Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Honda CR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the 4-WD axle had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced. The contact removed the axle, and the axle was not replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that there was also an abnormal sound coming from the muffler. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who determined that the muffler had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced, however, the mechanic advised that the rear frame and rear trailing arm were also severely corroded but could not be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 20 MPH, the vehicle began to wobble after driving over a puddle. The contact's wife pulled over and discovered that the rear driver's side tire had sunken into the rear axle. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence and discovered that a portion of the sub frame where the failure had occurred was corroded. The contact called the dealer, and the failure was acknowledged; however, the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test and was referred to the manufacturer for additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while making a left turn, several warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel, and the steering wheel became significantly unsteady, causing a partial loss of vehicle control. Because the incident occurred within walking distance of the residence, the contact used a toy hauler to tow the vehicle to the residence. An inspection revealed that the rear passenger-side trailing arm had completely detached from the vehicle and punctured the subframe. Upon investigating the failure, the contact discovered that prior Honda models had experienced identical failures resulting from severe subframe corrosion. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied any assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the suspension failed, and the vehicle started veering back and forth uncontrollably between two lanes. The contact's wife was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that that the rear driver's side trailing arm had detached from the frame due to severe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a goodwill assistance could be considered after the dealer had diagnosed the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for a routine oil change, and the dealer informed her that the rear driver's side sub frame was rusted. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle due to the failure. The contact stated that the dealer made her aware that there was a recall for the failure; however, neither the VIN nor the model year was included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V228000 (Structure). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 91,393.
The drivers side (left front door latch) is inoperative. This was a recall from Aug 2012. The latch was replaced in 2012. Yes it is available for inspection. The door opens while driving and had to be tied shut to drive home and Honda dealership. Was told by Honda Corporate to drive to the nearest Dealership and repairs would be made under Safety Recall Notice from 2012, once they diagnose it as broken. Gerald Honda of Mattson diagnosed the problem and ordered the part on 6/16/26. They made an appointment for 6/17/2026 at 9:00am for the repair. The door open warning light intermittently blinks off/on for the two front doors, and dings. There were no warning lights prior to 6/16/26.
Spare tire wheel well fills with water during heavy rain. Today I sucked out at least 2-3 gallons. Water goes 1/2 to 3/4 up the spare tire. Due to moisture Jack has rusted, headliner coming down and tire is slimy. 2020 Honda said problem was fixed but every time we have a hard rain it fills with water. Research has shown many people have same issue and have been unable to find source of leaks. If I get a flat don't know if Jack will work or in spare is ok. Headliner is going to cause issues too.
During the installation of the rear frame bracket (recommended from the 2011 recall), it was determined the vehicle is unsafe. The frame brace recall not designed for the 2012 CRV would not fit the vehicle. Notified customer of the condition of the left control arm. Not safe for the road. Recommended not to drive this vehicle.
Complete rear tire assembly came loose from the unibody frame from rust. Not a drop of rust on the body of the car.Thank god we weren't on the highway. they told me it was unfixable.Thank you Honda.And the recall stopped at 2011? Honda obviously doesn't care about safety and human life.
On November 2, 2022 the control arm mount for the rear driver side wheel of our 2012 Honda CR-V failed while the car was in use; as a result, the car was no longer drivable. The car was towed to an authorized Honda service center and the condition was assessed as follows: oThe frame rail had deteriorated/rusted to the point where part of it was completely gone. oA new control arm could not be installed because there was no frame rail to which the control arm could be mounted until/unless the frame rail was replaced. oPreliminary repair estimate was $8,352 although the service center indicated that repair costs could be significantly higher than that. In doing some checking we found that Honda Canada had a recall on older CR-Vs for a rusting problem that could result in a rear suspension control arm separating from the vehicle. This structural failure sounded identical to our issue. …
Body complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the body & structure of the 2012 Honda CR-V, 7% of the model year's 403 complaints. The component named most often is body (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Honda CR-V body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2012 Honda CR-V, though it has 3 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 2012 Honda CR-V body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to body & structure 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.