NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 46 complaints against the 2026 Honda CR-V. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2026 Honda CR-V complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2026 Honda CR-V has generated 92 NHTSA complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your 2026 Honda CR-V has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Honda pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
The 2026 Honda CR-V has generated 20 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The windshield washer system on my 2026 Honda CR V EX L is malfunctioning. The washer fluid only sprays on approximately half of the windshield instead of covering the full glass area. This appears to be related to the washer nozzles or fluid distribution system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Because the washer system does not spray the full windshield, it prevents proper cleaning of the driver’s field of view while driving. This creates a visibility hazard when dirt, road grime, or debris accumulates on the windshield. If driving at highway speeds or in poor weather conditions, the inability to clear the entire windshield could reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The issue occurs consistently whenever the windshield washer system is used. It can be reproduced repeatedly. At this time the vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer, but the malfunction is clearly observable. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or other representatives. However, I have observed other owners of the same model reporting the same issue online, suggesting this may not be an isolated case. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lights or dashboard messages prior to the issue. The malfunction was first noticed when attempting to use the windshield washer system during normal driving.” (NHTSA Complaint #11723186)
The 2026 Honda CR-V has generated 12 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Driver's side window would not go up or down. It was wet and rainy. Had the car 2 days. On day three which is sunny the driver side window worked corr…”
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2026 Honda CR-V has generated 6 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I was driving down the road at approximately 40 MPH. My vehicle suddenly slammed on the brakes. The BRAKE warning light appeared on the dash. There was nothing around me – no cars, animals, road obstructions, etc. It really scared me and luckily no one was behind me. I have had this car for 6-ish months and it has less than 6,000 miles on it. This is the first time it has happened.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722422)
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2026 Honda CR-V include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 6 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “In December, 2025 my brand new 2026 Honda CRV Hybrid began making a clicking noise on the steering wheel. I had the dealer work on it and they said I had a faulty cable reel and they replaced it. This past week I noticed the same clicking sound in the steering wheel. I had the dealership look at the car again today and they were not able to replicate the noise. The service advisor at the dealership said that they are getting a lot of 2026 Honda CRVs in the shop with this very issue. When my steering wheel made the clicking sound last week, my steering wheel was a little hard to turn so my concern is that my wheel will lock up, which could cause an accident.” (NHTSA Complaint #11717111)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2026 Honda CR-V include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The hybrid battery fan is emitting a loud, high-pitched noise from the back of the vehicle while driving on the highway. It makes it difficult to drive and gives me a headache, which makes it difficult to focus and endangers my own safety and those around me. The dealership has acknowledged that this is an issue for my vehicle, but states that there is no solution offered by Honda at this time.” (NHTSA Complaint #11720775)
As of the date of this review, no active recalls have been issued specifically for the 2026 Honda CR-V. Recall status can change at any time. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the most current information. The absence of a recall does not mean your vehicle is defect-free — many lemon law claims proceed without a recall on file.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2026 Honda CR-V:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Honda to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2026 Honda CR-V qualifies as a lemon under California law, Honda may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Honda a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Honda dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Honda pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Honda a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2026 Honda Cr V has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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