2008 Honda CR-V problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
961 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
74,956 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 535 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 319 of 961 complaints (33.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 63 | 6.6% |
| Braking behavior | 50 | 5.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 28 | 2.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 21 | 2.2% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 0.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 319 |
| Electrical System | 217 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 194 |
| Unknown Or Other | 72 |
| Steering | 68 |
| Structure:Body | 52 |
| Power Train | 33 |
| Suspension | 28 |
Air Bags: 319; Electrical System: 217; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 194; Unknown Or Other: 72; Steering: 68; Structure:Body: 52; Power Train: 33; Suspension: 28
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 61 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 69 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 138 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 112 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 95 |
| 150,000 and above | 60 |
Under 25,000: 61; 25,000 to 49,999: 69; 50,000 to 74,999: 138; 75,000 to 99,999: 112; 100,000 to 149,999: 95; 150,000 and above: 60
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (138). 426 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 143 |
| 2014 | 94 |
| 2015 | 38 |
| 2016 | 321 |
| 2017 | 74 |
| 2018 | 43 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2023 | 42 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2008: 16; 2009: 25; 2010: 21; 2011: 28; 2012: 23; 2013: 143; 2014: 94; 2015: 38; 2016: 321; 2017: 74; 2018: 43; 2019: 22; 2020: 14; 2021: 18; 2022: 20; 2023: 42; 2024: 7; 2025: 8; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 63 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 50 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 28 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10225315 · 2008-04-21 (April 21, 2008)
2008 HONDA CRV LX - STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE TO FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP IT IN THE LANE. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT GETS OUT OF CONTROL AND WHEN CORRECTING THE WHEEL, IT OVER-CORRECTS ITSELF AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT AND ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE. IT DID NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE UNSAFE STEERING PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR NUMEROUS CRV OWNERS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7 miles reported. Look up ODI 10225315 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10284373 · 2009-09-17 (September 17, 2009)
2008 HONDA CR-V CONTINUES TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES TWICE EACH TIME AROUND 20K MILES - THE TIRES WERE WORN UNEVENLY EVEN THOUGH I HAD THEM ROTATED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. BROUGHT INTO MILE HIGH HONDA IN DENVER TO CHECK ALIGNMENT, EACH TIME THEY CLAIM NOTHING IS WRONG AND IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE TO REPLACE TIRES EVERY 20K MILES. I ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT STRAIGHT WHEN DRIVING. I FIRST REPORTED THIS ISSUE WHEN THE CAR HAD 9K MILES ON IT.. IT HAS BEEN A YEAR AND 1/2 AND ISSUE REMAINS. THIS IS A VERY DANG…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217118 · 2008-02-06 (February 6, 2008)
AFTER PARKING CAR AND WHILE BRAKING TO PUT IT IN "PARK" GEAR, THE CRV EX-L RACED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEED AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT. UPON IMPACT, THE VEHICLE THEN WENT IN REVERSE AND WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR RACES INSTEAD OF STOPPING. UPON HITTING THE BACK CURB AND A VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS THRUST FORWARD AND RACED FORWARD. CRV EX-L WOULD NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. *TR UPDATED 04/25/08 *BF
Owner-reported narrative. 1,082 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217118 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10248665 · 2008-11-13 (November 13, 2008)
A NEWLY PURCHASED HONDA CRV 4WD 2008 MODEL IN MANILA. DRIVING WAS PRACTICALLY IMMOBILIZED WHEN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP(MIL), VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) LIGHT,VSA ACTIVATION LIGHT, AND ABS LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED WAS AN ABNORMAL GEAR ENGAGEMENT, WE WERE NEARLY HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE OF DELAYED, SHORT-INTERMITTENT ENGINE ACCELERATION. MOST OF THE WARNING LIGHTS DEAL WITH WHEELS AND BRAKES BUT PRACTICALLY THERE WAS NO ENGINE REV WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL.*TR
Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 10248665 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10236837 · 2008-08-04 (August 4, 2008)
PURCHASED A NEW HONDA CRV ON FRIDAY JULY 25TH. TWO DAYS LATER, WITH LESS THAN 200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE BATTERY LIGHT, EXCLAMATION MARK, VEHICLE STABILITY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, AND ROLLED BACK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE DRIVE MODE. I TOOK THE CRV TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CLEANED THE ALTERNATOR TERMINALS, THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE NOW CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. NOW THEY THINK THAT THE ENGINE AIR 'INTAKE' MA…
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236837 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10256282 · 2009-01-25 (January 25, 2009)
NOV. 2008 - NOTED WHEN AT A STOP, CAR IN DRIVE, SEVERE RATTLING IN THE REAR HEADLINER BEHIND SUNROOF, ALONG PASSENGER SIDE ROOF HANDLE. NOISE STOPS WITH LIGHT TOUCH ON HEADLINER AND RETURNS WHEN RELEASED. 1ST WARRANTY - ADJUSTED SUNROOF BAR, 2ND WARRANTY REPAIR - REMOVED HEADLINER AND PADDED WIRING FOR XM RADIO AND LIGHTING. STILL NO REPAIRED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10256282 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452677 · 2012-03-22 (March 22, 2012)
CAR IS IDLING VERY ROUGH, WANTS TO STALL OUT WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TRANSMISSION IS JERKY WHEN STARTING UP AGAIN AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452677 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10255892 · 2009-01-21 (January 21, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED A FEW SECONDS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY DID NOT ASSIST OR EVEN PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,800.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255892 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10872642 · 2016-06-05 (June 5, 2016)
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR EVERY TIME THE WEATHER GETS HOT AND I HAVE MY AC ON OR TRY TO START THE CAR IT TURNS OFF. EVEN WHEN I'M DRIVING HE CAR TURNS OFF I HAVE TOOK IT TO MECHANIC SHOPS AND HEY HAVE RAN IT THROUGH THE DIAGNOSTICS AND STILL CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CHANGE THE BATTERY,FUEL PUMP, ALTERNATOR, IGNITION SWITCH, FUEL RELAY, AND GAVE IT A TUNE UP BUT STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT TURNS OFF AND HONDA SAYS MY CAR IS FINE BUT IT'S NOT! PLEASE I NEED ANSWERS OF WHY MY CAR IS DOING THIS
Owner-reported narrative. 126,668 miles reported. Look up ODI 10872642 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11155266 · 2018-11-30 (November 30, 2018)
MY CRV HAS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WHEN IT IDLES IN TRAFFIC FOR LONG PERIODS IT LOOSES THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. IT STARTS TO SPUTTER AND THEN DIES. BUT DOES START BACK UP AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW MINUTES IT ALSO DRIVES GREAT WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPS ARE BELOW 68 DEGREES BUT HAS POOR ACCELERATION WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPS ARE 70 DEGREES AND ABOVE ALSO I NOTICED THERE IS A GAS SMELL ON THE OIL DIP STICK. HONDA MECHANICS SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT AND THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON TO GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE VEHICL…
Owner-reported narrative. 123,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11155266 at NHTSA ↗