The 2019 Honda CR-V is an impressive SUV that won AutoWeb‘s Best Utility Vehicle of the Year Award. However, a malfunctioning collision avoidance system, various electrical issues, and oil dilution problems prevent it from being issue-free.
Key Points
- The 2019 Honda CR-V has five recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and 371 registered complaints. The SUV’s most severe problem involves the steering system damaging airbag wiring.
- Owners report the automatic forward collision avoidance system deploying randomly, a variety of electrical issues, and infotainment system glitches.
- The 2019 Honda CR-V may experience a fuel leak that leads to an oil diluting issue, which also plagued past CR-V models.
- Problems aside, the 2019 Honda CR-V is a safe and dependable SUV that was named Best Small SUV of the Year and Best Utility Vehicle of the Year by AutoWeb.
2019 Honda CR-V’s Five Recalls Cover a Faulty Fuel Pump, Compromised Airbag Wiring, and Improper Welding
The 2019 Honda CR-V has five recalls on file with the NHTSA. Four out of the five are serious. The fifth is a relatively harmless recall for an error in the owner’s manual that incorrectly describes when an airbag indicator is supposed to illuminate.
The most severe recall involves the steering wheel damaging airbag wiring. Essentially, the metal core of the steering wheel has burrs that can cause internal damage to the airbag wiring and potentially disable the driver’s airbag.
Another recall for the 2019 Honda CR-V is over a faulty fuel pump that can cause the vehicle to stall at random.
While rare at only 492 total affected units, the 2019 Honda CR-V has two recalls for welding-related issues.
The first is for potentially poor welding between the fuel tank and the vapor return line. Affected vehicles could suffer from fuel leaks and subsequent risk of fire.
The second welding recall was a bit more severe. The rear subframe of the vehicle could separate due to the poor welding and cause a crash.
2019 CR-V’s Owner Complaints Reveal Electrical Problems, Faulty Forward Collision Avoidance System, and Fuel Leaks Leading to Oil Dilution
The 2019 Honda CR-V has nearly 400 consumer complaints registered with the NHTSA. Most concern the forward collision avoidance system. Approximately one-quarter of the total complaints mention this system randomly engaging the automatic brakes, often creating dangerous situations.
“Multiple times, while driving, the automatic braking system engaged when there were no cars or obstacles ahead of me,” shares one 2019 CR-V owner. “The car behind me almost rear-ended me.”
Drivers also report various electrical problems. Owners on Car Complaints and the NHTSA have reported issues like premature dead batteries, loss of electric power steering, and engine stalls.
Oil dilution is another problem that owners have reported. This happens when fuel leaks into the crankcase where it mixes with the oil. What results is the diluted mixture raising the oil level too high and causing engine damage.
Owners on the NHTSA and forums like CR-V Owners Club have attested to this issue. Specifically, they mention the problem occuring on 2019 CR-Vs with the 1.5L turbo engine.
Additional Problems for the 2019 CR-V Include Infotainment System Problems and Exploding Moonroofs
Owners on Consumer Reports have mentioned their 2019 Honda CR-Vs having various infotainment system troubles.
Most of the complaints involve both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay not working.
“My iPhone repeatedly disconnects and reconnects. I have to restart [the] infotainment system and phone and power off and on the vehicle to get it to work again (which does not always fix the issue),” reported one owner on Consumer Reports.
On top of the device connectivity woes, 2019 CR-V owners have reported its power moonroof exploding. Some owners reported this happening at speed, causing glass to fly all over the cabin.
The good news is, this issue is quite rare, meaning the odds of it happening to you are very slim.
Ranked Seventh Out of 22 Compact SUVs, the 2019 Honda CR-V is a Great Option for an SUV
The 2019 Honda CR-V includes a well-rounded selection of available engines, an elegant interior, and a reasonable price.
Problems like oil dilution, a wonky forward collision avoidance system, and various recalls should not be ignored. However, they should not keep you up at night either. The Honda CR-V is still one of the most reliable SUVs in its class.
The 2019 CR-V has a Vehicle History owner rating of 4.6 out of five stars. That ranks it seventh of 22 compact SUVs. Problems or not, that is more than a respectable score for an equally respectable SUV.
Photos: Honda