Honda CR-V Steering Problems
Owners have filed 1,761 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Honda CR-V across 30 model years. The 2018 model year has the most (330). The words owners use most often: “sticky steering” (10% of reports).
- 1,761steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 52mention a crash
- 30mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $3,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 52%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.
- Sticky steering: mentioned in 168 of 1,761 complaints (10%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 125 of 1,761 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the Honda CR-V at $3,850, and half of them between $2,750 and $4,800.
Based on 140 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2026), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 470 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,761 complaints, 52 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 30 an injury.
Honda CR-V steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 CR-V | 13 | 8% | 8,750 |
| 2025 CR-V | 55 | 21% | 7,500 |
| 2024 CR-V | 126 | 32% | 14,000 |
| 2023 CR-V | 325 | 63% | 10,000 |
| 2022 CR-V | 140 | 53% | 26,000 |
| 2021 CR-V | 113 | 34% | 40,000 |
| 2020 CR-V | 42 | 12% | 17,000 |
| 2019 CR-V | 196 | 18% | 25,250 |
| 2018 CR-V | 330 | 15% | 52,332 |
| 2017 CR-V | 65 | 4% | 37,800 |
| 2016 CR-V | 17 | 4% | 24,500 |
| 2015 CR-V | 45 | 7% | 3,450 |
| 2014 CR-V | 15 | 3% | 8,450 |
| 2013 CR-V | 15 | 4% | 35,815 |
| 2012 CR-V | 35 | 9% | 58,500 |
| 2011 CR-V | 10 | 2% | 42,312 |
| 2010 CR-V | 14 | 3% | 35,808 |
| 2009 CR-V | 15 | 4% | 63,542 |
| 2008 CR-V | 70 | 7% | 71,103 |
| 2007 CR-V | 31 | 3% | 66,500 |
| 2006 CR-V | 17 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2005 CR-V | 23 | 5% | 3,100 |
| 2004 CR-V | 11 | 2% | 49,750 |
| 2003 CR-V | 14 | 3% | 28,000 |
| 2002 CR-V | 10 | 2% | 96,000 |
| 2001 CR-V | 2 | 1% | 30,000 |
| 2000 CR-V | 1 | 1% | 117,580 |
| 1999 CR-V | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1998 CR-V | 6 | 5% | — |
| 1997 CR-V | 4 | 4% | 154,475 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Steering
Model years: 2023, 2024, 2025
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Acura Integra, Civic Type R, CR-V Hybrid, CR-V, HR-V, 2022-2025 Civic, Civic Hatchback, 2024-2025 Acura Integra Type S, 2025 CR-V Fuel Cell EV, Civic Hybrid, and Civic Hatchback Hybrid vehicles. The steering gearbox assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause excessive internal friction and lead to difficulty steering the vehicle.
Risk: Difficulty steering can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the worm gear spring and redistribute or add grease as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2024. Owners may contact Honda Customer Service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are SJS, MJU, QJT and VJV.
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.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2017, 2018
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Honda Civic and CR-V vehicles. The magnet that controls the torque sensor output signal for the electronic power steering system may not be properly secured, allowing the magnet to become dislodged. During a full lock turn, the dislodged magnet may cause steering assist to be applied in the opposite direction.
Risk: The unintended steering input reduces vehicle maneuverability and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gearbox assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C2N, P2O.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Sticky steering wheel gears and creaky sounds when turning. Confirmed at dealership during inspection. Current recalls for this part include the 2023-2025 crv so they will not fix it for me even though they confirmed itâs the same problem the recalled cars have
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, extra effort was needed to turn the steering wheel while driving the vehicle and the vehicle failed to drive in a straight line. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the EPS…
Had the NHTSA 24V-744 steering gearbox recall performed on my 2025 Honda CR-V EX-L. Immediately following the repair, the vehicle developed severe, unstable alignment tracking and 'memory steer' where the steering wheel fails to self-center after turning left. There is a dangerous, loose mechanical…
Electronic Power Steering Rack / Steering Gearbox Assembly. Stiff or sticky steering makes it difficult to precisely control the vehicle's direction during high-speed driving or lane changes, increasing the risk of loss of control and collisions. Yes, the issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel became stuck while driving in a straight line. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda CR-Vs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,761 owner complaints about steering 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 steering?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the Honda CR-V?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,850 (half paid between $2,750 and $4,800), from 140 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Honda CR-V?
The most frequent phrase is “sticky steering”, in 168 of 1,761 complaints, followed by “rack pinion” (125).
Other Honda CR-V problems
- Electrical System problems (2,504)
- Air Bags problems (2,392)
- Engine problems (2,276)
- 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.