2026 Honda CR-V Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2026 Honda CR-V, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance4220.0%
- Electrical3617.1%
- Visibility3315.7%
- Powertrain (other)2110.0%
- Steering188.6%
- Brakes167.6%
- Engine136.2%
- Fuel system104.8%
- Body & structure94.3%
- Airbags52.4%
- Exterior lighting31.4%
- Other / unspecified21.0%
- Suspension10.5%
- Interior & seats10.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was parking my car at my condo and it suddenly accelerated and I could not stop it. Ran into my neighbors bushes and porch thing that holds roof up
My Honda 2026 AWD HYBIRD CRV was hit from behind while I stop at a RED light, after the impact , my CRV surging forward (unintended acceleration) after experiencing this impact. The car ran into an intersection which brake did not respond, I then use hand brake it did not stop , but until I rear ended a car in the front which was about 50 yards from me
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
During recent weeks from mid August till now the AHB- Automatic HighBeam System DOES NOT function properly or display faulty information on the dashboard. Typically when a feature is either improperly working or temporarily unavailable it will display the information on the dashboard with the image/ feature in Amber/Yellow. Lately the system does not display any messages or feedback to the driver. During mornings and evenings the vehicle must be pulled off the road and we have to manually reset the system via setting in the drivers dashboard ( NOT THROUGH THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM ) this causes unnecessary delays and hazardous conditions. With the system improperly working it has become more dangerous and challenging driving in the morning/ night because we now know we can’t rely on the safety feature to help us.
When using either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to connect to the car's infotainment system to view maps and navigation instructions, the system periodically goes dark for a variable length of time. While it will often restart on its own, on occasion the driver must interact with the system to relaunch the navigation screen. During the outage, the loss of navigation instructions is a safety hazard as it forces the driver to turn their attention away from the road. The car dealer has acknowledged this is a known issue and they are awaiting a fix from the manufacturer. When I first reported the issue in June 2026 soon after purchasing the car I was told they expected a solution from Honda by September 2026. It is now the end of October and the dealer has no further information on the repair timeframe. I can provide video evidence I recorded of the problem occurring. I am also available to demonstrate the issue. There are several hundred complaints about this problem posted by other Honda owners on the Internet, many accessible by searching Reddit.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
When using the windshield washer function to clean windshield glass to improve visibility, the liquid does not squirt out of the driver side wiper until it is halfway through its travel. This results in the windshield not being cleaned properly and results is dangerous visibility issues. This is especially dangerous in warm weather months with bug residue smearing across the windshield due to improper fluid application. It is also dangerous in the winter months when vehicles ahead of you are spraying slush and road salt onto your windshield.
Left windshield wiper does not clear rain or snow all the way to the edge of the windshield. For rain, it stops approximately 4” from the edge. During heavy rain and/or wind conditions, it is even worse. For snow and sleet, it stops 5 to 6 inches from the edge due to buildup of snow or sleet. This results in a dangerous visibility safety issue during rain or snow driving conditions. This appears to be a safety related design defect.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
2026 Honda CRV Hybrid Sport Touring Loses power and stumbles periodically when making a left hand turn. Has happened three times in the first 2300 miles. Occurred when making 90 degree left turn from stop or slow roll. Brought it to the dealer on 9/26/26. Honda Turnersville NJ. They say they can not reproduce the issue and they are not showing any fault codes, other than the radio.
LOUD SQUEAL NOISE WHEN TRANSMISSION IS SELECTED IN REVERSE. REMAINS SQUEALLING AS LONG AS TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Lately the car has been giving steering issues. Every time I am on the highway with curves the steering wheel does not automatically come back to the center as it should. It gets sticky and struggles to come back to the center which is extremely dangerous and can cause a serious accident. I went to the dealership and they diagnosed it and found nothing but still after the same issue is there. This needs to be solved as soon as possible because it will eventually get people seriously injured or even death.
the steering starts to get tight and sticky especially on the highways. I took the car to dealership I bought jt from yesterday (Oct 19, 2026). they kept the car for whole day and on my continuous follow ups, they returned it back in evening saying nothing is wrong and that bring the car back if engine light is on. the guy also said that car is designed to get steering tightened as it picks up the speed.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
My Honda 2026 AWD HYBIRD CRV was hit from behind while I stop at a RED light, after the impact , my CRV surging forward (unintended acceleration) after experiencing this impact. The car ran into an intersection which brake did not respond, I then use hand brake it did not stop , but until I rear ended a car in the front which was about 50 yards from me
Spouse parked the car in the garage, turned off motor. It was left in reverse gear, but car was off. She exited vehicle, went out to driveway, and the car was slowly rolling out of the garage. She had to jump in, apply the brakes. Then started vehicle and placed in Park. Shut vehicle off. I was able to replicate the same event. Lucky that our grandkids were not in or behind the car. As I understand the process, an electrical and/or programming failed to place car in auto park.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am the lessee of a 2026 Honda CR-V with approx. 7310 miles. Since early in the lease, the infotainment display has repeatedly frozen, glitched, and gone completely black, mostly on longer drives. When this happens while driving, I lose access to navigation. I have a video recording of one of the failures. I have also noticed an oil leak, documented with photos, which the dealer has not found or repaired. I first reported the infotainment problem to Visalia Honda on 9.21.26; the dealer kept the car and could not duplicate it, then later told me the problem was known for this vehicle. On 9/30/2026 a case manager from American Honda left me a voice message citing that they are aware of the issue that engineers are currently working on this issue with no known fix at this time, so they recommended replacing the system so that a possible fix could be had. Honda’s technical line then denied the replacement and blamed my phones. The problem remains unresolved.
I was pulling in (slowly, forward, to the right) into a parking space when my 2026 CRV Sport Hybrid seemed to accelerate and jolt forward. I was not accelerating. My foot was on the brake pedal, coming to a slow stop. I had to slam on the break to avoid hitting another parked vehicle. This incident left me extremely frightened and very concerned about the safety of the vehicle. Prior to this, there were no warning lamps, messages, or anything to make me think that something might be wrong with my car. We will be taking it into the dealership for a full electronic diagnostic scan. I don't feel safe driving this vehicle until this is addressed and corrected. (Another issue we had with this vehicle, a few months back, was the infotainment system suddenly giving off a high-pitched, unbearably loud sound when I started the car. The volume could not be lowered, nothing seemed to make it stop, not even restarting the car. Ultimately, I was able to reboot the entire system, and that seemed to resolve it. I'm often anxious when I start the car, wondering if this is going to occur again, it was so jarring.)
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
On XXX our 2026 Honda CRV Hybrid had a sudden unintended acceleration ending in a collision with a tree. The car was in a low speed and being parked in a parking lot. While slowing down or decelerating, the CRV surged forward. The collision repairs cost approximately 15,000. Due to the fact that it happened in a parking lot on private property, no police report was filed. State Farm, our insurance was notified and we were encouraged to call Caliber Collision. State Farm sent a tow truck and our CRV was taken to Caliber Collision the same day. At the time of the collision, no air bag was deployed. As the driver at the time, the incident happened very quickly, and I was thankful the vehicle hit a tree and not a person. I can honestly say my foot was NOT on the acceleration pedal. After arriving home, I began checking for other similar incidents and found a report of UNINTENDED/PHANTOM acceleration complaints while the cars were at low speeds while trying to park or decelerate. This report was attached to the Lemberg Law in [XXX]. I reached out to the law firm inquiring about data they have collected. Their response, "Yes, we are aware of the issue and investigating it further." In the meantime, other reports on the internet were also located AND another owner of a CRV 2026 Hybrid living in our area also experienced the same surge while parking, hitting a sign. Honda Customer Service was contacted. I spoke with [XXX] at American Honda. She assigned a case number and asked that I call her when the car was returned and fixed. [XXX] stated that American Honda would send a technician to checkout the car. I've try to call [XXX] three different times, and she has never returned the call. My State Farm agent has also tried to call [XXX] at American Honda and has never received a callback. Now, Honda appears to be avoiding the situation, although [XXX] stated, "We take safety very seriously." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The check engine light turned on in my 2026 Honda cr-v hybrid, saying there was an emissions problem. The car is about 10 months old. When I took it in, they said the only thing that could have caused this problem was driving through a puddle or leaving it in a flooded area. This didn't happen - neither scenario. I never drove it through a puddle or left it in a flooded parking spot. But are you telling me that a $45,000 vehicle cannot be driven though a puddle? I read that the canister is so exposed in the newer models that you can't even run it through a car wash. It is that fragile, really? Shouldn't this be a recall issue?
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I purchased a brand-new 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid. Less than three months later, the adaptive cruise control and collision-avoidance radar module was stolen in under a minute, forcing me to pay $2,650.98 out of pocket for repairs. In New York, the front radar module on the new Honda CR-V Hybrid is a frequent target for theft; owners often suffer losses of around $3,000 in just sixty seconds (exact costs vary by Honda service center). I consider this a clear design flaw by Honda: the collision-avoidance radar—which also integrates the adaptive cruise control function—can be easily removed using only a screwdriver, without even opening the hood or doors. This situation is completely unacceptable. Honda has failed to implement any anti-theft measures to prevent such incidents, leaving owners facing massive financial losses in the blink of an eye. This is unacceptable. Honda service personnel have acknowledged that the front radar on the new CR-V is extremely susceptible to theft. They have already repaired multiple 2026 Honda CR-Vs that had their front radars stolen. I strongly suspect that the Honda CR-V suffers from a serious design flaw. I strongly demand that Honda provide compensation to owners whose radars have been stolen.
The contact owns a 2026 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on two occasions, the center display turned off and needed to be manually restarted. Additionally, the front passenger's side bumper had become loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an inspection was performed. The contact was informed that a bumper replacement or alignment was required, and the radio needed to be rebooted. The contact was informed that the dealer would reach out but never received a call. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and a case was filed. The manufacturer denied assistance even though the vehicle was under warranty because the dealer had sent photos confirming that the front bumper was not defective. The manufacturer declined to send the contact the photos. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
On XXX our 2026 Honda CRV Hybrid had a sudden unintended acceleration ending in a collision with a tree. The car was in a low speed and being parked in a parking lot. While slowing down or decelerating, the CRV surged forward. The collision repairs cost approximately 15,000. Due to the fact that it happened in a parking lot on private property, no police report was filed. State Farm, our insurance was notified and we were encouraged to call Caliber Collision. State Farm sent a tow truck and our CRV was taken to Caliber Collision the same day. At the time of the collision, no air bag was deployed. As the driver at the time, the incident happened very quickly, and I was thankful the vehicle hit a tree and not a person. I can honestly say my foot was NOT on the acceleration pedal. After arriving home, I began checking for other similar incidents and found a report of UNINTENDED/PHANTOM acceleration complaints while the cars were at low speeds while trying to park or decelerate. This report was attached to the Lemberg Law in [XXX]. I reached out to the law firm inquiring about data they have collected. Their response, "Yes, we are aware of the issue and investigating it further." In the meantime, other reports on the internet were also located AND another owner of a CRV 2026 Hybrid living in our area also experienced the same surge while parking, hitting a sign. Honda Customer Service was contacted. I spoke with [XXX] at American Honda. She assigned a case number and asked that I call her when the car was returned and fixed. [XXX] stated that American Honda would send a technician to checkout the car. I've try to call [XXX] three different times, and she has never returned the call. My State Farm agent has also tried to call [XXX] at American Honda and has never received a callback. Now, Honda appears to be avoiding the situation, although [XXX] stated, "We take safety very seriously." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2026 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 33 MPH, the vehicle ahead unexpectedly decelerated, resulting in a rear-end collision. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Warning system failed to activate prior to the crash. During the collision, the driver-side, front passenger-side, and rear passenger-side airbags deployed in a delayed manner, and the driver-side airbag appeared to rupture during deployment. The front end of the vehicle sustained extensive damage, and the vehicle was towed by the insurance company to a private impound lot. The contact was transported via ambulance to a medical center, where she was treated for a fractured sternum, broken ribs, chest contusions, and trauma leading to respiratory distress, requiring diagnostic scans, X-rays, and an EKG evaluation. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
During recent weeks from mid August till now the AHB- Automatic HighBeam System DOES NOT function properly or display faulty information on the dashboard. Typically when a feature is either improperly working or temporarily unavailable it will display the information on the dashboard with the image/ feature in Amber/Yellow. Lately the system does not display any messages or feedback to the driver. During mornings and evenings the vehicle must be pulled off the road and we have to manually reset the system via setting in the drivers dashboard ( NOT THROUGH THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM ) this causes unnecessary delays and hazardous conditions. With the system improperly working it has become more dangerous and challenging driving in the morning/ night because we now know we can’t rely on the safety feature to help us.
When it rains, back up camera footage becomes hazy, unclear, blurred, unreadable- cause rain water falls on to the rear camera. So backing up becomes very difficult and unsafe, when it rains. Can’t see clearly what’s behind of the car. This is a serious safety issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
My dealer cancelled my appointment because it doesn’t have required parts. They say waiting time can be more than two months, and don’t provide a loaner or replacement car. The other dealers said waiting time is 2 months. When I call the manufacturer to solve this issue they said to call the dealer. I believe the manufacturer is failing to remedy this safety recall within a reasonable time and is leaving consumers without a safe alternative. Vehicle information: 2026 Make Honda Model CR-V VIN [XXX] Dealership Honda of North Hollywood 5841 Lankershim Blvd , North Hollywood , CA 91601 First contact date 6/16/2026 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The cover of this car seat has only been cared for per the manufacturer instructions, and the warning labels on the sides are peeling, creating a choking hazard. Clek has issued a recall for Liing before for this specific issue, but is saying that my Liing is not included despite being manufactured after the recall. It appears the issue has not been resolved adequately.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle was purchased Aug 7th and since delivery date the car has been having issues. The primary issue is the infotainment system, the monitor sometimes disconnects from apple CarPlay abruptly. During the use of this feature the navigation system will also disconnect making it unsafe when using navigation. The vehicle has a persistent problem with squeaking and tapping noise coming from the engine Bay Area. When going over and bumps or uneven surfaces the car rattles. The vehicle also has worse mpg than advertised. Currently getting 22.4mpg with ECON active.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
The drivers seat causes pain in my lower back. The longer I drive, the worse it gets. I have tried every seat adjustment and lumbar support that the seat comes with, and nothing helps. I am unable to drive long distances in this car and it would be unsafe because the pain might provoke me to drive too fast or hit one of the pedals by mistake in an effort to get comfortable in the seat. This defect should be corrected.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .