Fourth generation
2016 Honda CR-V
The most reported problem on the 2016 Honda CR-V is stalling, with 45 complaints, usually around 70,000 miles.
- 393owner complaints
- 3recalls
- 40involved a crash
- 21,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 23, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your CR-V doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2016 model year.
Is the 2016 Honda CR-V reliable?
The 2016 Honda CR-V has 393 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, 1.6 times the median of 248 for 2016 SUVs on this site. Of the 13 CR-V model years since 2014, it has the 7th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017
- At 36 complaints for each year on the road, the 2016 runs well under the 2017 (177). That's the only adjacent model year with enough complaints to set beside it.
- Top problem
- No problem dominates. The largest, stalling, covers 45 of the 393 complaints (11%), and airbag is next with 32 (one complaint can fall under more than one problem, so these overlap). A quarter of the 22 owners who gave a mileage for stalling saw it by about 23,000 miles, and half by about 70,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 50 of the 393 complaints (13%) report a crash, a fire or an injury. The typical vehicle on this site sits at 6%, so this one runs well above it. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 40 reports mention a crash, 4 mention a fire and 36 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 16 of 40, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Stalling and airbag each have a recall on the same system (17V-305; 15V-714). Dead battery has none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2017 at 66 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 29. So far in 2026, 11 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: engine stalls or loses power while driving, 45 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
393 complaints is 1.6 times the median 2016 model on this site and 1.6 times the median 2016 SUV. Among the 13 CR-V model years here it ranks 7th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2016 Honda CR-V
Honda filed 85 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2016 Honda CR-V. 17 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Engine stalls or loses power while driving 1 bulletin · 45 complaints
When cold-starting the engine and shifting to Reverse, the engine stalls in the first 10 to 14 seconds. There is too much oil clearance between the input and stator shafts, which allows ATF to drain out of the torque converter during extend off periods.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 32 complaints
THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING HONDA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUES WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
Seat belt or seat problems 1 bulletin · 16 complaints
SERVICE BULLETIN WHEN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT RELEASE LEVER IS PULLED, THE SEAT BOTTOM IS SLOW TO FLIP UP, CAUSING THE REAR SEAT TO NOT FOLD CORRECTLY. THE RIGHT REAR LOWER SEAT BRACKET IS BINDING.
Fuel pump failure 6 bulletins · 15 complaints
2014-2016 Accord & CR-V Leak from Fuel Pump Connection American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2014-2016 Accords & CR-Vs with evidence of fuel leak from the fuel tank to the fuel pump connection.
American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2014-2016 Accords & CR-Vs with evidence of fuel leak from the fuel tank to the fuel pump connection.
4 more on this problem
DEALER MESSAGE AMERICAN HONDA (AHM) IS INVESTIGATING CERTAIN 2014-2016 ACCORDS & CR-VS WITH EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTION.
ENGINEERING REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION PLEASE CALL HONDA TO DISCUSS ANY FUEL LEAKS FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTION.
Background American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2014-2016 Accords & CR-Vs with evidence of fuel leak from the fuel tank to the fuel pump connection.
DEALER MESSAGE AHM IS INVESTIGATING CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE PARTS TO AHM PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING A REPAIR OF ANY KIND.
Check engine light or misfire 2 bulletins · 15 complaints
MIL Comes on with DTC P0335 AND/OR P0339
SERVICE BULLETIN THERE IS CORROSION BETWEEN THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS AND THE CKP SENSOR CONNECTOR, WHICH MAY RESULT IN MIL ILLUMINATION WITH DTC P0335 (CKP SENSOR NO SIGNAL) AND OR P0339 (CKP SENSOR CIRCUIT INTERMITTENT INTERRUPTION).
A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 2 bulletins · 12 complaints
TECHLINE SUMMARY ARTICLE DOES THE ENGINE RATTLE AT STARTUP FOR ABOUT 1 TO 3 SECONDS? WHATS HAPPENING IS THE LOCK PIN INSIDE THE VTC ACTUATOR ISNT HOLDING THE ACTUATOR PROPERLY. THIS LETS THE VANE TURN WITHIN THE HOUSING, CAUSING A SHORT RATTLE AT STARTUP.
DEALER MESSAGE AMERICAN HONDA (AHM) IS INVESTIGATING CERTAIN 2015-2016CR-VS WITH A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF A RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE CENTER DASH AREA (E.G. RADIO AREA OR AC VENT AREA).
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 2 bulletins · 11 complaints
There is a knocking or clicking from the engine during cold startup. The check valve in the cam chain tensioner is worn, allowing oil pressure to leak internally and the cam chain to lose tension after engine is turned off.
The water pump seized or the drive belt shredded. The water pump bearing is out of specification.
Takata airbag inflator recall 2 bulletins · 11 complaints
SERVICE BULLETIN THE METAL HOUSING SURROUNDING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG INFLATOR IN THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH NECESSITATING DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG, THE INFLATOR COULD RUPTURE WITH METAL FRAGMENTS STRIKING THE ...
SERVICE BULLETIN THE CURRENT DEFECT THINKING IS THAT THE AIRBAG INFLATOR WHICH IS PART OF THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MODULE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY STAMPED.
Complaints filed by year
66 complaints came in 2017, 2.0 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical overstress. Closed sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V-024.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2016 Honda CR-V
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine. The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace the incorrect components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF6.
American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CR-V vehicles manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began in November 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda'a number for this recall is JV9.
All 3 recalls on the 2016 Honda CR-V, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2016 Honda CR-V?
Stalling, with 45 of the 393 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 70,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2016 Honda CR-V problems start?
Of the 242 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 10,000 miles and half by about 21,000.
Is the 2016 Honda CR-V better or worse than the 2017?
Counted per year on the road, the 2016 has fewer complaints than the 2017: 36 a year against 177.
How many 2016 Honda CR-V complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
50 of them (13%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for stalling on the 2016 Honda CR-V?
Yes, NHTSA lists a recall on the same system: 17V-305. Its summary says which failure it covers, and that isn't always the one owners describe.