Owner discussions on automotive repair forums show Honda CR-Vs from 2017 to 2021 may have hill start assist problems. Numerous pages of registered NHTSA owner complaints confirm that a bad battery, misaligned radar, or faulty fuel injectors can cause the system to act up.
Key Points
- Honda added hill start assist to the compact CR-V crossover for the 2012 model year. By 2017, owners began reporting problems with the system in models up until 2021.
- Hill start assist works by holding the brake for a few seconds once the driver removes his foot from the accelerator. The system only engages when parked at an incline.
- Owners on popular forum Honda CR-V Owner’s Club claim the dashboard lights up, chimes, and displays about a dozen error messages, including “Hill Start Assist Problem.”
- Numerous complaints have been registered to the NHTSA about the CR-V’s hill start assist system, sometimes even creating a dangerous situation for passengers.
- Three main causes can lead to the hill start assist system acting up. These include a bad battery, misaligned front-facing radar, or fuel injectors that need to be replaced.
Honda Adds Convenient Hill Start Assist Feature to Popular CR-V Crossover, but System Reportedly Has Problems in Certain Model Years
Honda debuted the fourth generation of its longstanding compact CR-V crossover for the 2012 model year. On top of updated styling inside and out, the new model also showcased several new safety and convenience features.
One such addition, hill start assist (HSA), not to be confused with Brake Hold, only engages when the SUV is starting up an incline. Simply put, the system maintains braking pressure for a few seconds once the driver removes their foot from the pedal. This gives them time to press the accelerator without the vehicle rolling backward.
For a more detailed explanation of how hill start assist works, Lesics, a popular science/engineering YouTube channel explains it best.
Unfortunately, with the 2017 introduction of the fifth-gen. CR-V, owners began reporting problems with the HSA system.
Honda CR-V Owners Report ‘Hill Start Assist Problem’ Dashboard Message Appearing at Random
“Today, I was driving my 2017 EX on the highway when the transmission started feeling strange,” comments one Honda CR-V Owner’s Club member. “Then, all of a sudden, many systems started reporting problems on my dashboard, all at the same time.”
The post then lists a dozen or so error messages, with photos, including “Hill Start Assist Problems.”
12 pages of replies later, it’s pretty clear that Honda CR-Vs from 2017 to 2021 have issues with the HSA system. Most CR-V owners echo the same story, though the problem seemingly occurs at random, whether at start-up, while driving, or at idle.
Registered NHTSA Complaints Show Honda is Aware of CR-V’s Hill Start Assist Problems but Has Not Yet Issued Any Recalls
Of the roughly 1,150 complaints registered to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2017 model alone, pages upon pages mention similar CR-V hill start assist problems. These are found in categories like the electrical system, electronic stability control, service brakes, and forward collision avoidance.
Several registered CR-V complaints show the issue can also cause unsafe situations. One February 2022 complaint states, “While traveling in the center lane at 65 mph, all systems displayed warning messages, one after another with beeps then total loss of power. No power-assisted steering… braking… emergency flashers… Nothing!… The car sputtered and died.”
What causes hill start assist problems, and what should you do if your Honda CR-V starts experiencing them?
Honda has not yet released a recall concerning any of the above-mentioned problems but has asked techs to look into the matter.
Several owners have shared what shops have said. The fix seems to involve one of three areas: the battery, front-facing radar, or fuel injectors. There are reports of other repairs being attempted, like software updates, disconnecting/reconnecting the battery, but mostly to no avail.
Having Hill Start Assist Problems in Your Honda CR-V? Before Attempting Any Costly Repairs, Check the Front-facing Radar and Battery Voltage
Of all the owner mentions of Honda CR-V hill start assist problems, three lasting resolutions stood out.
The first involves replacing the fuel injectors for around $1,200 (this typically pairs with a loss/reduction in engine power). Second, the forward-facing camera radar needs realigning (does not affect engine operation). Both can be determined by plugging an OBDII scanner into the port and reading the error codes.
The third cause of Honda CR-V hill start assist problems is a bad battery. Many owners report that replacing the battery solves the issue, but for others, an underlying issue sees the problem returning time and again.
Coincidentally, a class-action lawsuit filed in mid-2020 against Honda claims the battery has a parasitic defect causing it to prematurely drain.
Something to keep an eye on, Honda CR-Vs from 2017 to 2019 do have an open investigation into inadvertent automatic emergency braking, which uses many of the same systems as hill start assist.
Photos: Honda
