Fifth generation
2021 Honda CR-V
The most reported problem on the 2021 Honda CR-V is sticky steering, with 85 complaints, usually around 40,000 miles.
- 332owner complaints
- 4recalls
- 14involved a crash
- 36,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 29, 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 2021 model year.
Is the 2021 Honda CR-V reliable?
The 2021 Honda CR-V has 332 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, 1.5 times the median of 216 for 2021 SUVs on this site. Of the 13 CR-V model years since 2014, it has the 10th 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 2020 and 2022
- The 2021 sits level with the years around it, at 55 complaints for each year on the road next to 50 for the 2020 and 52 for the 2022.
- Top problem
- Sticky steering leads with 85 of the 332 complaints (26%), ahead of phantom braking at 50. A quarter of the 23 owners who gave a mileage for sticky steering saw it by about 18,000 miles, and half by about 40,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 20 of the 332 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 14 reports mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 13 people were hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as sticky steering, phantom braking and false collision warning. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 87, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 94 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: steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks, 85 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
332 complaints is 1.7 times the median 2021 model on this site and 1.5 times the median 2021 SUV. Among the 13 CR-V model years here it ranks 10th 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 2021 Honda CR-V
Honda filed 126 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2021 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.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 1 bulletin · 27 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application.
Check engine light or misfire 3 bulletins · 22 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2020-2022 Accords, CR-Vs, Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, Ridgelines, 2020 Fits, 2020-2021 Civic Hatchbacks, 2020-2023 Civic Sedans/Coups with a customer complaint of the Check Engine Light (CEL) on & ...
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2020-2021 Accords, CR-Vs & Odysseys with a customer complaint of the Check Engine Light (CEL) on & the DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low [Loss of Fuel Pressure]) stored.
1 more on this problem
The MIL comes on with DTCs P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) P04F1 (EVAP System Low Purge Flow Detected).
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 6 bulletins · 14 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only).
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics & 2020-2022 CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen.
4 more on this problem
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of a inop, blank, or black meter display (gauge cluster) with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of an inop, blank, or black meter display (gauge cluster) with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of a inop, blank, or black meter display with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2021 Civics, CR-Vs & HR-Vs with a customer complaint of the audio screen turning black, blank or inop.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 14 complaints
ServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49 (Internal Failure of the SRS Unit) to be stored.
Steering wheel clicks, clunks or grinds when I turn 1 bulletin · 13 complaints
Steering effort complaint while driving at moderate or highway speeds, with a possible complaint of a clicking noise at slow speeds while turning, and no MIL illuminated, or DTC stored.
Head gasket fails or coolant leaks into the engine 1 bulletin · 6 complaints
Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
Engine misfire 4 bulletins · 6 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2022 Accord 1.5Ts & 2020-2022 CR-V 1.5Ts with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) or P0172 (Fuel System Too Rich) ...
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2022 Accord 1.5T & 2020-2022 1.5T CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) or P0172 (Fuel System Too Rich) ...
2 more on this problem
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accord 1.5Ts & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) or P0172 (Fuel System Too Rich) stored.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accord 1.5Ts, Civic Sis & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) or P0172 (Fuel System Too Rich) ...
Complaints filed by year
94 complaints came in 2026. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Open.
NHTSA summary
Rear differential seizure. Closed jul 22, 2024.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2021 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 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.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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 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."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: 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.
All 4 recalls on the 2021 Honda CR-V, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide NHTSA has an open investigation on this car. What the investigation stages mean
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2021 Honda CR-V?
Sticky steering, with 85 of the 332 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 40,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2021 Honda CR-V problems start?
Of the 88 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 15,000 miles and half by about 36,000.
Is the 2021 Honda CR-V better or worse than the 2020 and 2022?
Counted per year on the road, the 2021 has about as many complaints as both the 2020 and the 2022: 55 a year against 50 and 52.
How many 2021 Honda CR-V complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
20 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for sticky steering on the 2021 Honda CR-V?
No recall on file for the 2021 Honda CR-V is on the same system as sticky steering. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.