2021 Honda CR-V complaints

The steering is sticky and makes a grinding noise as it is turned to its neutral position. Notice more during a right turn. But overall steering is not smooth.

The steering wheel sticks.

The steering wheel sticks when beginning to turn it. Occurs at all speeds and seems to be more prevalent at warmer temperatures.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver observed that the steering wheel stiff. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving 10 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that that power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The steering wheel sticks during turns causing the wheel to jerk back into place afterwards. There were no warning lights to alert of this issue. The dealership says that the entire power steering system needs to be replaced and quoted me $3500. I bought the car 6 months ago with 27000 miles on it. I have now learned that this issue is common on the CRV and that newer models have been recalled. I'm hoping that the 2021 can be added to the recall.

My 2021 Honda CR-V has experienced incidents where it suddenly and unexpectedly applied the brakes while I was driving, despite: - No vehicle, pedestrian, or object is present in front of me - No driver input on the brake pedal - Not using cruise control at the time My car occasionally jerks or shows warning lights before stopping, sometimes without any warning. I suspect an issue with the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) or related driver-assistance components. These braking incidents occurred under normal driving conditions and pose a high risk of being rear-ended. My car's issues remain unresolved, and I feel unsafe while driving my vehicle. Two dealerships conducted four diagnostic tests (on 18, 19, 21, and 24 May 2025) to evaluate the Honda Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) and the associated driver-assistance components. But no issues were identified during these evaluations. - 23 May 2025, I discussed my car’s issues with a Honda Case Manager (in California). He did not accept any responsibility for the reported Honda braking issues. - 27 May 2025, I filed a formal complaint with Honda Customer Service. Honda has not taken any action to address my car’s issues.

I was driving down a main road and with no cars in front of me, my Automatic Emergency Breaking came on, flashed Brake and then brought my car to an immediate stop. I made an appointment at my dealership. The dealership said there were no recalls and said they would charge me $50 to try to recreate the issue but they didn't think they would be able to recreate it.

Head gasket failure. 79,600 miles. Car consumes coolant. Coolant is entering the firing ring when car sits after being driven a distance of 5 miles or more and sits for about 8 hours, vehicle starts with a misfire and makes a small amount of white sweet smoke out of the exhaust pipes even in 85 degree weather. Car smooths itself out after 10-30 seconds. No OBDII or Honda specific codes. Spark plugs, ignition coils, and spark plugs again since 75K. Over $2,000 into this car in repairs. Refilled coolant reservoir 3 times since April 8TH (3 full jugs of Peak Asian blue from Advanced Auto Parts). I want justice for this car and other Honda 1.5T vehicle owners as many of them have this happen at the 80K mark and they’re being quoted $10K for an engine and $5K for a head gasket. There are several people with Accords, Civics, CR-Vs equipped with the 1.5T engine that have coolant leaking into one cylinder. Oil looks fine and not milky. And besides the coolant being low, it looks fine (blue/aqua). Only when the car sits. Car was brought to Rivera Honda in Port Jeff and they couldn’t find any issues. Car is consuming coolant. No leaks. It’s being burned when you start the car after it sits. Gushing liquid noise when car starts or with idle engine stop activated and car restarts.Design flaws on cylinder head has grooves that allow coolant to flow on top of the head to cool it. Failure point according to a Honda mechanic on YouTube. Second flaw is poorly designed head bolts that are too

The steering wheel was sticking when steering to the left then back to center, almost like it was catching on something. Took to the dealer and they replaced the electric rack due to the steering issue.

I had 2 unrelated issues in the past 2 days: 1) rear door actuator malfunction. The door won't lock or unlock as part of the central locking system 2) The "break" alert went off without any cars around. Happened once, breaks weren't activated by the car.

Steering sticking at highway speed

Sticky steering wheel. It catches when beginning to turn(i.e. when changing lanes or turning corners). Right now, it doesn't keep me from continuing to turn, but issue is getting worse in terms of frequency of occurrence. It occurs every time I take the car out. Currently, the car has less than 14,000 miles on it. Problem has not been examined nor confirmed by dealer. There have been no warning lamps, messages, or other symtoms prior to problem occurring.

Driving on the highway going 55 mph when the car in front of me in the left lane more than 5 car lengths began to break, recognizing this I put my blinker on and tried to switch to the right lane when suddenly the automatic breaking kicked in and slowed the car down to a near stop. I was unable to deactivate with the break or the gas for a few seconds and by that time I was stuck between the lanes nearly getting t-boned in the right lane before the car swerved to avoid my vehicle. Had there been someone behind me in the left lane I would have surely been in a terrible and fatal accident. I was in complete control of the car and received no more than a one second warning (in the form of a short beep) that the automatic breaks would kick in suddenly. This put myself and my passenger in serious danger. This is not the first time this has happened and has happened as I have approached an exit on the highway as well. Again, fortunately no one was driving behind me that time as well. There is something seriously wrong and I no longer trust the safety of my vehicle. There is also no way for me to turn this feature off until there is a formal recall issued. The dealership says there is no active recall therefore I will need to pay $175 to get the issue checked out.

When turning (any direction and any speed) the steering wheel will get stuck requiring more effort to turn the vehicle. It was initially intermittent but has recently become more frequent. After searching online this appears to be a common issue with newer Hondas.

Excess friction between the worm wheel and worm gear.

Sticky steering wheel. Happens when temperatures get above 75 degrees. Feels like the steering wheel might not turn.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became sticky while turning. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The contact was informed that the repair of the vehicle would be an out-of-pocket expense. Upon investigation, the contact discovered and linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

The steering sticks really bad when going around a curve or turning. It has been doing it for months, but it keeps getting worse.

I have noticed an issue with the steering wheel in my vehicle. It feels sticky and does not turn as smoothly as it once did. Specifically, it sticks at certain intervals when steering at highway speeds, such as when making long right or left turns. Additionally, when making sharper/ slower turns, like when turning into a parking space, I hear cracking or popping sounds coming from the steering wheel as I turn.

On several occasions since I’ve owned the vehicle, it has come to a complete stop while driving at highway speeds without any apparent reason, accompanied by a warning of a possible collision. On one such occasion, the vehicle stopped so abruptly that I initially thought I had been rear-ended, though thankfully no cars were near me at the time. If other vehicles had been nearby during any of these incidents, I believe it could have resulted in a serious accident. While I am grateful for the technology, as it has also helped me avoid an accident on two separate occasions (different from the above referenced instances), I believe the system needs improvement to prevent these unexpected stops from occurring.

On Friday, March 21, 2025, there was a very loud explosion (bomb-like) while driving. Parts started flying off the car, including shattered glass. The next day I took the car to the Honda Dealership and was told the sunroof had exploded. I was very fortunate that I or anyone in the cars behind me were not injured. Unfortunately, Honda is not covering this as part of my warranty. I currently have a little over 27,000 miles on the car.

Today was the fourth time that the automatic breaking system engaged when there was no other car present to trigger it. I was going under 5 miles an hour. The car next to me was making a left-hand turn, and there was no car in front of me to cause the breaking system to engage with such a force that I thought I was rear-ended by a truck

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the seat belt and the steering wheel were deteriorated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was determined that it was normal wear and tear. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

I am writing to formally report a serious safety concern with my 2021 Honda CR-V EX. For approximately a year and a half, I have experienced a persistent issue with the steering system that has progressively worsened. Specifically, my vehicle exhibits a “sticky” steering sensation, making it difficult to smoothly turn or change lanes. This issue occurs most prominently when I first start driving and persists whenever I make turns to either the left or right. I am aware that Honda has issued a recall for steering problems in certain models, but my vehicle has not been included in the recall. Given the severity of the issue and the potential safety risks involved, I am extremely concerned. This problem affects my ability to control the vehicle properly, and I fear it could lead to an accident if it continues to deteriorate. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this issue further, as multiple owners of the 2021 Honda CR-V have reported similar complaints. If necessary, I am willing to provide additional details or documentation regarding my vehicle’s condition. Please advise on the next steps I should take to ensure this issue is properly addressed. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

Steering is sticky at highway speeds. Momentary inability to turn steering wheel while driving.

Last September my lane assistance caused me to hydroplane and spin out of control. My airbag was deployed and I was injured. I was on the outside left lane, the roads were a little wet from a past rain event, I felt the car run over a slick spot and its wasn't until my lane assist beeped and turned my wheel and I instantly began spinning, I hit a concrete wall. Prior to this I experienced my lane assist feeling sticky or like it drives to autosteer itself too much. I expressed this to my insurance and they said I couldnt prove it and did nothing about it. 2 weeks ago, my car braked to a complete stop because someone was on the sidewalk to the left and I was almost rear ended. Last week, the car infront of me swerved to avoid a 2x4 in the road and I tried to do the same but my lane assist beeped and took control and forced me to run it over now I am going through another insurance claim because my electrical system is broken now due to the new damage.

February 5, the car infront of me swerved to avoid a 2x4 in the road and I tried to do the same but my lane assist beeped and took control and forced me to run it over now I am going through another insurance claim because my electrical system is broken now due to the new damage. Since my last accident, even my passengers can feel when the car resists my steering and when I try to correct it by turning the steering wheel slightly more, it just lets go and causes me to have to correct the over maneuver. I drive 60+ miles a day and I feel my car resist my steering too often, I do not feel comfortable. I purposely since my last accident don't even have my lane features turned on and it still over corrects.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

While Driving on Highway engine lost power and check engine light went on so i had to pull over turn off engine wait a few minutes and restart this happened on 3 occasions

Since new, TPMS fails to warn of a low tire unless the car is driven for 5 miles. The TPMS in this car is ABS-based, and each wheel does not have an individual TPMS sensor, rather the wheel speed is what determines if the car has a low tire or not. Brought to Honda several times, could not duplicate, says TPMS performs as it should. Recently had a flat, 3/4 tires were inflated to 37 PSI and the left rear had 4 PSI. Warning light did NOT come on. Drove on low tire for 2.5 miles before noticing I had a flat tire from a nail. AAA came, put the "donut" on the car, and within another 2.5 miles, the TPMS warning light came on, followed by "TPMS System Problem." Not the first time this happened, but I had to buy a new tire because I drove on it flat - which was ~ $267 in Costco for a Michelin Defender 2. Luckily, I did not drive too long of a distance that would've damaged the wheel, but this is problematic especially if you're on the highway. As you can tell, a 4-year-old car with 74K on it, I do a lot of driving. This needs to get rectified.

Rear liftgate struts did not hold the liftgate up and it hit me in the head. Outside temperature was 12 degrees. Aside from a minor bump and some humiliation, no injury done. But I had to hold the tailgate door to put my mailman bag in the trunk because it wouldn't stay open.

1) On 3 occasions the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) has self activated and the car attempted to come to a complete stop. The 1st incident, 10/19/24, happened while driving 35-40 mph while changing lanes, a red BRAKE light and alarms sounded bringing the car to a complete stop. While there was traffic around me, no one was directly in front of me or close enough to have required this to activate. A vehicle traveling behind came inches from rear-ending me. The 2nd incident, 11/9/24 concerns me the most, happening 3 weeks after the first incident while on the highway traveling 65 mph. I was in the left lane of multi-lane traffic. While there were vehicles two lanes to my right, there was no one directly in front of me by 100 yards. Again, alarms, red BRAKE light, and the car proceeded to come to a complete stop. The car felt like it was floating and for a moment, I felt like my life was over as the car was out of control. The 3rd incident, 12/9/24 happened 9 days after it was in for service, while traveling 30 mph in town. 2) The 1st incident avoided an accident because of the alertness of the driver behind me. The second incident, at 65 mph, is of the most concern, as for a few moments, I felt like my life was over. This incident is also causing me to have PTSD symptoms while continuing to drive, it has required me to see an MD. 3) An appointment was available about 3 weeks after the second incident. They were not able to replicate it or find anything wrong with the vehicle

See attached document for complaint.

On at leas 8 occasions in the past 3 years the Automatic Braking System (Forward Collision Avoidance System) engaged with audible warning while on the interstate driving at highway speeds unexpectedly with no vehicles or other obstructions in my lane in front of me. The majority of occurrences were as I was attempting to pass in the left lane, but on at least 2 occasions there were no cars to the left or right of me. The sudden braking could have caused a serious collision. I have not brought the problem to the attention of a dealer or independent service center as I doubt they would be able to reproduce or confirm the issue, as I have experienced before on intermittent issues before. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear

See attached document for complaint.

I drove to Pittsburgh on [XXX]. I got back in the car, pulled down the driveway and when I tried to enter traffic the car lost power, the dashboard went crazy with error messages and the car was useless. Had it towed to the nearest Honda dealer, they suspected fuel. The high pressure fuel pump was the part that fixed the problem. Fault code dtcp0087 was found in the ECU. I obtained a fuel sample and had it checked, the water content was a little out of spec but nothing really bad. I do have the fuel pump in case anyone wants to do a failure analysis. To add insult to injury, my extended "warranty" is refusing to cover the repair because they just want to say no. [XXX]... The bill was $1786.11, not including a rental car and my time. I have heard of quite a few recalls on these Hondas, you might want to add my model year to that list. Please advise if you have had other reports. Thanks! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH and she was steering to make a lane change the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that it was taking more effort than normal to turn the steering wheel and it was also jerking as she turned. The contact stated that the failure occurred when she was turning either right or left. The contact stated that the failure was happening at any speed and that the failure was recurring. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

The rear center seat belt will not latch. Car was taken to dealer and the dealer confirmed it will not latch but did not have the part in stock and gave no estimate on when it would be in.

While driving vehicle at highway speeds, steering wheel feels sticky at center position. It feels unsafe while driving. The problem is not noticeable at low speeds or city driving. My vehicle has 50,000 miles and just started noticing this issue. I drove it to the Honda dealer (Rick Case Honda In Weston Fl) to report the issue, but they notified me that there is no recalls for 2021 Honda CR-V sticky steering issues. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became sticky while turning. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering gearbox was defective and was provided an estimate for the repair. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer and was informed that half of the repair cost or the full repair cost would be covered if the part was placed under recall. Upon investigation, the contact discovered and linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the recall, but the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

While driving on interstate 140 doing about 70 we heard a loud noise and then we also heard the wind coming above the cover to our sunroof. After stopping to examine what happened it appears that our sunroof was damaged and cracked by either and outside force or possibly a spontaneous explosion as has been reported elsewhere on the Internet. We had the glass replaced when we got to our destination in NJ but they couldn't repair the tracks the powered roof slides on due to damage to the rails or brackets. They replaced the glass and told me not to operate the window motor until the dealer can investigate further.

My Honda CRV has a open recall for a weight sensor and I reached out to local dealer many times, part got recalled at the begging of the year and all they say they don’t have the part

I purchased the Certified Pre-Own 2021 Honda CRV on August 26, 2024. I took it to the Honda Dealership which we purchased it to inspect a noise coming from the passenger front wheel-well. Upon the inspection they noticed the passenger Strut Tower had split open at the weld seam. The Honda dealer claims its due to hitting a pothole and a driver issue. An independent mechanic indicated that doesn't hold true, since there is no damage to the tire, rim, shock absorber or strut along with the car being in alignment. I showed pictures to a master welder who indicated it looked like a failed weld seam. The car is inoperable in the current state given driving it could cause the strut to pierce the hood. On December 12/2/24 I reached out the American Honda Motor Inc, who then put me in touch with a case manager on 12/3 at which time I filed a failed part claim. They responded on 12/6/24 that the claim was denied. I ask for written confirmation of the decision, which they replied they don't provide written Commnication.

While traveling on the highway at 65 mph, in the left lane of three lanes of traffic with no cars in front of, back of, or side of me, (AdaptiveCruiseControl and LaneKeepAssist were both on) when the vehicle did an “emergency” self-brake. A large red BRAKE sign appeared in the dash and the car felt “out of control.” I physically hit the brake, slowed down and exited the highway. I REMAIN FOR ME TO FEEL VERY INSECURE on highway travel. This was a second incident. This occurred early November. The first incident happened a few weeks before this one while traveling around 40 mph in multi-lane traffic. I signaled to move into the left lane, no cars were within two car lengths from me, when the vehicle did a hard self-brake; the ACC and LKAS were NOT engaged at this time. Again, the car seemed “out-of-control” for a short time. This incident occurred mid October.

While driving on a 55 mph highway, in clear dry road, I heard an explosion. My sunroof had exploded, with so apparent cause. I was not following any vehicles. There were no wires or limbs overhead. Fortunately the inside cover was closed or the.driver and the passenger would have been covered in glass, and driving could have been impaired causing an accident. Upon researching, I have found I am not the only Honda CRV driver to whom this has happened.

I was driving on a four lane highway in February 2024 and the engine of my 2021 Honda CR-V just stopped working and the car was not responding. I was able to coast the car into a parking lot where I had to have it towed to the nearest Honda dealership. I was told the fuel pump had failed and needed replacing. I was told there was no recall on my model for this fuel pump and had to pay full price for the repair of over $1000. I now see where this fuel pump is failing in other models of CR-Vs but mine is not listed though the experience mentioned in the recall matches what I experienced. There was no warning of the failure and when the car stopped running all the warning messages just kept recycling over and over on the display. There was no prior warning of the failure. I was very concerned because I was on a busy highway and was worried about getting hit. The repair was done at a Honda Dealership.

I was driving on a straight street doing about 35 MPH and my car all of the sudden braked. Luckily there was no one behind me, had there been, I would have definitely caused an accident. I contacted a Honda dealership and they said there are no recalls on my vehicle, so could only make an appointment, try to recreate the issue and run a diagnostic, but they said they never heard of the issue. I had no issues or warning lights prior too. My car was inspected in June and I just recently had the oil changed and brakes checked. I take the highway to work and I'm very afraid if this happens at highway speed what would happen.

I have experienced at least 4 occurrences in the last year of the automatic emergency braking system activating when there were no obstructions while crossing a bridge. I have also experienced at least 2 occurrences of the automatic emergency braking system activating while going under an overpass. I live in interior Alaska and in the most recent occurrence I was going over an icy bridge in the dark in below zero temperatures when the car automatically applied the brakes for no reason. Brakes need to be applied carefully on icy roads - had someone been behind me or had I lost control of the car because of the unexpected braking, this could have resulted in a serious accident.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the cruise control feature became inoperable. There were several warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the cruise control light failed to activate and the brakes would inadvertently activate with no traffic nearby. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, and while accelerating the speed would fluctuate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.