7.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$250
Average Mileage:
40,850 miles
Total Complaints:
88 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (38 reports)
  2. replace battery (14 reports)
  3. if honda does not solve such problem, give loyalty elsware (11 reports)
  4. new battery (11 reports)
  5. alternator replacement (5 reports)
  6. software upgrade (3 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #8

Jan 282013

CR-V EX-L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,864 miles

CR-V sat in outside garage for 2 weeks not being driven. Wife goes to start on Monday morning to go to work and will not start. Dead battery! Call Automotive Service and they boost it. My wife takes my Toyota Venza 2012, which is second one around for me, had a 2009 previous and you guessed it, not one problem with either vehicle other then oil changes, in the 4 years, and goes off to work.

Me, well I drive the CR-V, after boost, directly to Honda dealer. They ask the usual questions, did you leave something on, how far do you drive, maybe not enough to charge battery, huh? I said well this is now the third time since June it has had a dead battery so something is up. They service and cannot find anything and put in new battery and say I am good to go. Vehicle starts no problem for next 10 months, driving an average 200 km a week during this time. And then, you know it, read next post........

Update from Jan 15, 2014: solved, traded in crv for TOYOTA Venza AWD, suggest you do same. Good riddance honda

- David F., Edmonton, Alberta, canada

problem #7

Oct 282012

CR-V EX-L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,553 miles

CRV sitting in outside garage while away on week vacation. Had not been driven in 9 days. Go to start will not turn over, dead battery. Called automotive service and they boosted vehicle, and it started. Left it running for 45 minutes as suggested by tow truck driver before off to run some errands. As I started errands needed to fill up gas tank. After turning vehicle off and filling tank, went to restart, and would not start...dead battery. Automotive service still in area, came by and boosted, did not go further on this trip and returned to home, left car running for 1 hour. 2nd time would not start now since purchase in June. I was beginning to doubt the reliability of this vehicle at this time but felt, well it sat for 9 days, must be the reason for dead battery, but thought how could that be the reason on a new vehicle? Vehicle started thereafter till 10 weeks later.....read next post.

Update from Jan 15, 2014: solved, traded in crv for Toyota Venza AWD...good riddence honda.

- David F., Edmonton, Alberta, canada

problem #6

Jan 032014

CR-V LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,913 miles

Battery drains periodically. Not using all the nice electrical gadgets I PAID for: seat warmer, Bluetooth.

Battery voltage (on accessories) is often 11.1V and when it reaches 10.9V, it won't start.

HONDA tech. from L'Ile-Perrot did a software bug fix (HONDA letter Dec 2013) but did not accept to change the

defective battery. After 3 days the battery is dead again.

Pissed off because my previous CRV 2008 was SUPER OK but the vendor convince us to change for a 2012.

Update from Dec 1, 2014: In September 2014 we left the car in the driveway for 9 days. Back from vacation, we did a small run (run 5 min. Stop engine. Got back to home). The car did not start anymore...dead battery. The Honda technical advisor told us to get the car towed without the usual battery boost. We got the car towed (NO COST). They kept the car 5 days for full inspection. They replaced the remote starter system because it drained the battery(NO COST). They replaced the battery because it was no longer good after all the boosts it went through (NO COST but not under warranty anymore). The new remote starter is not the same model and is supposed to fix the problem. I strongly recomment a 2$ lighter device (ebay) that measure the voltage of the battery. It is now 1Dec2014 and winter is coming...we'll see soon enough if Honda is right.!!!!!!

- Jean-Marc J., L'Ile-Perrot, Quebec, canada

problem #5

Oct 162013

CR-V

  • Automatic transmission
  • 800 miles

From beginning of purchase of my brand spanking new 2012 Honda CRV I have experienced a constant dead battery. I was Inconvenienced and stranded in hot, humid Houston weather. Took to dealership several times with battery showing good. How annoying!! I finally took matters into my own hands and investigated this problem on the Internet to see if anyone else was experiencing the same thing I was. I finally found information that yes it does exist and that there is a HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN sb 12-041 (tell your dealer this number at the service desk) and it is titled The Battery is dead and needs multiple Jump-starts. At this writing this is not a recall but a known problem to Honda. Under that bulletin there are specific VIN numbers that fall into this category (like mine did) and the resolution to with instructions from Honda on that bulletin sb 12-041 are for the dealership to run a diagnostic GR8 and proceed from there. At this moment of writing I am sitting at Honda and they ran this test to show me that I do in fact have a problem with the battery and computer not communicating with each other and this will require a new battery and a software update to the computer! The real kicker is on the test it was showing that my battery was getting ready to puke again and need another jump and I will tell you that I was annoyed seeing that since I just had to get a jump 3 days ago at 10:30pm at night where I as stranded from going out to dinner! I hope this new battery and software update resolves this problem for good and I hope my post helps anyone out there (I happen to be female that was always stranded) and you march right into Honda with that bulletin and have them fix the problem! I mean a brand new $30,000 vehicle should not perform like that and endanger ppl leaving them in extreme heat and humidity! I hope Honda does a recall on this soon because this is appears to be an easy fix and their reputation depends on it. This is my first Honda ever and time will tell if it will be my last! I'm just disgusted with Honda not recalling this while a along they know the problem exists! Shame on you Honda. I will add I have an awesome Honda Salesman that was very concerned for me every time I phoned him to tell him of this and an awesome service advisor that helped me and was overly concerned too! Hopefully this software update resolves this problem forever and Honda...you owe me an apology at corporate. BTW ... This is all covered under your warranty! New battery and software update is covered!!

- D K., Sugar Land, TX, US

problem #4

Aug 102013

CR-V EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 21,711 miles

A few months after I bought my Honda CR-V, the engine failed to start after listening to the radio for about 15 minutes with the key in accessory position which turned off the headlights and other battery draining components. The battery was so dead that it would not even turn the starter one time. I took it to the dealer and they could find nothing wrong blaming it on me for not having the key in the right position to disconnect the lights (switch in auto position) and other electrical components. I knew that was not the case but let it ride. Then a year later, I left the car parked for one and a half days with the light switch in the OFF position being very cautious. When I went to start the engine afterwards, the battery charge was so week that it would not turn the starter. Once again I took it to the dealership and got the same answer as before: nothing is wrong! I am very disappointed in Honda as I owned a Accord some time ago and had no problems whatsoever with it, even after 7 years of driving it. In the interim, I drove a Toyota with absolutely no problems. Both the Toyota and old Honda were very reliable vehicles. My CR-V is not up to the quality of vehicle that Honda has been known for. I cannot afford to have a vehicle that is unreliable, especially when no more than a year old. I will be going back to Toyota for my next vehicle and I will certainly let others know about this problem before they purchase a new Honda. I am disgusted with Honda to say the least.

- Tom W., Austin, TX, canada

problem #3

Mar 142013

CR-V

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,600 miles

Stranded in a parking garage in downtown Houston after the battery went dead while I sat listening to the radio while waiting for someone. Really? Battery life won't last 30 minutes of radio time? According to the dealership, the problem is the alternator and it's internal (whatever that means).

Whatever happened to Honda quality? I had this new car for two days when the a/c wouldn't work, ruining the day of my daughter's bridal portraits while we all wilted en route to the appointment. I've had two Hondas in my lifetime. This is the third and probably my last.

- baildon, Spring, TX, US

problem #2

Jan 212013

CR-V

  • CVT transmission
  • 10,843 miles

I am feeling like I may have bought a lemon. If its only a matter of replacing the battery with a more robust one , I can live with that. However, if the problem is more deep rooted and hidden in a faulty electrical system it could be a long road of trouble ahead. My long standing notion of Honda's reputation for reliability it quickly vanishing down the tubes.

- wgen, Anchor Point, NL, canada

problem #1

Sep 092012

CR-V EX-L 4cly

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,344 miles

My wife drove the car for a good ride to charge the battery.I can not understand why a battery would die with a radio on for awhile when the car is just six(6) months old.

- Ron Y., Halifax, NS, Canada