Free Preview
#BS-2021-HONCRV-31782021 Honda CR-VProblems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 481 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 481 complaints, 20 crashes, 1 fires, and 4 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.3x the class average.
Top reported problems
sticking steering
5 complaints • Severity 6.8/10
crack in windshield without impact
4 complaints • Severity 5.5/10
parasitic battery drain
3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10
heater is ineffective
2 complaints • Severity 9/10
uncomfortable driver seat
2 complaints • Severity 9/10
Preview: What's in your full report
Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $2.00
Mechanic Inspection Checklist
114 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 26K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (39 reports) • Median: 26K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (114 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2021 Honda CR-V: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 24% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda CR-V, with 114 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 26,323 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 26K-mile mark.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking Issues
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda CR-V, with 70 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda CR-V, with 35 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda CR-V, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Honda CR-V. Recent trend: stable.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (4 recalls)
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2021 Honda CR-V NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Frontal crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Side crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Rollover
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.
NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)
1 investigation still open: NHTSA is examining whether a defect warrants a recall.
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Rear Differential Seizure
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
The worst model year for the Honda CR-V is the 2011 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2021 Honda CR-V vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
481
Class avg
207
2.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 481 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Honda CR-V Model Years
2021 Honda CR-V: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda CR-V?
Is the 2021 Honda CR-V reliable?
How safe is the 2021 Honda CR-V?
How much does it cost to fix 2021 Honda CR-V problems?
Does the 2021 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
What mileage do Honda CR-V problems start?
When was the 2021 Honda CR-V data last updated?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2021 Honda CR-V Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 481 owner reports. Know before you buy.