2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report steering that feels sticky or binds near center, making small corrections at highway speed feel like the wheel is stuck and then releases suddenly; most complaints arrive well under 20,000 miles. A smaller share describe fuel odors or fuel-system warnings that owners connect to the high-pressure fuel pump recall, and some report lane-keeping warnings or false steering inputs. A handful describe engine overheating or head gasket trouble, but those appear at much higher mileage.

1. 1
   Steering

   Sticky or binding steering (steering rack)

   • 51 complaints (44%)
   • median 10,600 mi at 1.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2025

   Owners describe the wheel resisting small corrections, feeling stuck at center and then breaking free, most noticeably at 40 mph and above on the highway. Many say they must counter-steer or use both hands to hold a lane, and some report the wheel jerking or the car drifting on its own. Complaints state that dealers confirmed the condition and ordered a replacement steering rack or gearbox assembly, often with the part on backorder, while some owners were told the issue could not be reproduced. Mostly reported between roughly 2,500 and 11,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership and most noticeable at highway speeds.

   Recall 24V7440001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test drive at highway speed and make small lane corrections; ask whether the steering gearbox was replaced under the steering recall or whether the steering return-to-center bulletin was applied. Check that any open recall work was actually completed, not just scheduled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle starts to shift me off of the road as steering wheel gets “stuck”while driving on the interstate. Lane assist and any/all safety features were not enabled. Took my car to the Honda dealership on November 21. I was informed it is “sticky steering” and the part is on backorder indefinitely.”

   NHTSA complaint #11561693, filed 2023-12

   “While driving on the interstate I started experiencing a sensation that the lane departure/lane assist was attempting to veer me off the road to the left. After turning off all assist features the car continued to steer me off the road. While traveling in particular at higher speeds, on the interstate, it proceeded to get worse. Before traveling for 10 hour drive I took my car in for an oil change and turn off all of the features, November 21, 2023. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11579643, filed 2024-03
2. 2
   Lane departure

   Warning lights and lane-keeping false alerts

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 6,500 mi at 1.2 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the lane-keeping warning light coming on while reversing, and sometimes the car steering itself or pulling left or right with no assist feature intentionally active. Others describe a cluster of warnings for lane departure, forward collision and stability systems appearing at startup or while driving, sometimes clearing after a restart. Complaints mention dealers resetting software or confirming a known condition. Reported from a few thousand miles up, with several cases on vehicles that had been driven only briefly.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: During a test drive, check whether a lane-keeping warning appears while reversing, and ask whether the multipurpose camera software update from the service bulletin has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All the warning comes on the dashboard randomly. I took it to the service, they said they reset the system. However, today, my daughter was driving to her school. Again, all the warning lights came on and the car braked itself. This is a very dangerous as my daughter is a new driver. I made another appointment with the service department. Please do something,”

   NHTSA complaint #11611070, filed 2024-08

   “Steering wheel issue: I had a similar issue with my old 22 Civic. Now it's a known and common problem, it's hard to make small adjustments. It may not be related to the speed or the use of LKAS. There is no warning on the dashboard. Brake pedal: Randomly I feel friction on the pedal when I press it. Like the steering wheel issue it starts to happen and disappears. No warning messages. LKAS giving false warnings, especially when going backwards.”

   NHTSA complaint #11533764, filed 2023-07
3. 3
   Steering

   Recall parts unavailable (steering, fuel pump)

   • 26 complaints (22%)
   • median 136,138 mi at 3.9 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Several owners filed complaints only to note that they received recall notices for the steering gearbox and the high-pressure fuel pump but that dealers had no parts and could not give a repair date. These owners generally report no failure yet, describing the concern as the wait itself and repeated unanswered requests to schedule the work. A few also describe difficulty getting a dealer to inspect the vehicle at all. Reported from late 2024 onward, typically on vehicles with no mileage stated.

   Recall 24V744000Recall 24V763000

   What to check: Ask the seller for proof that recalls 24V744000 and 24V763000 were performed, and confirm with a dealer by VIN whether any campaign is still open.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It has been more than 2 months since recall from Honda for my car triggered, I called my Honda car dealer from where i purchased my car last year, i called them couple of times to get these two recall fixed but they are not responding to schedule an appointment and even not have inspected vehicle for the recall defect. I am not sure about how safe is my car to drive with these recall defect. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11632434, filed 2024-12

   “Dealer Coggin Honda in Orlando, Florida unable to repair recall 24V-744. Honda has not provided the dealer the parts necessary to perform the repair. No timeline provided.”

   NHTSA complaint #11627921, filed 2024-11
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel odor and fuel-system warnings

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a gasoline smell inside the cabin while driving with no warning lights, and dealers sometimes unable to duplicate it. Others report the engine cutting power or the car refusing to accelerate past low speed with multiple dashboard warnings, which some owners link to the fuel system; one dealer response cited the throttle body. Some owners explicitly connect the odor to the high-pressure fuel pump recall even when their vehicle was not covered. Reported from roughly 15,000 miles up, with some cases at lower mileage; conditions vary from normal driving to acceleration from a stop.

   Recall 24V7630001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the high-pressure fuel pump recall was completed, and note any fuel smell after fill-ups during a test drive. Have a dealer check for stored EVAP or fuel-system codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Started car to leave from work and as I drove out of parking lot, every warning light came flashing on and car would not accelerate over 20mph and kept fluctuating the speed up to 20..luckily not too far from dealer and drove straight there. They say it looks like Throttle Body needs to be replaces. Have had issues with this car making noise between 30-35mpg since I have had and it still not diagnosed...now this.”

   NHTSA complaint #11656061, filed 2025-04

   “The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V763000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11647741, filed 2025-03, 15,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine

   Engine overheating and head gasket failure

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   A small number of owners report a message telling them the engine is too hot with a red warning light, sometimes with smoke from the vents, and dealers diagnosing a failed head gasket with potential engine damage. Others describe sudden loss of power with no prior warning, and one notes the failure appeared shortly after recall service on the vehicle. These complaints come at much higher mileage than the rest. Reported mostly above 75,000 miles, including one case near 193,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check coolant level and condition, look for an overheating message in stored history, and ask whether the water pump and PGM-FI software update described in the service bulletins was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car lost power with catastrophic engine failure with no warning as I was turning into a busy intersection with oncoming traffic. Had it towed 3hrs to Southaven Honda.indicated it was a blown head gasket . They said it loosing power was warning sign. No warning lamps prior to the incident. The vehicle was in the dealership two weeks before and there was no indication from the dealership that I was low on coolant or it was degraded.”

   NHTSA complaint #11733478, filed 2026-04

   “Car completely shut down with every warning light going off. Before 95,000 the head gasket blew with zero warning signs! All the warning lamps came on only the day the car totally stopped working. No prior warning or signs before.”

   NHTSA complaint #11762270, filed 2026-09

Buying note. Because this model year is still young, most complaints center on steering feel and unresolved recall parts rather than wear. Before buying, drive it on the highway, confirm which recalls have actually been repaired, and ask for records of any steering rack, fuel pump, or software work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.