CarTold

2016 Honda CR-V: Common Problems, Recalls and Vehicle Data

Check the 2016 Honda CR-V records before a viewing: recall campaigns, owner-reported symptoms, investigations, service bulletins and EPA fuel economy.

Data checked Sep 1, 2026 · Updated Aug 3, 2026 · By Tom Smith · Methodology · Sources

What the public data shows

Wait — the strongest lead here isn't a complaint category at all. No repeat-repair campaigns appear in the record, the one investigation on file (EA19001, concerning the air bag/restraint control module) is already closed, and the three recalls on this model year are spread across three separate systems — air bags, engine, and gasoline fuel system — rather than clustered in one. That breadth means the recall record points in several directions rather than toward a single recurring problem area. Within the complaint data, the largest bucket is the catch-all "other" category, at 136 of 389 complaints, or 35 percent — a sign that a substantial share of owner reports don't fall neatly into the standard mechanical categories NHTSA tracks. Behind that, engine complaints account for 71 (18 percent) and electrical complaints for 58 (15 percent). Service bulletins tell a more concentrated story: of 85 bulletins issued for this model year, 19 concern the fuel system and 9 the engine — bulletins are manufacturer guidance for dealers addressing known symptoms, not recalls or admissions of a defect, but the fuel-system concentration lines up loosely with one of the three recall campaigns. None of this establishes how many vehicles were actually affected by any given issue; complaint and bulletin counts reflect what was reported and documented, not a defect rate across the model year.

Body class
SUV
Drive types
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Combined MPG
27–29
Recall campaigns
3
Check the VIN to find out whether a recall applies to this car. Complaint counts describe reports on file; differences in time on the road, sales and reporting prevent a direct comparison of failure odds. Read our methodology.

Complaint trends

392 complaints on file with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, grouped into CarTold's broad component categories.

Other 136 (35%)
Engine 73 (19%)
Electrical 59 (15%)
Drivetrain 42 (11%)
Airbag 31 (8%)
Steering 17 (4%)
Visibility & lighting 14 (4%)
Brakes 13 (3%)
Fuel system 7 (2%)

Most frequently reported, by the specific component NHTSA logged each complaint under (not CarTold's category groupings above):

A higher complaint count doesn't by itself mean a worse car — see what complaint counts can and cannot tell you.

Recalls

Campaign 23V858000 2023-12-18

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.

Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Campaign 17V305000 2017-05-04

ENGINE

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine. The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.

Consequence: The reduced performance may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace the incorrect components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF6.

Campaign 15V714000 2015-10-29

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CR-V vehicles manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began in November 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda'a number for this recall is JV9.

A model-year recall does not mean every vehicle is affected. Look up a specific car with our recall check — paste a VIN and it lists every campaign covering that vehicle. Whether the work was actually done needs nhtsa.gov/recalls or the manufacturer; our guide explains what each of its answers means.

Investigations

EA19001 (EA) Closed

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Opened 2019-04-19 · Closed 2024-09-19

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors moun…

Manufacturer communications

Expand a component group to read the service bulletins and other communications manufacturers filed with NHTSA. Use the document number to ask a dealer whether the instructions apply to this car and whether any repair is covered. A bulletin alone does not establish payment eligibility. How these records differ from recalls and investigations.

FUEL SYSTEM — 20 documents (2016-01-01 – 2020-01-24)
DateTypeComponent
2020-01-24 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2020-01-07 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-12-02 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-11-14 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
2019-10-28 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-10-09 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-09-25 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-09-09 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2019-08-27 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2017-08-31 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2016-08-11 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2016-03-29 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2016-03-29 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2016-03-01 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2016-02-19 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2016-02-19 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUE…
2016-02-19 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, FUEL S…
2016-02-19 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2016-02-03 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2016-01-01 service bulletin FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
ENGINE — 8 documents (2016-03-18 – 2019-02-21)
DateTypeComponent
2019-02-21 service bulletin ENGINE
2018-07-03 service bulletin ENGINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
2017-08-02 service bulletin ENGINE
2017-03-02 service bulletin ENGINE
2016-11-17 service bulletin ENGINE
2016-10-19 service bulletin ENGINE
2016-07-12 service bulletin ENGINE
2016-03-18 service bulletin ENGINE
EQUIPMENT — 7 documents (2015-10-22 – 2018-11-06)
DateTypeComponent
2018-11-06 service bulletin EQUIPMENT
2016-03-16 service bulletin EQUIPMENT
2016-02-28 service bulletin EQUIPMENT
2016-01-05 service bulletin EQUIPMENT
2015-12-01 service bulletin EQUIPMENT
2015-10-22 service bulletin EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC., EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AI…
2015-10-22 service bulletin EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC., EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AI…
AIR BAGS — 6 documents (2015-10-29 – 2018-06-15)
DateTypeComponent
2018-06-15 service bulletin AIR BAGS
2016-05-05 service bulletin AIR BAGS
2016-01-30 service bulletin AIR BAGS
2015-11-05 service bulletin AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
2015-10-29 service bulletin AIR BAGS
2015-10-29 service bulletin AIR BAGS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE — 6 documents (2016-08-03 – 2017-02-21)
DateTypeComponent
2017-02-21 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
2016-12-21 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
2016-12-21 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
2016-12-21 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (…
2016-08-18 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE, EQUIPMENT
2016-08-03 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — 4 documents (2016-07-08 – 2017-01-06)
DateTypeComponent
2017-01-06 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
2016-12-21 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
2016-09-09 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2016-07-08 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS — 3 documents (2018-02-05 – 2018-09-27)
DateTypeComponent
2018-09-27 service bulletin TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
2018-03-26 service bulletin TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
2018-02-05 service bulletin TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 3 documents (2016-09-09 – 2018-09-25)
DateTypeComponent
2018-09-25 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2018-01-10 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
2016-09-09 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/T…
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL — 3 documents (2016-03-01 – 2016-03-31)
DateTypeComponent
2016-03-31 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
2016-03-31 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
2016-03-01 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. — 3 documents (2015-10-22)
DateTypeComponent
2015-10-22 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC., EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AI…
2015-10-22 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC., EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITION…
2015-10-22 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC., EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AI…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 2 documents (2016-03-18 – 2019-10-15)
DateTypeComponent
2019-10-15 service bulletin ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN
2016-03-18 service bulletin ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VISIBILITY/WIPER — 2 documents (2017-11-27 – 2018-01-03)
DateTypeComponent
2018-01-03 service bulletin VISIBILITY/WIPER
2017-11-27 service bulletin VISIBILITY/WIPER
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) — 2 documents (2016-08-03 – 2017-01-17)
DateTypeComponent
2017-01-17 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM), ELECTRICAL SY…
2016-08-03 service bulletin POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
SEATS — 2 documents (2016-03-16)
DateTypeComponent
2016-03-16 service bulletin SEATS, EQUIPMENT
2016-03-16 service bulletin SEATS
STEERING — 1 document (2019-05-16)
DateTypeComponent
2019-05-16 service bulletin STEERING
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH — 1 document (2018-04-11)
DateTypeComponent
2018-04-11 service bulletin LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 1 document (2018-01-25)
DateTypeComponent
2018-01-25 service bulletin VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL — 1 document (2018-01-10)
DateTypeComponent
2018-01-10 service bulletin ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE CO…
VISIBILITY — 1 document (2017-11-10)
DateTypeComponent
2017-11-10 service bulletin VISIBILITY
POWER TRAIN — 1 document (2017-09-15)
DateTypeComponent
2017-09-15 service bulletin POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR — 1 document (2017-08-03)
DateTypeComponent
2017-08-03 service bulletin STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR, STEERING
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER — 1 document (2016-12-08)
DateTypeComponent
2016-12-08 service bulletin SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM) — 1 document (2016-11-11)
DateTypeComponent
2016-11-11 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY — 1 document (2016-09-28)
DateTypeComponent
2016-09-28 service bulletin EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 1 document (2016-03-02)
DateTypeComponent
2016-03-02 service bulletin EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL — 1 document (2016-03-01)
DateTypeComponent
2016-03-01 service bulletin ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL — 1 document (2015-11-06)
DateTypeComponent
2015-11-06 service bulletin EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE — 1 document (2015-11-05)
DateTypeComponent
2015-11-05 service bulletin AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, AIR BAGS

85 communications on file, grouped into 28 categories.

Fuel economy

TrimEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombined
CR-V 2WD 2.4L 4cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-Wheel Drive 26 32 29
CR-V 4WD 2.4L 4cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) All-Wheel Drive 25 31 27

Combined MPG is a weighted average, not the midpoint of city and highway — how EPA calculates these ratings.

Calculate your annual fuel cost

Safety ratings

NHTSA crash-tests each body-style/drivetrain configuration separately, so ratings can differ by variant — shown as tested, not averaged. See how the 5-star ratings work, including why an overall score isn't the average of the three category scores.

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRollover
2016 Honda CR-V SUV AWD ★★★★★ 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 Honda CR-V SUV FWD ★★★★★ 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5

Sources and methodology

Related reports

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