2021 HONDA HR-V

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

3RecallsNHTSA Verified49ComplaintsNHTSA Data1InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
โ„น๏ธAverage Safety Profile

This 2021 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 3 recalls affecting the back over prevention system.

Key Factor:back over prevention recalls

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
๐Ÿ“Š

Expert Analysis

  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • โš ๏ธ
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • โš–๏ธ
    Vs Brand: Worse than avg (0.3)
    ๐Ÿ“
    Summary:
Critical Component: Warning

Safety & Reliability Score

69/100
Average

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-24
Complaint Impact-2.45
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 HONDA HR-V

Model Year2021
MakeHONDA
ModelHR-V
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more โ†’
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr21
ISSUEFirst Report
Feb23
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Jan24
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

11 complaints (22% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
โœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 49 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸกMedium
11(22%)
๐ŸŸขLow
38(78%)
โœ…Good News: No critical or high-severity complaints reported for this vehicle.

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 0-20k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 77,929 miles.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 9 of 49 complaints (18% coverage)
0-20k
3 reports (33%)
20k-40k
1 reports (11%)
40k-60k
1 reports (11%)
60k-80k
1 reports (11%)
80k-100k
1 reports (11%)
100k+
2 reports (22%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

BACK OVER PREVENTIONAIR BAGS

Official Safety Recalls (3)

Campaign: 23V046000

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has been superseded by NHTSA recall number 24V-384. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-046 will need to have the new remedy completed under recall 24V-384.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 24V064000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 24V384000

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Summary

Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-046 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 HR-V.

INV-2021-1000๐ŸŸข Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding HR-V performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 44,712

Consumer Complaints

49 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 HR-V.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning22%
Acceleration Issues12%
Display10%
Crash/Accident6%
Injury6%
Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

Transmission failed, metal shavings in the system

Dec 13, 2025Open
Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
AIR BAGS,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was inoperable on several occasions and displayed erroneous information on other occasions. The contact stated that the failure occurred on colder days, with temperatures between 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted several times and was notified of the instrument cluster failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Nov 17, 2025Open
Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ต Low
AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. Another dealer was contacted, Hendrick Honda Pompano Beach (5381 N Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, FL 33064; 954-427-4744), and the contact was informed that a diagnostic test was needed before the repair. The contact did not agree and had not taken the vehicle for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Nov 4, 2025Open
Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
AIR BAGS,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that when the "Odometer/Trip" button was pressed, the lights on the instrument panel flickered. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

Oct 30, 2025Open
Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that the SRS, Forward Collision Avoidance, Collision Mitigation Braking System, and the auto high beams warning lights and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

Aug 27, 2025Under Review
Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ต Low
AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure.

Jul 31, 2025Under Review
Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Panel flickered on the side where it tells you your milage to empty and how much gas you have in the car yesterday. This morning it was completely blank on that side of panel. My mechanic sade that it was something electrical but not the fuses. And he doesn't have the equipment to tell if it's an software update issue or not.

Jul 14, 2025Under Review
Steering/Suspension๐Ÿ”ต Low
STEERING

Approximately three weeks ago my steering wheel started sticking when making turns. Normally it happens when I am traveling at least 30 mph/40 mph. It does not automatically return to the normal position. Sometimes I actually feel it lock and unlock while even driving straight.

Jul 10, 2025Under Review
Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The LCD display which indicates fuel levels and such is made by a bad connection and will short out in all Honda 2021 HRV models that experience cold weather. This was told to me by a mechanic at a Honda Dealership in Colorado Springs. This screen going out would cause you to not know where your gas levels sit causing issues and potential safety concerns.

May 6, 2025Under Review
Other๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

In November 2024, I purchased a 2021 Honda HR-V with approximately 65,881 miles from Carvana, which conducted an inspection and found no issues. However, just four months later, while driving on the highway, my vehicle suddenly went into neutral, and all warning lights came on. It was a terrifying experience, as I narrowly avoided a collision with a semi-truck before the car shut off entirely. I was lucky to make it to the side of the road safely. Upon having the car towed to my mechanic, it was discovered that the transmission sensor contained metal shards, indicating an internal transmission failure likely due to a factory defect. This was further confirmed by an authorized Honda dealer, who found that the CVT belt had disintegrated and that this was unrelated to wear and tear. Given the fact that my vehicle was less than four years old with 74,165 miles on it, this is a clear indication of a serious factory defect. This is a video of someone else CVT transmission that failed: [XXX] FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Apr 17, 2025Under Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2021 HONDA HR-V?

Yes, the 2021 HONDA HR-V has 3 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER.

Is the 2021 HONDA HR-V safe to drive?

The 2021 HONDA HR-V has 3 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2021 HONDA HR-V has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local HONDA dealer.

๐Ÿ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

โžก๏ธStable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

๐ŸŽฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Back over prevention

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm back over prevention recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all back over prevention recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaigns:23V04600024V384000
2

Air bags

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm air bags recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all air bags recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:24V064000
๐Ÿ’กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your HONDA dealer to verify recall completion status.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 3 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your HONDA dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyโ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
๐Ÿ›’

If You're Buying Used

  • Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
  • Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.
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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.