Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Honda CR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side door was making locking sounds unintendedly and had failed to unlock as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the door actuator was replaced, and the door was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that front passenger's side door and the tailgate had failed to unlock as needed. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under an unknown recall because the recall had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Honda CR-V. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 137,000. It was later discovered upon registering the vehicle with the DMV that the mileage was 255,000.
Honda body shop switched and stripped components/ parts of my vehicle when State Farm Adjustor wrote the repair assessment like it was in a high speed head on collision when it was actually a left side fender bender. That's fraud... but nonetheless, State Farm agreed to fix the car. It's a Honda CR/V that has had the engine replaced now but it's having drivetrain issues. It rattles and violently vibrates upon takeoff (Automatic transmission) and when going uphill. It has electrical problems due to rodent chewing soy based electrical wires. I've replaced myself many components such as axle CV, electrical, fans, air conditioner, starters (3 in past two years) and basically had to rebuild the entire front end because the Honda body shop was using my car for a parts car. Curry Honda in Chamblee GA. Honda has refused to acknowledge any issues. …
Approximately six months to one year ago, a screeching sound was audible anytime I would lock or unlock the doors in my 2008 Honda CR-V. I researched the issue and found out that this vehicle has a known problem with its actuators, and that Honda was successfully sued in 2015 resulting in an extension of the warranty on the part. I inherited this vehicle from my grandmother, and I found out from Honda that she did in fact have the part replaced in 2015, yet it has started to fail again, and Honda is refusing to fix it. The problem is that this failure causes the doors to automatically relock themselves after being unlocked. Obviously, this creates a serious safety concern should it become necessary to exit the vehicle in the event of an emergency. …
Driver door actuator started jamming late July. Door would only look after pressing the lock button from the passenger side. It eventually stopped locking that way and would only lock after hitting the lock button 8+ times on the driver side. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. My own safety is put at risk due to this issue because my doors are unable to lock. As a young woman, who doesn't have access to a garage and sometimes doesn't get home till late, having doors that are completely unable to lock due to a known system issue from Honda makes me uneasy. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. No the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, etc... No, the car provided no warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms of the issue. Issues first appeared in late July and have drastically gotten worse since then.
While driving my front passenger door lock will start unlocking and relocking on my 2008 Honda CRV. I have been told the door locking actuator has failed. While at a stop light my doors became unlocked and I did not know it, and someone opened my passenger door. I was able to drive off but this is a huge safety issue. Also I can lock my doors after exiting vehicle and randomly they will unlock. My car is now left vulnerable to theft. I contacted my local dealership and was told my driver door actuator was replaced under a recall, but not the others. I was told if I want the other defective ones replaced I must pay hundreds of dollars for each. I am an older woman and am afraid to drive my car without working door locks. I do not feel safe and anyone/anything in my car is not safe.
My vehicle had the recall of the door locks completed but it has started the same problems again. Doors locking and unlocking at random while driving. Door unlocking once I have got out of the vehicle at a store and I have no idea for how long. Front and Back doors on the driver side is now making a grinding and loud popping noise when locking/unlocking the doors. The back gate tells me it is ajar but is not. The doors may or may not let you out of the car once you have arrived at your destination and placed the vehicle in park. The unlock button does not seem to help this problem. You must move the gear shifter back and forth and finally you can exit the vehicle. SAFETY ISSUE. Another recall needs to done for this issue.
Vehicle door locks acting up off & on for several years. Sometimes not unlocking needing to insert key to unlock, other times passenger door not locking when using fob and doors locking & unlocking while driving. Now most recently cannot open drivers door from inside. It can be opened from the outside. This is very dangerous if you needed to get out of car quickly, not to mention the inconvenience of crawling over the center console to get out of passenger door. I am [redacted] and will never buy another Honda as I've read about the problems with this. Too bad because I really like my crv.
When attempting to lock the doors with either the key fob or from inside the vehicle, the back door locks stay open. The front passenger door also makes a loud buzzing noise but stays locked. This is an issue when the auto lock function kicks in after every stop sign or red traffic light. I don't want to leave the car in public spaces for fear of someone entering my vehicle unbeknownst to me. The original vehicle owner had no recollection of any correspondence, by mail or otherwise, related to the 2007-2011 Honda C-RV recalls for this issue.
Rear door lock is malfunctioning. Sometimes it will lock when lock button is depressed. Other times it won't. Sometimes it will lock, but then unlock itself shortly after. This is a safety issue, since we are located in a high-crime area, Berkeley, CA, where car thefts, carjackings and car break-ins are common. There were no warning signs, lamps or other symptoms prior to this problem. Just started happening in the past few months. Started as an occasional problem, but has become persistent.
Electrical complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 218 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Honda CR-V, 23% of the model year's 962 complaints. The component named most often is starter assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Honda CR-V electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2008 Honda CR-V, though it has 11 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Honda CR-V electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system 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.