2021 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)
- 50owner reports
- 19,000median miles
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Sep 15, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
106 of the 332 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 50 of those describe phantom braking. Only sticky steering is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 50 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 (7 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2021 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.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 11,000 and 40,000 miles, from the 10 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Driving down Piedmont Road in Atlanta on an overcast morning with no pedestrians, obstructions or vehicles in front of the car, the collision avoidance and braking system engaged for no reason and almost caused the car behind mine to run into me.”
Filed Feb 10, 2026
“Phantom emergency braking. Vehicle slamming on brakes at intermediate times when there is no emergency.”
Filed Dec 18, 2025
“A few times (4-5 times) the car activated the automatic emergency braking feature while I was driving. There were no obstacles, vehicles, or people in my path. The system simply activated. The cars behind me nearly crashed into me.”
Filed Apr 17, 2024
“Â The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision avoidance sensor failed to brake causing the contact to crash into another vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.”
Filed Aug 15, 2023 · 19,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 50 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. 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
- Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks 85 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 28 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 27 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 25 reports