Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Honda CR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at 20-25 MPH, the brakes applied inadvertently. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped and the steering wheel locked temporarily. The contact did not recall whether there was a warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that it was a normal activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) due to something in the road; however, the contact stated that there was nothing around the vehicle at the time the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) being activated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer - Honda Of Princeton (987 US-206, Princeton, NJ 08540) who informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving on a local street at approximately 40 MPH, her vehicle had intermittently slammed on the brakes. The contact stated that the brake light had illuminated for about 3 seconds, and the brakes had released themselves. The contact stated that there was not a crash and no one was hurt because there was no other vehicle behind or in front of her when the failure occurred. The contact stated that she then drove her vehicle to the dealer who performed a terminal reset on her vehicle, and advised her that there was nothing wrong with her vehicle. The contact stated that in the past the brake light would illuminate, however it never caused her vehicle to slam on the brakes. The contact stated that she contacted the manufacturer, and they were not able to assist. …
The contact leased a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact stated that whenever the fuel level reached the halfway mark, the fuel then quickly became depleted. There were no warning lights illuminated. When the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle was slow to respond. The contact stated that the brakes were making an abnormal squealing noise. Additionally, there was a grinding noise while driving up and down a hill. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer stated that the vehicle was working as designed. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while pulling into a parking space and depressing on the brake pedal, she heard an abnormal noise and the vehicle began to vibrate. The contact stated an unknown green brake hold warning light was illuminated and then turned off a second later. The contact stated she was able to park the vehicle. The contact stated that a week later while starting the vehicle, she experienced the same failure. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where she was informed that the engine was overfilled by one quart of oil. The contact was informed that the extra oil needed to be drained. The repairs were completed. The contact stated on 2/9/2022, she started to smell fuel fumes inside the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer and was informed there was no leak and no failure found with the vehicle. …
On February 26, 2026, at approximately 3:59 PM, the driver was traveling northbound on Yukon Territory Avenue in Manteca, CA at approximately 30 mph when the vehicle experienced a sudden brake failure. The driver attempted to pull over to the east curb of Yukon Territory Avenue but the vehicle inadvertently jumped the curb and collided with a city fire hydrant. Airbags deployed. The vehicle continued northbound and struck a city street light pole before stopping. No injuries were reported. The incident is consistent with the known NHTSA Engineering Analysis (opened February 2022, upgraded April 2024) covering 2017-2022 Honda CR-V vehicles for unexpected and unintended activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) causing sudden rapid deceleration without warning. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the brakes, ABS, ACC Adjust Control Failure, and Collision Mitigation System Failure warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to drive a short distance to work. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with a fuel pump failure, related to the open recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the Collision Mitigation Braking System engaged, and the vehicle stopped abruptly while there was no other vehicle around. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where an unknown repair was performed. Additionally, the contact stated that while his wife was attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Brake Failure" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to start. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the brakes suddenly activated. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and continued driving. The contact stated the road was uneven due to construction and there was metal covering over the parts of the road being worked on. The brake light flashed on the instrument panel, advising the driver to apply the brakes while there was no other vehicle in front of the contact to activate the sensor. The failure occurred intermittently. The dealer was informed of the failure but had not diagnosed the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 65 MPH, the wheels locked up unintendedly. The BRAKE warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the failure reoccurred with several unknown warning lights flickering. The contact stated that a local independent mechanic arrived on scene, and the failure codes were cleared. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while attempting to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine, oil, and brake warning lights were illuminated. The contact also stated that the brake pedal was jerking while being depressed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 49,500. Parts distribution disconnect.
Brake complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2018 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 199 complaints about the brakes of the 2018 Honda CR-V, 9% of the model year's 2,160 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › abs warning light (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Honda CR-V brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2018 Honda CR-V, though it has 5 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 2018 Honda CR-V brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 15,000 miles, and 68% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 13 crashes, 0 fires and 10 injuries to brakes 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.