) and Driver-assist systems (13.1%). Steering complaints are 3.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 252 complaints (4.2%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 202 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 1,177 complaints versus 1,221 in the previous 12 months — down 4%. The 2018 model year generated the most recent reports (237). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 34 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 25 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2023 (6). 6 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 2 still open; the latest is “Loss of Motive Power” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2025-10-28, still open).
Every other tracked model among Compact SUVs has fewer complaints per year, including Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Compass.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ▲50%+ | 2,158 | 245.5 | 6.08 | 237 | 5 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 1,105 | 141.9 | 3.52 | 137 | 8 | Driver-assist systems | View › |
| 2020 Fewest complaints | 439 | 64.7 | 1.6 | 99 | 9 | Driver-assist systems | View › |
| 2021 | 439 | 75.8 | 1.88 | 119 | 5 | Steering | View › |
| 2022 | 341 | 71.2 | 1.76 | 121 | 6 | Steering | View › |
| 2023 | 632 | 166.8 | 4.13 | 71 | 8 | Steering | View › |
| 2024 | 480 | 172.1 | 4.26 | 109 | 5 | Steering | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 286 | 160.0 | 3.97 | 134 | 5 | Steering | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 157 | 157.0 | 3.89 | 150 | 0 | Body & structure | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 1,177 · Previous 12 months: 1,221 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Steering ›
1,390 · 23.0% · 3.59 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Engine ›
935 · 15.5% · 0.69 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Driver-assist systems ›
789 · 13.1% · 2.28 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Fuel system ›
696 · 11.5% · 2.66 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Electrical ›
615 · 10.2% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Brakes ›
401 · 6.6% · 1.1 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
393 · 6.5% · 0.72 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure ›
337 · 5.6% · 0.61 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Airbags & seat belts ›
171 · 2.8% · 0.75 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
154 · 2.6% · 0.22 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
70 · 1.2% · 0.46 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Other
59 · 1.0% · 0.53 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Lighting
27 · 0.4% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 34 months
What owners report
10/05/2026 I was pulling into a parking spot when the car accelerated suddenly like i floored it. I did brake, but not until i hit a chain fence. Fortunately i was not injured and only my car was involved. The car had been taken to a repair shop.
I have experienced this 2 times once in late august early September of this year 2026 and on [XXX] I was making a left turn onto a street in Long Beach, CA in-between [XXX].
I was driving about 20-25 mph. There was absolutely nothing in front of me and my car came to a dead stop, the brake warning light came up on the screen and I hit my head off the steering wheel. Then the warning went away and I drove the last 2 minutes home.
While driving under 30 mph in clear and dry city conditions, my vehicle displayed a cascade of error messages on the dashboard. Within a mile of the initial alert, the vehicle suffered a complete loss of both propulsion and steering.
The check engine light turned on in my 2026 Honda cr-v hybrid, saying there was an emissions problem. The car is about 10 months old.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Compact SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda CX-5 | 862 | 18.6 | 0.46 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 3 | Engine |
| 2 | Kia Sportage | 1,017 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 3 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 1,267 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Improving | Rising | 28 | Engine |
| 4 | Jeep Compass | 1,853 | 31.4 | 0.78 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 12 | Engine |
| 5 | Subaru Forester | 2,453 | 45.0 | 1.11 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Body & structure |
| 6 | Jeep Cherokee | 2,906 | 55.5 | 1.38 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | 2,068 | 64.8 | 1.61 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 23 | Engine |
| 8 | Toyota RAV4 | 3,158 | 67.2 | 1.67 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Engine |
| 9 | Hyundai Tucson | 2,402 | 75.3 | 1.87 | Worsening | Rising | 15 | Engine |
| 10 | Nissan Rogue | 3,149 | 79.1 | 1.96 | Improving | Rising | 26 | Engine |
| 11 | Ford Escape | 5,254 | 87.3 | 2.16 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 50 | Engine |
| 12 | Honda CR-V | 6,037 | 139.4 | 3.46 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 25
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (5) · 2019 (8) · 2020 (9) · 2021 (5) · 2022 (6) · 2023 (8) · 2024 (5) · 2025 (5) · 2026 (0)
Investigations
- Loss of Motive Power Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 48 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and some Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging intermittent loss of motive power in Model Year (MY) 2020–2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles. These incidents are alleged to occur without warning at highway speeds and are accompanied by a flashing check engine light immediately before the…
- Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking Open
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no a…
- Momentary Increased Steering Effort Closed
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Engineering Analysis (EA23003) to assess allegations of momentary increase in steering effort in model years (MY) 2022-2023 Honda Civic, 2023MY Honda CR-V, and 2023MY Acura Integra vehicles (subject vehicles). The complaints received by ODI alleged that the subject vehicles experienced a momentary increase in required steerin…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Rear Differential Seizure Closed
On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle’s wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion. T…
- Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking Closed
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no a…