NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Honda CR-V. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
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?
Due to excessive corrosion the spring/strut broke while driving. The tire is off at an angle and could have come completely off endangering the driver and other drivers. There was no warning light or any other indication that this was going to happen. The car was taken to a local garage and at the insistence of Honda, it was also towed to a Honda dealership. Both locations deemed the car irreparable and a total loss due to excessive rust and corrosion. Honda has been contacted multiple times and refuses to acknowledge any issues. Even though we were given a case number, there hasn't been any closure to the case.
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.
Rear wheel subframe broke off, separated from the chassis
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of an abnormally loud sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that while performing an inspection of the vehicle, the contact became aware of severe corrosion on the forward mount of the rear trailing arm mounts on the driver’s and passenger’s sides. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the forward mount of the rear trailing arm mounts on the driver’s and passenger’s sides was severely corroded. In addition, the contact was informed that the corrosion was so severe that the vehicle was not repairable. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The contact was informed that the VIN was one month off from being included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,100.
Subject: Engine Stalls Upon Acceleration from Stop - Near Collision Description: I am experiencing intermittent engine stalling on my 2012 Honda CR-V. The issue occurs specifically when attempting to accelerate from a complete stop (e.g., at stop signs or intersections). When I press the gas pedal to proceed, the engine unexpectedly shuts off and loses all motive power. On several occasions, the vehicle has stalled multiple times in succession before it would stay running. In one severe incident, I was attempting a right turn onto a busy road from a stop sign. The vehicle stalled mid-turn, leaving me stranded in the path of traffic. A vehicle approaching from behind nearly rear-ended me because I could not clear the intersection. There are no warning lights prior to the stall. This loss of power at intersections poses an immediate safety risk of collision. I suspect this may be related to the known VTC actuator/timing chain defect affecting this model year.
Lower left trailing arm body mounting bracket rusted away.
TPMS warning light was on and then entire Dash lit up while steering was crooked on the column. Driving while incident occurred did not cause accident. disabled vehicle due to the same manufactured defects in the 2007 through 2011 Honda CRV models that have a recall on them my vehicle was manufactured August 2012 past cutoff date for the gen 3 model. Submitting this request for repair unable to drive the vehicle and it's current condition. This all due to the same manufacturer defect found on the rear control arm gen 3 body type and suspension of the 2007 through 2011 models same gen 3 should be repaired and accepted as a recall having exact same issue because it's the exact same type of model car.
Was driving my 2012 Honda CRV home from the store when the AWD light came on. By the time I got it home another light came on EPS. When I got out I noticed the drivers side rear tire looked tilted. Upon further inspection I could see that the control arm had fallen down along with the whole trailing arm from rust. After investigating I learned that there was a recall for this exact thing but only for 2007-2011 models. I called Honda and they told me to get it to a Honda dealership for diagnosis report so I haf it towed there. They said that if ut were the same issue as the recall that they could make an exception after a case manager reviewed everything. The Honda dealership documented that the rust on the underrails of the frame were critical for the overall integrity and safety of the car and that the control arms were rusted and broken through. When I sent everything to Honda, they said that since my vin was not part of the recall there was nothing they would do for me. There are many more complaints regarding this exact issue for the 2012 models and something needs done before lives are lost. My daughter and I were leaving for a trip the next morning and had I not decided to take my car to the store the night before we would have been on the interstate when the trailing arm and control arm broke and fell which would have been catastrophic while driving at interstate speed, from what I understand. I have only had my 2012 Honda CRV for 3 months and it only has 120k miles on it. These models need a recall ASAP as they are extremely dangerous!
The car was being driven and the rear wheel and hub assembly all came off. Luckily, the car was being driven at a slow speed at the time. The problem turned out to be that the rear frame was all completely rusted out and where it was connected it all pulled out. After doing some research, there was a recall on the previous years for the exact same thing. Evidently, the problem still was not taken care of. If the car would have been a few months older it would have been covered under the recall. The car was taken to the dealership and had the factory rep look at it but they refused to do anything.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel started shaking, and the vehicle vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously received an alignment and tire rotation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the drive shaft might need to be replaced, but the vehicle needed a more extensive diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 15-076 (Vibration While Driving at Highway Speeds); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
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.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact called on behalf of her son. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed and exiting a parking lot, the rear axle on the vehicle snapped. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact’s son pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was declared a total loss. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
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.
On Monday, April 21, I was traveling down a long hill (2 lanes up, 1 downhill) when my vehicle went into an uncontrolled, broadside skid into 2 lanes of oncoming traffic. I continued to skid back to the right side of the road, back to the left, and finally back to the right where I got it pulled onto the berm. Upon examination, my right rear tire was tilted outward at approximately 30 degrees. The wheel was totally locked up. I called a towing company as the vehicle was completely unable to be driven. A state police officer showed up, apparently called by a passerby, for traffic control and assess the safety of the situation. The car was hauled via tilt-bed truck to my local auto repair shop. One of the mechanics there told me his wife had the same vehicle, only a year older, that he been recalled due to this being and issue for 2011. I called Honda customer care and was informed that the recall was not in effect for 2012 model year. Customer care advised me to have the car taken to a Honda dealership, which was done, again via tilt-bed. Both my local shop and the dealer said the damage was irreparable. Customer care said the case would be assigned to one of their agents, but nothing has happened since April 24, the day they were initially notified.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear control arm detached. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 228,000.
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.
The frame rusted off where the right Rear Trailing Arm attaches, causing the Trailing Arm to detach. Yes , it is available to inspect. I am was safe, because it happened at a Stop sign. No one other myself has inspected it. ABS and All Wheel drive light came on.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the heating system and defroster were inoperable. The contact stated that both the heater and defroster would not function properly as no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the water pump may have failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for further assistance. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
The 2012 Honda CRV with 107,000 miles was making noise on startup and first few minutes of running. This only happened a few times. No Engine light or oil light came on, but planned to bring to repair shop soon. Then the engine stalled driving on the highway. The car completely shutdown. When brought to Honda Dealer, they said it COMPLETELY ran out of oil and the engine, as well as many other components, were destroyed, quoting $11,0000 in repairs to put in another USED (not new) engine. The Oil had been replaced less than 7,000 miles prior to the incident with the recommended full synthetic (which Honda says should last 7,500 to 10,000 miles). Honda dealer said the engine had no compression, which means the piston rings were shot. This is the SAME EXACT issue that the 2008-2011 Accords/CRVs had, and Honda recognized it, extending the warranty to 125,000 on the engine. I requested assistance from Honda - they said NO - despite the fact THAT I HAVE OWNED 8 HONDAs in my lifetime. This will be the Last Honda I ever buy as even the 2018-2019 CRVS now have yet another oil consumption/dilution issue, and HONDA NO LONGER STANDS BY THEIR CUSTOMERS (because they can not afford to with their diminishing quality) !!
2 weeks ago I was coming to a stop on a hill and the car stalled like it was about to shut off, but it kept running. A week ago. I was turning into a parking lot and the car stalled. The steering wheel got hard, so I turned off the car and then I turned it back on again. It stalled a little bit, but then it turned on. And finally yesterday November 16, 2024 as I was turning into a supermarket parking lot. The car stalled and shut off completely and didn’t want to restart. Two men. One was a mechanic pushed the car out of the way, and the mechanic one told me that it’s the timing chain.
*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)
Window glass on passenger rear door suddenly and without warning violently imploded while driving. Glass fragments blown into rear seat and interior of vehicle. No evidence of foreign object causing glass to fail. No prior evidence of damage or defect to glass was observed. Vehicle traveling about 45 miles per hour on sunny, clear day with no other vehicles next to or in front. Driver was able to maintain control and get safely off roadway immediately after incident. Vehicle still operable. No one in back seat at the time of incident, but if a passenger had been there they likely would have been injured by glass fragments. Honda dealership service manager and Honda Customer Service reports no other similar incidents on record. Vehicle owner has photos and will have window glass replaced by qualified installer using owner's insurance. Insurance was provided photos and did not request inspection of damage before scheduling repair.
The side air bags popped upon one car tire going on curb when I was driving in the dark and thought I saw a deer. My safety was put at risk because now I don't have airbags Insurance will inspect soon. I already filed a progressive claim. the problem has been issue with other honda crv models. I cant be the only one to have experienced this causing expensive repair costs that I cant afford as a single mother NO warnings prior to the problem.
ABS modulator has been replaced 3 times and I am seeing online that this seems to be a common problem. Very dangerous.
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.
[XXX] in Chicago IL has tampered with the odometer of this vehicle and is trying to sell it. He also had a ford f-150 for sale I believe he’s running a scam and doing this to multiple vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
WINDSHIELD DEFROST ON DRIVERS SIDE PRODUCES NO AIR OR HEAT. WINDSHIELD BECAME FROSTY AND HAD TO PULL CAR OVER BECAUSE OF LACK OF VISIBILITY. ALSO HEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT WORK, WHICH IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT MAY BE RELATED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED. THEY FLUSHED THE HEATCORE. WHICH DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM .
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated while the brake pedal was slightly depressed. The brake pedal was violently depressed for the vehicle to come to a stop. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000. The VIN was not available.
I attempted to make a right turn and the steering wheel locked, not allowing me to continue turning. The steering wheel returned to its original position and I again attempted to make the turn. This time I was able to turn the steering wheel all the way and complete the turn. No warning lights appeared. I was on a side street when this happened and there was no traffic, but this could have been cause for an accident if I had been driving on a busy road.
2012 to 2014 honda crv's have a "blockage problem" on the driver's side of the heater core and the driver's side of the heater does not put out any heat. this is a safety issue as condensation builds up on driver's side of the windshield and snow/ice can build up on driver's side of the windshield due to no heat. honda has known of this problem (defect in heater driver side heater core) since at least 2014, see their service bulletin 14-063 dated november 20, 2014. our local honda dealer service department doesn't feel the heater flush produces worthwhile results on an ongoing basis and recommends heater core replacement at $1500-$2000. the service department at our local honda dealer was rather evasive about the cause of the driver's side heater core blockage/failure. my internet research leads me to believe the heater core has a defective design that throws off particles that accumulate in heater core and and gradually block driver's side of heater core and then no heat for driver's side including windshield. i'm using incident date of 11/29/23 because honda service department diagnosed heater core problem that date but driver's side had been gradually losing heat output for some month's. i attempted to resolve heater core issue with honda customer service but got nowhere.
the lever on my back right seat will not release seat down. Needed to put a large item in my car and ended up having to tie it to the roof instead and drive very slowly on the interstate since my seat would not go down. did not feel safe and want to get this figured out asap since I am a furniture dealer. I popped the plastic "cap" off to see what is causing the issue... part of the white plastic piece of the upper lever has snapped off and that is causing the lever to not catch and seat not go down. I have not taken it anywhere yet as I can see what the problem is and believe those plastic parts are not sold separately so I suspect I need a whole new lever. There were zero warning signs or messages, lever just did not release starting a couple days ago. Thanks
Faulty piston rings causing consistent low oil issues.
In July of this year, I took a 20 minute drive with my kids and then went to a bagel shop. I tried to turn on the car and it acted like the battery had been drained. I got a jump, had my battery tested, and it was fine. A week later, it started happening nearly any time I took a short trip, and I needed to purchase a portable jump starter. I then had my alternator and battery tested again, and both were in working condition and passed. On September 12th, 2023, as I was pulling into my driveway, my power steering locked up on and off and I could not turn my car once it was in my driveway. I turned it off and it would not restart again (like I had left my lights on all night). I jumped it and let it run for an hour. I rode it around the block and it seemed fine, but I took it to a shop that I trust. They informed me that my alternator was only charging my battery when my high beam lights were on and that there was a service bulletin by Honda regarding a software update to the PCM if this occurred. Honda charged me $189 to have the software updated, and I needed a new battery because the faulty charging circuit fried a battery that I got this year. This should be a mandatory recall because if my kids and I were driving and my power steering locked like that on a highway, we could have been killed. If you had an actual recall on this, you could actually possibly save many lives on this popular vehicle!!!
While I was driving the car, an indicator with "Battery" symbol showed up on the monitor. All off a sudden I see all the lights went ON/OFF and I couldn't steer the wheel. The Power Steering stopped working and the car was running. Since I was near a 4-way stop sign, I managed to pull my car on the side without an accident. Then I got roadside assistance to tow my car to a mechanic shop. They said the "Alternator" need to be replaced. I did that and went for a "Battery" checkup based on the indicator. The battery was good. It would have been a life threatening incident if I were somewhere on a highway. I wanted to make sure this is taken care seriously by the manufacturer and find a fix. Because it just impacts all electrical things and we can't steer the car!
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that an abnormal grinding was coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact's husband spoke with the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
In September of 2012, my wife and I purchase a new Honda CR-V. We have owned it since and it has been a reliable vehicle. Unfortunately, on Friday, June 23, 2023, my wife called me from the gym parking lot stating that the power steering on her 2012 Honda CR-V was not working. I drove up to the parking lot and confirmed that the electric power steering system ("EPS" or "EPAS") was not working. When this condition exist, the steering and turning is almost IMPOSSIBLE to implement. The vehicle was towed to Space Coast Honda in Cocoa Florida late in the day. The next morning, Saturday, June 24, 2023, the dealer called and said that the EPS had failed and the module would have to be replaced. They estimated the delivery of the part to take one to two weeks. The next week, the dealer said that the part is backed ordered and would now take 2-4 weeks. On July 26, after almost five weeks of sitting in the side parking lot of the dealer, I went out to the dealer to find out more about why the part was taking so long to arrive. They then said that they have no idea when it will be available and could take a year…..or more! On Wednesday, July 26, 2003, I drove out to the dealer to remove more personal items along with starting the vehicle. When I did start the vehicle, the Power Steering functioned properly. We returned later in the day and drove the CR-V home. I have used the CR-V several times and the power steering now works fine…..BUT FOR HOW LONG? Since that time, we have found out that the failure of the Honda CR-V EPS system has been known to Honda for many years. There are numerous YouTube videos and web sites which describe this failure and Honda’s failure to address this safety concern to ensure that drivers of this model can safely and reliably utilize their vehicle. However, with no regard to the safety of the Honda CR-V driver, passengers and others around them, Honda continues to sell CR-Vs (2012-2016…and perhaps with other years affected) with this known
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that overnight a fire started in the garage where the vehicle was located, and the majority of the fire was centered around the vehicle. Most of the house was burned. No one was injured. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire department. The contact was awaiting for the fire department report. The contact believed that the vehicle was experiencing a similar failure to NHTSA campaign number: 12V486000 (Electrical System, Visibility). The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.
I was at a corner waiting for traffic to clear so I could make a turn left. When I started to accelerate the vehicle started to hesitate and continued. The on coming car had to slam on their brakes and swerve to avoid hitting my passenger side. Since that time I had found out there was a service bulletin relating to this problem. Honda Service Bulletin 17-040. This is my granddaughters car and now I am reluctant to let her drive the vehicle. It is a very serious safety issue!! My frustration is that when I have discussed the issue with 2 different Honda dealers they didn't disclose there was a bulleting but rather recommended changing the transmission fluid and the information was confusing. One dealer recommended changing the fluid once and another recommended I change it three times at the same appointment. Since the incident I have had an opportunity to drive my other granddaughters 2011 Honda CRV and it is displaying the same shudder issue on acceleration and when you are at 40 miles and try to accelerate which she noticed. Obviously, if you were trying to pass another vehicle on a two lane highway and it started the shudder you would be involved in a head on crash resulting in serious injury or death. I believe there should be a recall to correct this problem. The cost to replace the torque converter is $3,000 +. The bulletin 17-040 states the affect vehicles are 2012-14. It needs to be revised to include 2011 Honda CRV vehicle. I found the bulletin myself through a group that shares information regarding Honda CRV vehicles. The bulletin was issued on May 20, 2017 06492 Version 1. The vehicle number for the 2011 Honda CRV is 5J6RE4H72BL017198
Went to put bike rack on car and installer said frame rusted and advised that Honda CRV in Northeast up until 2011 were recalled for frame rusting. I believe my vehicle falls into this category as well. Installer wouldn’t install bike rack
While going over speed bump, left Rear trailing arm broke off. Large amount of rust was noted to frame. Our CRV had to be towed to our local Honda dealer. There is a current recall for this same issue on vehicle years 2007-2011 but none to cover our 2012 CRV.
Power steering system stopped working. Very difficult to steer at low speeds, easier at higher speeds. Had the control module reprogrammed and it worked for a few starts, but after restarting the car 3 times, the steering system stopped working.
Upon cold start, the engine makes a loud knocking or rattling noise for several seconds, most noticeable after the vehicle has been sitting overnight. The noise seems to be coming from the timing area of the engine and has been identified by multiple mechanics as likely due to a faulty VTC (Variable Timing Control) actuator. This issue happens consistently during cold starts, then disappears once the engine warms up. There are no warning lights, diagnostic codes, or messages displayed on the dashboard when this occurs. The noise is loud enough to raise safety concerns, as it could indicate premature wear on internal components. I’m concerned that continued driving could lead to more serious engine damage. This problem has not been officially diagnosed by a dealership, but online forums and known service bulletins suggest this is a common issue with the 2012 Honda CR-V. From what I understand, the actuator allows oil to drain when the engine is off, causing a delay in oil pressure build-up and resulting in the knocking noise. This has not yet resulted in a breakdown, but the risk of future failure is concerning. I believe this should be further investigated due to the widespread nature of the problem and the potential long-term damage it could cause.
SUV was on highway driving at around 60 mph when the front driver side dipped and heard a loud noise. Tire went flat and there was a lot of holes on the sidewall of the tire. I had vehicle towed to Tire Plus and the technician said he had not seen a tire fail like that before. He stated that it could have been a defect in the tire. The tire size was BL 225/65R17 102H. If traffic had been heavy, I may have caused an accident.
Rear Brakes do not release completely. On Sept 2015 Replaced rear pads @36776. On July 2017 Replaced Pads and Rotors @59439. On Sept 2018 replaced Rotors, Pads, and both Calipers @70037. On June 2020 replaced Rotors and Pads @90000. On Nov 2020 replaced Driver caliper. On July 2021 replaced Rotors, calipers, and Pads @99374. On Mar 2023 replaced Passenger Caliper, Rotors and Pads @111762. All of these repairs were done be a certified mechanic shop and I have all receipts. The Honda dealership states there is no problem.
My Honda CRV 2012 rear and trunk doors will not lock. This is creating a safety hazard for me and my family as it leaves my car unsecured when I am away from my vehicle.
The airbag light often turns red, indicating that airbags are not likely to be deployed if needed. This happens usually when the steering is turned in a certain way when I take left or right turn (more likely during the left turn). No accidents. I took it to the dealership for repair. The dealership says this is an issue with a faulty part (clockspring) but there is no certainty. Even the cost of a clockspring replacement is about $500. I suspect this has something to do with 2011 Honda CRV airbag light issues. However, Honda never recognized this significant safety-related issue in 2012 CRVs.
2012 Honda CR-V has 70,000 miles on it. I am now on the 4th battery, which is dead, and I may have to buy a 5th battery. I am replacing batteries at an average of every 2.5 years. Honda keeps telling me nothing is wrong with the electrical system, and that my battery keeps going bad for no reason. I am aware of a technical service bulletin for the problem (12-041), but Honda tells me to implement the fix, I have to buy a new battery. I am getting frustrated by getting stranded.
I am writing this letter to place a COMPLAINT against the total lack of Honda not providing parts for car repair. I have a 2012 Honda CRV that the Electronic Steering Gear has failed. I was told by a dealers Parts Department that this part 53601T0AA01 is not available anywhere in the USA. They couldn’t understand why the part is unavailable as it is not part of the Port holdup situation. To date, my car has been in the shop for 3 weeks waiting for this part from Honda. Monday I was told the part might arrive in the middle of March! In the meantime, 6+ weeks later I have no car. My complaint is that this Power Steering Gear has for years been a dangerous problem on Honda vehicles. The potential dangerous crisis is that when this part fails you cannot steer your car or drive it. So, imagine driving 70 mph on a freeway and lose power steering. Of course, the Manuel indicates the vehicle just goes to manual steering. In real time, this manuel operation makes it extremely difficult to turn the wheel right or left. And if you continue to drive it without repair you could more damage to the vehicle. Why this has not been a recall problem is beyond me. Not only is the cost of the part is ridiculous at $1700+ with an additional cost of labor $1500+. Something must be done about Honda not providing parts for car repair. Especially an issue that is so dangerous to car owners. I’m guessing the Honda excuse now is tied to Ukraine. I have trouble believing that’s the only country that provides auto parts.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026