2012 Honda CR-V reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 403 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda CR-V over 15 years — 33 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CR-V years here — under the median of the other years, which is 91. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Labels, and Latch.

Honda CR-V, 2012–2015 body — Photo by Alex Neman, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

403

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (89 of 403), then Electrical system (68) and Powertrain (48). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 36,306 miles, and the middle half falls between 12,250 and 70,000 miles. Those filings include 27 that report a crash, 4 that report a fire, and 19 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 CR-V has 382 complaints, 45 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Honda CR-V. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2013-04-15 · NHTSA campaign 13V143000

Summary Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Remedy Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.

Vehicles affected 204,169

Recall Labels 2012-10-16 · NHTSA campaign 12V501000

Summary Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 CR-V, equipped with the LX trim level and manufactured from August 30, 2012, to August 31, 2012. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." The incorrect values for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, Gross Axle Weight Rating front and rear, tire size, and rim size were specified on the safety certification label.

Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will apply the corrective label free of charge. The safety recall began on November 14, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Vehicles affected 264

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, doors, latch 2012-07-19 · NHTSA campaign 12V338000

Summary Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Honda CR-V and model year 2013 Acura ILX vehicles. If the manual or power door lock is activated while an interior front door handle is being operated by an occupant, the cable connecting the interior door handle to the door latch mechanism may become loose and move out of position. There is a possibility that the cable can move far enough out of position to prevent the door from properly latching.

Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front door latch assemblies in the affected vehicles, free of charge. Additionally, the interior front door handles in certain Honda CR-Vs will also be replaced, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on, or about, August 16, 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

Vehicles affected 172,837

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (403 total)

Engine

Electrical system

Powertrain

Steering

Air bags

Structure

Suspension

Service brakes

Visibility and wipers

Speed control

Exterior lighting

Visibility

Latches, locks, and linkages

Fuel and propulsion system

Seat belts

Seats

Wheels

Adaptive and mobility equipment

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Engine and engine cooling

Equipment

Fuel system, gasoline

Tires

Show 15 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 279 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 36,306 miles. The middle half fall between 12,250 and 70,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle pulled to the left. The driver pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. Upon inspection, the…"
Suspension · filed 2026-08-31
"Driving on the interstate, my moonroof exploded. Sunny day April 30, 2025. Nothing hit the roof. Thankfully I had the shade closed. I purchased a replacement roof from a local salvage yard and no issues with the…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-31
"2012 Honda CR-V - I've had to replace my battery multiple times. I would go out the car and it would be dead. I even tried replacing the alternator. I am replacing batteries at an average of every 2.5 years. Honda tells…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-08-28
"Left and Right suspension Front and Back. Yes car will be available for inspection when called. No one’s safety was at risk. It has been confirmed by an independent service center. No other place has inspected the…"
Suspension · filed 2026-07-28
"The frame rust issue was recalled through 2011, my 2012 was manufactured in the same plant same time as the 2011 model, and has the same rust issue, but was not included in the recall. I have significant damage to my…"
Suspension · filed 2026-07-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2012 Honda CR-V SUV 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2012 Honda CR-V SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
CR-V two-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic 5-speed	Front-wheel drive	23	30	26 MPG	$2500
CR-V four-wheel drive	2.4L, 4-cyl	Automatic 5-speed	All-wheel drive	22	29	25 MPG	$2600

Specs and fitment

4th generation, 2012–2016

Body styles SUV

Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 , 4.4 qt capacity

Tire size 215/70R16 (LX) to 225/60R18 (Touring)

Known issues for this generation

Certain 2013-2016 CR-Vs were included in a 2023 nationwide safety recall (NHTSA campaign 23V-858) after some units received a replacement fuel pump module with a defective impeller. The impeller can swell and seize, stopping the fuel pump and causing a stall or loss of motive power while driving. Dealers replace the affected fuel pump module set at no cost; the recall does not apply to the 2012 model year, the first year of this generation.

Compare

Next year 2013 Honda CR-V See every Honda CR-V model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Honda CR-V reliable?

What are common problems with a 2012 Honda CR-V?

Is the 2012 Honda CR-V more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 CR-V has 382 complaints, 45 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Honda CR-V been recalled?

The 2012 Honda CR-V has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Honda CR-V?

Owners have filed 403 complaints about the 2012 Honda CR-V with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Honda CR-V get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Honda CR-V is 25.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 Honda CR-V?

5th generation (2017-2022).

Does the Honda CR-V have oil dilution problems?

The 1.5L turbo engine in 2017-2018 CR-Vs is affected by a documented fuel-dilution issue on short, cold trips; Honda issued a software and oil-change fix but did not issue a recall.