2015 Honda CR-V: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
669 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
For six years the fourth-generation CR-V (2012–2016) was one of the most dependable cars in the dataset, scoring in the 80s. Then the fifth generation arrived in 2017 with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, and the record turned: petrol diluting the engine oil in cold climates, rising oil levels, misfires and stalling, and a heater that would not warm the cabin in winter. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 669 complaints, score 78/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Honda CR-V: the years to buy and the years to avoid, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 669 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 60.82
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I was hit on 5/29/26. I was going 40mph or so and a car turned left into the front and side of my vehicle. My airbags did not deploy and was wondering why? I got whiplash bad and hurt myself as well as slamming into steering wheel.
Systematic safety opponent failure - passenger side air bag. It deployed into my daughter's face. I took it to Hayward Honda for repair. No police, no insurance as of yet. The dealership is claiming that the impact occurred in the undercarriage, but no report, no pictures, no EDR data provided. This was simply a spontaneous, non-impact, faulty airbag deployment. I was able to continue to drive my vehicle with no …
The contact’s daughter owns a 2015 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The contact also stated that the vehicle would not accelerate over 80 MPH. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mil…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V121000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured July 29, 2014, to July 31, 2014, 2015 Accord L4 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to January 30, 2015, and 2015 CR-V vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to February 6, 2015. |
| 17V305000 | Engine | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Honda CR-V vehicles that recently received a replacement engine. The replacement engine may have been built with the wrong pistons, potentially affecting the engine's performance. |
| 23V858000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine243 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train147 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other144 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System83 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Steering45 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Seats39 complaints · typical job: Seat frame, track or occupancy-sensor repair (2.5 h labour + parts)$500–$1,200
Other Honda CR-V years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Honda CR-V?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (243 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Honda CR-V a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 669 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Honda CR-V's most common problem?
243 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Honda CR-V sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Honda CR-V cost to run per year?
About $5,465 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,325 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Honda CR-V have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Honda CR-V, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/03/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Honda CR-V really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 669 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 669 NHTSA complaints on record (60.8/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (63.0/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems