2013 HONDA CR-V Complaints

VTC Actuator causes engine to rattle loudly at cold start-up for about 2 seconds. The problem has been confirmed by dealer Honda service bulletin 16-012.

Severe frame rot on driver’s side of vehicle just forward of rear wheel. Rear control arm bolt support location has rusted away. Discovered August 5, 2024 when up on lift for a tire rotation. Garage advised vehicle unsafe to drive. Vehicle has 96,374 miles and is out of warranty. However, Honda issued a recall on 2007-2011 CRVs for same situation where vehicles were repaired or bought back. Vehicle has been inspected by 2 private garages, a Honda dealer, and a Honda collision center to assess repair options. We have been told not to drive the vehicle. I understand the warranty has expired however a failure could result in loss of control and a repair quote from a Honda collision center is $5,871.63. If the vehicle were in an accident insurance company would total it, per Arbella. Instead, we are left to spend more than 2/3 of its trade in value to repair it. It seems that the CRV frame issue was not limited to the 2007-2011 model years, and I believe we should receive consideration from Honda to repair or buy back the for a vehicle. It would appear more CRVs should be inspected for unsafe frame rot, and Honda should be held accountable for a design that does not let road salt and moisture drain.

After getting my car service at the dealer, I notice my horn didn't Chirp and my lights didn't flash when I locked my doors. Upon investigating this, I noticed my hood was ajar. It was down to what I would call the safety latch. When I fully closed the hood, everything worked fine. I realized then that I had just driven 20 miles at 70 MPH. If the hood had flown up at that speed it would have been catastrophic. I checked to see if there was a warning light to warn that the hood is ajar but there is not. There are warning lights that a door is ajar and the rear hatch is ajar but not the Hood. Since my horn chirp and my light flash didn't work, apparently the car knows the hood is ajar but there is not warning light. I think there should be. thank you [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The VTC Actuator in several Honda vehicle models from between 2011 and 2015 are known to be defective (as per Honda's technician bulletins). The defective part damages the internal engine components responsible for ensuring the engine's timing. Honda has refused to issue recalls to address this issue faced by millions of Honda vehicle owners. Honda has known about this issue since at least 2011. Honda released a replacement VTC Actuator but the replacement has also been shown to be defective. The issue can cost upwards of $2,000 to repair and Honda continues to sell vehicles with this defect without notifying prospective buyers. I would not have purchased my 2013 Honda CR-V in January, 2024 had I been notified of this serious defect. Please see the attached file for more information.

Engine rattles loudly for 2 seconds on cold start-up. The rattle started in 2021 at 90k miles, used to be intermittent but since 2022 it occurs every cold start-up. Two different mechanics have diagnosed the problem as a VTC defect requiring replacement, based on Honda’s TSB bulletin, which diagnoses the rattle as a defective VTC. No warning indicator lights have ever appeared for this issue. The cost to replace the VTC is $1200. A class action lawsuit has been filed for this very issue (JULY 5, 2023 case 3:23-CV-01238) - it states that a 2011 study showed that the VTC defect can stretch the vehicle’s timing chain and cause premature failure of the timing chain tensioner, and that damage to these internal engine components can cause catastrophic engine failure and lead to accidents. Honda should be held responsible for selling vehicles with defective parts, and owners should not have to pay for these replacements.

The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the swing arm bolt had fractured, and the sub-frame was severely corroded. The independent mechanic replaced the swingarm bolt; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the front suspension stabilizer bar had previously been replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 106,467.

The drivers side door is the only key hole available to unlock or lock the car. This key hole is jammed at a diagonal angle and will not accept a key in any way. Thus, whatever state the car is currently in (locked in my case) is the state that it will stay. No professional has checked it out. It is easily inspectable. There were no warnings by the car that this would happen, however, within 24 hrs before the door lock was jammed, the car wouldn't stay locked and would unlock and release the trunk door on its own while unattended.

The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, he was involved in an accident where he crashed into a truck, but the driver's air bag did not deploy. The contact stated that the fumes from the air bag burned his left hand, and he had to seek medical attention. The contact mentioned that his injuries would have been severe had he not been wearing a protectant glove on his hand. The vehicle was towed to the towing lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image was significantly blurry. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

My 2013 Honda crv LX locks keep locking and unlocking by itself replaced drivers side lock actuator still has the same problem replaced with OEM.