YearToAvoid

2009 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

35/100

#14 most-complained of 21 CR-V years

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

The 2009 Honda CR-V has 386 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 35 out of 100 — #14 highest of 21 CR-V model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (176 complaints, 46% of the total). Complaints report 29 crashes, 2 fires, and 16 injuries.

Complaints
386
Recalls
12
Crashes / fires
29 / 2
Injuries / deaths
16 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22.5
20 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2009 Honda CR-V problems

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

  1. Airbags176 (46%)
  2. Structure & Body59 (15%)
  3. Electrical System45 (12%)
  4. Other39 (10%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires34 (9%)
  6. Engine24 (6%)
  7. Brakes15 (4%)
  8. Steering15 (4%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain11 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers10 (3%)
2009 Honda CR-V complaints: complaints filed per quarter942009 Q12011 Q22013 Q32015 Q42018 Q12020 Q22023 Q12026 Q1
435 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2016 Q3 (94).

2009 Honda CR-V recalls

12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V228000Mar 30, 2023Structure & Body616,128 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2007-2011 CR-V vehicles that were sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. An accumulation of road salt may cause the frame to corrode and possibly detach the rear trailing arm.

    Risk: A detached rear trailing arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and install a support brace or repair the rear frame, as necessary, free of charge. Depending on the extent of any corrosion damage, Honda may offer to repurchase the vehicle. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UE3.

  2. NHTSA 19V502000Jun 27, 2019Airbags9,555 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot 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 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 F5F and Q5E.

  3. NHTSA 19V500000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,558 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 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 S5B and W59.

See all 12 recalls for the 2009 Honda CR-V →

2009 Honda CR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
20 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
22.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,875
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.

2009 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
2007Caution558871222.5
2008Caution709611122.5
2009Good353861222.5
2010Good404811523.5
2011Good255531323.5

All Honda CR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Honda CR-V a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Honda CR-V ranks #14 of 21 among CR-V model years (Complaint Index 35/100, verdict: Good). It has 386 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 2009 Honda CR-V?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (176 complaints), structure & body (59 complaints), and electrical system (45 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 65,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2009 Honda CR-V, most recently reported 2023, covering structure & body, airbags, and transmission & powertrain.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Honda CR-V?
EPA rates the 2009 Honda CR-V at 22.5 MPG combined (20 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,875. 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.