Your vehicle report
2012 Honda CR-V
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 403
- Received Jan 2012 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Heater blows cold air, defroster fails31 complaints · 7.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking28 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Battery drains and dies when parked20 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #13V143000Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Recall #12V501000Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 CR-V, equipped with the LX trim level and manufactured from August 30, 2012, to August 31, 2012. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." The incorrect values for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, Gross Axle Weight Rating front and rear, tire size, and rim size were specified on the safety certification label.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Frame rusts and corrodes throughFirst signal: May 2023
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 27 crashes, 4 fires, 24 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps
- Power steering cuts out while driving
- Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
- Heater blows cold air, defroster fails
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 37 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2014 | 34 |
| 2015 | 51 |
| 2016 | 38 |
| 2017 | 46 |
| 2018 | 40 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 19 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 13 |
| Total | 403 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 31 | 7.7% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 28 | 7.0% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 20 | 5.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 19 | 4.7% | 3.9× | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 19 | 4.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 18 | 4.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 17 | 4.2% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 13 | 3.2% | – | NHTSA recall #12V338000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 13 | 3.2% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 13 | 3.2% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 13 | 3.2% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 11 | 2.7% | 28.4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 8 | 2.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Transmission shudders during acceleration at low speeds | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 6 | 1.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #13V143000April 15, 2013204,169 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.
NHTSA recall #12V501000October 16, 2012264 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 CR-V, equipped with the LX trim level and manufactured from August 30, 2012, to August 31, 2012. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." The incorrect values for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, Gross Axle Weight Rating front and rear, tire size, and rim size were specified on the safety certification label.
A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading. Improper loading could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will apply the corrective label free of charge. The safety recall began on November 14, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA recall #12V338000July 19, 2012172,837 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Honda CR-V and model year 2013 Acura ILX vehicles. If the manual or power door lock is activated while an interior front door handle is being operated by an occupant, the cable connecting the interior door handle to the door latch mechanism may become loose and move out of position. There is a possibility that the cable can move far enough out of position to prevent the door from properly latching.
If the door is not fully latched, the door may open while driving or in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury to the vehicle occupants.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front door latch assemblies in the affected vehicles, free of charge. Additionally, the interior front door handles in certain Honda CR-Vs will also be replaced, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on, or about, August 16, 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2012 Honda CR-V.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN