10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,763 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Honda CR-V drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2013 Honda CR-V Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #24

Oct 012016

CR-V

  • 27,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. the contact stated that the vehicle would shake and rattle while at a stop light and in the drive/reverse position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was not determined and it was informed that the vehicle was functioning as designed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000.

- Mechanicsburg, PA, USA

problem #23

Nov 302014

CR-V

  • 20,000 miles
From a stop. I speed up to about 30 mph and feel a drag and shimmy at that speed, then it goes away. The problem only occurs at 30 mph, I have watched you-tube for possible troubles.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #22

May 092016

CR-V

  • 35,787 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. while driving approximately 30 mph, the gear shifted from drive to neutral without warning. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and restarted. The contact drove home and later took the vehicle to a local dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to another local dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The failure recurred several times, but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 35,787.

- Bellingham, WA, USA

problem #21

Apr 122016

CR-V

  • 100 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A loud grinding noise lasting a few seconds after initial start up after car has been sitting, I.e., a 'cold start.' My Honda 2013 CRV-ex-L has had this problem from day one, brand new! it's intermittent but happens usually on a cold start. After quite a few visits to dealer they act perplexed and never can duplicate the condition! it actually is the vtc (variable timing control). Honda has had this problem for several years on various models of their vehicles, has never fixed the problem nor contacted affected buyers but has continued to build and sell these vehicles with a known defect with no fix! their engineers are aware of the problem, but of course the same engineers say it causes "no damage to the vehicle!" shame on Honda, it only ruined their reputation! people stare at you and ask "what is that noise?" when you explain, it puts Honda and their vehicles in a poor position I.e., loss of reputation and sales. I did intensive investigation on my own, just 'google the problem, and you will be taken to 'you tube' and many other sites showing the problem. Take to the dealer a video and a copy of the numerous complaints on this and other sites! you must prove the problem exists!! I called Honda America 2 days ago to complain and found out Honda just this year, 2016, finally came out with a 'fix!' it is for the vtc (variable timing control). My car finally is at the dealer being repaired. Honda knew all along of this problem at least from 2012 through 2014 and even earlier models! a recall should be mandated to make the repair!! again shame on Honda, I personally will never buy a Honda automobile again. The frustration, embarrassment, time running back and forth to the dealer, etc. Has worn me out!! remember their is now a bulletin to Honda dealers with a 'fix.' But they must duplicate the problem! be sure to take a video with sound!!

- Nanticoke, PA, USA

problem #20

Oct 012015

CR-V

  • 29,000 miles
Vibration during acceleration at or above 1500rpm

- Paterson, NJ, USA

problem #19

Aug 172015

CR-V

  • miles
My mechanic from four stars auto care, long island, N.Y. had mentioned that there was a problem with my CR-V 2013 timing camshaft which is causing the grinding sound when I start the car (the mechanic says that the oil has drained from the camshaft and is not lubricated ' which caused the grinding sound). Usually, this happens if the engine has not been started for more than 3 or 4 hours. I believe this is the vtc actuator in the car that is making a grinding sound. I just spoke to a lady 'nicole' from Honda city, 3859 hempstead turnpike, levittown, NY 11756 who acknowledged that there is a defect in the vtc actuator in the 2013 Cr-vs but does not have an answer when Honda will have the vtc replacement. She said, 'Honda is working on a new vtc, but does not know when they will have them available.' She also said that, they stopped replacing the current vtc model and there is a defect.' All I want to know if they will still replace this when my car goes out of warranty in a few thousand miles? I also want to know if there is a long term effect of the grinding noise to the camshaft or the engine and also the passerby's who looked at my CR-V after I start my car. I am going to contact Honda directly' I am not satisfied with the answers and the service. I will definitely not purchase another Honda if there is satisfaction to this solution.

- Hicksville, NY, USA

problem #18

Jul 012015

CR-V

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Previously reported known Honda problem with vtc actuator at cold start up. Notified dealer and american Honda. Appears Honda is dragging their feet regarding a resolution. As this can affect the long term reliability of the power train this needs to be addressed.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #17

May 062014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 20,000 miles
We traded in a 2005 Honda CRV for a 2013 Honda CRV. The 2005 was diagnosed with a transmission problem at 70,000 miles. The 2013 started with the same symptoms as the 2005 after owning it for 1 1/2 years. The car would shake and vibrate between 1st and 2nd gear. I described the problem the same ways I described the problem in the 2005 CRV. We took it to the dealership and they could not duplicate the problem. They told us it would have to get worse. Last month it got worse: It would happen several times per day. The shaking was so violent for up to 10 seconds that I didn't feel safe driving it. The car was at the dealership for three weeks and was finally diagnosed with a torque conversion defect. Today I found out that Honda motor company has known about the shaking problem going back to 2002. Their customer service department said they have not issued any bulletins because it's not a safety issue. They also said that they had a you tube video about it. It appears now that the 2005 CRV we traded in actually had a torque conversion problem, not a bad transmission. I paid and extra $18,000 for a car that I didn't need. At what point does Honda Motors inform the consumers and dealers about this issue" what can I do about this withholding of crucial information" thank you for your time.

- Newtown, CT, USA

problem #16

Apr 182014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 2,000 miles
We were driving on I-81, had to slow down in left lane for traffic. Accelerator failed when we tried to resume speed. "econ" mode on. Not sure how much we had slowed before attempting to return to highway speed. It was 3 - 5 seconds or more before accelerator "unlocked." Same response in similar situations occurred a total of 13 times. Different speeds, slow city roads or interstates, going straight or in a turn, always unexpected, mostly within a month's time but sometimes after a much longer interval. Weather always good. Last event was on April 25, 2015 (last week) with mileage at 7,000. Have not used econ mode since June 11, 2014. Dealer has failed to find any malfunctioning parts or systems during the 4 separate times we brought in the car to be checked for this problem. We have talked to american Honda, given them a detailed diary of each acceleration failure event, and they have given us a case number. We worry that our safety and that of others may compromised because of this loss of control when we need to move quickly, and we have already had drivers around us react in dangerous ways, not understanding why we hadn't picked up speed.

- Vienna, VA, USA

problem #15

Jan 022015

CR-V

  • 20,100 miles
CR-V stalls when for 3-5 seconds when completing corners. Appears transmission is searching for gears. Dangerous when trying to merge on to traffic. Honda dealer and regional rep aare aware of problem, but refuse to fix.vehicle is still under warranty.

- Omaha , NE, USA

problem #14

Dec 022013

CR-V

  • 3,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When starting the car in cold (50 degrees F or lower) or falling temperatures, with a cold engine (not run for at least 8 hours), I hear what sounds like a cranking sound from the engine compartment after the engine starts. The cranking sound lasts less than a second and sounds like severe vibration of a part with screws/components that have come loose. I've recorded the sound and have the file available. The sound does not occur with a warm engine.

- Medina, OH, USA

problem #13

May 262014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 21,000 miles
Bran new Honda CRV purchase maybe 13miles21K miles later and after a scheduled oil change, the vehicle was idling rougher than normal(I know the difference in the vehicle, from bran new till 21K miles) then we started loosing power on the takeoff.1 day later after reaching 25mph the vehicle felt as though we lost all power and the check engine light came on and went off as quick.called the dealership and told them exactly what happened and all they said(is the light still on, we need a light to pull a code to diagnose it)took it in the next business day for a lookthey could not find anything due to no light and no malfunction at that time.days later the wife taking the daughter to school proceeded to merge onto interstate driving about 55mph.not even a mile onto the interstate the vehicle slowed down like loss of power and shut off, in the middle of 2lane 70mpha diesels swerved just in time to miss smashing the CRV from behindwife was so scared and my daughter was shakingthe wife let it roll off the interstate onto the shoulder as much as the vehicle would allow possible.towed the vehicle into dealership with light onthey pulled a code that told them (3rd cylinder misfire) the dealership changed the sparkplug for the 3rd cylinder and we picked it upa few weeks later the vehicle did the same exact thing to at only feet further than last time traffic nearly piling up and colliding with one another to miss the CRV. Wife and daughter scared out of their minds and shaking up bad.towed it into dealership and they pulled the exact code the dealership changed the 3rd coil and flashed the computer and called Honda to ask if the results needed any further fix. The manager of the dealership told me Honda said" it is within the running limits" and we picked up the crvtill this day the new21K mile Honda CRV continues to shutter, lose ac fan power and dive power with no code to date.

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #12

Jul 082013

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 1,420 miles
Coasting at 10 mph and no pressure on accelerator, when I give the car moderate gas the engine does not respond unless I rock the accelerator or accelerate hard. I now have 6526 miles on the car and a second trip to the dealer and the problem is more pronounced. The Honda dealers statement is that the transmission is waiting for the computer to tell it to downshift or stay in present gear and accelerate and nothing can be done to eliminate the problem. It does not show up as a code. This could be a problem for new or less experienced drivers and conceivably cause a driver to be rear ender or hit a car from behind...

- South Amboy, NJ, USA

problem #11

Sep 302013

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 200 miles
On 4 different occasions, from being stopped and making a turn or proceeding through a stop sign, the car hesitated long enough to realize that "I should be moving by now and what is going on", then the car would jerk forward. (different degrees of jerking). Felt like the transmission was slipping. Bought the car in 9-13. It happened 3 times before the first oil change 1-14. Thought it was me because I was replacing a 13 year old Odyssey that had a bad transmission. Informed dealership at first oil change and inspection... was told that it was normal when driving with the econ system. Which tells me they are completely aware of the problem. And that there would be nothing for them to find unless the engine light had come on. 4th time was in 5-14. Econ button was off and I was turning left into my driveway. Called the dealership and Honda Corp. Was told they "understood my frustration" and would do what could to find out the problem. Dealership drove the car and couldn't duplicate the problem and said the car is running"as was designed". that's right...until it doesn't. there are countless complaints on the internet over many years. Was told by Honda they don't check the internet. Even if that were true, what about their dealerships service centers? it is not safe! my oldest is a new driver. I thought I was buying a safe car.

- Mars, PA, USA

problem #10

Mar 042014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 10,000 miles
I started to notice a croaking (sounds like a frog) noise coming from the rear of the vehicle when lightly accelerating from a stop in drive or reverse and right before I come to a complete stop. I have had this vehicle for a year, which I purchased new and this sound started after 11 months of ownership. I took my vehicle to the dealership where it was determined that the noise is coming from a noisy rear differential pump motor (part of the AWD system) per a manufacturers tech line summary article. Per the dealership and manufacturer, the manufacturer is aware of this problem and is currently working on a fix, but does not have one to date. Manufacturer has instructed dealerships not to replace any rear differential pump motors at this time.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #9

Oct 302013

CR-V 4-cyl Diesel

  • miles
I am concerned about the safety of a vehicle which can drive itself at 7 - 14 mph, faster in reverse than forward, without anyone touching the accelerator. I was parked in my 2 month old CRV on my (level) driveway on a clear day. I put the car in reverse, took my foot off the brake, started to turn to look behind me, had to grab a bag in the passenger seat and had not yet touched the accelerator pedal when my car came up against another vehicle which was parked half way down the drive on the opposite side. At first I thought I had hit a dog or a child, something that moved toward me. I had no reason to think a car could travel that fast and on its own. It caused $886 in 'minor' damage in less than 3 seconds. This self-propelling feature was not mentioned in the manual (which I did read) nor by the dealership, who later told me the vehicle was functioning within specs and this movement was to be expected. After polling 20 people I understood there are cars which 'creep' once in gear, so I borrowed 3 different vehicles to test. First I tried my car. From a dead stop, I removed my foot from the brake and the car propelled itself at 7- 14 mph (900-1200 RPM) for 1/2 mile through my neighborhood. I repeated the trial after the car was warmed up. No change. Then I tested a 2014 Ford Focus, a 2008 Lincoln mkz, and a 2013 Chevrolet equinox: Same route and conditions, none moved faster than 2-4 mph. I later test drove a 2014 CRV and it accelerates faster than my 2013. I have to keep my foot depressing the brake during slow traffic because the car moves before I fully release the peddle. This means the brakes are likely to wear out faster. I can't be sure how this effects the expected deceleration once the accelerator is released. I feel this idle speed is simply to fast to be deemed safe.

- Whitmore Lake, MI, USA

problem #8

Apr 042014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 7,000 miles
Vehicle was parked in driveway after just returning home. Vehicle was in park. As my wife unloaded items vehicle rolled backwards out of driveway striking a parked vehicle. I checked immediately after accident and vehicle was indeed in park.

- Massapequa, NY, USA

problem #7

Mar 282014

CR-V 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. the contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle taken to the dealer where it was found that the computer needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not available. Updated 5/27/14 the consumer stated there was a delay in acceleration. At times, there would be no response from the vehicle, as if, it cut off and then the vehicle would suddenly lurch forward. Updated 08/19/14

- Brownsville, TX, USA

problem #6

Nov 112013

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 8,393 miles
I purchased a 2013 CRV in the beginning of 2013 with VIN # [xxx]. with about 6,000 miles after the first oil change, the vehicle starts making a creaking noise when pushing and releasing the brake. I went to the dealer on 11/11/13. A technician was able to duplicate the problem. The second visit to the dealer is on 11/25/2013. A master technician was able to duplicate the problem and identify the noise does not come from the braking system but from the rear differential system. The dealer made a phone call to Honda tech line and was told to hold on the fix and wait for Honda to do more investigation. The dealer said Honda will send me a letter in the near future. I waited for the response from both dealer and Honda for more than a month and heard nothing. The dealer told me to contact Honda directly. I called Honda in end of December 2013, and heard back from them in 1/3/2014, a Honda representative named [xxx] in 1-800-999-1009 [xxx] called me back and told me that Honda is not going to fix the problem and replace any parts but will do more investigation. He mentioned that the investigation will last for 2 to 3 years. Also Honda is not considering the rear differential system is failed or defective, because the computer did not notify them such part is failed. [xxx] refused to give me more information and did not want to issue a statement or letter to me to describe the problem and what further investigation will Honda do. [xxx] keeps saying that he is not an engineer to answer any technical related questions. The decision made by Honda is no repairing or replacement to any part to fix this problem. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Malden, MA, USA

problem #5

Dec 152013

CR-V

  • 7,000 miles
We returned from shopping and parked car in driveway (approximately 30 degree incline). Went behind to unload back and the car rolled back on us about 4-5 feet at least. We have since been able to duplicate this twice. The car is fully in park with the engine off when this happens. The only injury (thank god!) was my back which was just thrown out a little due to trying to get out from behind the car before it ran over me. My husband twisted his knee a little, but appears okay otherwise. Because it is Sunday, I cannot reach anyone to report to the dealer (bommarito Honda), but have sent them a message demanding they tow the car and get me a loaner immediately. Neither of us will get in this car again. I'm very concerned there may be others at serious risk right now!

- Florissant, MO, USA

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