Most common 2011 Honda CR-Z problems
Share of the 38 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda CR-Z complaints by model year
Best CR-Z years: 2015, 2012. Years to avoid: 2011. Compare all years →
2011 Honda CR-Z recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 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 certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Power train
Honda is recalling certain model year 2011 cr-z passenger cars with manual transmissions, manufactured from January 8, 2010, through June 27, 2011. Should the engine stall while the brake pedal is not pressed, there is a possibility that the engine control unit (ECU) software May cause the electric motor of the hybrid system to…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 26, 2011. Owners May contact Honda automobile customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Honda CR-Z:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2011 Honda CR-Z owners say
Air bags
Note: this is the second frontal based crash listed on this site for a Honda 2011 crz perhaps the driver that was involved with the previous crash did not realize the brakes failed. At approximately 17:17 I noticed the vehicle in front of me was stopped in traffic I tried to apply my brakes and pushed the brakes and the car did not slow for at least 1 1/2 car length. In a panic I tried to press harder with but nothing happened the car never slowed. The crashed into the vehicle in front of me with the full force of forty-forty five MPH and totally collapsed the engine into the drivers cab both of my knees were bleeding and swollen from the impact of the engine being in the drivers compartment. The police officer told someone that helped me out of the car it looked like I never pushed the brake pedal. How can I Honda charge a premium with results like this and expect people to come back. …
Takata recall I received a letter from Honda regarding this recall in March of 2016. I consider myself a reasonable man but its been more than 5 months and still no parts available. The letter states the parts will be available in the summer of 2016. My dealer has been less than helpful. Honda corporate has been even less helpful. I am making payments and paying insurance on a vehicle I can't drive. Now the vehicle won't start without a jump and the battery doesn't hold a charge. This recall is a huge financial drain on my family, not to mention an inconvenience and no one seems to care. I have a case number from Honda. It took 44 days to finally get [redacted] my case manager on the phone and she hung up on me. It would be nice if Honda would compensate the owners of its vehicles for this. But that seems highly unlikely based on how I have been treated thus far. …
Body & structure
Driver door will no longer open from outside. Problem started when vehicle was parked in direct sunlight, then got worse so that the door will no longer open from the outside no matter what. Using passenger door now to get in, and it is now failing in direct sunlight, and I expect I will soon need to enter through the rear hatch. Online search indicates this is a common failure on 2011 Honda crz's.
Door locks on driver and passenger side will not lock or unlock while using interior door lock button or key fob. Parking lights will flash when key fob button is pressed. Problem started with passenger door first then 2 weeks later driver door stopped. Dealership diagnosed the problem as failed lock actuators.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2011 Honda CR-Z. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who repaired the front axle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V256000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. The VIN was not available.
As I was pulling away from a stop sign, the right-hand CV shaft snapped in the middle. Fortunately, I had just enough speed to coast into a parking lot, so I was not a traffic obstacle. On closer inspection, the failure occurred underneath the rubber/metal dynamic damper clamped to the center of the CV shaft. It looks like the dynamic damper was not adequately sealed and trapped salt and water until enough corrosion happened, causing the failure of the CV shaft.
2011 Honda CR-Z engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 34 / 38 / 36 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl hybrid | 6-speed manual | FWD | 31 / 37 / 34 |
EPA ratings. Class: Sports car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Honda CR-Z a good car?
Based on 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 CR-Z rates avoid: 4.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the CR-Z at the same age. It is one of the CR-Z years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Honda CR-Z?
The air bags — 16 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (5) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Honda CR-Z have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2011 Honda CR-Z, the most recent from June 27, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda CR-Z?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011. See the full Honda CR-Z years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Honda CR-Z problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.