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.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 29, 2022
On two occasions now, the Automatic Emergency Braking has engaged without there being an actual danger, meaning nothing in front. The first time I was driving at about 55mph on the highway and it engaged with a dash alert to brake and then proceeded to decrease my speed. Luckily, no cars were behind me or else I would have been rear ended. The second time, I was going 5mph at a grocery store parking lot and it did the dash brake alert and stopped. Again, luckily no cars were behind me. Honda will be inspecting the car this coming week but did not seem worried about my initial report. It wasn't until my second incident of 5mph that they suggested taking a look at it.
Engine, Dec 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure, and no error codes were retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,851.
Electrical system, Dec 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the display screen intermittently went blank. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,200.
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 29, 2022
My car has done this phantom braking multiple times before, however this time it managed to pull my car into a curb and pop my brand new back tire and ruin my front tire. This is a huge safety issue because if there was anyone in front of or behind the car could’ve caused a major collision. I have done some research and noticed this has been an issue on previous years of my vehicle. I feel unsafe driving my car and my dealership has basically told me there is nothing than can do and that is not acceptable with me. The fact that my life was put in danger due to a malfunction with the forward collision warning is absolutely ridiculous. I will probably never buy another Honda if something is not done to correct the issues.
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance: Dynamic Brake Assist activated, and the vehicle came to a sudden stop without another vehicle nearby. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 3, 2022
This has happened approximately once a month since i got the car and i've had the car for 13 month. When using adaptive cruise control on the freeway going at least 60, the car will randomly give me a forward collision warning. Sometimes the car slams on the brakes, and other times the warning goes away after about a second. I can override it by pressing on the accelerator. This always happens when theres no cars anywhere near the front of me. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer because the problem cannot be recreated on demand. its very infrequent. Other than that the car has had no other major problems.
Forward collision avoidance, Oct 11, 2022
Twice on 10/10/2022, the automatic brake warning system engaged while the car was in cruise control at approximately 55 mph. There were no other vehicles or safety hazards in the lane of travel that should have prompted a brake system activation. The incidents happened on separate trips, with the car having been parked and turned off in between.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 30, 2022
I was just driving on Ventura blvd, a busy street, it was very sunny out and suddenly for no reason, as I am driving around 35 MPH at least... the car fully brakes. everything goes flying - my neck is now sore, as is my upper back and shoulders... if someone had been behind me they would have hit me. It's pure luck it didn't cause an accident. This has never happened before and I want to get rid of this car now...
Visibility/wiper, Sep 29, 2022
My sunroof glass spontaneously exploded on a sunny day at 50 mph. There was no road debris or impact with the glass. Ambient temp was 55 degrees, clear sky. The resulting noise and cascade of small glass particles made it quite difficult to maintain control of the vehicle.
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2022
2021 Honda CRV, went for first oil change, upon inspection if was discovered that strut tower came apart. Insurance adjuster inspected the vehicle and determined there is absolutely no physical damage that could have cause this welded piece to come apart and must be factory defect. Honda denied and does not want to acknowledge manufacturer defect. Vehicle has been deemed unsafe to drive.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 17, 2022
I was driving at about 35-40 MPH and the automatic emergency braking engaged for no reason. There was nothing on the road ahead of me. The vehicle braked very hard and had there been a vehicle behind me I suspect there would have been an accident. This is not the first time this has occurred - it has happened several times before - but it was the most severe braking that has occurred. There was no damage, so the police were not involved. I have not yet reported this to the manufacturer.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 12, 2022
Vehicle suddenly emergency braked, by slamming on the brakes, when driving on a highway with no cars in front of us and no cars to the sides of us. This happened twice within the same afternoon. We had the adaptive cruise control on at these times. The highway was clear of obstructions and was in perfect shape. The car was clean on the outside. It was a bright sunny afternoon and the road was dry. We recall no warning as this happened. We had just purchased the vehicle used with 11000 miles on it.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 8, 2022
Non impact windshield crack on 9/8/2022
Wheels, Aug 9, 2022
The inner wall of the wheel is punctured causing the tire to inflated. The incident happen during driving on the highway. Safety issue is concerned
Back over prevention, Lane departure, Aug 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was placed in reverse(R) and then drive; however, the Back Over Prevention camera remained illuminated. Additionally, the Lane Keep Assist feature caused the steering wheel to jerk while activated. The contact also stated the four-wheel alignment was off due a nail being in the tire. The tire issue was corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with a loosened sensor. The sensor was properly reattached. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000.
Wheels, Aug 3, 2022
Rear tires are at 1/32nd of depth after 12,100 miles. Fronts are still at 5/32nds. Tires were rotated at 8,000 miles. Honda had a service bulletin, SB20-081, for the 2017-2020 years. It appears that this was not fixed for the 2021 model year. Tires are below manufacturer min specs in that very limited highway miles. Tires inspected by Honda dealer.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 31, 2022
I have had 4 separate instances where the automatic braking system abruptly applied the brakes. Two of them happened at a place on the road where the pavement color changed. One was a pedestrian crosswalk painted on an asphalt road surface. Another was where a new concrete roadway changed to new asphalt. Those 2 situations led me to believe the system may see road color change as if there was an obstacle in front of the car. However, 2 additional events happened with no obvious reasons as the road surface did not change. This is a 2021 Honda CRV. I have not taken it to a Honda dealer nor have I discussed it with Honda. I was fortunate that nothing was close behind and the road surface was not slippery. There is no telling what might have happened if the road was snow packed or icy.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the roadway surface changed and the Forward Collision Avoidance feature activated and the vehicle independently started braking. The vehicle then started driving normally after the failure. The dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 12,000.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 25, 2022
I was driving at approximately 35 MPH on a straight, flat road. There were no cars in front of me, behind me, or oncoming. Without warning or any action on my part, the vehicle wheels locked up, the vehicle jerked to an abrupt stop, and the display went black. I noticed what appeared to be a red block of text on the display, but I was unable to read it before the vehicle started moving again. Luckily, I had both hands on the steering wheel, and I was alone in the vehicle. I was shaken up at the abruptness of the stop. If I had my dogs in the car, they would have been launched forward. If I or anyone else in the vehicle was not belted in and facing forward, there for sure would have been injuries. If there were someone behind me, there would have been impact. I am grateful none of these things happened, but I remain fearful of driving this vehicle if it were to happen again. I brought the vehicle immediately to my dealer for inspection. (Balise Honda, West Warwick, RI). The service manager stated this was a know issue with CR-V's, a result of the radar on the front of the vehicle that controls the ABS malfunctioning for some reason. He was unaware of a solution. His only recommendation was to turn off the ABS and LKAS, the very safety features that I purchased this car for, and paid extra for. I reported this to Honda on July 5, case number 13119359. They were to get back to me with an update by July 12, but I have yet to hear from them. The case manager only said there were no know recalls or bulletins on this issue. I had requested they open a bulletin as this is certainly a safety issue that needs to be addressed. For now, I am driving my vehicle without the safety features this vehicle advertised, and have limited my travel with this vehicle as well. NOT what I expect from a new 2021 vehicle.
Vehicle speed control, Jun 29, 2022, crash
I was at a complete stop at a flashing red light with my foot firmly on the brake petal. My intention was to make a left hand turn. As a truck going the opposite way started to pass in front of me, and the traffic was clear, I took my foot off the brake pedal and without touching the gas pedal the car on its own accelerated into the passing tail end of the truck. The airbag deployed and my small car was totaled.
Air bags, Jun 25, 2022, crash
This vehicle was involved in a 2 car crash. The vehicle rear ended a car and air bags never deployed. No passengers, just driver in the vehicle.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 24, 2022
Twice while driving the FCW warning brake light flashed on the dash with nothing happening. One time the brakes actually engaged and flashed the brake icon on the dash for the FCW and stopped the vehicle in the middle of the road and luckily no one behind me and I didn’t get hit.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 22, 2022
While driving on a highway at approximately 60-65MPH, the vehicle in front of me began to brake. I was a safe distance from the vehicle in front of me. I also started to brake, but allowed the gap between us to close somewhat due to a vehicle following closely behind me. The Honda’s emergency braking system suddenly took over with MAXIMUM braking, causing items in my vehicle to fly around AND the vehicle behind me to nearly rear end me. I had NO control over the braking. My wife screamed at me, thinking that I had slammed my foot on the brakes, but it was beyond my control. I’ve asked my Honda dealer if the system can be adjusted but I was given no help. I understand the emergency braking system’s intended purpose, but the manner that this system has engaged (3 times) is unsafe. It’s not like I wasn’t paying attention, I was, and I was already braking. It’s actually scary the way it locked up. Yes, I know that the brakes didn’t actually lock up, they are antilock brakes, but it was like I was standing on the brake pedal. Have there been similar complaints about this? * The date below, 10/26/2021, is approximately the first time that this happened. It happened two additional times. It pretty scary when it happens.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 26, 2022
Driving on empty road about 40 mph. Brakes engaged momentarily and red brake light came up on dash. Happened in daylight with excellent visibility. No cars in front or other lane and nothing on roadway. Car has 1040 miles on it. Will report to dealer but expect little resolution.
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, May 20, 2022, crash
I'm trying to report an incident that involved my Honda CRV running into a totally stopped Tesla in the HOV lane on I-75 in Atlanta Georgia on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at around 9 AM. We came around a large curve and had no time to avoid running into the TOTALLY STOPPED Tesla in the HOV lane. I have seen reports of "phantom braking" in Teslas. The driver of the Tesla stated to us that he was using cruise control and when the Tesla sensed a car pulled off into the breakdown lane, it stopped completely and there was nothing he could do. Our car sustained serious damage. Fortunately, we were not injured, but I believe NHTSA should be investigating Tesla for these incidents. If this is not the correct form to report this, please advise. There was no problem associated with my CRV in this incident.