2021 Honda CR-V HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
102 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
25,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 35 of 102 complaints (34.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 22 | 21.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 22 | 21.6% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 5.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 1.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 35 |
| Electrical System | 23 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 18 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
| Power Train | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 8 |
Engine: 35; Electrical System: 23; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 18; Fuel/Propulsion System: 16; Unknown Or Other: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Power Train: 11; Service Brakes: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 93 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 |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 35 |
| 2025 | 26 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2021: 7; 2022: 17; 2023: 14; 2024: 35; 2025: 26; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 22 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 8 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11413247 · 2021-04-21 (April 21, 2021)
TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2021 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE WARNING LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE ENTERED LIMP MODE WHICH RESULTED IN THE SPEED REDUCING TO 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE FUNCTIONALITY RETURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COCONUT POINT HONDA (22240 S. TAMIAMI TRAIL, ESTERO, FL 33928, [phone removed]) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT I…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413247 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11431543 · 2021-09-02 (September 2, 2021)
Nothing has happened yet. I want it on record that the implementation of this feature is dangerous. On P.497 of the 2021 CR-V Hybrid's Owner's Manual is the following warning: "Exiting a vehicle that has been stopped while the ACC with Low Speed FOllow system is operating can result in the vehicle moving withoug operator control. A vehicle that moves without operator control can cause a crash, resulting in serious injury or death. Never exit a vehicle when the vehicle is stopped by ACC with Low Speed Follow." The way this feature is impleme…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11431543 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11431650 · 2021-09-03 (September 3, 2021)
On 9/2/2021 as I was turning left and pulling into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning and without me touching the accelerator. I was able to stop the vehicle with the brake pedal and didn't hit anything. Thankfully, there was no car on my left side because the acceleration drove the car into the adjacent parking space before I could stop it. If a car had been parked there, I would have hit it. There were - and are - no warning lights. My husband called the Honda dealer were we bought the car asking for an urgent…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11431650 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11434703 · 2021-09-28 (September 28, 2021)
Driving my car in traffic there was a steel plate horizontally on the road painted orange. My car saw it as a potential collision and suddenly automatically applied full brakes and flashed collision warning on dash board. I almost was rear ended. Luckily I was only going 25mph. I called dealership and talked to service manager Jake. He advised that this is possible in normal operation. There is a disclaimer about this occurring in the owner’s manual. He also said there is no history of warning indicators so there is nothing to check to see if…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11434703 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11440062 · 2021-11-10 (November 10, 2021)
The car detected an forward collision in error and began to brake. Emergency warning came on with beeping. No object was in front of the vehicle. Was traveling approx 40 mph on city streets.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11440062 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11444810 · 2021-12-23 (December 23, 2021)
Vehicle is advertised at "36-40mpg" (36 highway, 40mpg city). I am averaging (AT BEST) 25mpg. I reported the issue to Honda Corporate and they advised I take it in to a dealer. I took the vehicle into the dealer I purchased the car from and was told "we drove it around for a few minutes and everything is fine with it." The dealer advised there was "no problem" and "nothing they could do.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11444810 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11445619 · 2021-12-30 (December 30, 2021)
Hankook Kinergy GT 235 / 60 R 18 130H The driver's side front tire burst on 12/24/2021. The tire split, almost like a re-tread (see pictures). I suspect a sidewall structure/reinforcement failure. This could/should have caused a rollover like the tire failures and accidents of Ford Explorers and other light trucks/SUV's fitted with Firestone Radial ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness tires in the late 90's and early 2000's. Pacific Honda Dealer replaced the tire and disposed the detached and burst tire on 12/28/2021. When the tire burst on highwa…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11445619 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11447631 · 2022-01-15 (January 15, 2022)
Good day, I bought my Honda CRV last summer. In October, I was driving on an on-ramp to the expressway and the hood flew open. I filed an insurance claim with Farmer's for the repairs. It was repaired to the original specs. I saw where other Honda models have been recalled for this issue. There was no reason for the hood to fly open, I had no recent needs to open the hood at the time. I thought it prudent to bring this to your attention in case the Honda CRV has the same type of hood as the other models recalled. I was fortunate the i…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11447631 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
23V844000 · Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:Cables
Reported: 2023-12-13 (December 13, 2023)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The 12-Volt battery cable routed outside of the body frame is missing a fuse on the power circuit, which can allow the battery cable to short circuit or overheat during a crash.
Consequence: An overheated battery cable or short circuit can increase the risk of a fire or injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery cable, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FGB.
NHTSA campaign record ↗24V064000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger
Reported: 2024-02-01 (February 1, 2024)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V332000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger
Reported: 2026-05-21 (May 21, 2026)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Consequence: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
NHTSA campaign record ↗