2005 Honda CR-V Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2005 Honda CR-V has 479 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 10, and 12 recall campaigns, earning a Caution verdict capped by its recall count rather than complaint volume alone. It ranks 19th of 21 model years, better than the worst years like 2018 and 2017.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 10/100
- #19 of 21 CR-V years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 479
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 12
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 40
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 18
- Injuries
- 29
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 20 city / 25 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 29 / 0
Top 2005 Honda CR-V problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System170 (35%)
- Airbags129 (27%)
- Engine49 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires47 (10%)
- Visibility & Wipers31 (6%)
- Other26 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain25 (5%)
- Steering23 (5%)
- Brakes22 (5%)
- Structure & Body22 (5%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report engine fires breaking out within days of an oil change, sometimes just a few hundred miles after service.
- Some describe smoke and oil leaking from the engine shortly after a dealer-performed oil change.
- Front tire blowouts occurred at low speed, around 10 mph, in some cases causing the vehicle to hit a curb or lose control.
- Owners report severe torque steer during hard acceleration that pulled the steering wheel out of the driver's hands.
- Airbags failed to deploy in some frontal collisions, while in other incidents airbags deployed with enough force to cause injury.
2005 Honda CR-V recalls
12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2005 Honda CR-V reliable compared to other CR-V years?
- It carries a complaint index of 10 and ranks 19th out of 21 CR-V model years, meaning most other years perform worse on NHTSA complaint data. Its verdict is Caution rather than Good because of 12 recall campaigns.
- What are the main problems with the 2005 Honda CR-V?
- The top problem area is the Electrical System, with 170 complaints (35% share), followed by Airbags at 129 complaints (27%) and Engine issues at 49 complaints (10%).
- Does the 2005 Honda CR-V have airbag recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA lists multiple airbag inflator recalls covering the 2005 CR-V, including campaigns 19V499000, 19V501000, 17V029000, 16V344000, and 15V320000.
- Why is the 2005 CR-V rated Caution instead of Good or Best?
- Its verdict is capped to Caution because of 12 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit, despite a relatively low complaint index of 10.
- What mileage do engine and electrical problems show up at in the 2005 CR-V?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 80,000 for engine complaints and 86,350 for electrical system complaints, with an overall median mileage at failure of 75,000.