Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Honda CR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, she rear-ended a vehicle in front. The other vehicle's windshield shattered during the impact. Both vehicles were severely damaged. The air bags did not deploy. No one was injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed, but the contact was able to push the vehicle into a parking lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Honda CR-v. While the contact's son was driving various speeds, another vehicle crossed three lanes and crashed into the passenger side quarter panel of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. There were no warning indicators illuminated. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Informed Honda several times that vehicle was taken out of service as salvage in 2014. With last conversation, Honda representative advised that the database that Honda utilizes for tracking Takata airbags is out of date ... And that it would take some time for Honda to cease sending recall notices. This failure to maintain up to date records is counter-productive.
Takata recall- front end highway bumper to bumper collision at approx 40 MPH- airbag did not deploy car had the Takata recall airbag replaced a few months ago at a licensed Honda dealer but the newly replaced airbag did not deploy
Swerved to avoid hitting a deer and had a front end collision into a tree. The drivers side air bag deployed causing sever damage to the face. Had to have reconstruction surgery on the right eye socket. Was wearing a seat belt.
On January 24, 2011, I was in an accident involving 3 cars. I rear ended a cavalier, which in turn rear ended the vehicle in front of it. I hit the car at approximately 40 MPH. With no brake applied upon impact. No air bags deployed upon impact. The seat belt restraint retrained me from hitting the windshield but significant bruising and strain occurred from hitting the steering wheel. This is the 2nd rear ending that has happened with this vehicle and the air bags did not deploy at either occasion. Currently, the vehicle is in the shop for repair with initial estimate of $6500 in repairs, with supplemental repairs as well. One of the supplemental repair was the driver seat belt restraint that is now overextended, thus causing a icon to display on the dash control panel. The driver seat belt will no longer retract and must be replaced by the auto body shop. …
I had just come off the highway and turned onto a state road. I was slowing down for the upcoming intersection, when suddenly the car started speeding out of control and the brakes could not stop my car from slamming into the car in front of me. After the crash, the woman I hit pulled over to the side of the road. I put the car in drive with my foot on the brake and the car revved wildly. This was later noted by the woman I hit, as well. In desperation I turned the key off and let the car roll to the side of the road. The firemen disconnected the battery for safety. When the tow truck driver came, he reconnected the battery cables and the car started itself up and began to rev. The driver said he had never seen anything like it before. I have his name and number. The airbag never deployed and I was fortunate to only receive whiplash and my dog seems OK. …
On jan 8th 2011 I was involved in a wreck involving my 2005 Honda crv lx model equipped with driver and passenger side air bags. It was a frontal impact at 35 to40 MPH causing major damage to the front of the car which was totaled. The seat belts did their expected job but caused bruising to my wife's chest, stomach area and sternum (possible fracture). My complaint was the air bags did not deploy on either the drivers side nor the passengers side. I believe if this would have deployed my wife would not have suffered these type of injuries or would have lessened them. I called the local Honda dealer to discuss this and he gave me some off the wall reason why they did not deploy even at a 35 to 40 MPH front collision! The sensors on the front bumper area , radiator , engine and frame were damaged to the point they seemed to be moved back towards the passenger cab. …
My complaint is against Honda re their recall practices/dealer knowledge: according to the Honda website, my vehicle airbag is to be inspected and replaced. I attempted to schedule this service at two dealers in albuquerque, nm (perfection Honda and garcia Honda. I was told it would take 2 visits - one to inspect and one to replace part if needed. Yesterday I took my vehicle to garcia Honda - their 'mechanic/oil changer' broke the head off the 'breakaway screw' while undoing it. After 3 hours in which they supposedly 'tapped' the screw, they told me to bring the vehicle back in a week and there was a 50/50 chance they would need to replace the airbag - but they didn't know. Now, I am unsure to even drive the vehicle - suffice to say, if there is any damage to myself or passenger, there will be a major lawsuit against Honda and particularly garcia Honda!
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Honda CR-v. While driving at an unknown rate of speed, the driver crashed into a tree. The driver side air bag deployed with extreme force. The driver sustained a fractured right eye socket, lacerations to the right cheek bone, whiplash, and also sustained further injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The air bags were not inspected by the insurance company to determine the failure. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: (air bags), which was received after the contact experienced the failure. The recall was unable to be performed because the failure occurred years before. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable. Ma 08/06/15 updated 8/14/15
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018.
Show 6 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California,…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia,…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Air bags
American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Air bags › Side/window
On certain passenger vehicles, the occupant position detection system's side sensor is not installed in the correct position and May fail to shut off the passenger's side impact airbag if the occupant is out-of-position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger's seat-back pad which incudes the occupant position detection system sensor. The recall began on on November 19, 2004. Owners should contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 129 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Honda CR-V, 27% of the model year's 479 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Honda CR-V airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-501 (inflator module, Jun 27, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-499 (inflator module, Jun 27, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-182 (inflator module, Mar 6, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Honda CR-V airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 24 crashes, 2 fires and 25 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.