2011 Honda CR-V: common problems

Owners of the 2011 Honda CR-V filed 555 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 555
involving a crash: 29

What fails most often

1 Air bags 53% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
3 Structure 8% of all complaints
4 Engine 7% of all complaints
5 Suspension 4% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
8 Powertrain 3% 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: 295 complaints (53% of all), 12 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 55 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 45 complaints (8% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 37 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 20 complaints (4% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

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, 5-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 555 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine28 · 5%
door locks, latches, handles27 · 5%
rust, corrosion23 · 4%
A/C or heater17 · 3%
windows, sunroof15 · 3%
oil leak or consumption14 · 3%
airbag warning light8 · 1%
airbags did not deploy8 · 1%
knocking, grinding or other noise8 · 1%
vibration7 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	295	12
Electrical system	55	1
Structure	45	3
Engine	37	1
Suspension	20	1
Service brakes	19	7
Vehicle speed control	19	8
Powertrain	14	3
Wheels	14	1
Tires	12	0
Latches, locks, linkages	10	0
Steering	10	0
Visibility	10	0
Engine and cooling	7	1

What owners report

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

No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that during the crash, the right wrist went through the steering wheel opening. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. A Police report was filed. The contact was transferred to the local medical center by ambulance.
Air bags · crash · 2026-06-23 · NHTSA complaint #11745901
The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that he hit his left knee and sustained severe pain that lasted a long time. The contact received medical assistance. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence.
Structure · crash · 2024-03-20 · NHTSA complaint #11578482
The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH the steering wheel jerked to the right and the vehicle to moved to the right of the road. The contact stated that when he attempted to correct the steering there was no response to his correction.
Structure · crash · 2023-06-02 · NHTSA complaint #11525097
The contact was unsure if there were warning lights illuminated. The impact of the crash was on the driver's side, and the rear of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained head, neck, shoulder, and mid-back injuries, and medical treatment was provided to the contact. A police report was taken.
Air bags · crash · 2023-04-20 · NHTSA complaint #11518125
I replaced my rear wheel hubs with new driveworks hub assemblys from advance auto parts. The car fell apart driving down the interstate. Both rear hubs snapped and my tires came off with half of the hub attached to the car and half attached to the tires.
Service brakes · crash · 2021-10-03 · NHTSA complaint #11435266
The daughter was driving the 2011 honda cr-v when her vehicle was pushed into another car.the daughter experienced back strains and whip lash. The vehicle was towed to the home address. A police report was filed. No other passengers were in the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The crash occurred october 23, 2019.
Air bags · crash · 2020-01-31 · NHTSA complaint #11306310
The driver side window and side of the car were smashed. The car was towed to a honda collision repair shop. American honda came out and inspected the vehicle and told me they could not reproduce the unexpected acceleration and that what happened to me "is not known to be a problem with this vehicle." the damage was…
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2015-11-02 · NHTSA complaint #10787858
The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled abruptly and caused the vehicle to spin three times before crashing into the median. The vehicle was towed into the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the battery needed to be recharged. The manufacture was not notified of the failure.
Electrical system · crash · 2014-04-08 · NHTSA complaint #10578245

When owners complained

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

20101
201117
201217
201316
201421
201519
2016266
201747
201819
201914
202014
202111
202213
202340
202416
202510
202614

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 647 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 555, 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.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Honda CR-V?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 555. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (5%), door locks, latches, handles (5%), rust, corrosion (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.