Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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).
I am writing this letter to place a COMPLAINT against the total lack of Honda not providing parts for car repair. I have a 2012 Honda CRV that the Electronic Steering Gear has failed. I was told by a dealers Parts Department that this part 53601T0AA01 is not available anywhere in the USA. They couldn't understand why the part is unavailable as it is not part of the Port holdup situation. To date, my car has been in the shop for 3 weeks waiting for this part from Honda. Monday I was told the part might arrive in the middle of March! In the meantime, 6+ weeks later I have no car. My complaint is that this Power Steering Gear has for years been a dangerous problem on Honda vehicles. The potential dangerous crisis is that when this part fails you cannot steer your car or drive it. So, imagine driving 70 mph on a freeway and lose power steering. …
While I was driving the car, an indicator with "Battery" symbol showed up on the monitor. All off a sudden I see all the lights went ON/OFF and I couldn't steer the wheel. The Power Steering stopped working and the car was running. Since I was near a 4-way stop sign, I managed to pull my car on the side without an accident. Then I got roadside assistance to tow my car to a mechanic shop. They said the "Alternator" need to be replaced. I did that and went for a "Battery" checkup based on the indicator. The battery was good. It would have been a life threatening incident if I were somewhere on a highway. I wanted to make sure this is taken care seriously by the manufacturer and find a fix. Because it just impacts all electrical things and we can't steer the car!
I attempted to make a right turn and the steering wheel locked, not allowing me to continue turning. The steering wheel returned to its original position and I again attempted to make the turn. This time I was able to turn the steering wheel all the way and complete the turn. No warning lights appeared. I was on a side street when this happened and there was no traffic, but this could have been cause for an accident if I had been driving on a busy road.
I was driving Honda CRV on Route 60, MPH was about 30 when the vehicle went to side by side on the road. This is a 2 lane highway. If some was coming the other way I could not help from colliding into them. I pulled over as soon as I could. The Honda has a left rear frams is broken. I heard other people announcing that their frame on CRV Honda 2012 is broken at the same side. It is a good car except for the frame. Please help . Are there any recall for frame?
In the middle of a turn, the radio had a pop sound. The dash screen blanked out and the steering wheel stiffened and became hard to move. Thankfully there was no vehicular traffic on the street I was turning onto because I would have hit oncoming traffic. The issue resolved in less than a minute and driving resumed back to normal.
Power steering system stopped working. Very difficult to steer at low speeds, easier at higher speeds. Had the control module reprogrammed and it worked for a few starts, but after restarting the car 3 times, the steering system stopped working.
Details can be found in Service Bulletin 15-086. Shudder in vehicle steering wheel would make it harder to control. Metal shavings in ATF fluid from transmission grinding. Software update required to repair issue at the cost of owner.
In September of 2012, my wife and I purchase a new Honda CR-V. We have owned it since and it has been a reliable vehicle. Unfortunately, on Friday, June 23, 2023, my wife called me from the gym parking lot stating that the power steering on her 2012 Honda CR-V was not working. I drove up to the parking lot and confirmed that the electric power steering system ("EPS" or "EPAS") was not working. When this condition exist, the steering and turning is almost IMPOSSIBLE to implement. The vehicle was towed to Space Coast Honda in Cocoa Florida late in the day. The next morning, Saturday, June 24, 2023, the dealer called and said that the EPS had failed and the module would have to be replaced. They estimated the delivery of the part to take one to two weeks. The next week, the dealer said that the part is backed ordered and would now take 2-4 weeks. …
My daughter was turning right after being stopped at a light along with other cars. Upon starting her right turn, she could not increase the turn rate - the steering wheel became unresponsive. She hit the brakes when she realized she couldn't turn and hit two other vehicles in the left turn lane before the car stopped. Other vehicles had minor damage to rear quarter panel and medium damage to front of 2nd other car.
Driver reported hearing loud pop from right side (assumed to be front tire blowout). She described steering locked up and was unable to turn wheel. Lost control of vehicle on a curving 2 lane road. She describes braking was ineffective, and her vehicle right front corner hit a vehicle in opposite lane, both vehicles spun 180 and crv ended up upright in a ditch off the road. Right front wheel and suspension was completely disconnected from vehicle. Rear right wheel broke from suspension. Car airbags deployed properly, and driver was just bruised and scraped up. This vehicle has had 2 issues with TPMS (tire-pressure monitor system). Vehicle was returned to dealer for service after two days after purchase when TPMS indicator came on 10 minutes away from dealership after purchase (service dept was closed the next day). …
Steering complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2012 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the steering of the 2012 Honda CR-V, 9% of the model year's 403 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Honda CR-V steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering 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 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering 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.