YearToAvoid

2013 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#16 most-complained of 16 CR-V years

The 2013 Honda CR-V ranks best of 16 model years, with a complaint index of 0 and 382 complaints. Engine issues (31% of complaints) and unintended acceleration/braking incidents dominate the reports, but the year carries just 2 recalls.

Complaints
382
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
22 / 0
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25.5
22.5 city / 29.5 hwy

Top 2013 Honda CR-V problems

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

  1. Engine119 (31%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain95 (25%)
  3. Electrical System67 (18%)
  4. Other51 (13%)
  5. Brakes31 (8%)
  6. Airbags27 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body22 (6%)
  9. Fuel System15 (4%)
  10. Steering15 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe the vehicle suddenly accelerating on its own while the brake pedal was pressed, sometimes resulting in a crash into a fixed object.
  • Several reports involve the CR-V lurching forward unexpectedly at low speed, such as pulling into a driveway or garage, despite the driver applying the brake.
  • One owner reported the vehicle rolling backward out of a driveway on its own while left in park, striking another parked vehicle.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy immediately, or at all, in low-to-moderate speed collisions, raising owner concern about crash protection.
  • A brake-related complaint describes the vehicle failing to stop while going through a car wash, leading to a wall impact.
2013 Honda CR-V complaints: complaints filed per quarter342013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12021 Q42023 Q32025 Q3
488 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2017 Q4 (34).

2013 Honda CR-V recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

  2. NHTSA 13V143000Apr 15, 2013Transmission & Powertrain204,169 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Risk: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.

2013 Honda CR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
29.5 MPG
Combined
25.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,550
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.

2013 compared with other CR-V years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Good335531323.5
2012Best13403325.5
2013Best0382225.5
2014Caution60587125.5
2015Caution53670328.5

All Honda CR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Honda CR-V a good model year to buy used?
Yes. Among 16 model years of the CR-V, 2013 ranks best with a complaint index of 0 and 382 total complaints, well below years like 2017 and 2018.
What is the top problem area for the 2013 Honda CR-V?
Engine complaints make up 31% of all reports (119 complaints), followed by transmission and powertrain issues at 25% (95 complaints).
Does the 2013 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2013 CR-V: a fuel pump module replacement recall and a brake-shift interlock recall affecting cold-weather gear shifting, neither marked do-not-drive.
How does the 2013 CR-V compare to later model years?
The 2013 CR-V has a complaint index of 0, far below the 2017 (87) and 2018 (100) model years, which are rated Avoid, making 2013 one of the stronger years for this model.
What mileage do 2013 CR-V engine problems typically appear at?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 26,000 for reported failures across all systems in the 2013 CR-V, with engine-specific issues at a median of 25,500 miles.

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.