Complaint volume
288 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Honda CR-V Complaints
288 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Honda CR-V, grouped by component category.
288 Total complaints
13 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
11 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are steering, forward collision avoidance, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 13 crash reports, 1 fire report, 11 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 51 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 32,802 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to steering, forward collision avoidance, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Honda CR-V?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Honda CR-V
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Honda CR-V complaints?
13 Crash
1 Fire
11 Injury
0 Fatality
14 Towed
9 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Honda CR-V complaint categories?
STEERING 75
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 50
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22
ENGINE 11
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 11
AIR BAGS 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6
VISIBILITY/WIPER 6
SERVICE BRAKES 5
288 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | When driving on the highway at the speed of traffic, the check engine light appeared and was followed by a loss of engine power. Vehicle had to be pulled over to the shoulder. After shutting the vehicle off and turning it back on, engine power was restored. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety is a major concern if unable to move the vehicle out of traffic before coming to a stop with no power. The Honda dealer ran a diagnostic and did not find an issues. They were also unable to reproduce the problem. The vehicle has not been inspected by any other parties. -1st incident: August 15, 2025 -2nd incident: October 31, 2025 -inspected by dealer: November 13, 2025 -3rd and most recent incident: April 2, 2026 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STEERING | For the past year my steering wheel gets stuck or feels sticky. Especially when I am driving at higher speeds of 45mph or above. It happens more so when the temperature outside is warmer or I have been driving on the highway. When I turn the wheels left to go around a curve, the wheel will stay when I go to return the wheel to center. It causes my car to bounce back and forth and be very shaky. I have had it in the dealership multiple times for the issue and they "cannot" replicate the issue. They claim the tire pressure is low (which it is not) or the clock spring needs replaced. This has happened for over a year. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 30–35 MPH, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel independently steered and made a left turn. The vehicle crashed into a nearby pole. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that when the vehicle stopped, the steering wheel independently spun about 4–5 times. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. The contact was transported to the medical center. The contact sustained injuries to the head and neck from the air bag deployment. In addition, the contact sustained injury to the right shoulder and right arm. A Police report was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 106,000 |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | Steering wheel feels sticky or like it catches when going at higher speeds, particularly on long distances. Dealer has confirmed to replace the power steering rack (which includes the steering gear box/worm gear). The gear box/worm gear was part of a previous recall but only for 2023-2025 CRVs although this issue was being reported beginning in 2021. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving past a school zone at 20 mph, came to a stop to allow children to cross street, as I began my acceleration past the school crossing, I reached a 20mph speed again and my CRV activated the emergency braking system without having anything in front of me that could have activated the forward collision braking system. Luckily I was not rear ended. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | While driving warning light blink indicating electronic emergency brake issue, unable to drive because the brake set and would not release. After a while it released and drove to Honda dealership for a diagnosis. They stated it was a failed head gasket and due to this failure it leaked coolant onto the spark plugs, all had to be replaced and the estimated cost $5,500. It's a 2021 Honda CRV hybrid with 70,000 that has been well maintained. It should not have a failed head gasket. Upon researching this it appears this is a known issue for this vehicle, but Honda has not acknowledged. This is a very costly repair that is known by the manufacturer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | CRV Dashboard all warning lights illuminated including check engine and emissions system problem. I had to park my car and it smelled like gas. I immediately called Honda Care and I took my car to Unicars Dealer on 03/11/2026 They provided a diagnostic report, report retrieved PO172 fuel system Bank 1 too rich and P219F no 4 cyclinder air fuel ratio variation. Despite Honda issuing Service Bulletin NHTDA ID 10220352, 10208090 and similar 22-002 for the exact same part failure 2017-2019 models, and despite Manufacturer Communication MC -10201454 specifically requesting failed injectors from 2021 models for investigation, HONDA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE A WARRANTY EXTENSION OR GOODWILL ASSISTANCE FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. This is a premature failure of critical fuel system component that causes the vehicle to stall smell like gas, lose power unexpectedly posing a significant safety risk to the driver and others on the road. I opened a GoodWill case # 16219868- after two weeks Case manager said it did not meet their guidelines offered a $125 assistance. I have called Unicars dealer service technician multiple times with no avail and no return calls. I finally walked into the UNICARS Dealer yesterday 3/25/26 and made appointment to get vehicle fixed on 03/27/26. I am paying out of pocket for all repairs over $2000 dollars. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | What component or system failed? Is it available for inspection? The component is the Steering Gearbox Assembly / Rack and Pinion. The vehicle is currently in my possession and available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving at highway speeds (40–70 mph), the steering wheel "sticks" or "catches" in the center position. To change lanes or follow a curve, I must apply sudden, extra force to "break it loose," which results in a jerking motion and significant overcorrection. This creates a high risk of losing control of the vehicle or unintentionally departing the lane into other traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer? I have presented the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership on two separate occasions for this specific issue. Both times, the dealership stated they were "unable to duplicate" the problem and claimed the steering was "normal," despite the symptoms matching a known national defect. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or others? No, it has only been inspected by the authorized Honda dealer technicians. No police or insurance reports have been filed as no crash has occurred yet. Were there any warning lamps or messages? When did they first appear? There are no warning lamps or dashboard messages. This is a mechanical friction failure within the gearbox, not an electronic one. The symptoms first appeared roughly 2023 and have progressively worsened with time and heat. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2021 Hybrid CR-V - within the last 10 months the vehicle has twice lost engine power while driving on expressways with just enough time to pull off the road. In the same period of time, at least 6 times, when initially starting the engine, the engine runs roughly and will not accellerate. So far, this has happened in cold or cool weather but not extremely cold weather. In an effort to restart the system, we then shut the system off, wait a few minutes and try restarting. Occaisionally, the engine will start normally after this "reset". More often, if the "reset" doesn't work, we shut off the heat/cooling system (to keep the system from calling for the engine power) and restart the system in EV Mode. The car will begin moving in EV Mode. The engine then starts and runs normally when accellerating beyond the EV system's capacity to accelerate. We understand this problem does not register in the car's computer as a "fault" once the car's engine operation returns to normal. Therefore, the dealers are unable to diagnose the problem. We have read of many other people having the same experience without any satisfactory correction from the dealerships or mechanics. Because this is an intermitant and unpredictable failure, and because the engine and system operates normally for long periods between incidents, the error must be computer/electrical and not related to the fuel pump. We have also replaced the aged engine battery and cleaned the cables. This did not correct the problem. Any assitance in resolving this issue is appreciated. We are concerned that the system will fail completely at the most inopportune time, leaving someone stranded on the highway or being a road hazard on a highway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | The steering has recently become "sticky" requiring more pressure to make steering adjustments and worse on turns. It is not a one time occurrence but continues to be a problem daily. I have read that there have been recalls for this same issue in model years from 2022-2025 with some complaints from 2021 models. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | Blown head gasket at 125448 miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, it was hesitating before returning to center. The contact stated that the steering wheel was sticking. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who was unable to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been intermittent but was a recurring failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering); however, the year and the VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,000 |
| Mar 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Auto-Restart is failing, causing car to stall or shut down entirely. When we pull up to a red light and the engine turns off, the car does not restart. Sometimes, it needs to be manually turned back on — sometimes, it shuts down entirely and requires a jump. Most recently, it required a jump and blocked traffic for 15 minutes on a busy street. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The infotainment screen failed to display the image from the rear view camera reducing a safety feature of the car. The vehicle was turned off then back on yet the screen remained black and unresponsive. A full video was taken of the different efforts to fix the issue such as momentarily pressing the screen's power button, holding the screen's power button, shifting to reverse-park-drive, etc. The vehicle is scheduled for an appointment with the dealership on 3/16/25. Randomly, the screen will resume working and the issue is not repeatable on command. However, this is the third time it's happened. The first incident wasn't documented, but the second time occurred on 7/11/2025. I have a video demonstrating the behavior and steps taken to resolve the issue. There were/are no warning lamps or messages. Today the issue occurred upon starting the car. Previously the screen has malfunctioned while on the highway going a steady speed. There was no accident and as such no police reports have been filed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STEERING | POWER STERING RACK IS DEFECTIVE AND LEAKING, THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2022 AND NEWER HONDA CRV'S ONLY WITH THIS ISSUE. HONDA NEEDS TO ACKNOWELEDGE THIS ISSUE EXTENDS FURTHER BACK AND FIX THE ISSUE. THIS IS A CONCERN WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND POSES A SAFETY RISK FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. AUTONATION HONDA IN CORPUS CHRISTI HAS INSPECTED AND CONFIRMED THIS IS THE ISSUE AND WANTS TO CHARGE ME $4,539.39 TO FIX IT PLUS $79.95 FOR AN ALIGNMENT. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | While ascending a steep hill in San Francisco, the engine began operating roughly and the check engine light came on and began flashing. Pulled over as soon as possible, let the engine cool, and confirmed in the operator manual that the flashing light indicated severe misfire and possible loss of engine power. After cooloff and restart, the flashing check engine light went off, but a scanner revealed a pending P0302 error code, indicating a misfire in cylinder 2. On the first restart of the engine, it started roughly before settling down, and I could hear loud water sloshing. On the short drive home, I could continue to feel the engine running roughly on each startup cycle (periodically on the drive since this is a hybrid), indicating to me a blown head gasket. In my research, this seems to be a common issue with this engine or model year (see NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE25016 or Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. et al). I'm confident that if I continue to drive it, another misfire like this on a hill in San Francisco could easily cause a loss of power, steering, or braking action. I will be taking it in for inspection at a Honda service center. The service representative at my local service center (Berkeley CA) indicated this is a common issue on this car that they see regularly. No prior mechanical issues or engine roughness with the vehicle, or anything that would've indicated an issue prior to this misfire and leak. Regularly serviced as a leased vehicle from Honda dealership until it was purchased 2 years ago from the dealership with 70,000 miles. No major maintenance since purchase besides oil changes, rear differential fluid changes, air filters, and tire replacement. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 73 MPH with two children inside the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and failed to respond as needed. The contact was able to move over to the right side of the road, where the vehicle was turned off and restarted, and operated as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 48,000 |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While highway driving around 60 mph, speed will decrease down to 30. Happened 4 times in the last 3 months. Need to pull over shoulder and shut off the vehicle to reset. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ENGINE | License Plate: [XXX] (CA) Vehicle: 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid Mileage: 102,700 Description of Incident: While operating the vehicle at highway speeds, a "Engine Temperature Near High" warning suddenly appeared on the dashboard. I immediately heard a loud "gurgling" or "water pouring" sound from the dashboard area. I was forced to navigate through traffic to the shoulder to prevent a total engine seizure and avoid a high-speed collision. I was able to restart and limp the vehicle to Tracy Honda (Dealer), where a certified technician performed a diagnostic (Repair Order #XXX) and confirmed a blown head gasket with coolant leaking into the combustion chambers. Detailed Defect Information: The vehicle is experiencing a premature failure of the head gasket, a component designed for the life of the engine. This failure allows coolant to breach the internal engine seals and enter the cylinders. This specific issue is currently being litigated in the consolidated class-action lawsuit Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Case No.XXX in the Southern District of California. Despite following maintenance schedules, the engine hardware failed, creating a sudden loss of thermal management. Safety Risk: The sudden onset of overheating while in high-speed traffic creates a significant safety risk. The "Engine Temperature Near High" warning provides insufficient time for a driver to safely exit a highway before the risk of catastrophic engine failure or fire becomes imminent. This is a documented manufacturing defect in 2017–2022 CR-V models that poses an unreasonable risk of accidents or being stranded in dangerous traffic conditions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact became aware of an abnormal sound coming from the engine with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The engine sputtered, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was driven near the contact's son-in-law's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the head gaskets needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that in October 2025, the entire fuel injector kit was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 135,000 |
| Feb 2026 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate above 60 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 MPH while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who adjusted an unknown valve, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer for the third time, where a fuel injector was replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25016 (Engine). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 61,000 |
| Feb 2026 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ENGINE | P3001 misfire cylinder 1 and the accompanying dash full of warning lights and subsequent disabling of vehicle safety systems. swapped coils and plugs .. still misfire cylinder 1 .. suspect injector and/or intake carbon problem .. missed existing handfull of 2020 model year recalls by 1 year for the same engine, fuel pump, injector and carbon build up problem. Problem almost always happens at cold start | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at highway speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and failed to accelerate above 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The driver pulled over and restarted the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated, and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The following day, the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #1. Upon investigation, the contact discovered an open investigation under NHTSA Action Number: PE25016 (Engine) and related the failure to the open investigation. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to assist with paying the deductible the repair. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,000 |
| Jan 2026 | BACK OVER PREVENTION | Safety defect in my 2021 Honda CRV. Until 11/23/2025 the rearview camera had perfect view. 11/24/2025, camera view became obstructed by the camera Lense black rim in the permanent housing. On 11/28/2025 saw my local mechanic. Told after visual inspection that the lense had slipped down in the housing. This would have to be repaired by Honda. Appt.11 AM on 12/18/2025 at Crown Honda Pinellas Park Fl. I viewed Honda manual for 2021 Honda CRV camera problems. Had to be taken to a Honda dealership for repair. Honda forums, and Honda repair technician blogs stated backup camera lense is a defect, has to be repaired by Honda. At Crown Honda on 12/18/2025 at 10:45 AM, I was checked in by a manager. This guy ran the outside car take in. He looked at the problem in driveway. After 15 min, I was told its “Normal” he said “I looked at the same year in lot and it looks the same.” I told him the camera lense housing is loose and needs repair,“ no its not” he said. I explained the backup camera lense dropped further since 11/24/2025 and almost resulted in a pedestrian injury twice. Backing out of my drive way and in a shopping center parking lot. Both times from the rear right side of the car, a known blind spot in Honda CRVs. Both times the camera did not see the cross-traffic movement. I insisted a mechanic look at the car. Another shop manager comes and says its normal. I showed both of them the proof it is not normal, my obstructed view is a safety concern. At 12:07 they finally agreed to have mechanic # 971716A look at it. The second manager says “nothing is wrong.” I said, “if an injury occurs which is a result of this obstructed view, I will hold you/him accountable.” I said” check the housing holding the camera” he said “No, and the truth is; not enough people are complaining for Honda to pay for this repair”. I am truly concerned this is a serious safety hazard that can result in injury or death due to an obstructed view of rear camera. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |