2018 Honda CR-V
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 2,145 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 CR-V model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 46 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 47 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, buckle assemblyMar 9, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.
An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are NDA, QDB, BDC, MDD, LD9. TDF, FDG, ODH, YDI, ZDE.
Campaign 23V158000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpMar 25, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.
Campaign 21V215000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemSep 27, 2018
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Honda Civic and CR-V vehicles. The magnet that controls the torque sensor output signal for the electronic power steering system may not be properly secured, allowing the magnet to become dislodged. During a full lock turn, the dislodged magnet may cause steering assist to be applied in the opposite direction.
The unintended steering input reduces vehicle maneuverability and increases the risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gearbox assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C2N, P2O.
Campaign 18V663000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
394 reports, newest first. Show all
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 24, 2026
Collison Mitigation system turns off without warning periodically, if I turn the car off and then restart it comes back on, but then goes out again shortrly thereafter. Other times it stays on and seems to operate properly, so I can't replicate the problem. All of this happened in completely dry weather, so system clearly not blocked due to snow or rain. This has never happened before. AI indicates that this is an issue being investigated by NHTSA currently. When it fails, the car speed drops unexpectedly as well; feels almost like a fuel injection failure.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 21, 2026
I was driving on a main street when I was about to drive over some metal plates. I slowed down and then my car suddenly completely braked to a stop. I did not try to brake to a complete stop.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 9, 2026
fantom break. while driving at crusing speed around 50mph the car all of a sudden applied breaks. coming to what seamed like 15mph. there was no shadow on the road, no rain, perfect visibility around noon, window was clean.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Aug 23, 2026
I took my Honda in to a dealership for a trade-in value assessment. The dealership used automatic start with my key fob. Once they got in, they began to drive it in immediately it would not go past 10 mph, began jerking, and steering became an issue. It begin throwing the following check engine light codes: Tire pressure monitor problem. Electric Parking Brake problem. Road Departure Mitigation system problem. Collision mitigation system problem. Adaptive cruise control problem. Hill start assist problem. Vehicle stability, assist problem. Power steering system problem. Brake hold system problem. Brake system problem. Emissions system problem. Trade-in became impossible and it was not safe to even drive off the lot. It remains sitting in the car dealerships parking lot, leaving me without a vehicle.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 21, 2026
I was driving 35 mph and my car automatically braked suddenly despite no object in the road. Afterwards I checked the front of my vehicle and there was no obvious dirt/bugs/etc on the front radar or camera. I now turn off the collision mitigating braking system each time I start the car as I'm afraid it will brake again without cause.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 25, 2026
Second time in the last two months, while traveling on a 55mph roadway, vehicle started auto braking with no vehicles ahead of me or any obstacles. Scared the daylights out of me, I cant imagine what the outcome would have been if this happened on a highway.
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 22, 2026
There is an ongoing problem with the electric power steering on my 2018 Honda CR-V that has begun malfunctioning. The steering sticks near the center position and requires additional force before it releases. When it releases, the steering changes from tight to loose, making it easy to overcorrect. It sometimes feels as though gears are catching inside the steering system. There is also a clicking or cracking sound when the steering wheel is turned, along with occasional creaking during slow turns, such as when leaving a driveway. The condition makes it difficult to make small steering corrections and could cause the vehicle to leave its lane or become difficult to control. The symptoms have become more noticeable and create a safety concern during normal driving. An independent mechanic scanned the vehicle with a diagnostic scanner and reported a fault involving the electric power-steering system. The exact diagnostic code is unavailable. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Honda, and the failed component has not yet been replaced. The vehicle and steering components remain available for inspection upon request. No power-steering warning lamp was observed before the symptoms began. Honda previously issued NHTSA Campaign 18V-663 and Service Bulletin 18-103 involving steering-gearbox failure in certain 2017–2018 CR-V vehicles. My vehicle is not included in that recall despite exhibiting similar steering symptoms. Other 2018 CR-V owners outside the recall population have reported sticking, clicking, and confirmed steering-rack or steering-gearbox failures. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the recall population should be expanded.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 21, 2026
I was proceeding through a green light and the “BRAKE” warning engaged when I was going through the intersection - there was nothing in front of me. I had no control of the braking system. Thankfully, there were no other cars on the road. This has happened about 4 other times, including a couple of times on the freeway.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 30, 2026
Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning malfunctioned. I started to drive after sitting at a red light and was driving at approximately 35 MPH. The Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning engaged, and the car suddenly braked. Luckily there wasn’t anyone directly behind me, or else I would have been rear-ended. This malfunction has happened on three separate occasions in the past 4 years. There were no warnings prior to the malfunction. The car has not been inspected yet for this malfunction.
Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 21, 2026
power and began running rough. The check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle did not perform normally. I previously had the vehicle diagnosed and repaired at a Honda dealership for this same issue. The repair was completed less than two months ago. After only a few thousand miles since the repair, the exact same symptoms returned, including the check engine light, rough engine operation, and loss of power while driving. The recurrence of this issue raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle, particularly when operating in traffic or at highway speeds, as sudden loss of power could increase the risk of a crash. The problem appears to be the same issue that was previously repaired, but it reoccurred shortly after the repair was completed.
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 19, 2026
1. Sometimes when my wife get in the passenger seat the airbag sensor light stays on indicating the the airbag is off. 2. Often when driving with adaptive cruise control on, the car suddenly brakes hard without cause . Sometime when a car in front of me turns right and sometimes if I pass a car parked on the street it will also brake hard for no reason.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 16, 2026, crash
On February 26, 2026, at approximately 3:59 PM, the driver was traveling northbound on Yukon Territory Avenue in Manteca, CA at approximately 30 mph when the vehicle experienced a sudden brake failure. The driver attempted to pull over to the east curb of Yukon Territory Avenue but the vehicle inadvertently jumped the curb and collided with a city fire hydrant. Airbags deployed. The vehicle continued northbound and struck a city street light pole before stopping. No injuries were reported. The incident is consistent with the known NHTSA Engineering Analysis (opened February 2022, upgraded April 2024) covering 2017-2022 Honda CR-V vehicles for unexpected and unintended activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) causing sudden rapid deceleration without warning. This complaint is being filed to add to the existing federal record of 1,294 complaints already documented under this investigation.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 15, 2026
2018 Honda CR-V had another phantom braking event this morning. While traveling on a local 4-lane road with 45-mph speed limit, the collision mitigation braking system activated with an actual hazard present and brought the vehicle to a complete stop, nearly resulting in a series read-end collision from the traffic behind the car. This created an immediate safety hazard and could have easily resulted in injuries or fatalities. The vehicle has experienced recurring phantom braking events and false activations of the emergency braking system. Because this has happened multiple times, we no longer have confidence that the system will behave predictably in normal driving conditions.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 8, 2026
On several occasions, while driving down the road at 55 mph, the car will flash the "BRAKE" indicator on the dash for a brief second and immediately slam on the brakes either to a stop or for a shorter amount of time. This is the third event that happened today just before reporting this problem. Our safety was at risk because there could've been someone behind us that may not have reacted fast enough and could've hit us. After the issue, there were no warning lights of any kind. There was no hazard in the road and no other obscure conditions. Middle of the day, clear skies. It is not possible to reproduce the problem in a timely manner because this has happened randomly three times over the course of two years.
Forward collision avoidance, May 31, 2026
Multiple times when driving on the freeway, there will be no obstruction whatsoever on a clear road, with a clean car — it will emergency break, or attempt to. I have had it diagnosed and nothing related to break system etc was ever found. This happens often and has almost caused a couple crashes.
Forward collision avoidance, May 31, 2026
While driving at speed of 50mph automatic braking system activated causing car to stop suddenly there was no car or object in front of my vehicle
Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, May 12, 2026
After the low-pressure fuel pump recall repair was performed on my 2018 Honda CR-V at Doggett Honda Med Center on March 6, 2026, the vehicle began experiencing a serious and repeated loss-of-power condition. The vehicle suddenly loses power without warning. This happens with no clear pattern, at highway speeds and also at low speeds. The engine does not shut off, but the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate normally. In some situations, it does not have enough power to safely reach the shoulder, leaving me exposed in traffic. This has now happened multiple times and has become more frequent. I have already narrowly avoided at least three serious rear-end collisions while trying to move the vehicle out of traffic. Yesterday, the vehicle lost power again and a police unit had to escort me so I could safely move the vehicle to the side. When I turn the vehicle off and restart it, it temporarily returns to normal, but the problem keeps coming back. This makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable for normal use. The vehicle is my work vehicle, and I depend on it for transportation. I am now unable to work normally or travel safely because I do not know when the vehicle will suddenly lose power again. This condition places my life and the lives of my passengers at risk. I contacted both the dealership and American Honda Corporate. However, my safety concern has been minimized, and I was told that I would have to pay for diagnosis, even though this problem began after Honda performed recall work on the fuel system. I am reporting this because this is a serious safety issue. A vehicle that suddenly loses power in traffic, without warning, creates a real risk of collision, injury, or death. Honda should properly investigate whether the recall repair, fuel pump system, connectors, wiring, or related fuel delivery components caused or contributed to this dangerous condition.
Forward collision avoidance, May 6, 2026
I was driving down the road with no cars around me at all going 40 mph when my car started braking saying "Brake" and automatically braked to almost a full stop int he middle of the busy road. If there was a car behind me we most definitely would have been rear ended at a very fast pace. We could've been seriously injured and I have little children in the car and a baby. There wasn't rain or fog or anything out of the ordinary. We are taking it to the dealer later this week. No warning light on before the incident.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, May 4, 2026
A known common issues that Honda are not addressing: car going limp randomly, oil dilution, head gasket failure causing fuel injector issues, dashboard lighting up which causes the safety features to also cease from operating. I have multiple times now with my 4 year old in the car been in traffic and my car has just stopped going unprovoked. This limp mode issue a huge safety issue and has almost caused me to wreck multiple times. This started around 70k miles.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 29, 2026
I was driving into the city and crossing an intersection with train tracks. There was no obstacle and the car warned me by flashing the sign to brake, beeped, and then it automatically slammed on the brake and stopped my car in the middle of the intersection on the tracks. I was goin probably 40 mph. It was terrifying. Thankfully no one else was around me. All of my items in the car flew off the seat and hit the ground. Will be calling Honda about taking it in to repair shop.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Forward Collision Avoidance”, “Brakes", and several other unknown safety features were displayed. The failure caused the cruise control to become inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 8, 2026
This has been an ongoing issue since I bought the car in 2020. I have reported to the dealer, Honda, and this agency. My car Fantom breaks by its self. About a week ago my car lit up again with the break on the dash and only slightly hit the breaks this time compared to the time before where it slammed on the breaks. Yes there is no car in front of me when this happens. Motorworld honda closed out my cases and this is still an ongoing issue. Honda has been no help and the car is still breaking by itself. Please investigate this issue. Motorworld Honda blamed me for the issue and Bernie Honda says that this issue happens and the person I was talking to said this happened to her. This is not normal.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 31, 2026
I began experiencing "sticky" steering at highway speeds, requiring that I use force to keep the vehicle from drifting out of its lane. The problem worsened until, roughly one month later, the cruise control system went out without warning and refused to come back on. I took the car to the Honda dealership in Port Charlotte, FL on 3/30/26 where they were able to duplicate the problem immediately and recommended I no longer drive the vehicle until the steering rack/gear box is replaced. Honda steering is sensitive. Overcorrecting is a very real danger in addition to the possibility that it may lock up at high speeds in traffic. No warning lights ever indicated a problem. I am aware that other 2018 CRV's were recalled for this issue to have the racks replaced. My VIN was not included in that recall, but clearly, my vehicle is having the same issue. I spoke with corporate Honda on 3/30/26
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 28, 2026
Multiple warning lights were turning on then turning off in their own, typically 2-3 days later. However while on, all ADAS showed errors and did not work. Most recent time, had an elevation changed (over 6000 ft), lights came cascading on parked safely. Next morning, car would not accelerate/was extremely jerky. Turned off waited turned back on, while lights were on car felt to be running fine. Slightly off sounding idle. DTC showed multiple misfires and error codes with a recommendation to replace fuel injectors. Dealer was surprised given relatively low milage (109000 miles) for this issue to occur.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 9, 2026
While driving My CRV it jolted to an unexpected stop with the Forward Collision Warning flashing ! No vehicles in sight to cause this incident !