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2012 Honda CR-V: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
35%
127 of 359 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

35% of relevant owner complaints on the 2012 Honda CR-V are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 61% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 44 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 32%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
127
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
403
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
27 crashes · 24 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE89 · 22%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM68 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER52 · 13%
POWER TRAIN48 · 12%
STEERING35 · 9%
AIR BAGS30 · 7%

The years either side

2010
35%
89 of 480
2011
22%
54 of 552
2012
35%
127 of 403
2013
55%
176 of 381
2014
46%
245 of 587
2015
56%
361 of 670
2016
48%
171 of 392
2017
48%
807 of 1,762
2018
36%
756 of 2,133
2019
22%
220 of 1,091
2020
28%
81 of 352
2021
19%
57 of 328
2022
13%
32 of 255
2023
9%
45 of 515

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact SUVs with no elevated signal

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN12/16/2016CRASH3 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CR-V. WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO PARK. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ALTERED BY THE CHILD OCCUPANT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED BACK. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK TOO QUICKLY. THE CHILD OCCUPANT JUMPED O…
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM08/04/2018FIRE2 INJURED
PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, VEHICLE HAD NO ISSUES AND WAS SERVICED ROUTINELY. THERE WERE 2 INDIVIDUALS IN THE CAR AND ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON A TWO LANE STATE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM RESIDENCE. THE WEATHER WAS HOT AND SUNNY ON THE MID-AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT. DRIVER NOTICED SPUTTERING IN THE CAR AND DECIDED TO U…
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE01/19/2018CRASH1 INJURED
WE HAD A DIRECT DEER HIT ON I81 NORTH IN GRANTVILLE PA. THE DIRECT HIT WAS TAKEN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT 65 MPH IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE AIRBAG ONLY DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NOT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS SEEMED VERY ODD TO US. EITHER BOTH AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED OR NEITHER AIRBAG SHOULD…

Three of 127 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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 blocki…
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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 …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2012 Honda CR-V

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.