YearToAvoid

2015 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

53/100

#8 most-complained of 16 CR-V years

The 2015 Honda CR-V has a Complaint Index of 53 and ranks 8th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. It carries 670 complaints, 3 recalls, and engine issues (40% of complaints) are the top concern.

Complaints
670
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
38 / 4
Injuries / deaths
23 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
28.5
26.5 city / 32.5 hwy

Top 2015 Honda CR-V problems

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

  1. Engine271 (40%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain148 (22%)
  3. Other145 (22%)
  4. Electrical System87 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body69 (10%)
  6. Brakes47 (7%)
  7. Steering45 (7%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires39 (6%)
  9. Fuel System35 (5%)
  10. Airbags25 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration after braking, sometimes at parking-lot speeds, leading to collisions with objects, vehicles, or trees.
  • Some drivers report the brake pedal felt unresponsive even when firmly applied, with the vehicle continuing to move or accelerate.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in some low-speed to moderate-speed crashes, and seat belts failed to retract in at least one case.
  • One owner reported smoke and flames while the vehicle was parked, requiring a fire department response.
  • An adaptive cruise control system reportedly failed to detect a vehicle ahead, resulting in an acceleration-related highway collision.
2015 Honda CR-V complaints: complaints filed per quarter1102014 Q42016 Q22017 Q42019 Q22020 Q42022 Q22023 Q42025 Q2
948 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q2 (110).

2015 Honda CR-V recalls

3 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 17V305000May 4, 2017Engine16 vehicles

    Engine

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine. The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance.

    Risk: The reduced performance may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace the incorrect components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF6.

  3. NHTSA 15V121000Mar 2, 2015Engine137 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine

    American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured July 29, 2014, to July 31, 2014, 2015 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to January 30, 2015, and 2015 CR-V vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to February 6, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with improperly torqued connecting rod bolts, which can cause the engine to lose power or leak oil.

    Risk: Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JP2 (for Accord models) and JP3 (for CR-V models).

2015 Honda CR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
26.5 MPG
Highway
32.5 MPG
Combined
28.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,275
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.

2015 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
2013Best0382225.5
2014Caution60587125.5
2015Caution53670328.5
2016Good27393328
2017Avoid871,768728.5

All Honda CR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Honda CR-V reliable?
NHTSA data give the 2015 CR-V a Complaint Index of 53 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst among 16 model years. Engine complaints make up 40% of the total, with a median failure mileage of 1,950 miles.
Does the 2015 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 CR-V, covering the fuel system and engine, including a 2017 recall for replacement engines built with incorrect pistons.
What is the top problem area for the 2015 CR-V?
Engine complaints are the top problem area, accounting for 271 complaints, or 40% of the total, with 13 crashes and 3 fires reported.
How does the 2015 CR-V compare to other CR-V years?
The 2015 CR-V's Complaint Index of 53 is worse than 2010-2013, 2016, 2020-2022 model years but better than 2017, 2018, 2024, and 2025, which carry Avoid verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Honda CR-V?
The 2015 CR-V gets an EPA-rated 28.5 mpg combined (26.5 city / 32.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,275.

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.