UsedScore

2026 Honda CR-V: Too new to judge

The 2026 Honda CR-V has been on the road for 11 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 4.2× the rate other CR-V years drew in their first 11 months, per vehicle sold.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the electrical system (19% of complaints).

Complaint index
4.2×
partial: first 11 months
Rank
Not ranked
rated after five years
Complaints
143
in 11 months so far
Recalls
1
campaign
6th generation, 2023–today · Updated September 24, 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. Electrical19% · 27 complaints
  2. Brakes10% · 14 complaints
  3. Driver assistance15% · 22 complaints
  4. Powertrain14% · 20 complaints
  5. Visibility18% · 26 complaints
  6. Speed control4% · 5 complaints
  7. Fuel and propulsion5% · 7 complaints
  8. Engine6% · 9 complaints
  9. Steering8% · 12 complaints
  10. Air bags2% · 3 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

Many owners report that the front radar sensor behind the emblem is easily stolen, disabling adaptive cruise control and collision braking until it's replaced. Others describe the same systems suddenly slamming the brakes or the vehicle accelerating unexpectedly with no clear cause.

Warning signs:
Owners noticed dashboard warnings for brake, adaptive cruise or collision mitigation systems, sudden hard braking, or unexpected acceleration with no other cars or obstacles nearby.
What shops did:
Dealers replaced or reprogrammed radar sensors, reset software to factory settings, or in some cases could not find or repair the problem.

“the Honda crv we were in decided to absolutely slam on the breaks for no apparent reason”

“the vehicle lane keeping assist appeared to attempt to follow the shadow of the telephone wires on the road”

Electrical

Owners of the 2026 CR-V frequently describe infotainment screens freezing, dimming, or going blank, along with CarPlay disconnecting mid-drive. Some also report sudden loss of power, warning lights, or electrical glitches that dealers sometimes reset but couldn't always permanently fix.

Warning signs:
Owners noticed the touchscreen going black or dim, CarPlay dropping connection, warning lights flickering, strange noises, or the vehicle briefly losing power before failures.
What shops did:
Dealers often reset software or performed updates, though some owners report the same issue persisted afterward or that no fix was available.

“the infotainment system screen occasionally turned black or would freeze, which prevented the driver from having access to systems or safety features”

“the system eventually crashes or reboots after some time on the road. After rebooting, it often still does not work properly.”

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

Recalls (1)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • 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 24 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:

  • A26-036 · 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…
  • AEBM09192025904 · September 2025Dealer Message - American 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…
  • 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.
  • A26-017 · August 2026Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.

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 11 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 4.2× the rate other CR-V years drew in their first 11 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 (19%), the brakes (10%) and driver-assistance features and cameras (15%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2026 Honda CR-V been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2026 Honda CR-V, the most recent in June 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 September 24, 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