YearToAvoid

2012 Honda CR-V Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 107 engine complaints for the 2012 Honda CR-V, 27% of its 403 total complaints for the year. No related recall is on file for this issue. Reported failures include sudden acceleration, stalling, power loss, and two fires at a median 35,250 miles.

Engine complaints
107
27% of 403
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
6
Median mileage
35,250 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Sudden unintended acceleration while parking or pulling out at low speed, sometimes ending in a collision.
  • Engine hesitation of two to three seconds when pressing the accelerator at slower speeds, with no engine revving during the delay.
  • Complete loss of power while driving at highway speed, lasting several seconds before power returns, with no check engine light.
  • Sputtering engine that worsens over a short drive, in one case followed by an engine fire under the hood.
  • Burning smell and white smoke from the engine bay leading to a fire that required a fire truck to extinguish.
  • Vehicle lurching forward and gaining speed unexpectedly while going up or down a hill, resisting braking.

When 2012 Honda CR-V engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 27, 2012, latest Dec 9, 2025.

2012 Honda CR-V engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter82012 Q22014 Q12015 Q42017 Q22018 Q42021 Q12022 Q42024 Q4
107 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q2 to 2025 Q4; peak 2015 Q4 (8).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Honda CR-V

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by CR-V model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201079 (16%)
  2. 201159 (11%)
  3. 2012107 (27%)
  4. 2013119 (31%)
  5. 2014222 (38%)
  6. 2015271 (40%)
  7. 2016123 (31%)
  8. 2017577 (33%)
  9. 2018591 (28%)
  10. 2019129 (12%)
  11. 202049 (14%)
  12. 202138 (12%)
  13. 202221 (8%)
  14. 202334 (7%)
  15. 202440 (10%)
  16. 202535 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How many 2012 Honda CR-V owners complained about engine problems?
NHTSA lists 107 engine complaints for the 2012 CR-V, which is 27% of the 403 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Honda CR-V engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint area.
At what mileage do 2012 CR-V engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2012 CR-V is 35,250 miles.
Were there any fires or crashes linked to engine complaints?
Among the 107 engine complaints, NHTSA data shows 9 crashes, 2 fires, and 6 injuries reported.
How does the 2012 CR-V engine complaint rate compare to other years?
The 27% share for 2012 is lower than 2014 (38%) and 2015 (40%) but higher than 2011 (11%) and 2019 (12%), based on NHTSA's year-by-year breakdown.

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.