2013 Honda CR-V Steering Problems

My 2013 Honda CRV completely broke down in late August 2025, as I was backing out of my driveway. Our lives were at risk. This could have happened in traffic, causing a terrible collision. My local Honda dealership found the chain guides broken and the timing off, and recommended replacement of several parts (timing chain, guides, tensioner, exhaust cam, rockers, and ... VTC actuator). Initially, they thought the cause was a lack of proper maintenance, specifically, infrequent or improper oil changes. I knew we had taken proper care of our car, so I began investigating. The check engine light was on for at least 2 years (as well as the rattling at start-up), and I had not gotten clarity on it until recently, after consulting with multiple professionals. Finally, a Jiffy Lube tech said it was due to the VTC actuator. I then brought my car to the Honda dealership in July 2025 for an oil change and to discuss the check engine light and VTC actuator issue. At that time, they did not alert me to the VTC actuator defect or the potential for complete engine failure. As I continued my investigation, I found a Honda Service Bulletin starting in 2016 (when my car was still under its three-year warranty) and updated in 2017 (when my car was still under its five-year Power Train warranty) describing the VTC actuator as defective. Had American Honda issued a recall at that time, instead of an SB, and had notified me of this defective part, my warranties in those years would have covered the replacement costs of my VTC actuator and related engine parts. And also been significantly less expensive. Flash forward to this fall 2025: as I continued my investigation, I discovered multiple class-action lawsuits against American Honda for this exact issue—a known defective VTC actuator. It turns out they conducted an internal study in 2011 that found the VTC actuator was defective. Now the dealership believes my car's failure was caused by a defective VTC actuator.

While driving the steering wheel will lock up and become unable to be turned. It feels as the power steering goes out. The issue is intermittent and happens during a turn. The problem has been discovered at 0-35 mph and sometimes requires turning the vehicle off and restarting. Often the steering wheel will force itself to a steering wheel "lock" position beyond what the wheel is being mechanically turned to. Vehicle has no outstanding recalls and has had regular service.

The car needs a major alignment out of nowhere, swereves to the right. Also problems with the transmission.

ONE COLD WINTER MORNING, MY ENGINE LIGHT, POWER TRAIN AND STEERING WHEEL WARNING SIGNS ALL TURNED ON. I HAD CHECKED MY OIL AND IT WAS STILL 40% FULL. I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE CAR WAS MOVING SLOW NOT MORE THAN 20MPH. ALSO THE GAS GALLON INDICATOR WENT FROM 36MPG TO 20MPG. IT IS BURNING WAY MORE GAS THAN IT WAS. I STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND OUT THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M WRITING THIS BECAUSE I WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THEIR HONDA CR-V MODEL. I KNOW IT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME TO BE DRIVING THE CAR AROUND ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR MOVES SLOWER THAN IT USUALLY DOES. IT WOULDN'T BE SAFE FOR ME TO BE DRIVING IT AT ALL TILL WE GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED.

STEERING LOCKED WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 HONDA CRV. MY CAR IS KEPT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND ON 07-28-19 DRIVING DOWN MY STREET AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ALSO DRIVERS WINDOW STOPPED GOING UP AND DOWN. THEN STARTED AGAIN. DROVE FEW MORE FEET AND STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. CAR WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET ON A STRAIT STREET NO TURNING. CAR HAD BE BE TOWED TO SERVICE.

THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. THE CAR CONTINUALLY CHEWS UP TIRES ON THE REAR END OF THE CAR. FOR EXAMPLE, WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW SET OF TIRES IN JULY OF 2017, AND ALREADY THEY ARE CUPPED/CHOPPED. I HAD THE CAR INTO OUR LOCAL ALIGNMENT SHOP AS WE ARE PREPARING FOR A TRIP, AND LESS THAN 10,000 MILES LATER ARE SO OUT OF BALANCE THAT THEY ARE SHOWING SIGNS AND MAKING NOISE TO THE POINT OF I QUESTIONED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I SUGGESTED THAT THEY DO A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMBER IS WAY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AND THAT I NEEDED A CAMBER BOLT KIT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 84,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND NO ACCIDENTS. HERE IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE. THE CAR COMES STOCK WITH REAR CONTROL ARMS THAT ARE NON ADJUSTABLE. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL CAMBER ON THE REAR WHEELS. THERE ARE ADJUSTABLE ONES THAT CAN BE PURCHASED, BUT THAT COSTS CONSUMERS A TON OF MONEY. $500 OR SO TOTAL THAT IS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY. THE OBVIOUS DANGER IS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON TIRES THAT POTENTIALLY COULD CAUSE BAD STEERING, BRAKING, AND/OR CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS FAR AS MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HAD TO BE EXTREMELY VIGILANT ABOUT MAKING SURE MY TIRES ARE NOT IN BAD SHAPE 100% OF THE TIME. THE DEALER HAS BASICALLY WALKED AWAY FROM IT, IN SPITE OF THE FACT I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH IS STILL IN EFFECT. I MY OPINION, THE HONDA CORPORATION SHOULD HAVE A RECALL THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE BY REPLACING THE STOCK NONADJUSTABLE CONTROL ARM WITH AN ADJUSTABLE ONE. THIS COULD SAVE THEM A TON OF ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD AND MAKE THEIR CARS MUCH SAFER.

WHEN SPEEDS OF 65+ MPH ARE REACHED THE 2013 HONDA CR-V STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS MAKES THE RIDE VERY SCARY AND SEEM UNCONTROLLABLE AT TIMES. AS I HAVE READ ON MANY FORUMS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THESE VEHICLES. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT HAD AN ANSWER TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND TOLD ME "THAT THIS IS A COMMON THING WITH CR-V'S". HONDA EVEN PUT OUT A VIDEO BASICALLY STATING THAT THEY FIXED THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEW LINE OF CR V'S IN 2017. I BELIEVE IT'S AN UNBALANCED DRIVE SHAFT, DUE TO FACT THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED 3 TIMES, 2 ALIGNMENTS IN A 3 MONTH PERIOD AND A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THAT'S WHAT FIXED HIS ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE ON HONDA FORUMS STATING THE SAME ISSUES A STATED ABOVE AND REPAIR METHODS. I HOPE SOMEONE CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THESE VERY COMMON ISSUES.

THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. THIS NEARLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN THEN ADVISED THE OWNER TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD RECUR. THE OWNER FOUND THIS ADVICE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE AND QUESTIONED WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE TECHNICIAN THEN ELEVATED THE ISSUE TO THE MANAGER, WHO WAS ABLE TO ISOLATE A TROUBLE CODE. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP KNEW WHAT THE TROUBLE CODE MEANT, AND THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT WITH HONDA CORPORATE FOR GUIDANCE. THE OWNER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT HONDA CORPORATE RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING RACK. THIS REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE OWNER. NEITHER THE TROUBLESHOOTING PROCESS NOR THE ASSOCIATED TROUBLE CODE WERE RECORDED ON THE WORK DOCUMENTATION PRESENTED TO THE OWNER. THE VEHICLE STEERING FELT STIFF AFTERWARDS, THEN TWICE EXHIBITED A FAILURE MODE IN WHICH THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING SYSTEM APPEARED TO HIT A PREMATURE HARD STOP PART WAY INTO A LOW-SPEED TURN, FORCING THE VEHICLE WIDE. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS NEARLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS, BUT THE OWNER QUICKLY SPUN THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS CENTER, THEN BACK INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN. THE PROCESS OF RE-CENTERING THE STEERING WHEEL APPEARED TO TEMPORARILY CLEAR THE PREMATURE HARD STOP, AND THE OWNER WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING LOW-SPEED TURNS (ROUGHLY 10MPH) ON LOCAL STREETS AND PARKING LOTS IN THE AUSTIN AREA. REPAIR INVOICE FOR THE POWER STEERING RACK AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED BY A FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER.

I WENT OUT SATURDAY MORNING STARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT WAS ON AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING (EPS). I CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP UNTIL TUESDAY (MONDAY HOLIDAY) SO IT ISN'T FIXED YET.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND MADE THE STEERING WHEEL EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,630. UPDATED 05/06/16*LJ *JS *TR

THERE ARE TWO CONCERNS. 1. THE IGNITION KEY BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT, ALMOST BURNING TEMPERATURE WHEN HELD IN BARE HAND. THERE SEEMS NO CORRELATIONS TO THE LENGTH OF TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN OR THE OUTSIDE CONDITIONS. THIA DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. 2. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF HAVE RECEIVED PAINFUL "STATIC ELECTRIC" SHOCKS WHEN ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN HAPPEN EVEN IN WARM WEATHER. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT THE SHOCKING AND THAT THE KEY GETTING HOT IS NOT A PROBLEM.

WITH NO PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS OR PROBLEMS, YESTERDAY BACKING OUR OF PARKING STALL I COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL; DASH POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED CAR BUT LIGHT STAYED ON. CALLED SERVICE MGR AT DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM WHO SAID TO BRING IT IN. AT DEALERSHIP TOOK PICTURE OF DASH LIGHT AND HAD SVC MGR CONFIRM THE LIGHT WAS, IN FACT, ON. LEFT OVERNIGHT FOR SERVICE. TODAY, SERVICE MGR AND TECH SAID LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND STEERING WAS NORMAL WHEN STARTED THIS AM. TECH NOTED A SLIGHT DROP IN VOLTAGE BUT STILL WAITING FOR DIAGNOSIS. LUCKILY I WAS PARKED WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, BUT HIS IS A VERY SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE DISASTROUS RESULT SHOULD IT RECUR IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. HONDA NEEDS TO FIND A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

MY WIFE WAS PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND SHE FELT THE STEERING TO BE VERY STIFF AND IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER, SHE STOPPED RIGHT THERE AND THE LITTLE YELLOW STEERING LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE HAD IT FAILED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY ROAD NOT TO MENTION SHE HAD OUR KID IN THE CAR WHILE THIS HAPPENED. WE GOT THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY AND WAITING FOR THEIR RESPONSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.