POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2012 Honda CR-V
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 400 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Honda CR-V, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and powertrain (other) categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 105 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2019 | 1 | 291 |
| Oct 2019 | 2 | 293 |
| Nov 2019 | 1 | 294 |
| Dec 2019 | 1 | 295 |
| Jan 2020 | 3 | 298 |
| Feb 2020 | 1 | 299 |
| May 2020 | 3 | 302 |
| Jun 2020 | 4 | 306 |
| Jul 2020 | 2 | 308 |
| Oct 2020 | 1 | 309 |
| Nov 2020 | 1 | 310 |
| Dec 2020 | 2 | 312 |
| Feb 2021 | 2 | 314 |
| Mar 2021 | 2 | 316 |
| Apr 2021 | 1 | 317 |
| May 2021 | 1 | 318 |
| Jun 2021 | 3 | 321 |
| Jul 2021 | 1 | 322 |
| Aug 2021 | 1 | 323 |
| Oct 2021 | 2 | 325 |
| Nov 2021 | 1 | 326 |
| Dec 2021 | 2 | 328 |
| Jan 2022 | 1 | 329 |
| Mar 2022 | 1 | 330 |
| May 2022 | 1 | 331 |
| Jun 2022 | 1 | 332 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 333 |
| Oct 2022 | 3 | 336 |
| Jan 2023 | 3 | 339 |
| Feb 2023 | 3 | 342 |
| Mar 2023 | 3 | 345 |
| Apr 2023 | 1 | 346 |
| May 2023 | 3 | 349 |
| Jun 2023 | 1 | 350 |
| Jul 2023 | 2 | 352 |
| Aug 2023 | 2 | 354 |
| Sep 2023 | 3 | 357 |
| Oct 2023 | 2 | 359 |
| Dec 2023 | 1 | 360 |
| Mar 2024 | 1 | 361 |
| Apr 2024 | 1 | 362 |
| May 2024 | 2 | 364 |
| Jun 2024 | 4 | 368 |
| Oct 2024 | 1 | 369 |
| Nov 2024 | 2 | 371 |
| Jan 2025 | 3 | 374 |
| Feb 2025 | 2 | 376 |
| Apr 2025 | 2 | 378 |
| May 2025 | 2 | 380 |
| Jun 2025 | 1 | 381 |
| Aug 2025 | 3 | 384 |
| Sep 2025 | 2 | 386 |
| Oct 2025 | 1 | 387 |
| Nov 2025 | 2 | 389 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 | 390 |
| Feb 2026 | 1 | 391 |
| Mar 2026 | 2 | 393 |
| May 2026 | 2 | 395 |
| Jun 2026 | 2 | 397 |
| Jul 2026 | 3 | 400 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine9119.9%
- Electrical6814.8%
- Powertrain (other)4810.5%
- Visibility367.9%
- Steering357.6%
- Airbags306.6%
- Body & structure296.3%
- Suspension255.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
3 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Electrical overstress
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.
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
The summary for this investigation, labeled EQ12-002 Autoliv Closing Resume, can be found attached separately to this resume.This EQ is closed.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Left and Right suspension Front and Back. Yes car will be available for inspection when called. No one’s safety was at risk. It has been confirmed by an independent service center. No other place has inspected the car/component except for the independent service center. No there were no warning lamps, I was able to tell something was wrong because when I’d turn and still till this day, it immediately makes a sound. This has been happening for about 3-4 years.
- NHTSA ID
- 11753395
- Incident
- Sep 13, 2023
The frame rust issue was recalled through 2011, my 2012 was manufactured in the same plant same time as the 2011 model, and has the same rust issue, but was not included in the recall. I have significant damage to my vehicle from rust frame, causing it to be borderline unsafe without modification. I would like to have this included in the recall.
- NHTSA ID
- 11748985
- Incident
- Jul 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while making a left turn, several warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel, and the steering wheel became significantly unsteady, causing a partial loss of vehicle control. Because the incident occurred within walking distance of the residence, the contact used a toy hauler to tow the vehicle to the residence. An inspection revealed that the rear passenger-side trailing arm had completely detached from the vehicle and punctured the subframe. Upon investigating the failure, the contact discovered that prior Honda models had experienced identical failures resulting from severe subframe corrosion. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied any assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11748453
- Incident
- Apr 8, 2026
- Mileage
- 210,000 mi
I was driving and the rear tire and suspension broke looked it's completely rotted out
- NHTSA ID
- 11746790
- Incident
- Jun 26, 2026
The drivers side (left front door latch) is inoperative. This was a recall from Aug 2012. The latch was replaced in 2012. Yes it is available for inspection. The door opens while driving and had to be tied shut to drive home and Honda dealership. Was told by Honda Corporate to drive to the nearest Dealership and repairs would be made under Safety Recall Notice from 2012, once they diagnose it as broken. Gerald Honda of Mattson diagnosed the problem and ordered the part on 6/16/26. They made an appointment for 6/17/2026 at 9:00am for the repair. The door open warning light intermittently blinks off/on for the two front doors, and dings. There were no warning lights prior to 6/16/26.
- NHTSA ID
- 11744847
- Incident
- Jun 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH approaching a red light, the rear trailing arm detached from the tire. No warning lights were illuminated. The driver was able to dive to a parking lot. The vehicle was transported on a trailer by her father. The front door latch had become inoperable. The contact had to tie the door shut but was later repaired by her father. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 200,500.
- NHTSA ID
- 11735871
- Incident
- Apr 22, 2026
- Mileage
- 200,500 mi
Vtc actuator for timing tensioner is faulty. Has a horrible grind on start up. No warning lights, no dash lights. This can cause damage to the engine. Was class action involving same part.
- NHTSA ID
- 11735707
- Incident
- May 15, 2023
I was driving Honda CRV on Route 60, MPH was about 30 when the vehicle went to side by side on the road. This is a 2 lane highway. If some was coming the other way I could not help from colliding into them. I pulled over as soon as I could. The Honda has a left rear frams is broken. I heard other people announcing that their frame on CRV Honda 2012 is broken at the same side. It is a good car except for the frame. Please help . Are there any recall for frame?
- NHTSA ID
- 11723504
- Incident
- Mar 6, 2026
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
STEERING
ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position. If you don't , the VSA indicator may come on along with one or more VSA DTCs. And when you run the Neutral Memorization Procedure in the i-HDS, it won't complete.
AIR BAGS
Service Bulletin - This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete. If you did the collection in this Service Bulletin on or before February 26, 2019 (RO date), use the Warranty Claim Information provided below.
AIR BAGS
Service bulletin - 2012 CR-V Driver?s Airbag Inflator Collection. This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete.
AIR BAGS
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
Service bulletin - The tailgate won?t open from the outside handle in temperatures near freezing or colder, but will open in warmer temperatures. There is an internal failure of the tailgate outer handle switch.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Service bulletin - The tailgate won?t open from the outside handle in temperatures near freezing or colder, but will open in warmer temperatures. There is an internal failure of the tailgate outer handle switch.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 46.4 |
| 2025 | 235 | 1 | 0 | 54.9 |
| 2024 | 374 | 2 | 1 | 57.5 |
| 2023 | 510 | 3 | 1 | 57.1 |
| 2022 | 248 | 3 | 2 | 64.6 |
| 2021 | 318 | 4 | 2 | 66.6 |
| 2020 | 343 | 7 | 2 | 67.2 |
| 2019 | 1,077 | 8 | 3 | 63.9 |
| 2018 | 2,112 | 5 | 3 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 1,752 | 7 | 2 | 60.2 |
| 2016 | 389 | 3 | 1 | 60.2 |
| 2015 | 668 | 3 | 2 | 57.5 |
| 2014 | 585 | 1 | 2 | 48.8 |
| 2013 | 381 | 2 | 2 | 56.1 |
| 2012Viewing | 400 | 3 | 3 | 61.5 |
| 2011 | 551 | 13 | 0 | 55.2 |
| 2010 | 480 | 15 | 0 | 53.7 |
| 2009 | 386 | 12 | 0 | 54.1 |
| 2008 | 960 | 11 | 0 | 51.1 |
| 2007 | 885 | 12 | 0 | 51.3 |
| 2006 | 398 | 13 | 5 | 63.1 |
| 2005 | 479 | 14 | 6 | 65.7 |
| 2004 | 501 | 13 | 7 | 67.5 |
| 2003 | 467 | 14 | 8 | 66.2 |
| 2002 | 515 | 16 | 8 | 66.1 |
| 2001 | 142 | 1 | 0 | 47.4 |
| 2000 | 129 | 2 | 0 | 53.6 |
| 1999 | 127 | 3 | 0 | 47.3 |
| 1998 | 128 | 3 | 0 | 53.2 |
| 1997 | 108 | 2 | 0 | 48.8 |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.