531 of the
2,994 complaints about the 2018 Honda Cr-V are about the
driver-assist systems — 18% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
37,200 miles.
C
531
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
12
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Automatic Emergency Braking
31158.6%
Warnings
9517.9%
Adaptive Cruise Control
468.7%
Assist
234.3%
Warning
193.6%
Forward Collision Avoidance
183.4%
Warnings
71.3%
Blind Spot Detection
61.1%
Lane Departure
20.4%
Automatic Steering
20.4%
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance across every Honda Cr-V year
I took my Honda in to a dealership for a trade-in value assessment. The dealership used automatic start with my key fob. Once they got in, they began to drive it in immediately it would not go past 10 mph, began jerking, and steering became an issue. It begin throwing the following check engine light codes: Tire pressure monitor problem. Electric Parking Brake problem. Road Departure Mitigation system problem. Collision mitigation system problem. Adaptive cruise control problem. Hill start assist problem. Vehicle stability, assist problem. Power steering system problem. Brake hold system problem. Brake system problem. Emissions system problem. Trade-in became impossible and it was not safe to even drive off the lot. It remains sitting in the car dealerships parking lot, leaving me without a vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11758840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shepherdsville, KY
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I took my Honda in to a dealership for a trade-in value assessment. The dealership used automatic start with my key fob. Once they got in, they began to drive it in immediately it would not go past 10 mph, began jerking, and steering became an issue. It begin throwing the following check engine light codes: Tire pressure monitor problem. Electric Parking Brake problem. Road Departure Mitigation system problem. Collision mitigation system problem. Adaptive cruise control problem. Hill start assist problem. Vehicle stability, assist problem. Power steering system problem. Brake hold system problem. Brake system problem. Emissions system problem. Trade-in became impossible and it was not safe to even drive off the lot. It remains sitting in the car dealerships parking lot, leaving me without a vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11758840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving 35 mph and my car automatically braked suddenly despite no object in the road. Afterwards I checked the front of my vehicle and there was no obvious dirt/bugs/etc on the front radar or camera. I now turn off the collision mitigating braking system each time I start the car as I'm afraid it will brake again without cause.
NHTSA complaint #11758469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Second time in the last two months, while traveling on a 55mph roadway, vehicle started auto braking with no vehicles ahead of me or any obstacles. Scared the daylights out of me, I cant imagine what the outcome would have been if this happened on a highway.
NHTSA complaint #11752847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is an ongoing problem with the electric power steering on my 2018 Honda CR-V that has begun malfunctioning. The steering sticks near the center position and requires additional force before it releases. When it releases, the steering changes from tight to loose, making it easy to overcorrect. It sometimes feels as though gears are catching inside the steering system. There is also a clicking or cracking sound when the steering wheel is turned, along with occasional creaking during slow turns, such as when leaving a driveway. The condition makes it difficult to make small steering corrections and could cause the vehicle to leave its lane or become difficult to control. The symptoms have become more noticeable and create a safety concern during normal driving. An independent mechanic scanned the vehicle with a diagnostic scanner and reported a fault involving the electric power-steering system. The exact diagnostic code is unavailable. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Honda, and the failed component has not yet been replaced. The vehicle and steering components remain available for inspection upon request. No power-steering warning lamp was observed before the symptoms began. Honda previously issued NHTSA Campaign 18V-663 and Service Bulletin 18-103 involving steering-gearbox failure in certain 2017–2018 CR-V vehicles. My vehicle is not included in that recall despite exhibiting similar steering symptoms. Other 2018 CR-V owners outside the recall population have reported sticking, clicking, and confirmed steering-rack or steering-gearbox failures. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the recall population should be expanded.
NHTSA complaint #11752162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Milwaukee, WI
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was proceeding through a green light and the “BRAKE” warning engaged when I was going through the intersection - there was nothing in front of me. I had no control of the braking system. Thankfully, there were no other cars on the road. This has happened about 4 other times, including a couple of times on the freeway.
NHTSA complaint #11751967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning malfunctioned. I started to drive after sitting at a red light and was driving at approximately 35 MPH. The Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning engaged, and the car suddenly braked. Luckily there wasn’t anyone directly behind me, or else I would have been rear-ended. This malfunction has happened on three separate occasions in the past 4 years. There were no warnings prior to the malfunction. The car has not been inspected yet for this malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11747489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waterford Works, NJ
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning malfunctioned. I started to drive after sitting at a red light and was driving at approximately 35 MPH. The Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning engaged, and the car suddenly braked. Luckily there wasn’t anyone directly behind me, or else I would have been rear-ended. This malfunction has happened on three separate occasions in the past 4 years. There were no warnings prior to the malfunction. The car has not been inspected yet for this malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11747489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
power and began running rough. The check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle did not perform normally. I previously had the vehicle diagnosed and repaired at a Honda dealership for this same issue. The repair was completed less than two months ago. After only a few thousand miles since the repair, the exact same symptoms returned, including the check engine light, rough engine operation, and loss of power while driving. The recurrence of this issue raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the vehicle, particularly when operating in traffic or at highway speeds, as sudden loss of power could increase the risk of a crash. The problem appears to be the same issue that was previously repaired, but it reoccurred shortly after the repair was completed.
NHTSA complaint #11745486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sea Girt, NJ, NJ
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
1. Sometimes when my wife get in the passenger seat the airbag sensor light stays on indicating the the airbag is off. 2. Often when driving with adaptive cruise control on, the car suddenly brakes hard without cause . Sometime when a car in front of me turns right and sometimes if I pass a car parked on the street it will also brake hard for no reason.
NHTSA complaint #11745216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On February 26, 2026, at approximately 3:59 PM, the driver was traveling northbound on Yukon Territory Avenue in Manteca, CA at approximately 30 mph when the vehicle experienced a sudden brake failure. The driver attempted to pull over to the east curb of Yukon Territory Avenue but the vehicle inadvertently jumped the curb and collided with a city fire hydrant. Airbags deployed. The vehicle continued northbound and struck a city street light pole before stopping. No injuries were reported. The incident is consistent with the known NHTSA Engineering Analysis (opened February 2022, upgraded April 2024) covering 2017-2022 Honda CR-V vehicles for unexpected and unintended activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) causing sudden rapid deceleration without warning. This complaint is being filed to add to the existing federal record of 1,294 complaints already documented under this investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11744613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2018 Honda CR-V had another phantom braking event this morning. While traveling on a local 4-lane road with 45-mph speed limit, the collision mitigation braking system activated with an actual hazard present and brought the vehicle to a complete stop, nearly resulting in a series read-end collision from the traffic behind the car. This created an immediate safety hazard and could have easily resulted in injuries or fatalities. The vehicle has experienced recurring phantom braking events and false activations of the emergency braking system. Because this has happened multiple times, we no longer have confidence that the system will behave predictably in normal driving conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11744111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On several occasions, while driving down the road at 55 mph, the car will flash the "BRAKE" indicator on the dash for a brief second and immediately slam on the brakes either to a stop or for a shorter amount of time. This is the third event that happened today just before reporting this problem. Our safety was at risk because there could've been someone behind us that may not have reacted fast enough and could've hit us. After the issue, there were no warning lights of any kind. There was no hazard in the road and no other obscure conditions. Middle of the day, clear skies. It is not possible to reproduce the problem in a timely manner because this has happened randomly three times over the course of two years.
NHTSA complaint #11742738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laytonsville, MD
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Steering "sticky". Intermittently steering feels stuck, resistant to during turns requiring extra force on steering wheel to break free both in low speed maneuvering and at highway speeds. Sticky steering associated by a soft clicking noise. Jim Coleman Honda of Clarksville MD checked the vehicle and confirmed the sticky steering and associated clicking noise. Their remedy to the sticky steering diagnosis was replacement of the EPS steering rack and gearbox at a cost of $6,000.00 They noted that this issue was the subject of a limited 2017-2018 recall 18V663 and more recently under 2022-2025 24V744. As result of stickiness the LKA system no longer works properly.
NHTSA complaint #11741770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Multiple times when driving on the freeway, there will be no obstruction whatsoever on a clear road, with a clean car — it will emergency break, or attempt to. I have had it diagnosed and nothing related to break system etc was ever found. This happens often and has almost caused a couple crashes.
NHTSA complaint #11741147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baton Rouge, LA
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I am having a terrible problem with the steering wheel, keeping it in the lane along with hearing a loud noise when turning the steering wheel left to right. I only have 63,000 miles on this car. Took it to a dealership and they said it is the Electric Power Assist System. I am finding out there is a recall with this very thing but that my car was not on the list. It should be. I am having this very problem. It is to dangerous to drive. Honda has a reputation for being a great safety car. This one is not. They said the charge would be $4500. This is not right. I am a [XXX] and [XXX]. I don't believe the manufacturer has been honest about this safety issue...they claim only 54 cars were affected. Please check into it for me please. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
After the low-pressure fuel pump recall repair was performed on my 2018 Honda CR-V at Doggett Honda Med Center on March 6, 2026, the vehicle began experiencing a serious and repeated loss-of-power condition. The vehicle suddenly loses power without warning. This happens with no clear pattern, at highway speeds and also at low speeds. The engine does not shut off, but the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate normally. In some situations, it does not have enough power to safely reach the shoulder, leaving me exposed in traffic. This has now happened multiple times and has become more frequent. I have already narrowly avoided at least three serious rear-end collisions while trying to move the vehicle out of traffic. Yesterday, the vehicle lost power again and a police unit had to escort me so I could safely move the vehicle to the side. When I turn the vehicle off and restart it, it temporarily returns to normal, but the problem keeps coming back. This makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable for normal use. The vehicle is my work vehicle, and I depend on it for transportation. I am now unable to work normally or travel safely because I do not know when the vehicle will suddenly lose power again. This condition places my life and the lives of my passengers at risk. I contacted both the dealership and American Honda Corporate. However, my safety concern has been minimized, and I was told that I would have to pay for diagnosis, even though this problem began after Honda performed recall work on the fuel system. I am reporting this because this is a serious safety issue. A vehicle that suddenly loses power in traffic, without warning, creates a real risk of collision, injury, or death. Honda should properly investigate whether the recall repair, fuel pump system, connectors, wiring, or related fuel delivery components caused or contributed to this dangerous condition.
NHTSA complaint #11737439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
After the low-pressure fuel pump recall repair was performed on my 2018 Honda CR-V at Doggett Honda Med Center on March 6, 2026, the vehicle began experiencing a serious and repeated loss-of-power condition. The vehicle suddenly loses power without warning. This happens with no clear pattern, at highway speeds and also at low speeds. The engine does not shut off, but the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate normally. In some situations, it does not have enough power to safely reach the shoulder, leaving me exposed in traffic. This has now happened multiple times and has become more frequent. I have already narrowly avoided at least three serious rear-end collisions while trying to move the vehicle out of traffic. Yesterday, the vehicle lost power again and a police unit had to escort me so I could safely move the vehicle to the side. When I turn the vehicle off and restart it, it temporarily returns to normal, but the problem keeps coming back. This makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable for normal use. The vehicle is my work vehicle, and I depend on it for transportation. I am now unable to work normally or travel safely because I do not know when the vehicle will suddenly lose power again. This condition places my life and the lives of my passengers at risk. I contacted both the dealership and American Honda Corporate. However, my safety concern has been minimized, and I was told that I would have to pay for diagnosis, even though this problem began after Honda performed recall work on the fuel system. I am reporting this because this is a serious safety issue. A vehicle that suddenly loses power in traffic, without warning, creates a real risk of collision, injury, or death. Honda should properly investigate whether the recall repair, fuel pump system, connectors, wiring, or related fuel delivery components caused or contributed to this dangerous condition.
NHTSA complaint #11737439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down the road with no cars around me at all going 40 mph when my car started braking saying "Brake" and automatically braked to almost a full stop int he middle of the busy road. If there was a car behind me we most definitely would have been rear ended at a very fast pace. We could've been seriously injured and I have little children in the car and a baby. There wasn't rain or fog or anything out of the ordinary. We are taking it to the dealer later this week. No warning light on before the incident.
NHTSA complaint #11736113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A known common issues that Honda are not addressing: car going limp randomly, oil dilution, head gasket failure causing fuel injector issues, dashboard lighting up which causes the safety features to also cease from operating. I have multiple times now with my 4 year old in the car been in traffic and my car has just stopped going unprovoked. This limp mode issue a huge safety issue and has almost caused me to wreck multiple times. This started around 70k miles.
NHTSA complaint #11735679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving into the city and crossing an intersection with train tracks. There was no obstacle and the car warned me by flashing the sign to brake, beeped, and then it automatically slammed on the brake and stopped my car in the middle of the intersection on the tracks. I was goin probably 40 mph. It was terrifying. Thankfully no one else was around me. All of my items in the car flew off the seat and hit the ground. Will be calling Honda about taking it in to repair shop.
NHTSA complaint #11734476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesFairview, OK
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Forward Collision Avoidance”, “Brakes", and several other unknown safety features were displayed. The failure caused the cruise control to become inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #11734335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This has been an ongoing issue since I bought the car in 2020. I have reported to the dealer, Honda, and this agency. My car Fantom breaks by its self. About a week ago my car lit up again with the break on the dash and only slightly hit the breaks this time compared to the time before where it slammed on the breaks. Yes there is no car in front of me when this happens. Motorworld honda closed out my cases and this is still an ongoing issue. Honda has been no help and the car is still breaking by itself. Please investigate this issue. Motorworld Honda blamed me for the issue and Bernie Honda says that this issue happens and the person I was talking to said this happened to her. This is not normal.
NHTSA complaint #11729949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
North Port, FL
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I began experiencing "sticky" steering at highway speeds, requiring that I use force to keep the vehicle from drifting out of its lane. The problem worsened until, roughly one month later, the cruise control system went out without warning and refused to come back on. I took the car to the Honda dealership in Port Charlotte, FL on 3/30/26 where they were able to duplicate the problem immediately and recommended I no longer drive the vehicle until the steering rack/gear box is replaced. Honda steering is sensitive. Overcorrecting is a very real danger in addition to the possibility that it may lock up at high speeds in traffic. No warning lights ever indicated a problem. I am aware that other 2018 CRV's were recalled for this issue to have the racks replaced. My VIN was not included in that recall, but clearly, my vehicle is having the same issue. I spoke with corporate Honda on 3/30/26
NHTSA complaint #11728348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Multiple warning lights were turning on then turning off in their own, typically 2-3 days later. However while on, all ADAS showed errors and did not work. Most recent time, had an elevation changed (over 6000 ft), lights came cascading on parked safely. Next morning, car would not accelerate/was extremely jerky. Turned off waited turned back on, while lights were on car felt to be running fine. Slightly off sounding idle. DTC showed multiple misfires and error codes with a recommendation to replace fuel injectors. Dealer was surprised given relatively low milage (109000 miles) for this issue to occur.
NHTSA complaint #11727725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Yuma, AZ
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While driving My CRV it jolted to an unexpected stop with the Forward Collision Warning flashing ! No vehicles in sight to cause this incident !
NHTSA complaint #11722938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I bought my car a Honda CRV 2018 at a dealership brand new in 2019. The problems with car is now with ABS system. ABS lights are all on and information was told by independent service. ABS system was replaced by independent service center, but the problem is still ongoing. Do you recover for the ABS system?
NHTSA complaint #11721078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami Springs, FL
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my 2018 Honda CR-V. The vehicle is experiencing repeated and unpredictable malfunctions involving the dashboard display, warning systems, and automatic braking features while the vehicle is in motion. While driving at normal speeds, the vehicle has braked on its own with no obstacle, vehicle, pedestrian, or hazard present in front of me. This sudden braking occurs without warning and creates a significant risk of being rear-ended or losing control of the vehicle. The braking feels as though the collision mitigation or safety system is activating incorrectly. At the same time or on separate occasions, the dashboard display begins glitching and flashing multiple warning indicators. These include: • Tire pressure warning lights appearing even though the tires are properly inflated • Sensor warning lights activating randomly • Alerts indicating systems such as collision warning, vehicle detection, or high-beam assist are malfunctioning • Messages stating safety features are not working when there is no apparent reason These warnings often appear simultaneously and disappear later without explanation. The infotainment or instrument display sometimes flickers or behaves erratically when this occurs. This issue is extremely concerning because it suggests a failure in the vehicle’s electrical system, sensors, or safety-assist technology. The unexpected braking alone poses a major safety hazard, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic, as it could cause a crash. In addition, the false warnings make it difficult to determine when the vehicle actually has a real problem that needs attention. The malfunction happens randomly and is not tied to weather conditions, road conditions, or driving behavior. It has occurred during normal driving with no obstacles present and no reason for the safety systems to activate. Because this issue involves unintended braking and malfunctioning driver
NHTSA complaint #11720652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Other than the Emergency brake system coming on suddenly a couple times (seat belt has hurt me, but not medically documented), there have been no other issues with this car. In the November of 2025, it overheated in gridlock traffic in Boston, MA, which had me freaking out. The engine coolant was low, so I had to find a spot to pull over and let the steam out. I drove it safely home and refilled the tank. It was checked out by my local mechanic and he said it looked fine. Towards the end of January, the car overheated again, so I immediately went to the auto store to buy prediluted coolant to fill the tank (which was now full). Last week (February 2026), I was driving home on the highway and all the emergency lights came on and the car stopped accelerating. I was able to get the car home, but moved my Pump module recall appointment up to the following day. Honda North in Danvers, MA (where we purchased the car) investigated and found a cracked cylinder, Head Gasket needing replacement, turbo chargers needing replacement, and the fuel injector needing replacement. The report also says the engine coolant tank was empty, but I only filled it a couple weeks ago. The mechanic said I could drive it home on the back roads, but it is no longer safe to drive, as there are severe safety risks (The car passed every other inspection). The sales team expected me to make a deal that day, because I could not drive home. My car's mileage is just over 127,000 miles, and they are only offering $6000 or $8000 with trade in. I have learned there are lawsuits over the 1.5V turbo engine and am surprised Honda is not recalling the engine due to safety risk. My family has had 5 hondas in the past decade and up until this point, believed they were safe, reliable cars. I am really dissappointed by this, especially because the cost to repair is over $11,000. I also want to note that someone on reddit coincidentally had the same issue within the same hour as myself.
NHTSA complaint #11720548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.