2011 Honda CR-Z: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
38 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 38 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.53
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I started hearing a knocking noise at the rear of my car. i took it to a repair shop and they said that the tie rod or end and the suspension shock or strut need to be replace. can you check this out for me so i will be safe driving it. thank you
The contact owns a 2011 Honda CR-Z. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the trunk was opened and the windshield unexpectedly shattered. There was no impact to the windshield to cause the failure. The vehicle was not taken to be inspected or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 155,000.
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 …
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V061000 | 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. The affected vehicles are equipped… |
| 11V458000 | 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 MOVE THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY… |
| 19V500000 | 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. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car 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 36 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,750
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.
- Air Bags16 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Structure5 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Power Train4 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Steering4 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System4 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Honda CR-Z years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Honda CR-Z?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (16 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Honda CR-Z a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 47/100, computed from 38 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Honda CR-Z's most common problem?
16 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Honda CR-Z sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 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 2011 Honda CR-Z cost to run per year?
About $4,287 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,438 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 2011 Honda CR-Z have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Honda CR-Z, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/02/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Honda CR-Z 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.
Thin evidence — 38 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 38 NHTSA complaints on record (2.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (0.5/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality