Diagsheet

2016 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

  • 29owner reports
  • 34,000median miles
  • $956median quote
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Aug 28, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

64 of the 391 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 29 of those describe dead battery.

Tick what matches of 29 reports

11
11
12
11
8
4

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (25 reports), the alternator (4 reports) and the starter (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the electrical system covers the 2016 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the CR-V

EA11-012opened Sep 12, 2011
Electrical · model years 2002 to 2004

Low beam headlights stop illuminating. Closed sep 17, 2012, led to recall 12V-136.

NHTSA summary
This investigation was prompted by Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 11-017, and was based on reports from consumers alleging that both low beam headlights stopped illuminating simultaneously.Some complainants also reported that the combination switch (switch) that controls the headlights and turn signals, and/or its electrical wiring harness connector were damaged by overheating.ODI's PE information request letter asked Honda for certain data on model years (MY) 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2003-2008 Element, 2001-2005 Civic, and 2000-2001 S 2000 vehicles.Analysis of complaint and Honda data show that a complete low beam headlight circuit failure occurs in models with 2-bulb headlight systems (i.e., a single bulb on each side for high and low beam).Models with 2-bulb systems include MY 2002-2004 CR-V, 2003-2005 Pilot, 2001-2003 Civic, and 2003-2008 Element.Models with 4-bulb headlight systems (i.e., two bulbs on each side, one for high and one for low beam) have different electrical circuits for the headlights and do not experience the same failure mechanism as the 2-bulb system.MY 2000-2001 S 2000 models with 2-bulb high intensity discharge headlights also have different electrical circuits for the headlights and do not experience the same failure mechanism.Honda introduced the 4-bulb headlight system in CR-V in MY 2005, in Pilot in MY 2006, and in Civic in MY 2004.On March 29, 2012 Honda submitted a defect information report (DIR) to recall 554,428 vehicles, including MY 200
PE11-017opened Apr 29, 2011
Electrical · model years 2002 to 2004

Low beam headlights stop working. Closed sep 23, 2011.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 12 reports from consumers alleging the low beam headlights stopped working simultaneously.Several of the complainants reported that the headlight switch and/or its wiring harness connector required replacement to repair the low beam headlight circuit, and also reported that the switch and/or the wire harness connector were damaged from overheating.Based on information provided by Honda in response to ODI's Preliminary Evaluation information request, ODI is upgrading the investigation to EA11-012.
EA11-004opened Apr 11, 2011
Electrical · model years 2002 to 2006

Driver's power window master switch. Closed oct 24, 2012, led to recall 11V-456.

NHTSA summary
This investigation was prompted by Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 10-047 and was based on reports from consumers alleging that smoke and/or fire, as defined in 49 CFR ? 579.4, had occurred inside of the driver's door.The subject vehicles, model year (MY) 2006 CR-V, were manufactured at two different assembly plants.The vehicles manufactured in Japan (Sayama plant) were produced with a power window master switch (PWMS) supplied by the Thai Toyo Denso Company, Ltd. (Denso).The vehicles manufactured in the United Kingdom (UK, Swindon, England plant) were produced with a PWMS supplied by the Omron Corporation (Omron).Honda provided 45 reports on the subject vehicles responsive to this investigation.Of this number, 24 reports concerned Japan-built vehicles, 19 reports on UK-built vehicles, and two reports without a vehicle identification number which could not be identified by assembly plant. Four of Honda's reports were duplicative of ODI reports.ODI received nine reports on the subject vehicles:five on Japan-built and four on UK-built vehicles, and one additional report on a MY 2005 UK built vehicle.The ODI reports can be reviewed at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10343884, 10307287, 10321646, 10375324, 10386750, 10425406, 10437807, 10439880, 10469350, and 10406979.In most cases, it was reported that the PWMS and/or its electrical wiring harness had sustained heat related damage requiring replacement of the affect
PE10-047opened Nov 22, 2010
Electrical · model years 2005 to 2006

Driver's master power window switch. Closed apr 15, 2011, led to recall 11V-456.

NHTSA summary
This investigation was opened based on three Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire reports alleging smoke and fire occurred inside of the driver's door.The complainants reported that the master power window switch and, in some cases its wiring harness, had sustained heat related damage and required replacement.Since opening the investigation the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received two additional reports.The reports provided by Honda in response to ODI's Information Request appear consistent with ODI's Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire reports. Based on the information provided by Honda in response to this preliminary evaluation and its ongoing analysis, the investigation will be upgraded to engineering analysis EA11-004 to further study the issue.
EA03-018opened Sep 9, 2003
Electrical · model years 2002

Ignition-park interlock system. Closed nov 13, 2003, led to recall 03V-422.

NHTSA summary
ALL BUT ONE ODI COMPLAINT AND ALL ODI CRASHES ARE DUPLICATIVE OF HONDA REPORTS.ALL 7 CRASHES WERE ROLL-AWAY CRASHES THAT OCCURRED WHEN THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED UNSECURED (NOT IN PARK, BRAKE NOT ENGAGED).THE 3 NOTED INJURIES WERE RELATIVELY MINOR.THE WARRANTY CLAIMS SHOWN UNDER OTHER WERE CONFIRMED BY HONDA AS INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILURES.IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK SYSTEM, AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN SOLENOID OPERATES A BLOCKING LEVER TO PREVENT IGNITION KEY REMOVAL WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS NOT IN THE PARK POSITION.ACCORDING TO HONDA, AN IGNITION SWITCH MANUFACTURING OPERATION COULD OCCASIONALLY PRODUCE METAL DEBRIS.IN SOME CASES THE DEBRIS COULD FALL INTO THE AREA BETWEEN THE INTERLOCK LEVER AND THE BODY OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHERE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OCCURS.DEBRIS TRAPPED IN THIS AREA CAN INCREASE FRICTION BETWEEN THE LEVER AND THE SWITCH BODY.IF THE DEBRIS IS OF SUFFICIENT SIZE, IT MAY SLOW THE RESPONSE OF THE LEVEL WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED.IN THIS SITUATION, IF THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN PARK AND THE IGNITION KEY IS ROTATED IN A CERTAIN MANNER THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MAY FAIL TO PREVENT KEY REMOVAL, AS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.HONDA IMPLEMENTED MANUFACTURING CHANGES IN MARCH 2002 TO PREVENT DEBRIS FROM ENTERING THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY.HONDA ALSO CHANGED END-OF-LINE INSPECTION PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE DETECTION OF DEBRIS.THE PRESENCE OF DEBRIS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS OTHERWISE UNAPPARENT TO THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE.
PE03-013opened Apr 15, 2003
Electrical · model years 2002

Ignition-park interlock system. Closed sep 9, 2003.

NHTSA summary
ALL ODI COMPLAINTS AND CRASHES ARE DUPLICATIVE OF HONDA COMPLAINTS.THE WARRANTY CLAIM COUNT SHOWN FOR OTHER REPRESENTS INCIDENTS WHERE HONDA'S ANALYSIS OF CLAIM DETAIL INDICATES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.THE CR-V INTERLOCK SYSTEM UTILIZES AN ECU TO CONTROL A SOLENOID DRIVEN BLOCKING DEVICE THAT PREVENTS KEY REMOVAL WHEN THE SHIFTER IS NOT IN PARK.HONDA DOCUMENTS IDENTIFIED A CONDITION WHERE METALLIC DEBRIS INTERFERES WITH THE OPERATION OF THE BLOCKING SOLENOID AND CAUSES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.HONDA DETERMINED THAT A MANUFACTURING PROCESS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE DEBRIS AND IMPLEMENTED A COUNTERMEASURE IN MARCH 2002.APPROXIMATELY 62,000 VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED PRIOR TO THIS DATE.ODI RECOGNIZES 63 INCIDENTS OF INTERLOCK FAILURE, WHICH INCLUDE 7 ROLLAWAY CRASHES, TWO OF WHICH RESULTED IN THREE INJURIES AND A MULTI VEHICLE ACCIDENT.ALL 63 FAILURES OCCURRED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO THE MARCH COUNTERMEASURE.NOTING THE POPULATION OF POTENTIALLY AFFECTED VEHICLES, BOTH THE FAILURE AND CRASH RATES ARE OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN TO ODI.

None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.

What owners paid

6 of the 29 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $700 to $1,000.

$700$956$1,000
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 22,000 and 45,000 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.

117
819
320
221
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424
425
226

What owners wrote

“The drivers and passenger smart door handles have failed this year. It caused parasitic battery drain over 3 days and the doors would unlock automatically just by walking within 5 feet of the car. I have disconnected them for now because 800 in parts only is rediculous. Very dissapointed the reliability of the 2016 CRV.”

Filed Apr 15, 2025

“I have to keep a solar panel attached to my front visor or my new batteries will go dead. This is a problem for other vehicles the same as mine. 2016 Honda CRV. I understand that the electrical, battery parts are very faulty. I was going through batteries, and the Honda dealership never figured this out. A friend of mine attached the solar panel so I won't have a dead battery every day. Thanks for reading.”

Filed May 11, 2022

“Battery will drain overnight and will not retain enough charge to even unlock the doors. Battery tested by two auto part stores and determined the battery is ok. Took vehicle to Honda and said they found no problem. Problem occurred again the same night.”

Filed Dec 10, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 29 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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