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Honda · NHTSA safety record

2016 Honda CR-V

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 393 safety complaints about the 2016 Honda CR-V with the US government. Of those, 40 describe a crash, 4 mention a fire, 36 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 101 complaints, 26% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 19,000 miles, the median across the 235 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2016 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

393 complaints on file

393

Complaints

40

Describe a crash

4

Mention fire

36

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints halved year on year: 16 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 39 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 101 · 26%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 85 · 22%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 65 · 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 64 · 16%
POWER TRAIN 45 · 11%
AIR BAGS 32 · 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 28 · 7%
SERVICE BRAKES 18 · 5%
STEERING 17 · 4%
STRUCTURE 17 · 4%
WHEELS 13 · 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 12 · 3%
0 42 85

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 393.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 66.

72 54 36 18
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2016 Honda CR-V, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.4% 17.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

23V858000 · December 18, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,490,460 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

17V305000 · May 4, 2017

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine. The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.
The risk
The reduced performance may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace the incorrect components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF6.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 16 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

15V714000 · October 29, 2015

The defect
American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CR-V vehicles manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began in November 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda'a number for this recall is JV9.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 515 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Electrical overstress

EA19001

Closed engineering analysis · opened April 19, 2019 · closed September 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024

the air bags

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

5 injured · crash · towed · 5,000 miles

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AND RECEIVED FRONT CRASH FROM INCOMING VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK, AND SEATBELT BROKE. PASSENGER RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT BODILY INJURY

NHTSA complaint 11006304. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, WHEN APPROACHING A CROSS ROAD ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING FORM THE RIGHT SIDE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED SHE MERGED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID AN IMPACT AND CRASHED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF HER VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF ANY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CMBS SYSTEM ENGAGED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND NECK INJURY. THE CONTACT DID SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BY

NHTSA complaint 11220930, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 32,500 miles

TAMARA RECALL... ON MAY 26, 2019 WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN FROM OUR MOUNTAIN HOME IN SEQUOIA MOUNTAINS ABOVE PORTERVILLE. IT WAS STARTING TO SNOW AT 4 PM. GOING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH, ROUNDING A CURVE, IN LOW GEAR THE CAR LOST TRACTION WENT DOWN A 200 FOOT EMBANKMENT. SMASHED HEAD ON MORE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, INTO A LARGE BOULDER THE CAR FLIPPED ON ITS DRIVER SIDE AND LANDED IN A CREEK. THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SIDE AIRBAGS DID HOWEVER. MY WIFE AND I SUFFERED INJURIES SHE SUFFERED A FRACTURED STERNUM, I SUFFERED A LOWER FRACTURE IN MY VERTEBRAE. FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CAR I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AT LEAST THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, IT DID NOT, AND IF THEY HAD I'M

NHTSA complaint 11232553, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed

I BELIEVE A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ISSUE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2016 HONDA CR-V AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON DECEMBER 12, 2019. AT THAT TIME, I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 36 YEARS BOTH ON MAUI AND AS AN AIR FORCE OFFICER IN THE CONUS. IN ALL THAT TIME, I HAD NEVER DRIVEN RECKLESSLY OR EVEN SPED AS IS EVIDENCED BY MY DRIVING RECORD. THAT MORNING, MY VEHICLE HAD REPORTEDLY BEEN DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND ENDED UP FLIPPING OVER SEVERAL TIMES LEADING TO MY HOSPITALIZATION AND SURGERY FOR SPINAL FUSION. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE RESULTING CONCUSSION, I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING FROM THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT UNTIL WAKING UP IN THE ICU AFTER SURGERY, NOT EVEN DRIVING TO WORK.

NHTSA complaint 11414060, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Upon going out to my vehicle noticed that the moonroof had shattered the glass is pointing upwards and I found information reduarding a possible lawsuit claiming Honda knows of this the vehicle is a 2016 Honda crv I have video and multiple photos of the vehicle to use for a claim

NHTSA complaint 11766387. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On August 8, 2026, while operating a 2016 Honda CR-V (62,459 original miles) at highway speeds, the engine’s factory water pump experienced a sudden, catastrophic internal failure and froze completely. The seized water pump instantly sheared and shredded the serpentine belt. This induced an immediate, sudden loss of alternator charging, engine cooling, and power steering assist while driving at high highway speeds. This instantaneous component failure created a severe, life-threatening safety hazard, leaving the driver struggling to control the heavily disabled vehicle. This structural mechanical failure directly matches the engineering defect acknowledged by the manufacturer in Honda

NHTSA complaint 11762711, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My 2016 Honda CR‑V has only had one driver since purchase and currently has approximately 86,000 miles. It has been properly maintained, yet it is experiencing the same symptoms described in Honda’s recent warranty extension concerning head-gasket failures. Despite its relatively low mileage and limited use, the vehicle appears to have experienced a premature engine-related failure. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether this issue affects earlier model-year CR‑Vs as well. I also request that my vehicle be included in the applicable warranty coverage or that Honda provide appropriate coverage for the diagnosis and repair.

NHTSA complaint 11761494. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While I was driving on I-75 in Cincinnati OH my vehicle suddenly lost all power with no advanced warning. My car was working fine on the way to work and even when I began my commute home but then suddenly every light on my dash illuminated, my steering wheel became almost impossible to steer and the car stalled. I was on a bridge overpass with little shoulder and I had to call 911 to get a ODOT truck to help protect me from the traffic. I then waited over an hour to get a tow. When I got it to the dealer, I was informed I needed a new alternator but the alternator failed due to a faulty key fob actuator. Apparently, the constant active sensor overworked the battery and alternator causing

NHTSA complaint 11760361, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Last night I was stopped at a light with my foot on the brake waiting for the light to turn green. The car suddenly wanted to move forward and was fighting the brake. I'm not a two-footed driver, so only my right foot was on the brake. I took my foot off the brake for a second and the car lurched forward on its own, so I had to apply the brake to stay stopped or the car would have entered a very busy intersection on a red light. Once the light turned green I used the accelerator pedal to move forward and the racing engine stopped. I pulled over and checked to see if the floor mat was somehow in the way, but it was not. It is physically impossible for me to press both the brake and the

NHTSA complaint 11753953, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Spontaneously shattered sunroof. I was driving on the freeway going 50mph and I heard an extremely loud 'bang' and then glass was falling down on me and my passenger. The sunroof had completely shattered with no explanation or prior indication of cracks, etc. No extreme temperatures fluxes - this was in San Francisco on June 23, 2026. I know there are over 50,000 reports of this exact same thing happening with Honda vehicles.

NHTSA complaint 11746254. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Honda CR-V

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 143 0 —
2025 253 1 —
2024 392 2 —
2023 515 3 —
2022 261 3 —
2021 331 4 —
2020 353 7 —
2019 1,101 8 1
2018 2,148 5 —
2017 1,771 7 —
2015 670 3 —
2014 587 1 3
2013 382 2 —
2012 403 3 —
2011 554 13 —
2010 481 15 1

Other 2016 Honda models

Pilot 1,709 Civic 1,081 Accord 607 Odyssey 270 HR-V 239 FIT 120

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Honda on this site — 192 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst