2012 Honda CR-V Engine Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 37,153 miles. The words owners use most often: “vtc actuator” (30% of reports).
- 89engine complaints
- 37,153median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 21%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Vtc actuator: mentioned in 27 of 89 complaints (30%)
- Grinding noise: mentioned in 22 of 89 complaints (25%)
- Cold start: mentioned in 14 of 89 complaints (16%)
- Service bulletin: mentioned in 11 of 89 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 Honda CR-V at $1,000, and half of them between $860 and $2,000.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 66 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 89 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury.
Honda CR-V engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 CR-V | 10 | 6% | 400 |
| 2025 CR-V | 25 | 10% | 8,475 |
| 2024 CR-V | 24 | 6% | 50,490 |
| 2023 CR-V | 21 | 4% | 5,000 |
| 2022 CR-V | 19 | 7% | 55,000 |
| 2021 CR-V | 33 | 10% | 52,000 |
| 2020 CR-V | 39 | 11% | 50,000 |
| 2019 CR-V | 112 | 10% | 5,925 |
| 2018 CR-V | 530 | 25% | 5,814 |
| 2017 CR-V | 531 | 30% | 15,000 |
| 2016 CR-V | 101 | 26% | 21,500 |
| 2015 CR-V | 243 | 36% | 1,000 |
| 2014 CR-V | 190 | 32% | 30,000 |
| 2013 CR-V | 97 | 25% | 28,750 |
| 2012 CR-V | 89 | 22% | 37,153 |
| 2011 CR-V | 37 | 7% | 83,000 |
| 2010 CR-V | 53 | 11% | 73,025 |
| 2009 CR-V | 8 | 2% | 87,000 |
| 2008 CR-V | 23 | 2% | 71,500 |
| 2007 CR-V | 14 | 2% | 115,500 |
| 2006 CR-V | 11 | 3% | 111,650 |
| 2005 CR-V | 16 | 3% | 123,684 |
| 2004 CR-V | 12 | 2% | 81,861 |
| 2003 CR-V | 6 | 1% | 135,000 |
| 2002 CR-V | 7 | 1% | 119,000 |
| 2001 CR-V | 9 | 6% | 108,000 |
| 2000 CR-V | 2 | 2% | 94,423 |
| 1999 CR-V | 5 | 4% | 115,500 |
| 1998 CR-V | 6 | 5% | 175,000 |
| 1997 CR-V | 3 | 3% | 217,600 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Honda CR-V. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Subject: Engine Stalls Upon Acceleration from Stop - Near Collision âDescription: 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…
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Honda CR-Vs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Honda CR-V (22% of the 403 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Honda CR-V engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 37,153 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $860 and $2,000), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V?
The most frequent phrase is “vtc actuator”, in 27 of 89 complaints, followed by “grinding noise” (22).
Other 2012 Honda CR-V problems
See all 2012 Honda CR-V problems or engine problems across all CR-V years.