Despite having earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2015 Honda CR-V is plagued by major issues that have yet to be recalled, making it not exactly hard to recommend, just harder to recommend than most Hondas.
Key Points
- The 2015 Honda CR-V‘s issues are few, and scarce, but potentially severe, with two ongoing investigations, and over 500 complaints registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- By far, the SUV’s most worrisome concern is the airbags, with several NHTSA complaints reporting that the airbags failed to deploy in an accident, and the NHTSA investigating the SUV for faulty airbag control units, and for defective inflators.
- Engine and power train complaints make up over half of all NHTSA complaints, with engine rattle being the leading issue. The battery also has a tendency to drain, leading to early expiration and expensive replacements.
- While the Honda CR-V is generally thought to be one of the safest, most reliable SUVs out there, the 2015 is questionable, at least until the NHTSA’s open investigations are settled. If you have the option, a 2016 model makes a good alternative.
2015 CR-V’s Major Airbag Problems Have Gone Unaddressed, with the System Failing to Deploy in a Crash
The NHTSA currently has two investigations open in regards to the 2015 CR-V’s airbags. In April of 2019, the NHTSA launched an investigation into potential overstress in the car’s airbag control unit. Then in September of 2021, the car was included in the NHTSA’s investigation into Takata airbag inflators for potential rupture.
Of 553 owner complaints, only 19 have to do with the airbags, and while that may be a relatively low rate of incidence, the cases tend to be severe. Some drivers were able to have their airbags replaced after a warning light went off, but in more than one instance, the front airbags completely failed to deploy during a major accident.
The odds of your car being affected by critical airbag failure and being in an accident requiring the deployment of the front airbags may seem slim, but with no recall issued yet, this may be reason enough for many buyers to skip the 2015 CR-V.
Although the airbag situation may make buyers reluctant to invest in the 2015 CR-V, the car’s safety ratings are otherwise just about perfect. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the SUV a rating of G for Good, their highest score, in every single category except for LATCH ease of use, with crash prevention even earning a Superior, and the car being awarded a Top Safety Pick+, the IIHS’ highest honor.
More than Half of the 2015 CR-V’s Registered Complaints Concern Engine and Powertrain Issues
Of 553 complaints total, 210 have to do with the engine, and 133 with the power train. Digging into these reports, we’re seeing a wide range of issues. One driver reports having replaced the alternator twice in just three years. Another driver is seeing the car burn through oil too quickly. The most common issue, however, has to do with a rattling noise coming from under the hood, which may escalate to the cabin shaking violently while the car is in motion.
There have been two engine recalls, one for improperly torqued connecting rod bolts, and a follow-up recall, as the replacement engines were assembled with the wrong pistons. But the first of these recalls was issued to just 137 units and the follow-up to 16.
The NHTSA has yet to issue a recall addressing the rattling, but Honda did release a technical service bulletin advising owners experiencing rattling to visit a Honda dealership right away.
2015 Honda CR-V’s Excessive Battery Drain may Leave You Stranded, and Out of Pocket
After engine and powertrain, the electrical system yields the most complaints, making up 59 of 553.
The recurring pattern here: excessive battery drain.
Drivers find that their vehicle may suddenly lose power for no reason, or fail to start. This may have to do with the “parasitic draw defect,” which led to a class-action lawsuit and a recall in the 2017-2019 models, but no prior models were included in the recall.
A driver in Florida reports that removing engine fuse #29 stopped the battery drain, but this was only after replacing the battery once a year for five years straight, and this is anecdotal. We have no evidence that this will work as a fix for every owner experiencing battery drain.
The fact that these issues are happening at a low rate of incidence, and that they do not pose an immediate safety risk, means that you probably shouldn’t be expecting an NHTSA recall anytime soon. While this is not the most dangerous problem in the world, it can become quite expensive as the cost of replacement batteries adds up over the years.
The 2015 CR-V isn’t Exactly a Lemon, but You Should Probably Just Buy a 2016
To be fair, the vast majority of 2015 Honda CR-V owners will never have any problems with their airbags. You just don’t want to be in the minority who will have a problem with the airbags. The severity of this issue, combined with the car’s engine troubles, makes it difficult to recommend over pretty much any other model year, like a 2016 Honda CR-V, which has already been recalled for airbag failure, and which has far fewer engine complaints on the record.
All of that having been said, there’s no reason to turn your nose up at a 2015 if you can get a great deal. While the 2015’s issues can be serious, the rate of incidence is very low, and annual maintenance should only average around a dollar a day. In short: the 2015 is only a bad purchase when compared to other Honda CR-Vs. You’re safer in a 2016 than you are in a 2015, but either one is a smarter buy than a Ford Explorer.
Photos: Honda
