NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt accumulation corrodes the frame, potentially causing the rear trailing arm to detach.
What the fix does
This page covers 15 recalls, 479 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2010 Honda CR-V.
23 mpg combined
10.2 L/100km
Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted.
The dominant story in 2010 CR-V complaints is airbags, which account by far for the largest share of reports. Owners consistently describe situations where the airbag warning light illuminates and stays on, with many reporting that the airbag system failed to deploy in a crash or deployed unexpectedly without an impact. The passenger seat occupant sensor draws repeated mention, with owners saying the system misidentifies a seated adult as a child or reads the seat as empty, causing the front passenger airbag to be suppressed. Engine complaints are the next most-reported area, where owners describe oil consumption, rough running, and check engine lights that return after repair attempts. A smaller but notable cluster of structure complaints centers on rear suspension corrosion, specifically trailing arm deterioration that owners say causes shaking or handling instability and in some cases led to a vehicle being flagged as unsafe to drive.
479
Total Complaints
30
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
15
With Injuries
By System
The 2010 Honda CR-V has 15 recalls, the most serious being defective frontal airbag inflators on both the driver and passenger sides that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
The airbag issue spans multiple filings covering the original inflators as well as replacement parts. Some vehicles that received replacement passenger airbag inflators may have had them installed with an incorrect wiring harness, installed incorrectly at a dealership, or assembled with other errors that prevent the airbag from deploying properly in a crash. These repair-related recalls reflect cases where earlier fix attempts did not fully resolve the problem.
On the structural side, the rear trailing arm can corrode and detach from the underbody, causing sudden loss of vehicle control. This recall applies to vehicles sold or registered in certain high-humidity and road-salt states in the Northeast and Midwest. There is also an electrical concern: a connector pin in the engine wiring harness may have been damaged during assembly, which can cause intermittent misfires or the engine to stall without warning.
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt accumulation corrodes the frame, potentially causing the rear trailing arm to detach.
What the fix does
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Dealers will inspect the frame and install a support brace or repair it as needed. Honda may repurchase the vehicle if corrosion is extensive.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during a previous replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the inflator installation and replace the passenger front air bag module assembly if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Driver air bag inflators installed during previous recalls or as service parts may explode during a crash when the air bag deploys due to a manufacturing defect.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflator with a different inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Heat and humidity can damage the chemical propellant in the passenger front airbag over time. If deployed in a crash, the airbag could inflate with excessive force, causing fragments to strike occupants or damaging the airbag assembly.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the passenger front airbag inflator.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger air bag and replace the module assembly if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to high humidity, temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Replacement passenger front air bag inflators may have been incorrectly installed at one dealership, potentially affecting proper deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Passenger front air bag inflator repair kits may have been assembled with an incorrect wire harness, affecting certain replaced air bags.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger front air bag inflator and replace it if necessary at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost when parts become available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can seep into the dual-stage driver frontal air bag inflator over time, potentially causing it to rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A connector pin in the engine wiring harness may have been damaged during assembly. This can cut power to the ignition coils, causing weak sparks or engine stalling.
What the fix does
The damaged connector pin and the central coupler it attaches to will be replaced.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
