2013 Honda CR-V Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Best The 2013 Honda CR-V ranks Best among 21 model years, with a complaint index of 5 and 382 complaints, ranking 20th worst out of the years tracked. Engine issues are the top problem area, but two recalls and low crash counts keep it near the top of the lineup.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 5/100
- #20 of 21 CR-V years
- Verdict
- Best
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 382
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 22
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 13
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25.5
- 22.5 city / 29.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 13 / 0
Top 2013 Honda CR-V problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine119 (31%)
- Transmission & Powertrain95 (25%)
- Electrical System67 (18%)
- Other51 (13%)
- Brakes31 (8%)
- Airbags27 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (6%)
- Structure & Body22 (6%)
- Fuel System15 (4%)
- Steering15 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Some owners report the vehicle rolling or moving unexpectedly while parked, even when the gear selector appeared to be in park.
- Several complaints describe unintended forward acceleration while stopped in traffic, with the engine revving on its own and the vehicle lurching ahead.
- Airbag complaints describe deployment failures in crashes, including side airbags not deploying and frontal airbags not activating despite significant impact.
- One owner reported a torn, fast-deflating airbag that caused cuts and burns during deployment.
- A brake complaint described pedal travel to the floor with no stopping effect at low speed, though a dealer found no fault afterward.
2013 Honda CR-V recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Honda CR-V reliable?
- Compared with other CR-V model years, 2013 carries a Best verdict, with a complaint index of 5, the lowest among the 21 years tracked, and only 382 total complaints.
- What problems does the 2013 Honda CR-V have?
- NHTSA complaints for this year are led by Engine issues (31% of complaints), followed by Transmission & Powertrain (25%) and Electrical System (18%). Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 26,000.
- Does the 2013 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists two recalls for the 2013 CR-V: a fuel pump module recall shared with several other Honda and Acura models, and a brake-shift interlock recall affecting cold-weather gear shifting.
- How does the 2013 CR-V compare to other CR-V years?
- The 2013 CR-V ranks 20th worst out of 21 years by complaint index, well below years like 2017 and 2018, which carry Avoid verdicts with complaint indexes of 95 and 100.
- What is the top complaint category for the 2013 CR-V?
- Engine complaints make up 31% of all reports, 119 out of 382, with a median failure mileage of 25,500 and 10 associated crashes.