Honda CR-V Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 2,504 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Honda CR-V across 30 model years. The 2017 model year has the most (401). The words owners use most often: “door lock” (9% of reports).
- 2,504electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 50mention a crash
- 34mention an injury
- 8related recalls
- $820typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%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.
- Door lock: mentioned in 221 of 2,504 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Honda CR-V at $820, and half of them between $430 and $1,150.
Based on 67 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2026), 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 electrical system problems happen?
Based on 1,477 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 2,504 complaints, 50 mention a crash, 70 a fire, 34 an injury.
Honda CR-V electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 CR-V | 28 | 18% | 1,600 |
| 2025 CR-V | 18 | 7% | 13,525 |
| 2024 CR-V | 35 | 9% | 6,200 |
| 2023 CR-V | 28 | 5% | 894 |
| 2022 CR-V | 14 | 5% | 4,000 |
| 2021 CR-V | 34 | 10% | 14,800 |
| 2020 CR-V | 43 | 12% | 11,500 |
| 2019 CR-V | 164 | 15% | 7,000 |
| 2018 CR-V | 284 | 13% | 14,941 |
| 2017 CR-V | 401 | 23% | 19,500 |
| 2016 CR-V | 64 | 16% | 24,000 |
| 2015 CR-V | 84 | 13% | 28,750 |
| 2014 CR-V | 77 | 13% | 8,832 |
| 2013 CR-V | 38 | 10% | 32,420 |
| 2012 CR-V | 68 | 17% | 30,000 |
| 2011 CR-V | 55 | 10% | 53,731 |
| 2010 CR-V | 43 | 9% | 79,000 |
| 2009 CR-V | 44 | 11% | 62,000 |
| 2008 CR-V | 218 | 23% | 80,000 |
| 2007 CR-V | 264 | 30% | 80,000 |
| 2006 CR-V | 75 | 19% | 75,400 |
| 2005 CR-V | 77 | 16% | 88,175 |
| 2004 CR-V | 73 | 15% | 90,000 |
| 2003 CR-V | 62 | 13% | 96,750 |
| 2002 CR-V | 95 | 18% | 110,448 |
| 2001 CR-V | 7 | 5% | 179,840 |
| 2000 CR-V | 15 | 12% | 137,000 |
| 1999 CR-V | 27 | 21% | 134,000 |
| 1998 CR-V | 38 | 30% | 124,100 |
| 1997 CR-V | 31 | 29% | 125,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (8)
Visibility:power window devices and controls; electrical system
Model years: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2002-2006 CR-V vehicles. Moisture may enter the driver side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt.
Risk: If the switch fails, it could overheat and smoke, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power window master switch and inspect the wiring harness for damage, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is P9D.
Air bags:frontal:driver clockspring/spiral cassette; electrical system:horn; air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module; steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Model years: 2019
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 CR-V vehicles. The metal core of the steering wheel may have burrs which can damage the harnesses routed within, potentially disabling the driver's air bag or causing it to deploy without warning.
Risk: In the event of a crash, a disabled air bag would increase the risk of injury. An uncommanded deployment of the driver's air bag also increases the risk of injury and a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover on the steering wheel core and replace clockspring and the harnesses within, free of charge. The recall began July 8, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is R4S.
Electrical system; visibility:power window devices and controls
Model years: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2002-2006 CR-V passenger vehicles, manufactured from February 19, 2002, through July 28, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt.
Risk: If the switch fails, it could overheat, smoke, and cause a fire. A switch failure, and a fire, could occur even if the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the recall repair has been performed.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the switches, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on November 2, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Electrical system
Model years: 2006
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2006 cr-v passenger cars manufactured from october 3, 2005, through july 21, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt.
Risk: If the switch fails, the power windows may become inoperative preventing them from being rolled up or down. If the switch melts, it will produce smoke and a fire could occur.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side power window switch assembly free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about october 5, 2011. Owners may contact honda automobile customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Electrical system
Model years: 2010
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2010 honda accord and cr-v vehicles. There is a potential failure with the engine wiring harness connector which may cause intermittent spark firing or the engine to stall.
Risk: An engine stall will increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealer will inspect and replace the ignition wiring harness connector free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 24, 2011. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Model years: 2002
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, metal particles in the key cylinder body could interfere with the interlock lever operation, making it possible to remove the ignition key without shifting the transmission to "park."
Risk: If the vehicle operator does not shift to "park" before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and test ignition switches for contamination interference. Any switches that fail the test will be repaired. Owner notification began on novenber 3, 2003. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Model years: 1997, 1998, 1999
Problem: On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An improperly routed under dash wire harness could be damaged by contact with the brake light switch, possibly resulting in a blown fuse. If this occurs, operation of a critical component can be lost, including windshield wipers, headlights, turn signal and hazard lamps, tail lamps, the anti-locking function of the brakes, and battery charging system.
Risk: A sudden, unexpected loss of lighting or a failure of the windshield wipers in bad weather, could be hazardous increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a 70mm protective, corrugated plastic tube over the wire harness, in the area of the brake stop switch. If any wire or wires are damaged, they will be repaired.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The car continuously has issues with all alerts appearing on the dashboard. This deactivates safety features like lane departure assist, front collision mitigation, and cruise control. This is a known problem with this generation of CRV and the problem has become worse since Honda starting sending…
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, several unknown warning lights illuminated with an audible alert. The vehicle was previously repaired. The warning lights turned on and off and eventually remained illuminated. While driving, the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2026 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on two occasions, the center display turned off and needed to be manually restarted. Additionally, the front passenger's side bumper had become loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an…
Had injectors replaced 2 times before it had 100k miles, HONDA KNEW what was happening. One of the men in the service dept told me while having them replaced the 2nd time. I took my car to the dealership at 123k miles and told them theres a problem with my oil getting gas in it but they blamed it…
I was on the interstate, in an unfamiliar area, in heavy traffic and in construction area. Suddenly, the GPS screen just went blank and it was at a point where the next step in the directions was coming up. Being in heavy traffic, with construction, at a high rate of speed, in an area where I was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda CR-Vs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 2,504 owner complaints about electrical system for the Honda CR-V. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Honda CR-V electrical system?
Yes: 8 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Honda CR-V?
Owners report a typical cost of $820 (half paid between $430 and $1,150), from 67 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Honda CR-V?
The most frequent phrase is “door lock”, in 221 of 2,504 complaints.
Other Honda CR-V problems
- Air Bags problems (2,392)
- Engine problems (2,276)
- Steering problems (1,761)
- Forward Collision Avoidance problems (1,349)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,183)
- Power Train problems (1,017)
- Service Brakes problems (844)
- Structure problems (665)
See all Honda CR-V problems.