YearToAvoid

2005 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

10/100

#19 most-complained of 21 CR-V years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Honda CR-V has 479 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 10 out of 100 — #19 highest of 21 CR-V model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is electrical system (170 complaints, 35% of the total). Complaints report 40 crashes, 18 fires, and 29 injuries.

Complaints
479
Recalls
12
Crashes / fires
40 / 18
Injuries / deaths
29 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
20 city / 25 hwy

Top 2005 Honda CR-V problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System170 (35%)
  2. Airbags129 (27%)
  3. Engine49 (10%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires47 (10%)
  5. Visibility & Wipers31 (6%)
  6. Other26 (5%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain25 (5%)
  8. Steering23 (5%)
  9. Brakes22 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body22 (5%)
2005 Honda CR-V complaints: complaints filed per quarter362005 Q12007 Q32010 Q22012 Q42015 Q22017 Q42020 Q22024 Q1
560 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2016 Q3 (36).

2005 Honda CR-V recalls

12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V768000Dec 10, 2020Visibility & Wipers268,655 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2002-2006 CR-V vehicles. Moisture may enter the driver side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt.

    Risk: If the switch fails, it could overheat and smoke, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power window master switch and inspect the wiring harness for damage, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is P9D.

  2. NHTSA 19V499000Jun 27, 2019Airbags3,947 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.

  3. NHTSA 19V501000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,657,752 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.

See all 12 recalls for the 2005 Honda CR-V →

2005 Honda CR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
20 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other CR-V years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Best104791222
2006Best03981222
2007Caution558871222.5

All Honda CR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Honda CR-V a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Honda CR-V ranks #19 of 21 among CR-V model years (Complaint Index 10/100, verdict: Best). It has 479 complaints and 12 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Honda CR-V?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (170 complaints), airbags (129 complaints), and engine (49 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 75,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2005 Honda CR-V, most recently reported 2020, covering visibility & wipers and airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Honda CR-V?
EPA rates the 2005 Honda CR-V at 22 MPG combined (20 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.