Honda Cr-V 2012–2016

4th generation · RM1-RM4 · 3,328 complaints, 2,270 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 17,412 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 21.5% of complaints (717 reports, 501 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 20,125 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 47,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 13.0% of complaints (434 reports, 255 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 19,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,100 and 40,925 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 12.1% of complaints (404 reports, 273 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,412 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,000 and 55,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (328 reports, 213 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 23,790 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,000 and 45,000 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 4.4% of complaints (146 reports, 85 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 31,578 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,136 and 57,800 miles.

Throttle and speed control accounts for 4.2% of complaints (141 reports, 110 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 10,213 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 34,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2015 model year drew the most — 975 complaints — while 2013 drew the fewest at 500. The median year sits at 545.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 7 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 3,328 complaints filed against this generation, 264 reported a crash; 29 reported a fire; 222 reported an injury; 9 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 7.9% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 45% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 19,500, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (7)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Honda Cr-V 1997–2001
• Honda Cr-V 2002–2006
• Honda Cr-V 2007–2011
• Honda Cr-V 2017–2022
• Honda Cr-V 2023–2025