Honda CR-V Years to Avoid
By NHTSA owner-complaint volume from 2012 to 2024, the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Honda CR-V model years drew the most complaints — 2018 the highest, with 2,135 complaints. These are raw complaint counts, not a reliability score, and are not adjusted for how many were sold. Check the specific VIN before you buy.
Honda CR-V complaints & recalls by year
NHTSA owner-reported complaints and safety recalls per model year. Shaded rows are the three highest-complaint years.
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 403 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 381 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 587 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 670 | 3 | |
| 2016 | 392 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 1,762 | 7 | |
| 2018 | 2,135 | 5 | |
| 2019 | 1,095 | 8 | |
| 2020 | 354 | 7 | |
| 2021 | 328 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 254 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 514 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 388 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA complaints & recalls APIs (api.nhtsa.gov). Data refreshed 2026-09-15. Counts are totals per model year and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Looking at a specific Honda CR-V?
Year-level data tells you the pattern; the VIN tells you the car. Enter the VIN to decode it free and see the recalls, owner complaints, and — on eligible models — what buyers actually paid.
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Last reviewed September 2026· Data: free public NHTSA complaints & recalls
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda CR-V years should you avoid?+
By NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 2012–2024, the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Honda CR-V model years drew the most complaints, with 2018 the highest at 2,135. Complaint counts are raw NHTSA totals and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so higher-volume years can show more complaints. Always check the specific VIN before buying.
How many recalls does the Honda CR-V have?+
Across 2012–2024, NHTSA lists 51 safety recalls for the Honda CR-V. Recalls are per model year — a specific vehicle may or may not have had the recall work completed. Run the VIN to see the recalls that apply to that car.
Where does this data come from?+
Owner complaints and safety recalls are pulled from the free public NHTSA APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), last refreshed 2026-09-15. This page reports counts only; it does not assign a reliability score or assert that any year is unsafe.