2002 Honda CR-V: common problems

Owners of the 2002 Honda CR-V filed 515 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 515
involving a crash: 48

What fails most often

1 Air bags 28% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
3 Exterior lighting 12% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
5 Equipment 8% of all complaints
6 Seat belts 5% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 143 complaints (28% of all), 32 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 95 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 60 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 58 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Equipment: 39 complaints (8% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints

Drive: AWD, FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 515 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

A/C or heater80 · 16%
headlights and tail lights51 · 10%
warning lights, check engine43 · 8%
windows, sunroof38 · 7%
smoke, burning smell, fire35 · 7%
airbag warning light34 · 7%
seat belts31 · 6%
airbags did not deploy20 · 4%
stalls while driving19 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise14 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	143	32
Electrical system	95	2
Exterior lighting	60	1
Engine and cooling	58	1
Equipment	39	0
Seat belts	25	3
Service brakes	25	4
Vehicle speed control	25	4
Powertrain	24	4
Seats	24	0
Visibility	17	0
Suspension	16	4
Tires	13	4
Latches, locks, linkages	12	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

As I drove along I-575 - a 4-lane highway - I noticed a kind of power surge from my engine. My speedometer registered 80 mph! I applied the brakes but was unable to slow the car more than 20-30 mph, and then it started to creep back up. I exited at that point, knowing I needed help. I was still going much too fast.
Air bags · crash · 2017-10-17 · NHTSA complaint #11034205
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained shoulder, neck, and low back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was later taken to paul paint and body shop in high ridge, mo, where the vehicle was being repaired for the crash damage.
Air bags · crash · 2017-06-12 · NHTSA complaint #10994473
The contact stated that the seat belt pretensioner failed and the air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact's wife sustained a broken knee cap and upper torso injuries. The rear passenger sustained back injuries and the driver sustained back and torso injuries. Medical attention was required.
Air bags · crash · 2017-03-22 · NHTSA complaint #10967734
The car was being driven down an off-ramp and suddenly the steering locked up in a hard right turn which forced the vehicle into a concrete guard rail. The car is now totaled and we were without sufficient insurance to replace the vehicle.
Steering · crash · 2016-03-08 · NHTSA complaint #10845657
The right front lower control arm broke during driving. The car body collapsed on the front right side and it was extremely difficult to maneuver the vehicle to safety. The 2006 honda cr-v was recalled for the exact same issue! Please be wary, there is a possible manufacturer defect here.
Suspension · crash · 2014-11-10 · NHTSA complaint #10654079
While stopped at a traffic light, the contact attempted to accelerate and the vehicle suddenly stalled. The failure caused a crash involving two other vehicles. There was a police report filed. There were no injuries.
Exterior lighting · crash · 2010-10-07 · NHTSA complaint #10359530
The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that some of the transmission parts were corroded. Honda didn't inform the consumer of the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for months with a complaint of difficulty shifting.
Powertrain · crash · 2003-08-14 · NHTSA complaint #10033899
Consumer states while vehicle was parked and without any indication it rolled backwards. The mechanic informed the consumer the shift cable was dirty which may have caused the vehicle to roll.
Powertrain · crash · 2003-08-12 · NHTSA complaint #10033685

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

200235
200341
200440
200520
200616
200730
200820
200919
201026
201156
201229
201319
201426
201580
20168
201716
20188
20199
20202
20214
20225
20233
20242
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 719 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).

On average one model year of the CR-V has 503 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 515, about average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Honda CR-V?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 515. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (16%), headlights and tail lights (10%), warning lights, check engine (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Honda CR-V?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2002 Honda CR-V from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2002 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.