Car · Honda problems

2021 Honda CR-V problems

338 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Honda CR-V. The most reported area is steering (34% of them). NHTSA also lists 15 service bulletins and 5 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: 13. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 338 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Steering114 · 34%
• Forward collision avoidance88 · 26%
• Other or unknown38 · 11%
• Engine and engine cooling36 · 11%
• Electrical system34 · 10%
• Fuel system30 · 9%
• Service brakes27 · 8%
• Lane departure17 · 5%

13 smaller areas not shown (70 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 15 repair bulletins from Honda for the 2021 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. A26-016Received October 1, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire.

2. A25-077Received August 8, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.

3. A24-011Received September 10, 2024

   Steering

   Steering effort complaint while driving at moderate or highway speeds, with a possible complaint of a clicking noise at slow speeds while turning, and no MIL illuminated, or DTC stored.

4. A23-040Received July 1, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak.

5. A23110AReceived November 16, 2023

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Some customers have complained of fluid leaking from the rear differential after it has been serviced due to over-torqueing of the drain plugs during servicing.

6. ABOM05192023901Received May 31, 2023

   Visibility and wipers

   Due to supplier process concerns, the A/C compressor may not have been manufactured to specifications.

7. A23-015Received April 20, 2023

   Visibility and wipers

   Customers have complained of the air conditioning system not blowing cold air due to the oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor main shaft seal.

8. A23-031Received April 20, 2023

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   The vehicle message "All Wheel Drive System Problem" is shown on the dash.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Honda CR-V. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V332000May 22, 2026

   Air bags

   The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

2. 24V064000February 2, 2024

   Air bags

   The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

3. 23V858000December 19, 2023

   Fuel system, gasoline

   The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

See all 5 recalls for the 2021 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

Steering 114 complaints · 34%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Forward collision avoidance 88 complaints · 26%

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

Engine and engine cooling 36 complaints · 11%

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

Electrical system 34 complaints · 10%

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

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)

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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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2021 Honda CR-V: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Honda CR-V?

Of the 338 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Honda CR-V, 114 (34%) name steering, and 88 (26%) name forward collision avoidance. 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 2021 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 14 of the 338 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 13 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Honda CR-V have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 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 15 repair bulletins for the 2021 Honda CR-V.

More

• 2025 CR-V problems
• 2024 CR-V problems
• 2023 CR-V problems
• 2022 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
• 2012 CR-V problems
• 2011 CR-V problems
• 2010 CR-V problems
• 2021 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.