2026 Honda CR-V Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year are dominated by two themes: the center infotainment display going blank, freezing or rebooting, and the advanced driver-assist systems (forward collision, adaptive cruise, lane keeping) behaving unexpectedly or simply stopping. Many of these vehicles were only weeks or months old, and several reports involve very low mileage, so most complaints reflect early-life electronics and software behavior rather than wear. A smaller but recurring group involves windshield visibility (wiper and washer behavior in cold or wet weather, cracked mirror glass, sunroof glass) and a handful of reports of unintended acceleration while parking.

1. 1
   Other or unknown

   Unintended acceleration or loss of power at low speed

   • 30 complaints (17%)
   • median 5,500 mi at 0.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2026

   A group of complaints describes the vehicle surging forward while pulling into a parking space with the brake applied, in some cases riding over a curb, and in others the pedal not stopping the car. Other owners report the drivetrain briefly losing power during turns or acceleration, and one report describes the car rolling while parked and shut off. Dealers contacted in these cases generally said they had not seen the condition; one owner requested the event data recorder data. Reported from very low mileage up to about 9,000 miles, mostly during parking-lot maneuvers or low-speed turns.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: During a test drive, practice a slow parking-lot maneuver and a stop-and-go turn, and confirm the car holds still in Park on an incline. Ask whether the event data recorder software update has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were pulling into a parking space and were almost completely stopped. Suddenly the gas engine revved and we jumped the curb and crashed through the glass front of the restaurant we had ordered food from. as it lurched forward my wife was pressing on the brake yelling it won't stop! The engined revved without any pedal usage. The automatic braking system did not function. Called the dealer and of course they have never heard of such a thing. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11750425, filed 2026-07

   “The complaint was filed on behalf of the contact's mother. The contact's mother owns a 2026 CR-V. The contact stated while the contact's mother was driving, the vehicle's speed independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's mother's vehicle crashed into three parked vehicles. The contact stated that after the impact, the wheels continued to move. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11737248, filed 2026-05, 5,500 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Infotainment screen blank, frozen or rebooting

   • 19 complaints (11%)
   • median 3,000 mi at 0.4 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe the center display going black while driving, freezing, or restarting on its own, sometimes several times in an hour, with or without a phone connected. When it fails, navigation, backup camera image and phone calls drop out, and the screen has to be reset or the phone re-paired. Several say the dealer could not duplicate the problem and reported no fix available; one noted the radio needed a reboot. Separate bulletins describe Siri not responding with wireless CarPlay and old text messages reappearing on each start. Reported across the board on new vehicles, from delivery mileage up to roughly 28,000 miles, and often while driving at highway speed.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Before buying, spend several minutes with the display on, connect a phone wirelessly and by cable, and confirm navigation, camera and audio keep working. Ask the dealer whether any infotainment software updates have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While connected to infotainment system with Bluetooth or cable the system reboots or freezes up to 6 times In An 1 hour drive. Issues for safety include if using phone the system disconnects phone call. Honda is trying to fix but they tell me if they cannot duplicate they cannot fix problem. Honda of Denton. I bought in April 2026 with 10 miles on car. Now have over 10000 miles. I told them and Honda corporation that I cannot bring my car in every day.”

   NHTSA complaint #11753549, filed 2026-07

   “The vehicle's infotainment/display and wireless smartphone projection system is malfunctioning. Specifically, wireless Apple CarPlay can suddenly disconnect while I am driving and the system does not reliably recover or re-establish the connection. When this occurs, Apple CarPlay functions including navigation, maps and audio become unavailable, sometimes for the remainder of the drive. The vehicle and infotainment system remain in my possession and are available for inspection. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11766278, filed 2026-09
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers and washers leave poor visibility

   • 19 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 0.6 yrs old
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe washer fluid spraying only when the blade is nearly upright, so it lands on the side windows instead of the windshield, and wipers that leave streaks or fail to clear slush and spray. In cold weather several report the wipers freezing to the glass and the defroster not clearing the outer edges of the windshield. Dealers generally told them the system works as designed; separate dealer messages say the company is looking at seized A/C compressors and inoperative front wiper motors on these models. Mostly in wet or winter conditions, from near delivery mileage to roughly 12,000 miles.

   8 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the washers and wipers on a dry and then wet windshield and confirm fluid reaches the center of the glass. Ask whether the wiper motor or A/C compressor has been inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since new, my car's passenger side windshield fluid does not adequately clean (dirt, bugs) on its side of the windshield, even when parked, obstructing my view to the road. It’s a Honda design issue that is a safety issue. Honda dealer said it's working as designed. Car currently only has 5,000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #11768680, filed 2026-10

   “The washer fluid doesn't come out until the woolies have gone completely across the dry windshield and then throws the water off the side of the car. The water comes out once the wiper is straight up. The dealer says it's working because water comes out even though it doesn't come out until it's anyway gone across the window.i had mud on my windshield from a truck in front of me and when I tried to wash it the mud just smeared on my window. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11742179, filed 2026-06
4. 4
   Forward collision avoidance

   Forward collision and adaptive cruise braking unexpectedly

   • 11 complaints (6%)
   • median 12,000 mi at 1.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Complaints describe the collision mitigation braking system applying hard, sudden braking with nothing in the path, such as turning into a parking lot or passing near vegetation, and adaptive cruise cancelling or slowing the car on its own. Some owners report the forward collision warning not activating when the car ahead slowed, and lane keeping following shadows or road markings it should ignore. Dealers often could not reproduce the event; a service bulletin covers unexpected adaptive cruise cancellation with a stored code. Spread from a few hundred miles to about 16,500 miles, in ordinary traffic, parking lots and highway driving in clear weather.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a test drive, use adaptive cruise and lane keeping on a highway stretch and note whether the car brakes or steers without cause. Ask whether the ACC software bulletin has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am writing to formally log a product quality and safety complaint regarding my 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid.The Low-Speed Braking Control system frequently triggers severe, abrupt false-positive braking events in common driving environments, such as steep driveways, when recreational bike rack is attached and areas with minor vegetation. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11758569, filed 2026-08

   “Collision mitigation braking system malfunctioned while pulling into a chic fil a parking lot at approximately 1800 on 12 December 2025. Entering the parking lot with a right hand turn, a car was exiting the parking lot and pulling up to their stop sign at the same time I was entering. Me and my wife were both in the car when the Honda crv we were in decided to absolutely slam on the breaks for no apparent reason. Both of us were stunned, I checked to see how close I was to the curb on the cars passenger side and I was clear. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11704634, filed 2025-12

Buying note. This is a recent model year with mostly low-mileage complaints, so much of what owners report is electronics and software behavior rather than wear. A longer test drive that exercises the display, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, wipers and a parking-lot maneuver will tell you more than the paperwork, and it is worth asking the dealer which software updates and bulletins have already been applied.

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.