Complaint volume
289 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
289 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Honda CR-V, grouped by component category.
289 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 76
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
289 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | Experiencing freezing/sticking of the steering wheel during driving at both slow and fast speeds. After inspection by a Honda dealer, the problem was able to be reproduced was determined that the vehicle requires a new steering gearbox. There were no warning lamps or messages that appeared to indicate this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | 2021 CRV EX experiences sticking when steering. Vehicle was purchased used as Honda Certified and problem noted at 13,800 miles of usage. When driving at approximately 40-45 mph, the steering wheel requires additional effort to return to center position, especially noticable when turning left. There is also a noticable clicking sensation and sound coincidental to this anomaly. There are no apparent error codes and LKAS is enabled. I have not yet taken the vehicle to Honda Service | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | When I am driving sometimes I feel the steering wheel “sticks” and I have to apply more pressure to “break” the lock in order to steer it. I have noticed it at highway speeds and even on some curves which I believe makes it easier to accidentally over correct. It has the potential of creating an accident if on a curved road where one has to apply more pressure to break the steering wheel and accidentally over correct which could cause the vehicle to stray into an adjacent lane or barrier. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. I believe the vehicle needs to be driven for a while and at highway speeds in order to recreate it. No other entity has inspected the vehicle in relation to this issue. No warning lamps, or messages were shown prior to this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | The steering wheel began sticking some time ago. It seemed to come and go, so I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. It mostly would stick when I steered to the left and then back to the right. It would stick coming out of a curve or after it had been driven straight for a while. Mostly it's left to right. I took it to the dealer yesterday and was told that the steering rack at a cost of $3600.00. Unfortunately, the car is no longer under warranty. Additionally, the part is on national back order and may not even be received until November. This feels like a dangerous issue and in my opinion, there should be a recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | Steering feels sticky and temporary requires extra force to get the wheel to turn | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | The steering is sticking. It takes effort to correct the steering. There is also a clicking sound when the wheel sticks. This can make steering the car more difficult. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | STEERING | The steering sticks and there is an increase in the steering effort. Part No. 53620-TLA-A30 was diagnosed by the dealer to need replacement. The dealer informed me that this part is out of inventory in the entire Honda organization and there is no date as to when this part will become available. Since this is my only vehicle I am currently driving a car with a known safety issue and no expectation as to when it can be repaired. I also have a copy your ODI Resume Investigation EA23003 which describes the exact same problem on other Honda CRVs and indicates that there are reported crashes and injuries. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | With keyless transmitter in my possession…Intermittent Attempts to start the vehicle can be almost impossible due an extremely firm brake pedal with high resistance. First attempt.. extremely firm brake pedal with high resistance…pressing the start button… no results. Second attempt brake pedal will have a slight “give” .. pressing the start button only results in all dash warning/ inspection lights illuminating. Third attempt usually results in the vehicle starting normally. In an attempt to remedy the problem… I have replaced the start/stop button… problem still persists. Have read numerous articles and posts in forums and on the internet that other owners of various Honda models with the push button start switches experiencing the same issue. I have contacted my local Honda dealer… they state to date they have not had any customer reports of this problem … However… …. contacting an independent Honda repair shop reveals they in fact have had customers report this issue. When this happens… there is no warning… no illumination of DTC lamps on the dash… intermittent… but very concerning | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I was parking in the garage in the condominium complex where I live. Because the spaces are narrow with a concrete post on the left of my space and a parked car on my right, rather than pull directly into my space I typically stop the car a few feet beyond my space, reverse to align my car with the spot, and then pause to center the steering before I shift to drive. At this point the parking spot is about one car length in front of me. On this particular afternoon, as soon as I put the car into drive, it abruptly accelerated and in the split second before I hit the concrete wall directly in front of me I knew that I had no control over the car's speed. Upon impact, the airbag deployed giving me a sternal fracture and other bruising. I do not know why this sudden acceleration occurred, since I had stopped and carefully positioned the car to slowly move forward into my parking space. After the accident, I checked the floor mat (having heard that sometimes can interfere with the gas pedal) but the floor mat was securely in place. The car was towed to the repair shop and a week later the insurance company declared my car a total loss. When I asked the repair shop if they could tell what caused this sudden acceleration they suggested trying to secure the car's black box, and I mentioned this to the insurance representative. The insurance company have since moved the car to be used for salvage. I do not know what caused sudden acceleration. I can only assume the problem was electrical or computer, as opposed to human error. I am submitting this report in the hopes that others will be protected from being hurt in accidents like this. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STEERING | Steering sticks momentarily when turning the steering wheel. This could be a potentially fatal problem. I just called the dealership, and there are no recalls although the problem has been widely reported online. No warning lights. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STEERING | The steering is sticking when turning left and not returning to center. It makes an audible clicking when it happens. It does not happen with right turns, is not speed related, and is intermittent. Seems to happen more frequently after the car has been driven for awhile or when the weather is warmer as it’s been happening for over a year. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Steering is very noisy Hard to drive Lane departure comes on And makes car drive out of lane of traffic Then brake assist kicks in And stands me on my head I have taken to dealership They can’t get the car to do it They tell me turn off all the features and drive it I feel very unsafe in it I want the problems fixed Or I will call my attorney | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | EPS gearbox. When entering into a turn the steering wheel gets stuck and requires additional force to pull wheel out of the turn for both left turns and right turns. The risk of overcorrecting or being unable to return the wheel to a forward direction is a major risk to the driver and to others. The vehicle is uncomfortable to drive due to the unpredictability of the sticking steering. The more severe the turn the more sticky the steering. The issue seems to be progressing over time since it was first noticed (May 2024; vehicle purchased Aug 2021). The vehicle was taken to the Honda service center for diagnosis; however, there were no warning lamps or messages triggered by the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected by the service technician with the recommendation to replace the EPS gearbox assembly. The observations by the technician were "The EPS steering assist is not performing correctly on left turns. Checked suspension for binding. No damage found. Gearbox assembly will need to be replaced". The vehicle is a 2021 Honda CR-V with 42,000 miles (Honda warranty 3 YR/36,000 miles). The Honda service center initially placed responsibility on customer to repair at a cost of approx $4,000. This case has still not been settled and no authorization for repair has been agreed upon. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a failure with the inclement weather sensor which should engaged with the vehicle in inclement weather. The contact stated that the sensor would not function properly. Additionally, the system failure warning light was illuminated. The contact was concerned of a safety hazard while driving in inclement weather. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 66,000 |
| May 2024 | STEERING | Sticky steering while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STEERING | The steering wheel will "lock up" and need to be pushed in order to gain full control of the vehicle. This happens most often in turns where the steering wheel will not respond to normal pressure and require excessive force to be used to straighten move the wheel back and forth. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH into the garage, the vehicle inadvertently started to reverse. The instrument cluster lights went blank. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle drove over some rocks in the yard. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled the parking brake, and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and encouraged the contact to call again if the failure recurred, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 16,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Apr 2024 | STEERING | 2021 Honda CR-V EX. When making a slight steering correction, the steering wheel and car will make a slight jerking motion. This will happen when turning in either direction. The result is I am constantly steering and trying to drive a straight line - and can't -. Very disturbing. The auto only has approx. 10,000 miles. The problem only started at about 9,000 miles. The DEALER has NOT inspected the unit as of today. There is no warning or indicator - it happens constantly when driving at any speed. ( you can also feel the jerky motion when setting still and slightly putting pressure on the steering wheel.) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My check engine light came on while driving, stating a system emission problem. 24 hours later, all driver-assist safety features have warning lights on the dash that all systems were disabled. I brought my CRV to Honda dealership service dept who determined that my fuel injectors had failed and needed replaced. Once the injectors were replaced, all the dash warning lights shut off and driver assist programs are working again. My car is only 3 years old and has 71,000 miles on it, and is outside of the parameters for the original warranty provided by Honda. I believe the fuel injectors should be recalled because of how many 5th generation CRVs need fuel injectors replaced during the early life of the car. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Interior lights switch does not seem to work properly. It started a couple of months ago. I have had issues with the automatic braking when the car "thinks" there is something in front of me and slams on the brakes. 4 out of 5 times there was nothing there. 1 of those times was during a rain storm, so that time I chalked it up to the radar being wet. I have also had several instances when the car flashes "BRAKE" when there is no reason for it. Similarly, when in reverse, the car again "thinks" there is something behind me and beeps when there is nothing within 50 feet of my car. I keep my cameras and radar clean at all times. Before each trip, I wipe them clean. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | STEERING | UNKNOWN. While driving on the highway at 60MPH for 30+ minutes, the steering wheel began to stick when making small adjustments to stay in the lane or when driving through curves. It was over 80 degrees outside during both instances of this happening. No warning lights were on, lane assist was OFF, cruise control was ON. The possibility of over-correcting into the opposite lane or off the road is high, especially in inclement weather with less traction. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealership is attempting to reproduce the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driving in the highway when I was signaling to exit going right, My car suddenly brakes on its own and continue to drive. I did shoulder my vehicle to check my vehicle. No vehicle was around me that time and I check my car surrounding and it was clear. Incident happen multiple times which I did adjust my sensor to low distance but still happens. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving going about 30 in town and there were no cars, no pedestrians, no obstacles and all of a sudden my car's dashboard flashed brake and my car braked itself. We went from 30 to zero with a screech. I did not touch the brake during this time. It was unnerving and nothing like this has happened before. I commute on the freeway regularly and I am very scared this could happen at much higher speeds with deadly consequences. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | STEERING | When driving on highways at speeds greater than 45 to 50 miles per hour when I turn the steering wheel, I have to apply greater than normal pressure to get it to turn back straight forward. This has just started over the past couple of weeks and is getting worse each time I drive it. I am getting afraid to drive the car as I am concerned it will cause me to wreck if I can't get it to turn back straight or if I have to jerk it back too hard and over correct. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |