2016 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

545 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Honda CR-V, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 26/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 25,800 miles.

545Complaints
26/100Trouble index
3Recalls
20,458Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2016 sits among all CR-V years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Engine 101 complaints (19%) · typically ~25,800 miles
“Vehicle stalling, AWD light suddenly appears goes off after driving a few miles reappeared and then engine light comes on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V
Other 86 complaints (16%) · typically ~25,400 miles
“My 2016 crv has a strong odor of unburned fuel. It is so strong it prevents us from driving. The odor can be smelled inside and outside the vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V
Fuel system 72 complaints (13%) · typically ~19,746 miles
“I am concerned about the smell of gasoline in the engine's oil. When checking the oil level, the smell is strong. I am concerned about fire safety and engine wear.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V
Electrical 66 complaints (12%) · typically ~21,050 miles
“On cold start and when you start driving the car will shut off while driving/ when coming to stop”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V
Transmission & drivetrain 45 complaints (8%) · typically ~22,000 miles
“As other owners have reported, when the car is in drive, idli ng (at stops), the whole body/engine/transmission are vibrating really hard. Symptoms identical to technical service bulletin (tsb) 15-046, driving mode 1: the vehicle is stopped, but in gear.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V
Airbags 32 complaints (6%) · typically ~30,087 miles
“Takata recall: i am putting in a claim for the car, honda cr-v 2016. The car was recalled for air bag defects. I got into a car accident and the airbag did not deploy.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 CR-V

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 289 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 20,458 miles. Half of those reports fall between 10,000 and 38,954 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 23V858000 2023

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…

Fix: 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…

ENGINE 17V305000 2017

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.

Fix: 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…

AIR BAGS 15V714000 2015

American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CR-V vehicles manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began in November 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

Federal defect investigations

Electrical overstress EA19001 opened 2019, closed 2024

Led to recall campaign 20V024.

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2016peak 92 in 20192026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2016 Honda CR-V reliable?

The 2016 Honda CR-V drew 545 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 26/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).

What are the most common 2016 Honda CR-V problems?

The top reported problems for the 2016 Honda CR-V are engine (101 complaints), other (86), and fuel system (72).

At what mileage do 2016 Honda CR-V problems show up?

Owners most often report 2016 Honda CR-V problems around 20,458 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 10,000 and 38,954 miles.

Does the 2016 Honda CR-V have recalls?

3 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Honda CR-V. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-12 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.