2012 Honda CR-V

No clear pattern

12.7% of complaints about the 2012 Honda CR-V arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2012 vehicle, but with only 511 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is engine (89 complaints), typically at 4.8 yr or about 38,000 miles.

Complaints: 511
Median age at failure: 4.9 yr
Median mileage: 36,306 n=354
Crash / fire / tow: 12.7% of reports
Safety recalls: 3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

89 reports · 38,000 mi

4.8 yr

6.7%

Electrical system

68 reports · 30,000 mi

4.0 yr

2.9%

Other

51 reports · 50,000 mi

6.3 yr

5.9%

Power train

49 reports · 54,000 mi

4.9 yr

6.1%

Steering

36 reports · 45,000 mi

5.8 yr

5.6%

Air bags

30 reports · 50,000 mi

6.2 yr

50%

Structure

29 reports · 70,000 mi

8.4 yr

27.6%

Suspension

26 reports · 188,100 mi

13.8 yr

26.9%

Visibility / wipers

23 reports · 20,000 mi

4.2 yr

Service brakes

23 reports · 14,000 mi

3.8 yr

8.7%

Speed control

21 reports · 20,540 mi

3.1 yr

33.3%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

13V143000 2013-04-15

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.

12V501000 2012-10-16

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.

12V338000 2012-07-19

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.

In owners’ own words

Visibility / wipers 115 mi 7 mo in service

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. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115. ...UPDATED 10/03/12 *BF UPDATED 10/09/2012 *JS

Visibility / wipers 1,000 mi 7 mo in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE PULLED RAIN INTO HER FIELD OF VISION DECREASING VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,102. UPDATED 11/14/12*LJ

Visibility / wipers 400 mi 11 mo in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR ONLY COVERED TWO-THIRDS OF THE SIDE WINDOW, LEAVING A LARGE PORTION OF THE WINDOW UNBLOCKED AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SEE AS THE SUN GLARED THROUGH THE WINDOW WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE BOTH NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NEITHER OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 400.

Structure mileage not reported 1.0 yr in service

DUE TO RECALL LETTER OF INTERIOR FRONT DOOR LATCH AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LATCH NOT PROPERLY LATCHED, BROUGHT THE CAR TO HONDA OF SERRAMONTE TO HAVE IT FIXED. AFTER RETRIEVING MY CAR, I TESTED THE DOOR LATCH WHILE DRIVING, THE DOOR CAN STILL BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. *TR

Other CR-V model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.