2017 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)
- 187owner reports
- 30,000median miles
- $1,500median quote
- 4involved a crash
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
448 of the 1,771 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 187 of those describe phantom braking, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2017 CR-V.
Tick what matches of 187 reports
Phantom braking on other CR-V years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Phantom braking is a car that brakes hard on its own, often at highway speed, with nothing in the road ahead. About one owner in five mentions a near miss with the car behind.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the radar or camera sensor (18 reports), the software (17 reports) and the windshield (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the CR-V
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Open.
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Closed apr 18, 2024.
What owners paid
8 of the 187 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $800 to $2,700.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 15,000 and 45,000 miles, from the 76 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Honda CR-V that deal with this problem. 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.
American Honda has identified a condition that may affect Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) operation. Due to software programming issues of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), unexpected vehicle deceleration may occur.
Techline summary article - Some early production vehicles undergoing PDI or coming in with low mileage may have this issue: ? The ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Road Departure Mitigation indicators are on.
What owners wrote
“Brake sensor warning light randomly came on. Emergency brake would't disengage. ABS module defective and had to be completely replaced and reprogrammed. Vehicle has less than 75000 miles; one owner.”
Filed Jan 13, 2023 · 75,000 miles
“Automatic emergency braking system puts on the brakes and there would be nothing in front of me. Making my car slow down, I am afraid of getting hit from behind. The light flashed on dash. I took it to dealership they said I needed a new battery.”
Filed Mar 3, 2022
“My carâs automatic emergency brake has engaged ~4x when there was undoubtedly nothing in front of me on the road. Luckily it has never engaged the brake long enough to cause a rear end collision which is way I didnât report it earlier. I know youâre collecting reports for affected cars and mine indeed has done this before. Iâm hopeful it wonât happen when more cars are around.”
Filed Mar 2, 2022
“While driving at 45 miles per hour on a divided highway, the automatic braking system engaged. There were no cars anywhere around me at the time. This is the second time this has happened.”
Filed Feb 28, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 4 of 187 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 180 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 174 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 145 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 144 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 142 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 139 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 135 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 131 reports
- Turbo failure or loss of boost 80 reports
- Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves 68 reports
- Fuel smells, leaks, or the gauge reads wrong 56 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 55 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 54 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 54 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 52 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 51 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 42 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 36 reports