Honda CR-V common problems: what to check before you buy
Credov's researched list of the 17 faults the Honda CR-V is known for (2006–2014), 17 of them serious or costly. Each one says what to look for when you check the car, so you can spot it before you buy. Not every car has these faults: they are the ones worth checking on this model.
Known problems on the Honda CR-V
Compulsory Takata airbag recall
Safety risk
2001–2012 · Paperwork
What to look for: Check the plate on the NZTA Takata lookup and ask for paperwork showing the airbag inflator was replaced.
Why it matters: The NZ Government made the Alpha recall compulsory on 4 April 2018. An unrepaired car fails its warrant of fitness and a trader cannot legally sell it, so an open Alpha recall makes the car unsaleable until Honda replaces the inflator - which Honda still does at no cost. Buy one unchecked and you own a car you cannot retail.
What to look for: Check the VIN on the NZTA Takata pages, look for a Japanese recall certificate, and ask if an airbag was replaced.
Why it matters: Honda's non-Alpha inflator campaigns run across a wide slice of the models NZ buyers see, and a Japanese import will not have been chased by a NZ owner letter. From 1 November 2018 non-Alpha recalls are flagged at the NZ border and an open recall means the vehicle is rejected for entry certification until the manufacturer's evidence of replacement is produced.
What to look for: Look for fresh oil drips under the engine, and listen at cold start for a deep knock that quietens.
Why it matters: Honda recalled specific 2014-2015 Accord L4 and 2015 CR-V builds for connecting rod bolts that may not have been torqued correctly, which can cause loss of engine power or an oil leak onto hot exhaust components. Honda's own remedy was a replacement short block, so this is not a small repair to inherit.
What to look for: Ask for the fuel pump recall paperwork, and listen for a long crank when restarting hot after ten minutes.
Why it matters: Honda's fuel pump recall spans model years 2013 to 2023 across most of the models NZ dealers stock, though each model has its own band, and the failure mode is an engine stall while driving. A Japanese import in this range is very unlikely to have had a NZ owner letter, so the campaign status is worth confirming before the car goes on your yard.
What to look for: Listen for a whine or rumble that changes with road speed, and check the car holds in Park on a slope.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2005-2010 Accord and 2007-2010 CR-V because the outer race of the secondary shaft bearing may break under certain driving styles, producing abnormal noise and a warning lamp, and letting the transmission idle gear contact an electronic sensor housing.
What to look for: Feel for stiffness reaching Park, and check the car holds in Park on a gentle slope.
Why it matters: Honda recalled certain CR-Vs because excessive corrosion of the shift cable linkage could stop the driver selecting Park. A car that will not reach Park is a roll-away, and on a NZ coastal or ex-Japan snow-country car corrosion of underbody linkages is exactly what you are looking for anyway.
What to look for: Feel at full lock both ways for the steering pulling against you or turning further by itself.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2017-2018 Civic and CR-V because the magnet controlling the torque sensor output for the electric power steering may not be secured properly and can come loose. Honda's stated consequence is that during a full-lock turn steering assist may be applied in the opposite direction, reducing manoeuvrability. The remedy was a whole steering gearbox assembly.
What to look for: Look underneath with a torch in front of each rear wheel for rust, holes or patches where the rear arms mount.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2007-2011 CR-Vs in the US salt states because road salt accumulation may corrode the frame and detach the rear trailing arm, causing loss of control - and Honda offered to repurchase vehicles where corrosion damage was bad enough. NZ coastal and ex-Japan snow-country cars in this age band deserve the same look under the back end, because a detached trailing arm is a structural repair, not a tidy-up.
What to look for: Look at the driver's window switch for browning or melting, and smell for hot plastic after using every window.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2002-2006 CR-Vs twice on this: moisture entering the driver's side power window master switch can make the switch fail or melt. This generation is common as a Japanese import in NZ, and a melting switch in the door is a fire path, not a convenience fault.
What to look for: Ask a Honda dealer to check the replacement airbag fitted under an earlier recall isn't itself under a later recall.
Why it matters: Honda Japan filed notification 4528 specifically against replacement driver-side inflators - the parts fitted to fix an earlier campaign - because the propellant in them can degrade with repeated temperature and humidity cycling in the same way. Notification 4527 does the same on the passenger side and lists the earlier campaign numbers it supersedes, including 3141, 3375, 3493, 3568, 3582 and 3638.
What to look for: Check the dipstick when cold for oil above the full mark, and smell it for petrol.
Why it matters: Honda extended powertrain warranty cover to six years and unlimited mileage on certain 2016-2018 Civic and 2017-2018 CR-V vehicles with the 1.5 turbo, after unburned fuel passing the piston rings diluted the crankcase oil. The extension is reported to cover camshafts and rocker-arm assemblies, with a whirring noise from the engine as the cue mechanics were told to listen for when diagnosing camshaft damage;
What to look for: Look for signs the engine was replaced and, if it was, ask for the recall record covering it.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2015-2016 CR-Vs that had recently received a replacement engine because that replacement may have been built with the wrong pistons, with reduced performance that can cause a stall. A replaced engine is normally a plus in the history file - on this population it is a question to ask.
What to look for: Check both front belts click in cleanly and release first time, buckling each one ten times.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey and 2019 Insight for a manufacturing issue where the front seat belt buckle channel can interfere with the release button and prevent the buckle latching. It takes a minute to test on the forecourt, and an unlatched belt cannot restrain an occupant in a crash.
What to look for: With the engine idling, run the A/C on max cold and check the compressor clutch engages with no grinding.
Why it matters: Once the compressor has seized and spread metal debris through the system, the repair is far more than a new compressor - the whole system needs flushing and several parts replaced, turning a moderate job into an expensive one.
Typical repair: NZ$1,800–NZ$4,500 in New Zealand · A$1,850–A$4,640 in Australia
2005–2006 · K20A4, K20A, K24A1, K24A · petrol · Gearbox
What to look for: From cold, select Drive and Reverse for quick engagement; on the drive watch for flare between gears and a flashing D light.
Why it matters: A box already slipping or flaring is on a path to losing drive altogether; by the time it fails outright the repair is a rebuilt or used gearbox, one of the biggest bills this generation of CR-V can present.
Typical repair: NZ$2,500–NZ$5,500 in New Zealand · A$2,580–A$5,670 in Australia
What to look for: Idle with the A/C on max cold and check the compressor clutch engages and stays engaged with no grinding noise.
Why it matters: If the compressor has already come apart internally, debris spreads through the system and the condenser and receiver-dryer need replacing too, with a full flush - a much larger bill than a single part swap.
Typical repair: NZ$1,500–NZ$4,000 in New Zealand · A$1,550–A$4,120 in Australia
What to look for: Have the car not started before you arrive; listen for a loud grind or rattle from the timing side for 1-2 seconds.
Why it matters: It rarely stops the engine outright, but left alone it can upset cam timing and wear the chain further, and some owners report having the actuator replaced more than once - a repeat bill rather than a one-off.
Typical repair: NZ$1,100–NZ$2,200 in New Zealand · A$1,130–A$2,270 in Australia
Got a question about a Honda CR-V? Ask Credov: a noise, a warning light, a part or how to fix it.
Also check on every car
On top of the faults above, every Credov inspection covers the basics: fuel smell, leaks or filler rust, engine oil leaks, power steering fluid leak, drive belt cracks or squeal, rust underneath: chassis and mounts, engine mounts, engine oil level and colour, coolant level, colour and leaks, head gasket failure signs, cold start: rattle, knock or smoke, rough or hunting idle, engine running hot on gauge, gearbox or diff oil leak, swapped gearbox without lvv and more.
Researched by Credov from manufacturer recalls and service bulletins, owner reports and workshop sources. Repair prices are typical ranges, not quotes. See also fault codes and repair costs.