Honda is known for making practical vehicles and the CR-V is no different. It offers plenty of features, a spacious interior, an efficient engine, and comfortable ride quality. And with a convincing reliability score of 82 from J.D. Power, the 2014 CR-V is quite reliable as well. However, due to its immense popularity, the number of complaints is also quite high. The CR-V has a massive list of 497 complaints on the NHTSA website, but it has had no recalls so far.
User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Problems
- Engine - The engine makes loud noises upon cold start-ups. This rattling noise usually occurs after covering 20,000 miles. With time, the noise seems to get louder and louder. While this is the most common problem, some owners have also reported instances where the crossover suddenly accelerated forward without any input from the driver. This happened to quite a few owners and in rare cases, it led to a collision too.
- Brakes - While this was not a very common issue, sometimes, the brakes failed to work and caused a collision.
- Powertrain - Many users reported that the powertrain starts shuddering at 25-35 MPH and several users have also reported continued issues with the VTC actuator.
- Suspension - After driving the vehicle for a few miles, users noted that the suspension was unusually loud and firm. The ride started to shudder and the engine made weird noises. It also affected the ride quality of the vehicle.
Safety Problems
- Airbags - Few instances were noted where the airbag did not deploy even after the collision. One user states the car hit a column in the garage quite hard, but the airbags did not deploy. Other instances of airbags failing to deploy were also reported.
- Seat belt - A few rare instances where the seat belt didn’t lock were also reported.
Exterior Problems
- Lights - Few users have complained that the vehicle had issues with the headlights. The headlights did not offer adequate coverage and were too dim to be usable.
- Tires - Few instances of TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) not working properly were also reported. Instances of the tires popping rather easily were also noted.
- Wiper - There were instances where the windshield wiper system froze during the winter and failed to work. The defroster on the driver’s side simply did not work during cold weather and the wipers stopped working at all.
Interior Problems
- Seats - Even though the problems related to seats were not very common, there were still instances where the seat’s height adjustment did not work. The seats would continuously lower themselves while driving. This happened with the driver’s seat, mostly. A user also complained that the vehicle’s seat could not be adjusted according to their comfort. Another user complained that the seat does not go low enough for them to see the road clearly and hence, it is detrimental to a tall person.
Recalls
No recalls have been issued for the 2014 Honda CR-V so far.
Should you buy the 2014 Honda CR-V?
Despite the huge number of complaints, the 2014 CR-V has had no recalls as of yet and most issues reported were just one-off instances that can happen to any vehicle. However, there are still some things to look out for like the shuddering of the powertrain and rattling noises made by the engine after 20,000 miles. Since lots of users registered this complaint, we are pretty sure that you have a high chance of encountering it if you plan on purchasing the 2014 model year. Other than that, the 2014 Honda CR-V is a reliable vehicle.
