Car · Honda problems

2012 Honda CR-V problems

403 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Honda CR-V. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (23% of them). NHTSA also lists 56 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 24. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 403 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling91 · 23%
• Electrical system68 · 17%
• Other or unknown52 · 13%
• Power train (transmission and drive)48 · 12%
• Visibility and wipers36 · 9%
• Steering35 · 9%
• Air bags30 · 7%
• Body and structure29 · 7%

13 smaller areas not shown (123 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 56 repair bulletins from Honda for the 2012 Honda CR-V. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 00010128Received May 9, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Our records indicate that a PRODUCT UPDATE has not been completed on this vehicle; refer to the address card for the affected VIN.

2. A16031Received December 13, 2021

   Air bags

   2012 CR-V Driver's Airbag Inflator Collection - American Honda is conducting a study of driver's airbag inflators.

3. 10128Received May 7, 2021

   Electrical system

   Our records indicate that a PRODUCT UPDATE has not been completed on this vehicle to the address card for the affected VIN.

4. A19050BReceived May 30, 2019

   When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position.

5. A18-138Received March 5, 2019

   This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete.

6. A17-028Received August 20, 2018

   Air bags

   2012 CR-V Driver's Airbag Inflator Collection.

7. DLR MSG - RFP -Received June 18, 2018

   American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2012-2013 2WD CR-Vs with a complaint of front brake judder.

8. A16-063Received April 23, 2018

   Latches, locks and linkages

   The tailgate won't open from the outside handle in temperatures near freezing or colder, but will open in warmer temperatures.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Honda CR-V. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer.

1. 13V143000April 15, 2013

   Power train

   During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal.

2. 12V501000October 16, 2012

   Equipment

   These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

3. 12V338000July 19, 2012

   Latches/locks/linkages

   If the manual or power door lock is activated while an interior front door handle is being operated by an occupant, the cable connecting the interior door handle to the door latch mechanism may...

See all 3 recalls for the 2012 Honda CR-V, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your CR-V will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 91 complaints · 23%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 68 complaints · 17%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 48 complaints · 12%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Visibility and wipers 36 complaints · 9%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Honda CR-V: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V?

Of the 403 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Honda CR-V, 91 (23%) name engine and engine cooling, and 68 (17%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Honda CR-V reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 27 of the 403 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 24 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Honda CR-V have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2012 Honda CR-V. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 56 repair bulletins for the 2012 Honda CR-V.

More

• 2025 CR-V problems
• 2024 CR-V problems
• 2023 CR-V problems
• 2022 CR-V problems
• 2021 CR-V problems
• 2020 CR-V problems
• 2019 CR-V problems
• 2018 CR-V problems
• 2017 CR-V problems
• 2016 CR-V problems
• 2015 CR-V problems
• 2014 CR-V problems
• 2013 CR-V problems
• 2011 CR-V problems
• 2010 CR-V problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Honda recalls
• Honda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.