2021 Honda CR-V
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 331 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 22nd highest complaint count among 26 CR-V model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 14 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 13 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
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerFeb 1, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Campaign 24V064000 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, rear/other, retractorNov 18, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 21V900000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
331 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, May 23, 2024, crash
I was parking in the garage in the condominium complex where I live. Because the spaces are narrow with a concrete post on the left of my space and a parked car on my right, rather than pull directly into my space I typically stop the car a few feet beyond my space, reverse to align my car with the spot, and then pause to center the steering before I shift to drive. At this point the parking spot is about one car length in front of me. On this particular afternoon, as soon as I put the car into drive, it abruptly accelerated and in the split second before I hit the concrete wall directly in front of me I knew that I had no control over the car's speed. Upon impact, the airbag deployed giving me a sternal fracture and other bruising. I do not know why this sudden acceleration occurred, since I had stopped and carefully positioned the car to slowly move forward into my parking space. After the accident, I checked the floor mat (having heard that sometimes can interfere with the gas pedal) but the floor mat was securely in place. The car was towed to the repair shop and a week later the insurance company declared my car a total loss. When I asked the repair shop if they could tell what caused this sudden acceleration they suggested trying to secure the car's black box, and I mentioned this to the insurance representative. The insurance company have since moved the car to be used for salvage. I do not know what caused sudden acceleration. I can only assume the problem was electrical or computer, as opposed to human error. I am submitting this report in the hopes that others will be protected from being hurt in accidents like this.
Steering, May 21, 2024
Steering sticks momentarily when turning the steering wheel. This could be a potentially fatal problem. I just called the dealership, and there are no recalls although the problem has been widely reported online. No warning lights.
Steering, May 18, 2024
The steering is sticking when turning left and not returning to center. It makes an audible clicking when it happens. It does not happen with right turns, is not speed related, and is intermittent. Seems to happen more frequently after the car has been driven for awhile or when the weather is warmer as it’s been happening for over a year.
Power train, Electrical system, May 13, 2024
EPS gearbox. When entering into a turn the steering wheel gets stuck and requires additional force to pull wheel out of the turn for both left turns and right turns. The risk of overcorrecting or being unable to return the wheel to a forward direction is a major risk to the driver and to others. The vehicle is uncomfortable to drive due to the unpredictability of the sticking steering. The more severe the turn the more sticky the steering. The issue seems to be progressing over time since it was first noticed (May 2024; vehicle purchased Aug 2021). The vehicle was taken to the Honda service center for diagnosis; however, there were no warning lamps or messages triggered by the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected by the service technician with the recommendation to replace the EPS gearbox assembly. The observations by the technician were "The EPS steering assist is not performing correctly on left turns. Checked suspension for binding. No damage found. Gearbox assembly will need to be replaced". The vehicle is a 2021 Honda CR-V with 42,000 miles (Honda warranty 3 YR/36,000 miles). The Honda service center initially placed responsibility on customer to repair at a cost of approx $4,000. This case has still not been settled and no authorization for repair has been agreed upon.
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, May 13, 2024
Steering is very noisy Hard to drive Lane departure comes on And makes car drive out of lane of traffic Then brake assist kicks in And stands me on my head I have taken to dealership They can’t get the car to do it They tell me turn off all the features and drive it I feel very unsafe in it I want the problems fixed Or I will call my attorney
Electrical system, May 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a failure with the inclement weather sensor which should engaged with the vehicle in inclement weather. The contact stated that the sensor would not function properly. Additionally, the system failure warning light was illuminated. The contact was concerned of a safety hazard while driving in inclement weather. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
Steering, May 7, 2024
Sticky steering while driving.
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, May 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH into the garage, the vehicle inadvertently started to reverse. The instrument cluster lights went blank. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle drove over some rocks in the yard. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled the parking brake, and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and encouraged the contact to call again if the failure recurred, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 16,500.
Steering, May 3, 2024
The steering wheel will "lock up" and need to be pushed in order to gain full control of the vehicle. This happens most often in turns where the steering wheel will not respond to normal pressure and require excessive force to be used to straighten move the wheel back and forth.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 20, 2024
My check engine light came on while driving, stating a system emission problem. 24 hours later, all driver-assist safety features have warning lights on the dash that all systems were disabled. I brought my CRV to Honda dealership service dept who determined that my fuel injectors had failed and needed replaced. Once the injectors were replaced, all the dash warning lights shut off and driver assist programs are working again. My car is only 3 years old and has 71,000 miles on it, and is outside of the parameters for the original warranty provided by Honda. I believe the fuel injectors should be recalled because of how many 5th generation CRVs need fuel injectors replaced during the early life of the car.
Steering, Apr 20, 2024
2021 Honda CR-V EX. When making a slight steering correction, the steering wheel and car will make a slight jerking motion. This will happen when turning in either direction. The result is I am constantly steering and trying to drive a straight line - and can't -. Very disturbing. The auto only has approx. 10,000 miles. The problem only started at about 9,000 miles. The DEALER has NOT inspected the unit as of today. There is no warning or indicator - it happens constantly when driving at any speed. ( you can also feel the jerky motion when setting still and slightly putting pressure on the steering wheel.)
Exterior lighting, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 18, 2024
Interior lights switch does not seem to work properly. It started a couple of months ago. I have had issues with the automatic braking when the car "thinks" there is something in front of me and slams on the brakes. 4 out of 5 times there was nothing there. 1 of those times was during a rain storm, so that time I chalked it up to the radar being wet. I have also had several instances when the car flashes "BRAKE" when there is no reason for it. Similarly, when in reverse, the car again "thinks" there is something behind me and beeps when there is nothing within 50 feet of my car. I keep my cameras and radar clean at all times. Before each trip, I wipe them clean.
Steering, Apr 17, 2024
UNKNOWN. While driving on the highway at 60MPH for 30+ minutes, the steering wheel began to stick when making small adjustments to stay in the lane or when driving through curves. It was over 80 degrees outside during both instances of this happening. No warning lights were on, lane assist was OFF, cruise control was ON. The possibility of over-correcting into the opposite lane or off the road is high, especially in inclement weather with less traction. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealership is attempting to reproduce the issue.
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 17, 2024
A few times (4-5 times) the car activated the automatic emergency braking feature while I was driving. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or people in my path. The system simply activated. The cars behind me nearly crashed into me.
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 2, 2024
Driving in the highway when I was signaling to exit going right, My car suddenly brakes on its own and continue to drive. I did shoulder my vehicle to check my vehicle. No vehicle was around me that time and I check my car surrounding and it was clear. Incident happen multiple times which I did adjust my sensor to low distance but still happens.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 31, 2024
I was driving going about 30 in town and there were no cars, no pedestrians, no obstacles and all of a sudden my car's dashboard flashed brake and my car braked itself. We went from 30 to zero with a screech. I did not touch the brake during this time. It was unnerving and nothing like this has happened before. I commute on the freeway regularly and I am very scared this could happen at much higher speeds with deadly consequences.
Steering, Mar 18, 2024
When driving on highways at speeds greater than 45 to 50 miles per hour when I turn the steering wheel, I have to apply greater than normal pressure to get it to turn back straight forward. This has just started over the past couple of weeks and is getting worse each time I drive it. I am getting afraid to drive the car as I am concerned it will cause me to wreck if I can't get it to turn back straight or if I have to jerk it back too hard and over correct.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 13, 2024
Since new and on numerous occasions, the vehicle will slow down drastically for no reason. No vehicle in front or object close to either side, it just brakes automatically. It only happens when the vehicle’s cruise control is on. On March 7th 2024 I was on the highway with the cruise control set at 75MPH. The vehicle for no reason slammed on the brakes and tried to come to a complete stop. No skidding or loss of control due to the ABS, but if had not stepped on the accelerator, it would have. I went from 75MPH to about 20MPH in seconds. Thankfully, the driver behind me reacted and went around me on my right side. I there was another vehicle to my right, I am certain, I would have been re-ended. I took the vehicle to the HONDA dealership and was told they were not aware of the problem, but they could attempt to fix it. I have lost confidence in driving the vehicle with the cruise control engaged.
Other or unspecified, Feb 29, 2024
Sunroof shattered making a loud booming noise. No other cars around, no road debris, nothing hit the car, it just seemed to explode.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 27, 2024
Door Actuator and yes it is available for inspection. Yes, I was locked inside of the vehicle one time (recorded a video of it and showed it to Metro Honda service parts employee). No, the dealer did not conduct a vehicle diagnostic (the vehicle was over the warranty mileage by a couple hundred miles). No Police report. No warnings prior to the door actuator issues.
Other or unspecified, Feb 9, 2024
The driver's side rear window appears to have spontaneously shattered completely while the locked vehicle was parked in the driveway in front of the house. Two guard dogs were sleeping inside the house about 20 feet from the vehicle, and they never barked once. The back seat and floor were covered with chards of glass as was the driveway as far as 8 feet from the vehicle. The window appears to have exploded in two directions at the same time. There were no visible scratches or chips on the window before it shattered. Nothing inside the vehicle was disturbed otherwise. The damage was reported to my insurance company and my Honda dealer neither of whom could offer any explanation. The damage was not inspected by anyone other than myself and members of my family. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to this event. The rear driver's side window and door were operating normally.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Feb 7, 2024
2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE I have a lemon with Honda CR-V year of car 2021 bought it in October of 2021. The 3-year warranty is about to expire. I have taken the car several times to two different Honda dealerships because they are the closest to my home and I don't have anyone to pick me up or take me back. They claim there's nothing wrong with the vehicle but lights in the dash come up every other day then disappear after several hours then return the next time, I use the vehicle. the vehicle also has an issue with the acceleration; sometimes I step on the gas pedal but after trying to drive the car, the MOTOR does NOT move faster but rather the force of the vehicle decreases and doesn't allow for me to go faster than 20 MPH. The odometer is also inaccurate; one month after driving the vehicle about 80 miles-the vehicle odometer increased around 10 miles. I only have about 9,877 miles that I’ve driven the car… I'M [XXX] and cannot drive and take pictures while I'm driving. I barely know how to use my phone. I get nervous, start to panic and my heart starts racing and I feel like I'm going to crash. I'm scared for my life and my grandchildren that I pick up after school and take them to their home. ive tried to upload documents but i keep getting an error...INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 5, 2024
So I was driving on the freeway in [XXX] going normal highway speed like between 55-65 mph so it was raining really hard like road was not clear to see at night I notice when I turn on the heater to about 80-85 degrees on defrost so the windows don’t fog up I notice there is a fuel smell coming from the vent it goes away when the heater is not on but this fuel smell is pretty strong I been getting it lately checked all around for other recalls relating to this issue but found nothing also checked for leaks found no leak it’s been happening when the vehicle turn 50,000 miles it was unusual because I take care of this car and really like it for a work car but noticed the fuel smell it’s quite scary INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 12, 2024
Steering sticks/EPS failing. While driving, steering wheel randomly has excessive resistance & then frees up. While at hide speeds on the interstate, it causes over correction & near accidents on several occasions. NUMEROUS repost of this on various forums & recalls on other models with EXACT SAME system, but my VIN Isn’t included!!?
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 27, 2023
My 2021 sunroof shattered out of no where when i was driving, nothing fell on it and no cars nearby so it was not rocks. I think this should be looked into because there are many owners who have reported the same issue. I contact my local dealer and they were in denial but it is very dangerous since the glass from the sunroof was falling on me while i was driving it could have caused a major accident and should definitely be looked into. Sometimes when I turn on my car the dashboard flickers where you are not able to read the screen another safety concern if i cant see certain information. My car only has 8000 miles on it any my battery is still good so I am not sure why there is all these issues.