UsedScore

2026 Honda CR-V: Too new to judge

The 2026 Honda CR-V has been on the road for 13 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 4.4× the rate other CR-V years drew in their first 13 months, per vehicle sold.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the electrical system (20% of complaints, median 3,000 miles).

Complaint index
4.4×
partial: first 13 months
Rank
Not ranked
rated after five years
Complaints
189
in 13 months so far
Recalls
2
campaigns
6th generation, 2023–today · Updated November 9, 2026 · How we rate
2023 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD

Photo: 2023 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD · Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Electrical20% · 37 complaints · median 3,000 miles
  2. Driver assistance18% · 34 complaints
  3. Brakes8% · 16 complaints
  4. Visibility17% · 33 complaints
  5. Speed control5% · 9 complaints
  6. Powertrain11% · 21 complaints
  7. Air bags3% · 5 complaints
  8. Engine7% · 13 complaints
  9. Fuel and propulsion5% · 10 complaints
  10. Steering10% · 18 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Brakes

Owners of this CR-V report unpredictable braking behavior, ranging from sudden hard automatic braking to a temporary total loss of brake response. Several describe frightening moments with warning lights on the dash, and dealers sometimes replace parts but other times cannot reproduce the issue.

Warning signs:
Many mention dashboard warnings such as "Brake System Problem" or "Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem," and a few report a burning smell or unresponsive pedal beforehand.
What shops did:
Some owners had rotors, pads, calipers, or a brake sensor replaced by the dealer, while others say the dealer found nothing wrong after inspection.

“Upon releasing the break and allowing the car to coast, it unintentionally lurched forward with some acceleration even though I did not press on the gas petal.”

“Total brake failure, no response when pressing pedal. Had to hit curb to stop car.”

Driver assistance

Owners describe sudden unexplained braking from collision mitigation or adaptive cruise, plus many reports of the front radar sensor being stolen and safety features disabled. Some say dealers couldn't reproduce the braking, and others describe expensive, backordered sensor replacements.

Warning signs:
Owners report abrupt braking with no obstacle and often no warning light, cruise control slowing sharply, lane assist swerving, dashboard system warnings, and safety features going dead after a sensor theft.
What shops did:
Some owners say dealers could not duplicate the problem, reset software, or found nothing; those with stolen radar sensors describe costly replacements and long waits on backordered parts.

“My vehicle suddenly slammed on the brakes. The BRAKE warning light appeared on the dash. There was nothing around me”

“The car still drives, but all the safety features tied to it are now disabled.”

Electrical

Owners most often describe the infotainment screen freezing, blanking or rebooting while driving, and wireless CarPlay dropping out. Some also report hybrid battery warning lights, power loss and other electrical faults, with dealers often unable to fix them.

Warning signs:
Owners report the screen going blank or dim while driving, losing navigation and the rearview camera, dashboard warning lights, hard cold starts, crackling speaker noise, and sudden power loss or stalling.
What shops did:
Owners say dealers reset or rebooted systems, replaced a brake sensor, or found no fault, and several were told a software fix from Honda was still pending.
Mileage:
most under 5,000 miles, among 5 complaints that give it

“The infotainment system reboots while driving, including on the highway.”

“the system periodically goes dark for a variable length of time.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (2)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 26V663000October 20264,804 vehicles

    Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles that were previously remedied under NHTSA recall number 26V366. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.

    Risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the tire repair kit nozzle, as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 26V366000June 20261,048,613 vehicles

    Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025-2026 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.

    Risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the tire repair kit nozzle or sealant bottle, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Honda sent NHTSA 29 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2026 CR-V. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • A26-024 · October 2026Siri stops working when touching the display to interact with Wireless CarPlay.
  • A26-036 · April 2026When the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system is activated while driving, customers may experience unexpected cancellation during vehicle operation.
  • AATS30566 · April 2026Tech Line Summary - The vehicle's infotainment system displays previously viewed SMS messages upon each ignition cycle, when the customer's Android phone is connected via Bluetooth.
  • A23-021 · February 2026The LKAS warning light comes on when driving in reverse due to possible false detection logic occurred in the multipurpose camera software.
  • ONL6ZS10312025 · October 2025Owner Notification Letter - Due to an error with the CAN settings, the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) might not record brake switch function and prevent the SRS unit from receiving and storing…
  • A25-085 · September 2025Due to an error with the CAN settings, the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) might not record brake switch function and prevent the SRS unit from receiving and storing brake information.
  • AA29051 · August 2025Tech Line - Customers may experience error code S001 with their audio unit.
  • AEBM09192025904 · September 2025American Honda is announcing a product update for certain 2026 CR-V vehicles due to a software programming issue that may prevent Event Data Recorder (EDR) data from being recorded in the…

All 2026 CR-V bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2026 Honda CR-V reliable?
The 2026 Honda CR-V has been on the road for 13 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 4.4× the rate other CR-V years drew in their first 13 months, per vehicle sold. Ratings compare CR-V years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2026 CR-V problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (20%), driver-assistance features and cameras (18%) and the brakes (8%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2026 Honda CR-V been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2026 Honda CR-V, the most recent in October 2026 (tires). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of November 9, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Honda. The 2026 Honda CR-V on NHTSA.gov · How we rate