NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 396 owner complaints for the 2016 Honda CR-V.
Recalled components: fuel system, engine, and air bags. Most-described problem: shaking, shuddering or vibration (46 complaints, 12%). Most-reported area: engine (103 complaints, 26%; median mileage when it happened: 21,500).
One of the best CR-V years by owner complaints
The 2016 drew 136 owner complaints in its first three years, against 229 for a typical CR-V year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
Years to avoid: 2017, 2018, and 2023; best year: 2016. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.
Risk: The reduced performance may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace the incorrect components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF6.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine.
American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CR-V vehicles manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began in November 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda'a number for this recall is JV9.
NHTSA listing: CR-V. Honda campaign JV9.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation that names the 2016 Honda CR-V; it is closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.
NHTSA listing: CR-V. Component: Air bags (air bag/restraint control module). This investigation names 46 models.
An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 396 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 CR-V. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Shaking, shuddering or vibration46 · 12%
Median 21,000 miles at failure, from 31 reports with mileage
Fuel smell or fuel leak43 · 11%
Median 3,000 miles at failure, from 33 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off36 · 9%
Median 58,600 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
Hesitation or slow acceleration22 · 6%
Dead battery or battery drain15 · 4%
Unintended acceleration or surging14 · 4%
Check engine light13 · 3%
Oil dilution: fuel in the oil or a rising oil level11 · 3%
Median 21,500 miles at failure, from 56 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system66 · 17%
Median 9,600 miles at failure, from 35 reports with mileage
Electrical system64 · 16%
Median 24,000 miles at failure, from 29 reports with mileage
Powertrain45 · 11%
Median 22,000 miles at failure, from 25 reports with mileage
Air bags32 · 8%
Median 30,100 miles at failure, from 19 reports with mileage
Speed control28 · 7%
Median 8,900 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
Brakes19 · 5%
Median 18,900 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
Unknown or other87 · 22%
Median 23,500 miles at failure, from 47 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Honda CR-V recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2016 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 CR-V drew the most (835) and the 2016 drew 136.
Owner complaints
2016: 396 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Honda CR-V
Model year
Complaints
2010
483
2011
555
2012
403
2013
382
2014
588
2015
674
2016
396
2017
1,782
2018
2,169
2019
1,110
2020
450
2021
448
2022
354
2023
634
2024
485
2025
300
2026
189
Safety recalls
2016: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Honda CR-V
Model year
Recalls
2010
15
2011
13
2012
3
2013
2
2014
1
2015
3
2016
3
2017
7
2018
5
2019
8
2020
9
2021
5
2022
6
2023
8
2024
5
2025
6
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 396 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Honda CR-V, the problems described most are shaking, shuddering or vibration (46), a fuel smell or fuel leak (43), and stalling or shutting off (36). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2016 Honda CR-V safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2016 Honda CR-V earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2016 Honda CR-V?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no open investigations for the 2016 Honda CR-V. It lists one closed investigation, which closed on Sep 19, 2024.
How do I check if my CR-V has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Honda dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: CR-V.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.