2012 Honda CR-V Body & structure Problems

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

During the installation of the rear frame bracket (recommended from the 2011 recall), it was determined the vehicle is unsafe. The frame brace recall not designed for the 2012 CRV would not fit the vehicle. Notified customer of the condition of the left control arm. Not safe for the road. Recommended not to drive this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11699499

Incident

Nov 13, 2025

Rear wheel subframe broke off, separated from the chassis

NHTSA ID

11698252

Incident

Nov 6, 2025

Complete rear tire assembly came loose from the unibody frame from rust. Not a drop of rust on the body of the car.Thank god we weren’t on the highway. they told me it was unfixable.Thank you Honda.And the recall stopped at 2011? Honda obviously doesn’t care about safety and human life.

NHTSA ID

11667412

Incident

Jun 17, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the suspension failed, and the vehicle started veering back and forth uncontrollably between two lanes. The contact's wife was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that that the rear driver's side trailing arm had detached from the frame due to severe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a goodwill assistance could be considered after the dealer had diagnosed the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

NHTSA ID

11657924

Incident

Apr 22, 2025

Mileage

230,000 mi

*Background information: Vehicle was purchased in 2012 from Williams Honda in Elmira, N.Y. I purchased this vehicle from my aunt on [XXX], with 48,301 miles and vehicle has been registered and driven in Florida since 2019. Vehicle’s VIN and sticker is 04/2012 just four months after current recall. American Honda Case Number [XXX]. *Friday, [XXX], while I was driving through a neighborhood the trailing arm became unattached without warning. (See photos attached). *Monday, [XXX] vehicle was towed to Brandon Honda in Brandon, Florida for a diagnostic. I was informed the vehicle was a total loss and to contact American Honda (See attached photos from Brandon Honda). *Tuesday, [XXX] American Honda sent me an email stating that the safety recall for Honda CRV Rear Frame Brace Honda Campaign Number UE3 was VIN specific and did not match my vehicle’s VIN number and closed my case (See attached email). *November 2024 – January 2025 constant phone calls and emails to Brandon Honda and American Honda and completely stonewalling me. Constant contact with Brandon Honda’s service manager Jen who supposedly report issue to American Honda. I requested the service manager’s report, but they refuse to provide me the refusal from American Honda. I have yet to receive a work order for the diagnostic from November 2024 from Brandon Honda and my vehicle is still at the service center today. *Sunday, [XXX] I requested a review of my case with American Honda. This vehicle has a manufactured date of April 2012 only fours months after the UE3 recall with possible parts linked to this recall. My vehicle exhibits the same exact issues as the UE3 recall with the driver side rear trailing arm becoming unattached from the body without notice. American Honda has not responded yet with my request to review the case filed back in November. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11644356

Incident

Nov 8, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 20 MPH, the vehicle began to wobble after driving over a puddle. The contact's wife pulled over and discovered that the rear driver’s side tire had sunken into the rear axle. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence and discovered that a portion of the sub frame where the failure had occurred was corroded. The contact called the dealer, and the failure was acknowledged; however, the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test and was referred to the manufacturer for additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

NHTSA ID

11642719

Incident

Feb 13, 2025

Mileage

175,000 mi

Spare tire wheel well fills with water during heavy rain. Today I sucked out at least 2-3 gallons. Water goes 1/2 to 3/4 up the spare tire. Due to moisture Jack has rusted, headliner coming down and tire is slimy. 2020 Honda said problem was fixed but every time we have a hard rain it fills with water. Research has shown many people have same issue and have been unable to find source of leaks. If I get a flat don’t know if Jack will work or in spare is ok. Headliner is going to cause issues too.

NHTSA ID

11625861

Incident

Feb 29, 2020

The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the 4-WD axle had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced. The contact removed the axle, and the axle was not replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that there was also an abnormal sound coming from the muffler. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who determined that the muffler had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced, however, the mechanic advised that the rear frame and rear trailing arm were also severely corroded but could not be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that he researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V228000 (Structure). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

NHTSA ID

11593987

Incident

May 2, 2024

Mileage

144,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for a routine oil change, and the dealer informed her that the rear driver’s side sub frame was rusted. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle due to the failure. The contact stated that the dealer made her aware that there was a recall for the failure; however, neither the VIN nor the model year was included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V228000 (Structure). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 91,393.

NHTSA ID

11593061

Incident

May 23, 2024

Mileage

91,393 mi

On November 2, 2022 the control arm mount for the rear driver side wheel of our 2012 Honda CR-V failed while the car was in use; as a result, the car was no longer drivable. The car was towed to an authorized Honda service center and the condition was assessed as follows: oThe frame rail had deteriorated/rusted to the point where part of it was completely gone. oA new control arm could not be installed because there was no frame rail to which the control arm could be mounted until/unless the frame rail was replaced. oPreliminary repair estimate was $8,352 although the service center indicated that repair costs could be significantly higher than that. In doing some checking we found that Honda Canada had a recall on older CR-Vs for a rusting problem that could result in a rear suspension control arm separating from the vehicle. This structural failure sounded identical to our issue. The recall applied to geographical areas with heavy winter road salt usage ... which describes many parts of the US ... but Honda USA did not issue such a recall. In the Canadian recall, vehicles were being bought back from the owners since the repair costs exceeded the vehicle value. We opened a case with Honda and, after their review, we were given a $500 loyalty card on future Honda sales or service. They would not do anything else for us even though the blue book value on our car was over $10,000 at the time of the incident. The car was salvaged out and we received $850 for it. Our incident happened while traveling at 30 mph. Had it happened at highway speeds we believe it could have resulted in significant injury or death.

NHTSA ID

11500220

Incident

Nov 2, 2022

Paint is chipped and fading

NHTSA ID

11422923

Incident

Jun 16, 2021

ON APRIL 25, 2021 I WAS GENTLY PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED. I CONTINUE TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I CRASHED INTO MY FRONT PORCH. THE FRONT WHEELS WENT OVER THE EDGE OF THE PORCH AND THE CAR STOPPED. THERE IS ABOUT A 7 FOOT DROP OFF, THANKFULLY THE WHOLE CAR DIDN'T GO OFF THE PORCH. I KNOCKED ALL THE SUPPORTS FOR THE PORCH AND THE ROOF WAS ON THE TOP OF MY CAR. I DO BELIEVE IF I WERE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR BY MISTAKE THE CAR WOULD'VE CONTINUED OFF THE PORCH. BOUGHT THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2020 ONLY HAD IT SIX MONTHS. I WAS CERTAIN I HAD STEPPED ON THE BRAKES SO I GOOGLED AND FOUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH 2012S IN 2011'S HAD EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NO POLICE REPORT BUT THE POLICE DID COME OUT BECAUSE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS HAD CALLED THEM. THEY MAY HAVE AN INCIDENT REPORT. THANKFULLY THE CAR STOPPED BEFORE WENT OFF THE PORCH OR I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY HURT.

NHTSA ID

11415288

Incident

Apr 25, 2021

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE PAINT ON THE HOOD AND UPPER ROOF FADED VERY VERY QUICKLY. THERE ARE SPOTS THAT CANNOT BE BUFFED OUT. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I'VE HAD HONDAS BEFORE. THIS IS BLACK PAINT AND HAVE HEARD 2012 AND 2013 WAS A VERY BAD YEAR FOR BLACK PAINT ON HONDAS THIS IS A 2012 CRV. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CARS I WAX THEM AND CLEAN THEM REGULARLY THIS WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING. EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CAR IS WORKING WONDERFULLY NO PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11407702

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

SOMEONE NEEDS TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AT THE SALVAGE YARD. THE PHONE IS 925.370.3900 THE STOCK NUMBER IS 4363519

NHTSA ID

11246716

Incident

Jul 20, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROOF WAS LEAKING AND MILDEW WAS PRESENT ON THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEAM HONDA (6363 SIEGEN LN, BATON ROUGE, LA 70809, (225) 298-4100) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS; HOWEVER, THEY COULD CLEAN THE LINER FOR THE ROOF AND PERFORM A WATER TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

NHTSA ID

11142150

Incident

Dec 22, 2012

Mileage

1,500 mi

WE HAD A DIRECT DEER HIT ON I81 NORTH IN GRANTVILLE PA. THE DIRECT HIT WAS TAKEN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT 65 MPH IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE AIRBAG ONLY DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NOT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS SEEMED VERY ODD TO US. EITHER BOTH AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED OR NEITHER AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS ACCIDENT. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED. I REPORTED THIS TO AMERICAN HONDA, BUT THEY REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE IT AND I HAD TO BEG THEM FOR AN EMAIL ADDRESS TO SEND THE PICTURES TO. GIVEN THEIR ATTITUDE, I FELT I NEEDED TO REPORT THIS ACCIDENT TO NHTSA. MY CAR WAS TOTALED BY NEW JERSEY MANUFACTURER'S INSURANCE CO.

NHTSA ID

11063805

Incident

Jan 8, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi

OUR HONDA CRV HAS A ROOF LEAK (BY THE ANTENNA) THAT HAS DAMAGED THE INSIDE HEADLINER THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED. THE LEAK IS PROBABLY CAUSING MILDEW GROW IN THE HEADLINER AND POSSIBLE ROOF CORROSION AS WELL. THIS MAKES US VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BREATHING AND HEALTH ISSUES IN GENERAL WHEN USING THE VEHICLE. WE ARE TOLD THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING / ASSEMBLY DEFECT AND HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE (YEARS), BUT WE JUST DISCOVERED IT IN APRIL 2017. UPDATED 08/23/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10984983

Incident

Apr 7, 2017

MOONROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. NO IMPACT WITH OBJECT AND NO KNOWN PRIOR DEFECT IN MOONROOF.

NHTSA ID

10818046

Incident

Jan 5, 2016

Mileage

69,721 mi

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING STRUCTURE, AS I PREPARED TO STOP, THE AUTOMOBILE, I THINK, INEXPLICABLY ACCELERATED, CRASHING INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER WALL. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. TO SUM UP, I THINK THAT MY CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF.

NHTSA ID

10723606

Incident

May 28, 2015

Mileage

14,268 mi

PASSENGER WINDOW ON DRIVERS SIDE. WILL NOT ALWAYS GO UP. IT WILL GO UP IF PULLED UP BY HAND WHILE PUSHING THE CONTROL BUTTON.

NHTSA ID

10722699

Incident

Apr 14, 2015

THIS IS ABOUT NHTSA RECALL 12V-338, AND TO REPORT HONDA'S FAILURE TO REMEDY A DEFECT WITHIN 60 DAYS OF FIRST CONTACT WITH THE DEALER (HONDA OF ANNAPOLIS, 1720 WEST STREET, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401). WE BROUGHT OUR 2102 HONDA CR-V TO HONDA OF ANNAPOLIS ON MARCH 22, 2013 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR LATCHES AND INNER HANDLES UNDER RECALL 12V-338. THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, SO THE PARTS WOULD BE SPECIAL ORDERED AND WE WOULD BE CALLED WHEN THE PARTS WERE IN STOCK. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY CALL. WE WENT TO HONDA OF ANNAPOLIS ON JUNE 27, 2013 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE RECALL PARTS, WHICH WERE THEN IN STOCK, AND THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED. WHEN WE ASKED WHY WE HAD NOT BEEN CALLED ABOUT THE RECALL PARTS, NO ONE OFFERED ANY RATIONAL EXPLANATION, MUCH LESS ANY APOLOGY. LATER THAT DAY, WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCK THE CR-V, THE CAR ALARM WOULD GO OFF WHEN EITHER FRONT DOOR WAS OPENED, AND WE HAD TO TURN OFF THE ALARM BY PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. WE RETURNED TO HONDA OF ANNAPOLIS THE FOLLOWING DAY TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS FIXED. THUS, HONDA OF ANNAPOLIS MISSED YOUR 60 DAY REPAIR DEADLINE BY OVER 30 DAYS, AND THEN PERFORMED THE REPLACEMENT IN AN INCOMPETENT MANNER. IF WE HAD NOT GONE IN FOR THE OIL CHANGE, WE BELIEVE WE WOULD NEVER HAVE RECEIVED ANY CALL FROM THIS DEALER ABOUT COMPLETING THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10533097

Incident

Jun 27, 2013

Mileage

7,057 mi

TRAVELING 95 NORTH PULL OVER TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE, DOOR OPEN AND DRIVER FELL OUT. CAR HIT DRIVER. CAR KEPT GOING CROSS THE MEDIAN TO 95 SOUTH LANE IMPACT A HOLE FULL OF WATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10493282

Incident

Jun 16, 2012

Mileage

1,475 mi