2012 Honda CR-V
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 403 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 26 CR-V model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 27 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmissionApr 15, 2013
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.
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.
Campaign 13V143000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsOct 16, 2012
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.
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.
Campaign 12V501000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchJul 19, 2012
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.
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.
Campaign 12V338000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
403 reports, newest first.
Structure, Apr 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the suspension failed, and the vehicle started veering back and forth uncontrollably between two lanes. The contact's wife was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that that the rear driver's side trailing arm had detached from the frame due to severe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a goodwill assistance could be considered after the dealer had diagnosed the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
Engine, Apr 9, 2025
Upon cold start, the engine makes a loud knocking or rattling noise for several seconds, most noticeable after the vehicle has been sitting overnight. The noise seems to be coming from the timing area of the engine and has been identified by multiple mechanics as likely due to a faulty VTC (Variable Timing Control) actuator. This issue happens consistently during cold starts, then disappears once the engine warms up. There are no warning lights, diagnostic codes, or messages displayed on the dashboard when this occurs. The noise is loud enough to raise safety concerns, as it could indicate premature wear on internal components. I’m concerned that continued driving could lead to more serious engine damage. This problem has not been officially diagnosed by a dealership, but online forums and known service bulletins suggest this is a common issue with the 2012 Honda CR-V. From what I understand, the actuator allows oil to drain when the engine is off, causing a delay in oil pressure build-up and resulting in the knocking noise. This has not yet resulted in a breakdown, but the risk of future failure is concerning. I believe this should be further investigated due to the widespread nature of the problem and the potential long-term damage it could cause.
Suspension, Structure, Feb 23, 2025
*Background information: Vehicle was purchased in 2012 from Williams Honda in Elmira, N.Y. I purchased this vehicle from my aunt on [XXX], with 48,301 miles and vehicle has been registered and driven in Florida since 2019. Vehicle’s VIN and sticker is 04/2012 just four months after current recall. American Honda Case Number [XXX]. *Friday, [XXX], while I was driving through a neighborhood the trailing arm became unattached without warning. (See photos attached). *Monday, [XXX] vehicle was towed to Brandon Honda in Brandon, Florida for a diagnostic. I was informed the vehicle was a total loss and to contact American Honda (See attached photos from Brandon Honda). *Tuesday, [XXX] American Honda sent me an email stating that the safety recall for Honda CRV Rear Frame Brace Honda Campaign Number UE3 was VIN specific and did not match my vehicle’s VIN number and closed my case (See attached email). *November 2024 – January 2025 constant phone calls and emails to Brandon Honda and American Honda and completely stonewalling me. Constant contact with Brandon Honda’s service manager Jen who supposedly report issue to American Honda. I requested the service manager’s report, but they refuse to provide me the refusal from American Honda. I have yet to receive a work order for the diagnostic from November 2024 from Brandon Honda and my vehicle is still at the service center today. *Sunday, [XXX] I requested a review of my case with American Honda. This vehicle has a manufactured date of April 2012 only fours months after the UE3 recall with possible parts linked to this recall. My vehicle exhibits the same exact issues as the UE3 recall with the driver side rear trailing arm becoming unattached from the body without notice. American Honda has not responded yet with my request to review the case filed back in November. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Suspension, Structure, Feb 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 20 MPH, the vehicle began to wobble after driving over a puddle. The contact's wife pulled over and discovered that the rear driver’s side tire had sunken into the rear axle. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence and discovered that a portion of the sub frame where the failure had occurred was corroded. The contact called the dealer, and the failure was acknowledged; however, the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test and was referred to the manufacturer for additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Suspension, Jan 18, 2025
The frame rusted off where the right Rear Trailing Arm attaches, causing the Trailing Arm to detach. Yes , it is available to inspect. I am was safe, because it happened at a Stop sign. No one other myself has inspected it. ABS and All Wheel drive light came on.
Engine, Jan 14, 2025
The 2012 Honda CRV with 107,000 miles was making noise on startup and first few minutes of running. This only happened a few times. No Engine light or oil light came on, but planned to bring to repair shop soon. Then the engine stalled driving on the highway. The car completely shutdown. When brought to Honda Dealer, they said it COMPLETELY ran out of oil and the engine, as well as many other components, were destroyed, quoting $11,0000 in repairs to put in another USED (not new) engine. The Oil had been replaced less than 7,000 miles prior to the incident with the recommended full synthetic (which Honda says should last 7,500 to 10,000 miles). Honda dealer said the engine had no compression, which means the piston rings were shot. This is the SAME EXACT issue that the 2008-2011 Accords/CRVs had, and Honda recognized it, extending the warranty to 125,000 on the engine. I requested assistance from Honda - they said NO - despite the fact THAT I HAVE OWNED 8 HONDAs in my lifetime. This will be the Last Honda I ever buy as even the 2018-2019 CRVS now have yet another oil consumption/dilution issue, and HONDA NO LONGER STANDS BY THEIR CUSTOMERS (because they can not afford to with their diminishing quality) !!
Visibility, Jan 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the heating system and defroster were inoperable. The contact stated that both the heater and defroster would not function properly as no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the water pump may have failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for further assistance. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Nov 18, 2024
Spare tire wheel well fills with water during heavy rain. Today I sucked out at least 2-3 gallons. Water goes 1/2 to 3/4 up the spare tire. Due to moisture Jack has rusted, headliner coming down and tire is slimy. 2020 Honda said problem was fixed but every time we have a hard rain it fills with water. Research has shown many people have same issue and have been unable to find source of leaks. If I get a flat don’t know if Jack will work or in spare is ok. Headliner is going to cause issues too.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 17, 2024
2 weeks ago I was coming to a stop on a hill and the car stalled like it was about to shut off, but it kept running. A week ago. I was turning into a parking lot and the car stalled. The steering wheel got hard, so I turned off the car and then I turned it back on again. It stalled a little bit, but then it turned on. And finally yesterday November 16, 2024 as I was turning into a supermarket parking lot. The car stalled and shut off completely and didn’t want to restart. Two men. One was a mechanic pushed the car out of the way, and the mechanic one told me that it’s the timing chain.
Other or unspecified, Oct 16, 2024
Window glass on passenger rear door suddenly and without warning violently imploded while driving. Glass fragments blown into rear seat and interior of vehicle. No evidence of foreign object causing glass to fail. No prior evidence of damage or defect to glass was observed. Vehicle traveling about 45 miles per hour on sunny, clear day with no other vehicles next to or in front. Driver was able to maintain control and get safely off roadway immediately after incident. Vehicle still operable. No one in back seat at the time of incident, but if a passenger had been there they likely would have been injured by glass fragments. Honda dealership service manager and Honda Customer Service reports no other similar incidents on record. Vehicle owner has photos and will have window glass replaced by qualified installer using owner's insurance. Insurance was provided photos and did not request inspection of damage before scheduling repair.
Air bags, Jun 23, 2024
The side air bags popped upon one car tire going on curb when I was driving in the dark and thought I saw a deer. My safety was put at risk because now I don't have airbags Insurance will inspect soon. I already filed a progressive claim. the problem has been issue with other honda crv models. I cant be the only one to have experienced this causing expensive repair costs that I cant afford as a single mother NO warnings prior to the problem.
Structure, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the 4-WD axle had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced. The contact removed the axle, and the axle was not replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that there was also an abnormal sound coming from the muffler. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who determined that the muffler had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced, however, the mechanic advised that the rear frame and rear trailing arm were also severely corroded but could not be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that he researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V228000 (Structure). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
Service brakes, Jun 11, 2024
ABS modulator has been replaced 3 times and I am seeing online that this seems to be a common problem. Very dangerous.
Structure, Jun 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for a routine oil change, and the dealer informed her that the rear driver’s side sub frame was rusted. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle due to the failure. The contact stated that the dealer made her aware that there was a recall for the failure; however, neither the VIN nor the model year was included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V228000 (Structure). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 91,393.
Other or unspecified, May 4, 2024
[XXX] in Chicago IL has tampered with the odometer of this vehicle and is trying to sell it. He also had a ford f-150 for sale I believe he’s running a scam and doing this to multiple vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, May 2, 2024
WINDSHIELD DEFROST ON DRIVERS SIDE PRODUCES NO AIR OR HEAT. WINDSHIELD BECAME FROSTY AND HAD TO PULL CAR OVER BECAUSE OF LACK OF VISIBILITY. ALSO HEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT WORK, WHICH IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT MAY BE RELATED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED. THEY FLUSHED THE HEATCORE. WHICH DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM .
Vehicle speed control, Apr 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated while the brake pedal was slightly depressed. The brake pedal was violently depressed for the vehicle to come to a stop. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000. The VIN was not available.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 20, 2024
2012 to 2014 honda crv's have a "blockage problem" on the driver's side of the heater core and the driver's side of the heater does not put out any heat. this is a safety issue as condensation builds up on driver's side of the windshield and snow/ice can build up on driver's side of the windshield due to no heat. honda has known of this problem (defect in heater driver side heater core) since at least 2014, see their service bulletin 14-063 dated november 20, 2014. our local honda dealer service department doesn't feel the heater flush produces worthwhile results on an ongoing basis and recommends heater core replacement at $1500-$2000. the service department at our local honda dealer was rather evasive about the cause of the driver's side heater core blockage/failure. my internet research leads me to believe the heater core has a defective design that throws off particles that accumulate in heater core and and gradually block driver's side of heater core and then no heat for driver's side including windshield. i'm using incident date of 11/29/23 because honda service department diagnosed heater core problem that date but driver's side had been gradually losing heat output for some month's. i attempted to resolve heater core issue with honda customer service but got nowhere.
Steering, Dec 4, 2023
I attempted to make a right turn and the steering wheel locked, not allowing me to continue turning. The steering wheel returned to its original position and I again attempted to make the turn. This time I was able to turn the steering wheel all the way and complete the turn. No warning lights appeared. I was on a side street when this happened and there was no traffic, but this could have been cause for an accident if I had been driving on a busy road.
Electrical system, Oct 1, 2023
In July of this year, I took a 20 minute drive with my kids and then went to a bagel shop. I tried to turn on the car and it acted like the battery had been drained. I got a jump, had my battery tested, and it was fine. A week later, it started happening nearly any time I took a short trip, and I needed to purchase a portable jump starter. I then had my alternator and battery tested again, and both were in working condition and passed. On September 12th, 2023, as I was pulling into my driveway, my power steering locked up on and off and I could not turn my car once it was in my driveway. I turned it off and it would not restart again (like I had left my lights on all night). I jumped it and let it run for an hour. I rode it around the block and it seemed fine, but I took it to a shop that I trust. They informed me that my alternator was only charging my battery when my high beam lights were on and that there was a service bulletin by Honda regarding a software update to the PCM if this occurred. Honda charged me $189 to have the software updated, and I needed a new battery because the faulty charging circuit fried a battery that I got this year. This should be a mandatory recall because if my kids and I were driving and my power steering locked like that on a highway, we could have been killed. If you had an actual recall on this, you could actually possibly save many lives on this popular vehicle!!!
Engine, Oct 1, 2023
As nearly every Honda CR-V driver of this generation will state, the car always experienced a startling 1-2 second grind upon cold start up in a Northeast USA winter. With 198,000 miles, it began to do it at every start, especially the first start-up in the morning. I knew a while back that it was a faulty VTC actuator that Honda first knew about in the 2000s, but didn’t resolve until recently. A local Honda dealer confirmed this noise is the “normal” VTC actuator noise, and shrugged it off. They also shrugged it off when it was under an extended, covered warranty and I complained about it then. As many reading this likely know, the VTC actuator malfunction has numerous implications to the tensioner and the timing chain, among other components of the engine. Honda was allowed to brush this off because this was never considered a mandatory safety recall. And clearly, there is an issue because there is a class action lawsuit currently in California and Illinois - what about the other 48 states? Or those who are not the original owners? (I received this car in 2017 when my uncle, the original owner, passed). The VTC actuator failure is not a mild inconvenience. It can have catastrophic consequences and Honda uses it to charge customers thousands of dollars. The entire experience of myself and many have truly made me lose faith in whatever the NHTSA is supposed to do in order to ensure the safety of drivers.
Seats, Sep 24, 2023
the lever on my back right seat will not release seat down. Needed to put a large item in my car and ended up having to tie it to the roof instead and drive very slowly on the interstate since my seat would not go down. did not feel safe and want to get this figured out asap since I am a furniture dealer. I popped the plastic "cap" off to see what is causing the issue... part of the white plastic piece of the upper lever has snapped off and that is causing the lever to not catch and seat not go down. I have not taken it anywhere yet as I can see what the problem is and believe those plastic parts are not sold separately so I suspect I need a whole new lever. There were zero warning signs or messages, lever just did not release starting a couple days ago. Thanks
Power train, Engine, Sep 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that an abnormal grinding was coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact's husband spoke with the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
Air bags, Sep 15, 2023, crash
In the accident, side curtain airbags malfunctioned. They started to deploy but did not finish deploying. Pictures and incident report are available. The car was a total loss and was not returned to owner
Engine, Aug 23, 2023
Faulty piston rings causing consistent low oil issues.