2012 Honda CR-V

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Honda CR-V has 506 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: in stop and go traffic, with and without the econ button on, the car hesitates to accelerate to the point that it has nearly caused accidents. took it to honda and asked them to drive to witness the problem. i don't think they drove it. the problem is somewhat intermittent, so you never know when it. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 31 crash reports 30 injuries

506

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

91 complaints

18%

• IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WITH AND WITHOUT THE ECON BUTTON ON, THE CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. TOOK IT TO HONDA AND ASKED THEM TO DRIVE TO WITNESS THE PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK THEY DROVE IT. THE PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT INTERMITTENT, SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN
• BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING IS THAT AT CERTAIN TIMES, USUALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS, WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS THERE IS A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE CAR ACCELERATES. DURING THIS HESITATION PERIOD, THE ENGINE DOES NOT REV, AND THE CAR JUST COASTS. THIS HAS H

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WITH AND WITHOUT THE ECON BUTTON ON, THE CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. TOOK IT TO HONDA AND ASKED THEM TO DRIVE TO WITNESS THE PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK THEY DROVE IT. THE PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT INTERMITTENT, SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

67 complaints

13%

• I WAS DRIVING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT INTO PARK. THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. VERY FRUSTRATED IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I TRIED WIGGLING THE KEY. I COULD TURN CAR OFF BUT SO IT WASN'T RUNNING BUT IT WAS ON ENOUGH FOR AUDIO TO STAY ON. I DROVE AROUND HOPING I COULD RESET WHAT PROBLEM WA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BY PUSHING THE LOCK BUTTONS ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, THE ENGINE COULD BE STARTED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER.
• I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 HONDA CRV WHEN THE DOOR LOCKS STARTED GOING CRAZY THEN THE CAR ALARM STARTED GOING OFF THEN ME AND MY WIFE TRIED TO GET OUT AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN SO I DROVE THE 3 MONTH OLD CRV BACK TO THE DEALER AT SUNNYSIDE HONDA AND THEY WERE THE RUDEST PEOPLE ON EARTH I TOLD THEM WH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I WAS DRIVING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT INTO PARK. THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. VERY FRUSTRATED IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I TRIED WIGGLING THE KEY. I COULD TURN CAR OFF BUT SO IT WASN'T RUNNING BUT IT WAS ON ENOUGH FOR AUDIO TO STAY ON. I DROVE AROUND HOPING I COULD RESET WHAT PROBLEM WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

55 complaints

11%

• THE HONDA HANDS FREE SYSTEM IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU SAY A VOICE COMMAND, THEN SQUINT AT THE DASH SCREEN TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS. IT MAY TAKE 20 COMMANDS AND 20 TIMES YOU HAVE TO READ THE SCREEN TO GET TO THE PERSON YOU WANT TO CALL. IT REQUIRES ME TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD 20 TIMES. IT IS MUCH WOR
• MY 2012 CR-V HAS CUSTOMIZABLE AUTO DOOR LOCK FUNCTION. IT HAS COUPLE OPTION. 1. WITH VEHICLE SPEED, 2. SHIFT FROM P. PROBLEM WITH OPTION 2. I SELECT OPTION 2. BECAUSE I WANT TO GET MORE SECURE SAFETY. NOT LESS THE SECURE SAFETY. WHEN I WAS ESCAPING FROM CLOSE ROAD, I NEED TO DRIVE BACK. I STARTED EN
• SIRS WE HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 6 DOCUMENTED TIMES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE A DISTRACTIVE DRIVING ISSUE THAT INVOLVES THE IN DASH NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH AND GPS PAIRING. AFTER 2 YEARS OF VISITS TO VALENCIA HONDA, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FIXED. I HIRED THE LA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“THE HONDA HANDS FREE SYSTEM IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU SAY A VOICE COMMAND, THEN SQUINT AT THE DASH SCREEN TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS. IT MAY TAKE 20 COMMANDS AND 20 TIMES YOU HAVE TO READ THE SCREEN TO GET TO THE PERSON YOU WANT TO CALL. IT REQUIRES ME TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD 20 TIMES. IT IS MUCH WOR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

49 complaints

10%

• WHENEVER I PLACED MY CAR ON PARKING AN THE E-BRAKE IF IT WAS ON A SLOPE THE CAR WOULD KEEP GOING AS IF IT WAS ON DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP THEY SAW THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT ALREADY
• 2012 HONDA CRV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE GAS PEDAL.*SMD THE CONSUMER STATED, WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD BOGGED DOWN. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM.
• I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 AT 65 MPH. I ACCIDENTALLY LIGHTLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT AND IT CHANGED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. MY SPEED DECREASED ABRUPTLY/UNEXPECTEDLY WITH VEHICLES TRAVELING 70 MPH AND ABOVE BEHIND AND BESIDE ME. IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND WH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHENEVER I PLACED MY CAR ON PARKING AN THE E-BRAKE IF IT WAS ON A SLOPE THE CAR WOULD KEEP GOING AS IF IT WAS ON DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP THEY SAW THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT ALREADY”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

37 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LINE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR THAT CAUSED DIZZINESS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE LINE IN THE MIRROR WAS PART OF THE MIRROR'S DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARD TO THE ISSUE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS AN
• WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE SUN VISOR TO BLOCK THE SUN COMING IN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW, IT FELL OUT OF THE OVERHEAD. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR WHILE HOLDING THE VISOR. WITH LUCK, I WAS ON A RURAL ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT UP IN PLACE AND LOCK IT INTO THE CLIP TO HOLD IT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 21012 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REAR LIFT GATE WINDOW WAS STRUCK BY A ROCK AND CAUSED THE WIPER BLADE TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW AS THE GLASS EXPLODED AND SHATTERED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LINE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR THAT CAUSED DIZZINESS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE LINE IN THE MIRROR WAS PART OF THE MIRROR'S DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARD TO THE ISSUE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 506 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WITH AND WITHOUT THE ECON BUTTON ON, THE CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. TOOK IT TO HONDA AND ASKED THEM TO DRIVE TO WITNESS THE PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK THEY DROVE IT. THE PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT INTERMITTENT, SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I WAS DRIVING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT INTO PARK. THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. VERY FRUSTRATED IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND I TRIED WIGGLING THE KEY. I COULD TURN CAR OFF BUT SO IT WASN'T RUNNING BUT IT WAS ON ENOUGH FOR AUDIO TO STAY ON. I DROVE AROUND HOPING I COULD RESET WHAT PROBLEM WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE HONDA HANDS FREE SYSTEM IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU SAY A VOICE COMMAND, THEN SQUINT AT THE DASH SCREEN TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS. IT MAY TAKE 20 COMMANDS AND 20 TIMES YOU HAVE TO READ THE SCREEN TO GET TO THE PERSON YOU WANT TO CALL. IT REQUIRES ME TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD 20 TIMES. IT IS MUCH WOR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHENEVER I PLACED MY CAR ON PARKING AN THE E-BRAKE IF IT WAS ON A SLOPE THE CAR WOULD KEEP GOING AS IF IT WAS ON DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP THEY SAW THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT ALREADY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)