Honda CR-V
1997–2026
6,569,078 sold in the US (2005–2026), latest year still partial.
per 10,000 sold (2005–2026 models)
No score or grade — here’s why, and how every number is calculated.
NHTSA has 3 open investigations on this vehicle right now.
At a glance
The Honda CR-V has accumulated nearly 20,000 federal complaints across 30 years, with persistent electrical failures (ADAS sensors at 24,000 miles, body control modules at 56,000), mass Takata airbag recalls, and engine stalling issues. The high complaint volume and 58 open NHTSA investigations reveal reliability challenges that contradict Honda's reputation, particularly in newer models with complex electronics.
Jump to a model year
Years with enough complaints on file to report on their own.
What breaks, when, and what it costs
Median onset: 68,000 miles. 11.7% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up later than this model's other issues. · More common in older model years.
Median onset: 16,750 miles. 3.6% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up earlier than this model's other issues. · More common in newer model years.
Median onset: 45,000 miles. 1.4% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up later than this model's other issues. · More common in newer model years.
Show 5 more issues
Median onset: 66,350 miles. 2.1% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up later than this model's other issues. · More common in older model years.
Median onset: 13,203 miles. 0.2% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up earlier than this model's other issues. · Typical repair: $720–$2,150 nationally.
Median onset: 9,200 miles. 1.0% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up earlier than this model's other issues. · More common in older model years.
Median onset: 20,000 miles. 4.5% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up earlier than this model's other issues. · More common in older model years.
Median onset: 90,000 miles. 1.0% of these reported an injury, a death, or a crash with fire.
Tends to show up later than this model's other issues. · More common in newer model years.
From owner-filed complaints to NHTSA, not independently verified. Federal mileage reporting on recent complaints is sparse — see how it works. Cost ranges are national estimates from book labor hours and parts pricing, not this vehicle's actual repair history — they don't account for your location or shop type.
Cost estimator: what will this one cost you?
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Full write-up: recalls, service bulletins and owner watch-outs Read ↓
Overview
The Honda CR-V is one of America's best-selling compact SUVs, known for excellent fuel economy and cabin space. Across 30 model years and nearly 20,000 federal complaints, the CR-V shows recurring electrical problems, airbag defects that triggered the largest automotive recall in history, and fuel system issues that have left owners stranded. The sheer volume of complaints—especially for ADAS sensors, body control modules, and airbag systems—points to reliability challenges that contradict Honda's reputation.
What Breaks
Airbags and restraints dominate the complaint profile with 2,581 reports (13% of all complaints). Takata inflator failures triggered mass recalls, but newer models show false deployment warnings and seatbelt pre-tensioner faults around 77,000 miles. Many owners report airbag warning lights that cycle on and off unpredictably.
Electrical gremlins are pervasive. ADAS sensors malfunction at very low mileage (median 24,000 miles) with 1,946 complaints—forward collision systems trigger false warnings or shut down entirely. Body control modules fail around 56,000 miles (1,865 complaints), causing power window lockouts, door lock failures, and total electrical shutdowns. Wiring harness issues appear later at 93,000 miles.
Engine stalling affects 867 owners at a median 42,000 miles, with some vehicles losing power on highways—a dangerous failure mode. Oil consumption complaints (882 reports) cluster around 18,000 miles in certain model years, requiring top-ups between oil changes. Fuel injector faults (937 complaints) appear at 30,000 miles, causing rough idle and hesitation.
Brake booster failures are relatively rare (252 complaints) but severe—13.5% involved complete brake assist loss, forcing drivers to push extremely hard on the pedal. This happens around 35,000 miles. Fuel pumps fail at 68,000 miles (542 complaints), often without warning.
Safety Recalls
The Takata airbag inflator saga produced 13 campaigns for passenger-side inflators and 9 for driver-side units—exploding metal fragments injured and killed occupants across multiple Honda models. Owners should verify their VIN is clear of open airbag recalls immediately. Additional campaigns addressed fuel pump failures that could cause stalling, electrical system fires, and labeling errors. Four separate recalls targeted electrical system defects, including power window switch fires.
Warranty Extensions and TSBs
Honda has issued 757 technical service bulletins for the CR-V, but specific warranty extensions are not detailed in the data provided. TSBs cover everything from wind noise fixes to software updates for transmission shifting. The high TSB count across three decades suggests Honda has internally documented many problems without issuing formal recalls. Owners should ask dealers to check for open TSBs when addressing recurring issues—sometimes the fix exists but isn't widely advertised.
Owner Watch-Outs
- Verify all Takata airbag recalls are complete before purchasing any used CR-V from 1997-2016. Check NHTSA's VIN lookup tool yourself.
- Test every ADAS feature (lane-keep, adaptive cruise, forward collision warning) during the test drive—sensors fail early and repairs run $800-1,500.
- Check for airbag warning lights that illuminate intermittently; this often signals a pre-tensioner or sensor fault requiring harness replacement ($600-1,200).
- Monitor oil level every 1,000 miles if buying a 2010-2014 model—excessive consumption is common and can lead to engine damage if ignored.
- Listen for brake booster hissing or a hard brake pedal—failures are sudden and dangerous, typically requiring a $900-1,400 repair.
Data Notes
This analysis draws from 19,341 NHTSA complaints spanning 1997-2026 model years, 54 safety recalls, and 757 TSBs. NHTSA has 58 open investigations into CR-V issues as of this writing. Complaint volume is high relative to sales, suggesting owners encounter problems frequently enough to file federal reports. Median mileages indicate when failures typically occur, but individual experiences vary widely.
Trends
Complaint trends by year
Click a window or a single year below to see complaint data scoped to just that period.
2017–2021 models account for the most complaints on record — 41% of 19,341 classified. The dominant issue has shifted from Body and interior in 1997–2001 models to Steering in 2022–2026 models.
Complaints filed per 5-year model-year window.
Year-over-year complaint volume — click a year to filter
Complaints filed per individual model year, not blended into 5-year bands like the chart above — click any bar to see that single year's data below, or hover for exact numbers. Recent model years show fewer complaints mainly because they've been on the road less time.
304 complaints · 6 recalls · mostly body and interior
2011 complaints · 54 recalls · mostly body and interior
3863 complaints · 63 recalls · mostly body and interior
3250 complaints · 12 recalls · mostly engine
7969 complaints · 31 recalls · mostly electrical
1944 complaints · 9 recalls · mostly steering
5-year windows, not manufacturer generations — this database doesn't have reliable platform/redesign data to draw real generation boundaries from. Recent model years show fewer complaints mainly because they have been on the road less time, not necessarily because they're more reliable — read this as complaint volume and mix by era, not a reliability trend.
Specs
2.4L 4-cyl In-Line — 50% of decoded VINs
Body style
Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Drivetrain
4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Horsepower
185 hp
Fuel
Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Doors
5
GVWR
4,001–6,000 lb
Curb weight
3,305 lb
Trims seen: LX, EX, EX-L, SE
1.5L 4-cyl In-Line — 34% of decoded VINs
Body style
Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Drivetrain
4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Horsepower
190 hp
Fuel
Gasoline
Transmission
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Doors
5
GVWR
3,001–5,000 lb
Trims seen: EX, EX-L, EX-L/EX-L Navi, TOURING
2.0L 4-cyl In-Line — 12% of decoded VINs
Body style
Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Drivetrain
4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Horsepower
145 hp
Fuel
Gasoline
Transmission
Electronic Continuously Variable (e-CVT)
Doors
5
GVWR
4,001–6,000 lb
Trims seen: Sport Touring, Sport-L, LX, Sport
Decoded from 3711 VIN patterns on file for this model. Shown as separate engine configurations rather than one blended reading, since this model has been sold with more than one.
Scheduled maintenance
4-cylinder, front-wheel drive (sedan/compact/crossover)
Again at 30,000 mi
Initial service; varies by coolant type
A typical schedule for this type of vehicle (engine and drivetrain), not Honda's official schedule — treat it as close, not exact, and check the owner's manual.
Guides for the Honda CR-V
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — complaints, recalls, investigations, service bulletins. Methodology. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid this vehicle.