Problems · by component
2016 Honda CR-V electrical system problems
64 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2016 Honda CR-V cite electrical system, 16% of all 395 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
64
16% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“While I was driving on I-75 in Cincinnati OH my vehicle suddenly lost all power with no advanced warning. My car was working fine on the way to work and even when I began my commute home but then suddenly every light on my dash illuminated, my steering wheel became almost impossible to steer and the car stalled. I was on a bridge overpass with little shoulder and I had to call 911 to get a ODOT truck to help protect me from the traffic. I then waited over an hour to get a tow. When I got it to the dealer, I was informed I needed a new alternator but the alternator failed due to a faulty key fob actuator. Apparently, the constant active sensor overworked the battery and alternator causing this potential deadly situation for me. It is ridiculous that Honda knows this is an ongoing issue for this year vehicle but doesn't recall it because the key fob not working isn't deadly, but my car stalling on a highway where people are distracted with phones while drive 70+ miles per hour could be deadly. I will never buy another Honda.”
“November 2024 I had a new battery and tires put on my 2016 Honda CRV. 14 months later my car would not start. I had to have a jump start. I had to have it jump started a few times more than took it to have it checked out. They put in a new battery February 2026. A month later my car would not start. I took it to a mechanic who found the door handle sensor bad. I have seen many other owners having the same problem. I also found out that it costs upward of $1,000 to fix. This should be a recall since so many had this problem, and I am sure you are aware of it. Please help us.”
“Unknown electrical problem. Both headlights will go out simultaneously without warning while driving. Frequent malfunction of running lamps, headlamps, break lamps.”
“2016 Honda CR-V’s smart locking system failed. The smart locking system caused the car battery to drain if it wasn’t driven within 24 hours. After numerous car battery replacements, a Honda auto repair replaced the door handle and repaired the smart locking system. If $639 was not paid for the needed repair, the car battery would drain and therefore the car would not function. After reaching out to Honda for a reimbursement, they declined. This is frustrating because I have researched online and several others have experienced this issue with their Honda CR-V. The issue simply happened one day and was not caused by a vehicle accident.”
“The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while approaching a stoplight and decelerating, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure, the battery warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure mostly occurred on very hot or rainy days. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate that failure. The cause of the failure was not yet been determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. The VIN was not available.”
“I first noticed this issue in October of 2023. When approaching the passenger side of my 2016 fwd Honda Cr-v it would unlock without touching the door or the key fob. This caused my car to be left unlocked multiple times without noticing it which is a major safety concern. Additionally I would go to get in the driver's seat and before the car was on the seat adjusted itself to the full upright position. Those two issues paired with the battery dying 7 times in the 8 years I have had it makes me think the electric is failing and causing the battery to constantly run which drains it. One time when the battery was not working they said it was the starter and charged $700 to fix it yesterday this is still happening. Another time this left me in dangerous situation when returning from work travel to the airport over an hour from my home and my car not starting. I had to call a tow truck to get it jumped. I called a Honda service center and the person I spoke with had never heard of these issues before. There are no warning messages when this is happening. I do not have $1000 for them to look into it.”
Showing 6 of 64 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.