The 2010 Honda CR-V is one of the smartest used car buys right now. But it’s not without its issues, including a dozen air bag recalls, electrical hangups, and a handful of units overheating and hesitating on acceleration.
- The air bags are by far the biggest issue in the 2010 Honda CR-V, with several recalls and over 200 complaints.
- A faulty transmission control module could result engine stall.
- Some drivers have reported excessive oil consumption due to a faulty piston ring.
- An ignition coupler circuit failure could result in engine fire in a worst-case scenario.
- Despite a handful of issues, the 2010 Honda CR-V has near-perfect crash test ratings and is one of the best SUV buys in the used car market today.
Air Bag Issues Are Seemingly Never-Ending
The 2010 Honda CR-V’s first air bag recall was in early 2016, for over two million units which saw potential rupture in the frontal air bags inflators. The last one was in 2019 for front air bags liable to explode in nearly ten thousand units.
In total, the 2010 CR-V saw twelve air bag recalls in a stretch of just four years, averaging one every four months. If you drive a 2010 CR-V, your VIN was almost certainly included in one or several of these recalls, so you’ll want to check if you haven’t already.
Additionally, the SUV has generated 210 complaints with the NHTSA for air bag issues, making up more than half of the 414 complaints total, and these complaints are coming in as late as summer 2022 (the time of this writing).
The most recent complaints typically have to do with air bag lights staying on, rather than catastrophic air bag failure. All the same, for the vehicle to still be experiencing air bag issues over a decade after release is a bit worrying.
Potential Automatic Transmission Module Failure
After the recalls intended to address the vehicle’s countless air bag issues, the biggest recall the 2010 CR-V has seen was a 2011 recall on more than 1.5 million Hondas for potential transmission control module failure.
In certain Accords, Elements, and CR-Vs manufactured between July, 2004 and September, 2010, part of the shaft bearing was liable to fracture, allowing contact between the electronic sensor housing within the transmission, and the transmission idle gear.
In plain English: a part of the transmission system could break.
Thankfully, the recall seems to have done the job. Since it went into effect, there have been fewer than thirty power train complaints total. The most recent was from a driver who was experiencing engine stall in 2022, but whose VIN was not included in the recall in the first place.
Excessive Oil Consumption Has Been Reported in a Number of Units
Engine complaints make up 47 of the 414 total, being the biggest category for concern after air bags. The leading issue here: excessive oil consumption. Drivers are reporting clicking sounds, difficulty accelerating, and engine overheat.
The problem has to do with a piston ring that isn’t operating as intended. As a result, several drivers have been granted extended warranties to cover any potential damages. But, that’s not a permanent fix, and even these extended warranties are expiring about now.
Many drivers report that the problems go away when they top the oil off, but the car requires a fairly constant topping-off, and it can get expensive when you’re feeding your SUV almost as much as oil as gasoline.
With no recall on the books, and no investigation underway, the best way to handle this problem for now may be to simply avoid it. That is, when test driving, listen for clicks, feel how it accelerates, and check for any signs of overheat or excessive oil use.
Ignition Circuit Coupler Failure May Lead to Engine Stall or Worse
A recall was issued in 2011 for a potential ignition circuit coupler failure. While this recall only covered a couple thousand units, with around half of those being Accords, the potential severity of the problem makes it worth including in the list.
Generally, all that’s going to happen if the coupler fails is going to be some engine stall. But, you could also see some electrical sparks flying, which means you have a potential engine fire on your hands in certain conditions.
This issue was only recalled once, and does not seem to have generated any complaints, so it seems to have been taken care of. All the same, the potential severity of the issue means that you should run the VIN of any 2010 Honda CR-V you’re considering buying.
2010 Honda CR-V Remains an Excellent Used Car Buy, Despite Air Bag Troubles
The main issue you need to look out for with a 2010 Honda CR-V is going to be the air bags. When test driving, keep an eye out for any blinking air bag lights (or electrical tape being used to cover the air bag light up).
Beyond that, there’s not much here that you need to worry about. The ignition coupler recall seems to have done its job, and the same goes for the transmission control module recall, and the units burning oil are few and far between.
The vehicle earned near perfect scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (excepting a marginal rating for roof strength, which is typical for an SUV), and five stars in every crash test category but rollover (with four stars) from the NHTSA.
Not to say “throw caution to the wind.” No matter what you’re buying used, you want to test-drive, inspect, and run the VIN. But, you could do a whole lot worse than a 2010 Honda CR-V. As long as the previous owner took care of it, you should have few problems.
