NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Honda CR-V. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
November 2024 I had a new battery and tires put on my 2016 Honda CRV. 14 months later my car would not start. I had to have a jump start. I had to have it jump started a few times more than took it to have it checked out. They put in a new battery February 2026. A month later my car would not start. I took it to a mechanic who found the door handle sensor bad. I have seen many other owners having the same problem. I also found out that it costs upward of $1,000 to fix. This should be a recall since so many had this problem, and I am sure you are aware of it. Please help us.
My daughter left her house to go to an appointment in statesboro, an hour away. When she proceeded onto HWY 196, the dashboard lit up with: check engine light, TMPS light, Traction Control light, Power steering control light. The speed limit on this road is 40MPH she was unable to accelerate over 20 mph. She immediately took it to an Orielly auto parts store on hwy 196 to have them to diagnose the check engine light. The veri scan presented a code P0087 indicates that the FuelRail/ System pressure was too low for a predetermined period of time. The most likely solution stated to Replace High Pressure Fuel Pump. This is the first time this has occurred. This is the same issue that a recalled was done in 2023 on the 2013-2016 CRV, but my VIN was not part of that recalled. I called my local honda dealer to verify if my vehicle was part of the recalled and was told it wasn't. I hope we can get this resolved before someone gets hurt or my family get in an accident. Mr [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Sunroof spontaneously exploded.
Vehicle: 2016 Honda CR-V Mileage: ~133,120 miles Component: Driver-side seat belt retractor The driver-side seat belt retractor failed during normal use and became mechanically locked and unusable. There was no crash, no collision, no misuse, no airbag deployment, and no SRS warning light at the time of failure. This failure rendered the primary occupant restraint inoperable. I requested coverage under Honda’s Seat Belt Limited Warranty, which states that seat belts that fail to function properly during normal use are covered. Honda denied warranty coverage for the driver-side seat belt retractor based on internal component classification, not because the seat belt functioned properly. The warranty denial was final. I was informed that the failure would not be covered under the seat belt warranty and that any assistance would only be discretionary goodwill, not warranty coverage. I am submitting this complaint because a primary safety restraint failed without a triggering event, and warranty coverage was denied despite normal-use failure. I believe the consumer-facing warranty language does not clearly disclose that a seat belt can fail mechanically yet still be excluded from coverage based on internal classification
2016 Honda CR-V’s smart locking system failed. The smart locking system caused the car battery to drain if it wasn’t driven within 24 hours. After numerous car battery replacements, a Honda auto repair replaced the door handle and repaired the smart locking system. If $639 was not paid for the needed repair, the car battery would drain and therefore the car would not function. After reaching out to Honda for a reimbursement, they declined. This is frustrating because I have researched online and several others have experienced this issue with their Honda CR-V. The issue simply happened one day and was not caused by a vehicle accident.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated, and the transmission occasionally slipped into neutral while attempting to accelerate uphill. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also became aware of a grinding sound while depressing the accelerator pedal, with a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,500.
My car has had trouble starting when sitting for long periods of time or in moderate heat. I've also noticed the gas per mile has decreased. The 2017 year of my car has a recall for the fuel pump. Mine is just one year earlier but my mechanic says it could also be the fuel pump. I have less than 80K miles on the car and I've seen that on the 2017-2022 years with the recall, this problem happens around the 75K-80K mile mark on the car. I think my 2016 should also be recalled for the fuel pump.
I was driving to work and all of the lights on my dash came on and the vehicle would not go over 15 mph. I had semis passing me trying to get my car back home. I had it towed to the nearest Honda dealership where all of my Hondas are repaired, John Hinderer in Heath, OH. They received the vehicle and called me to tell me that it was the high pressure fuel pump that was not working. I inquired if it would be covered under warranty and told me due to the age of the vehicle it was not under warranty, any longer even the the miles were very low. The vehicle is a 2016 but only has 32,170 miles on it. So, I asked how that could happen with a vehicle with so little miles, he did have an answer. He quoted me $1,800.00 to fix it, telling me that the part alone was $1,200.00. After I got off the phone with him I researched the part and found it on Honda's corporate website for $559.43. I sent him a text message showing the price that I found it for and sent a message to the dealership on line. I have yet to hear from them, but they still have my vehicle. I did a little more research this morning and found that certain 2016 CRVs have a recall for the Fuel Pump Module. It is NHTSA Recall Number 23v-858, but my VIN # is not listed with a recall. I believe that my Vehicle should be included in this recall. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Level for oil change was at 30%, took it in and it only had 2.5 quarts of oil. No indication I was low, no oil leak, and it affected the valves. Honda of Lisle said this is common issue with 4 cylinder models, yet there is no recall. Now I have to check my oil every week and add as needed, and will have an large bill to replace the engine. The vehicle has only 61,000 miles.
While driving at highway speeds almost a total loss of engine power occurred causing a safety issue. Five warning indicators lit at this time: Tire pressure monitoring system Malfunction indicator lamp (check engine) Vehicle stability assist warning Electric power steering warning This problem resulted in a Honda Dealer service replacement of the High Pressure Fuel Pump which cost me over $2800 and another $400 for a rental car. There was a recall for the 2017-2020 CRV for an identical(?) issue. This 2016 may have been a later manufacture and had the same fuel pump. A very reputable local garage examined the car and were unwilling to repair the CRV because they were quite familiar with the frequent and problematic Honda CRV high pressure fuel pump issues. It was Drellishak's Service in Rocky River Ohio.
The 2016 CR-V was operating normally, when trying to accelerate from a stop at a stoplight the vehicle began to hesitate and would not accelerate at a normal or acceptable rate if I had needed to maneuver out of the way. the engine recovered briefly after that and allowed me to slowly accelerate to 45Mph when it repeated to hesitate and stop accelerating feeling like it was about to shut off. The check engine light along with others came on at this point. I was able to make it to a shop where they diagnosed fuel pump failure at 127,619 miles (we are the second owner buying the car from family so we know that it is the original fuel pump in the vehicle.
CVT complete transmission failure consistent with Service Bulletin 16-053 from Honda, dated September 9, 2016. I was not the owner of the car at this time, so a recall notice was never received by me. Currently, Transmission is being fully replaced at 94,000 miles at a cost of $5700. It is a safety issue, due to the car not being able to drive over 30mph, nearly stalling at traffic lights and stop signs. A rear end collision would be imminent.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an alignment, the contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was moving and bouncing abnormally. The contact stated that the failure was more significant while driving at faster speeds. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,699.
Rear window shattered while sitting parked in a closed garage.
Steering system
I was in a very low speed fender bender and hit the vehicle in front of me square in the tail end. The airbag needlessly deployed leaving me with a burn and disabled my vehicle. It was a collision that should have been driven away from after the exchange of information. Instead my vehicle which has very little damage required a tow truck die to the deployed airbag.
I first noticed this issue in October of 2023. When approaching the passenger side of my 2016 fwd Honda Cr-v it would unlock without touching the door or the key fob. This caused my car to be left unlocked multiple times without noticing it which is a major safety concern. Additionally I would go to get in the driver's seat and before the car was on the seat adjusted itself to the full upright position. Those two issues paired with the battery dying 7 times in the 8 years I have had it makes me think the electric is failing and causing the battery to constantly run which drains it. One time when the battery was not working they said it was the starter and charged $700 to fix it yesterday this is still happening. Another time this left me in dangerous situation when returning from work travel to the airport over an hour from my home and my car not starting. I had to call a tow truck to get it jumped. I called a Honda service center and the person I spoke with had never heard of these issues before. There are no warning messages when this is happening. I do not have $1000 for them to look into it.
Oil leaking from valve cover causing low oil levels.
The drivers and passenger smart door handles have failed this year. It caused parasitic battery drain over 3 days and the doors would unlock automatically just by walking within 5 feet of the car. I have disconnected them for now because 800 in parts only is rediculous. Very dissapointed the reliability of the 2016 CRV.
Title: Engine Defect – Excessive Oil Consumption and VTC Actuator Failure My 2016 Honda CR-V (purchased from Mohawk Honda, serviced at Rensselaer Honda) developed a serious engine defect after only about 25,000 miles. The vehicle began consuming excessive oil, and later the VTC actuator failed, causing severe loss of power during acceleration and uphill driving, creating unsafe conditions. Dealership confirmed: •Excessive oil consumption from stuck piston rings. •White smoke due to oil burning. •VTC actuator and timing damage. •EPR cleaning service failed to fix the issue. Despite evidence of a manufacturing defect, Honda denied goodwill assistance. The dealership also gave unsafe instructions (drive 1,000 miles with low oil), which worsened the damage. This defect causes loss of power while driving, which is a serious safety hazard. I request NHTSA investigate Honda’s handling of piston ring and VTC defects. Honda Case #: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in park(P), the vehicle shut off. The contact made several attempts to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was jump-started and there were several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with a defective high-pressure fuel pump. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was 85,000.
fuel pump issue, my model and year is in recall batch for this issue, but my vin is not being recalled
Power issues, same as what has been reported with other CRVs.
While driving on my lunch hour on January 14,2025 on busy street my car slowed down almost to a complete stop and I lost power and acceleration. My engine light came on and I had to pull off the road at a very slow speed. It was almost like I lost power in my gas pedal. It was pretty scary because it was over the lunch hour and it was busy. This could have been bad had I not been on the right lane to be able to pull off to a side street. I was concerned about being rear ended due to my car slowing down so fast and I had very little acceleration when pushing on the gas pedal.
It was snowing day, I drove in a local road around 10mph. When facing with a curve, I hit the brake yet the snow cause the tail tilted to the curb. Three of the passenger side airbags exploded and no body damage was detected. I'm not sure if the speed was fast enough for the airbags to deployed.
No accident happened, passengers air deployed and exploded
Weight sensor light is on. There is a recall on newer models.
The engine sporadically will “skip” and then keep going. The RPMs will spoke a little when it does
Unknown electrical problem. Both headlights will go out simultaneously without warning while driving. Frequent malfunction of running lamps, headlamps, break lamps.
I have been 2x stopping at light then started to start back up do to green light and lost power for a second in the gas pedal. Then it kicks in!
Gas smell inside cabin.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly hesitated before losing motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the Oxygen sensor. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
While I was driving about 70 mph on highway, the car suddenly stopped responding to the gas paddle and I heard a noise from near the fuel tank. I was able to pull up to the side of the road and the check engine light was showing. I towed it to an Auto Repair shop in Modesto, CA and they found that the fuel pump has failed. So they replaced with an OEM part and upon examining, they found that the old fuel pump was in fact not working properly. I see that Honda has a recall for 2013-2016 CR-V relating to fuel pumps (2013-16 CR-V Fuel Pump Module Set/Assy Exp2 Stop Sale). But when I put VIN to their website, it shows that my car is not part of the recall. So I am requesting a further investigation on this recall.
Engine loosing oil inside the engine. Honda dealership Lemon Grove Honda reworked the engine. New Ring Set, Gasket kit, Spark plugs, coolant, oil seal, 2 o-rings 12.6 x 2.4 and 1 o-ring other. 1/27/23 Replaced pistons rings, including cylinder head gasket and spark plugs, after replacing rings and gasket tested said 1005 good Cost for me was $4397.86. Prior to this, they replaced the gaskets and spark plugs for $800. Complained that is might be the same problem again 5/24 and they charged me $2559.14 for labor and said it was not the same problem. Then in 9/24 it was seen then on 10/4 they said the problem was the same and engine was not good anymore. Looked for help with Honda, and none was given -- just told it was my tough luck. Noted that there is a recall on Honda engines in 2016 in the paper as of today 11/11/24. This should fall within that recall as it keeps failing.
Unknown Paint is peeling above hatch
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started to independently accelerate. The contact had taken her foot off the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle was still accelerating. The contact depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle was still accelerating. The contact had not observed any warning lights being illuminated. The contact entered a parking lot and depressed the brake pedal with force due to the vehicle independently accelerating. The contact was able to stop and shifted the vehicle into park(P). The contact observed that the vehicle was still revving, and the RPM was rising with the engine was revving. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle several times and was finally able to drive the vehicle under normal operating conditions. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Vehicle stalling, AWD light suddenly appears goes off after driving a few miles reappeared and then engine light comes on.
I was driving up a hill and the car started chugging and didn't want to finish going up the hill. Several indicator lights went on: Malfunction (check engine), Tire Pressure monitoring system, Electric Power Steering, Vehicle Stability Assist, and the All Wheel Drive. A slight burning smell started coming from the engine. I took it for auto repair and found that I need a new high pressure fuel pump and fuel injector. After searching on the Internet, I see that this is an issue in Honda vehicles and there are many recalls for it but not my vehicle. I also called the Honda dealership to check with them but my VIN number is not covered. Considering I have under 80,000 miles on my vehicle, I don't think this should be having this issue. Plus, it looks like there are several people across the US with the same model as me having the same issue. Considering how quickly it happened, that it is a safety issue, how expensive it is to repair, and that many people are having the same issue in chat forums across the Internet, I think it should be on the recall list.
The contact owned a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH and attempting to avoid colliding with a second vehicle the driver lost control of the steering and crashed into a utility pole. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but the air bag partially deployed and did not protect the driver. The contact sustained back and neck injuries which later required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 158,000.
Smelled gasoline while driving but not sure of source. 10 min into drive fumes were very strong and then all light came on and engine shut down. A fire safety vehicle noticed fuel pouring out from under the vehicle. Because of the fuel spill the police came and called a tow truck. The car was towed to Firestone where they determined that the fuel line on top of gas tank was spilling fuel. I noticed the 2017 CRV Honda have a recall on this fuel supply and my car was a late 2016 model. They will not honor my vin number.
MY 2016 HONDA CRV IS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE THAT SOUND LIKE ITS COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN I START THE CAR AND WHEN IM DRIVING IT. ACCORDING TO YOUR WEBSITE THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR "CERTAIN 2016 HONDAS" THAT HAVE THE SAME NOISE AS MINE THATS CAUSED BY THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING WHICH CAN CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. "WHY IS MY CAR NOT PART OF THIS RECALL." THIS CAR IS DRIVEN BY ME AND MY WIFE AS A FAMILY CAR. IF YOUR INVEATIGATON REVEALS THAT THE NOISE IN MY CAR IS THE SAME NOISE IN THE CARS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL THEN I AM REQUETSTING THAT THE 2016 HONDA CRV BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST ASAP. I HAVE HAD NO WORK DONE ON THE CAR RELATING TO THE IS NOISE. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
IF CAR IS NOT DRIVEN FOR A FEW DAYS THE BATTERY WILL BE DEAD. CAR HAS NEW BATTERY. DOING MY RESEARCH THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 2011-2019 HONDA CRV WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE APPARENTLY IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE VSA SYSTEM. IS HONDA PAYING THE NHTSA NOT TO RECALL THIS
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward and stalled. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was choking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was difficult to start. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to a failure with the transmission. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
This vehicle has intermiitent stalling when accelerating and has died in the middle of an intersection several times leaving me vulnerable to oncoming traffic. This has been happening on a daily occurence for months.
The drivers side door unlocks on its own after I have locked the door and start walking away from the vehicle. It is not suppose to open until after I have grasped the handle to open it when it has been locked. I can hear it unlock when I am outside the vehicle and somewhere in the vicinity of 10 feet away from the vehicle. I can have it available for inspection at any time. This problem causes the battery to drain and the vehicle won't start. The dead battery has happened to me twice (once in an airport parking lot and once at home). I have researched this on the internet and it is a common problem for the vehicle (both the unlocking and subsequent draining of the battery). The safety issue is, if this were to happen in a situation where conditions were such that I couldn't get my car started and I needed to escape an assailant that's trying to do harm to me or other passengers (children) in my vehicle. Another scenario could be needing to be able to drive away from any dangerous situation (stuck in a desert in extreme heat, a forest fire, etc...). The list could be endless. You need to be able to start your car when necessary. It hasn't been inspected by a dealer but I have contacted them twice about this issue. I haven't had it inspected by anyone. Many people have had this same problem and the repair at dealer is roughly $700 dollars. I think they have to replace the door lock actuator. There were no warnings, messages or other symptoms before it first happened. The problem first happened in April/May of 2024.
Part 74800-TF0-J02, Honda Door Lock Actuator. It appears there have been issues for years with the door lock actuator parts. This has been reported online at Honda blog sites, complaints, reviews, etc. that I've seen. Why doesn't this get resolution. It's a difficult part to replace, and harder to find someone to do it. It's a safety factor, for the door cannot be opened. I was rear-ended by a car in the past, and mine was totaled. The only escape was the back hatch. In this case, I would have been unable to get out, and could succomb to explosion and death. In the least, it is extremely frustrating to be unable to load a cart of groceries, etc into the back. We leave a backseat down now, since it has failed after three repairs. We have to sling groceries into the back, and crawl in to retrieve them. We are looking for the part and service once again. Many have said this occurs in cold weather. We have found that weather is just a coincidence, and it occurs any season. I wonder if it can't handle the wattage from the Honda wiring panel or if it's just a defective part with a short lifespan.
My steering jerks hard left and corrects it self it also excels been braking, cranking the wheel turns freely and the car is very unsafe to drive i can lose control of the vehicle. All emergency lights are on steering wheel light exclamation point tps light among other things.i was told the EPS systems isn't working the steering control module, steering rack and all sensors replaced honda dealership also let me know this has been a common problem with crv years 16,17,18 I have no recalls on my car presently. I also want to add my father has the same 2016 honda crv and his is failing as well. This repair is mandatory and is very expensive over 6 thousand dollars and honda is denying to call a recall for this issue. This is a major safety issue and should be brought to attention. I am very sure that are many. Many customers out there that have experienced the same thing, and that should be reimbursed for them. Selves having to pay thousands of dollars to repair their car. Unfortunately, my car is worth $9000. As it stands. That is over half the cost of the car.
I have a 2016 Honda CR-V. When temperatures are very cold, near and below freezing, the tailgate will not open until temperatures warm up or handwarmers are used for about 5 minutes or the use of heat from the hands eventually allows the tailgate to open. This is reported in Honda Bulletin 16-063. However, even after replacement of the tailgate opener switch by the dealer, the problem has reoccurred. No manual release exists. This can be safety issue when transporting children that require larger equipment, like strollers, or the elderly which requires wheelchairs. I went camping with the boys, and temperatures had fallen along with rain when we arrived at our campsite. It took a good 5-10 minutes using handwarmers for the tailgate to open and thus allowing the camping equipment and tents to be removed to be setup for the weekend. I believe this is a safety issue, because, what if an emergency had occurred and we had to pack and leave quickly. What if I was transporting a child or elderly person that required wheelchair that was needed right away. This issue with opening the tailgate does not occur when temperatures are warmer, or in very cold, thus I believe this to be a major design flaw that results in a safety issue.
Engine failed unexpectedly with no warning and no warning lights on the dashboard. Car will not start and needs replacement engine.
Driver side and left back side airbags deployed while driving on the highway in the fast lane. No impact to the car occurred to lead this to happen. No damaged to the car occurred. No other vehicles were involved. Turned I hard turned the wheel and all left side window and driver seat airbags deployed. No warning or messages problem was seen prior to accident. Sustained a TBI as a result.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026