general problems of the 2018 Honda CR-V - part 1

The electric power steering (eps) rack failed internally, causing heavy, sticky, and stiff steering accompanied by noise during turns, particularly when making small corrections at freeway speeds. The defect directly put safety at risk by impairing steering control, leading the inspecting authorized Honda dealership technician (tech #3129) to officially document that the vehicle is "not safe to drive". Both the vehicle and the failing eps assembly remain unrepaired. The issue was apparent after 4 wheel alignment performed by the dealership on 9/28/2026. ?the steering issue was fully reproduced and confirmed during a test drive and diagnostic procedure by the Honda dealership service department. No dashboard warning lights or error messages appeared prior to or during the failure; the symptoms were entirely physical.

When going around a curving road at 50 mph the steering wheel becomes sticky and the response is notchy and jumpy.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Cr-v. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel was sticking in mid turn. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced due to the power steering failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the battery failure persised. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Vehicle •year: 2018 •make: Honda •model: Cr-v touring awd •VIN: [xxx] •mileage when failure occurred: 125,934 miles •date repaired: xxx component: steering / power steering / steering rack I own a 2018 Honda Cr-v touring awd with 125,934 miles. The vehicle developed a sticky, jerky, popping steering condition when turning, and the steering rack/gearbox required replacement. On September 10, 2026, the steering rack was replaced. The repair invoice identifies the part as Honda rack assembly, power steering (eps), part number 53620-tla-a13. The steering rack alone cost $3,895. 99, and the total repair cost was $5,046. 20 including labor, tie rods, hazardous materials and tax. I contacted Honda regarding the steering problem because Honda previously recalled certain 2017–2018 Cr-v vehicles for a steering gearbox problem under NHTSA recall 18v-663. Honda refused my recall claim and subsequently refused my request for goodwill assistance. I am submitting this complaint because I believe a complete electronic power-steering rack/gearbox failure at 125,934 miles is a significant safety concern and should be documented. I am also concerned about whether other 2017–2018 Cr-v vehicles may experience similar steering-rack failures. The vehicle was repaired and is currently operating with the replacement steering rack. The invoice attached is in our son’s name because we are in the process of giving him the vehicle and if there is an issue with the repair he could take the car back to the repair vendor. We do have the replaced part if that is of any help to you. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Steering sticking in the mid position on highway speeds.

I am writing to report a severe, premature safety defect in the steering system of my 2018 Honda Cr-v. While attempting to turn the vehicle,I noticed an audible grinding sound accompanied by a distinct feeling of "stickiness" and resistance in the steering wheel. Despite being a low-mileage vehicle with approximately 54,412 miles,the vehicle's steering has experienced a significant mechanical failure. Two independent, certified mechanics have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the steering column assembly has failed internally and requires a complete replacement. Both mechanics stated that the mileage was too low for this kind of issue. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure, nor have any began occurring. The vehicle was last inspected in April of 2026 by the Honda dealership and passed. The failed steering column causes unpredictable mechanical binding, grinding, and a sticky sensation while turning. This creates a severe safety hazard as the steering wheel catches and requires increased physical effort to steer safely, significantly increasing the imminent risk of a collision or loss of vehicle control. The failure occurred under normal driving conditions without any prior collision or external damage. I have official diagnostic reports from two separate repair facilities confirming this diagnosis. There is currently a very limited existing steering recall for this generation (NHTSA campaign 18v663000),but my VIN is excluded despite exhibiting identical hazardous symptoms. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this widespread steering column/gearbox failure trend in 2018 Honda Cr-vs to force an expanded safety recall before a catastrophic accident occurs. I contacted Honda's official recall department to report this defect. The representative documented the issue but stated there was nothing further they could do. When I asked if the case could be reviewed for a potential recall, I was told there is no formal process.

The steering on my 2018 Honda Cr-v intermittently sticks around the center position. When making small steering corrections, the steering wheel does not move smoothly and requires additional force to move past the center position. This creates difficulty making precise steering corrections and is a safety concern, particularly at highway speeds. I am concerned about a potential steering gearbox/eps steering defect. I contacted Honda customer service regarding this issue, but Honda denied assistance because there is currently no recall associated with my VIN. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a safety-related defect affecting 2018 Honda Cr-v vehicles. I want to report this as a potential safety defect and Honda should rectify with their own cost. This is similar to hundreds of other complaints.

1. Steering, yes 2. Momentary hesitation to steer, until sudden release 3. No couldn’t reproduce 4. No have appt July 27,2026 with Honda service dept 5. Tire pressure light came on afterwards.

Here’s the revised version with that important detail added naturally: for the past two years, my vehicle has experienced the same recurring steering problem during long highway trips. The issue consistently begins after approximately 1–2. 5 hours of highway driving and always occurs during very hot or humid weather. The steering wheel starts to stick when making small corrections while driving straight, feeling as though it moves in notches instead of smoothly. Once the problem starts, it continues for the remainder of the trip, even after leaving the highway and driving at lower speeds. This has happened on multiple long trips over the last two years, typically toward the end of extended drives in hot or humid conditions. During some incidents, the steering wheel also produced a clicking noise each time it moved into a notched position. The sticking and clicking make it difficult to make small steering adjustments and create a jerky, clunky steering feel, especially on narrow or curvy roads, making the vehicle feel unsafe to drive. To rule out other causes, we replaced all four tires, but the problem continued exactly as before. There have never been any warning lights or dashboard messages associated with this issue. After researching the problem, we found information about eps gearbox recalls affecting newer Cr-v models. We discussed our symptoms with our mechanic, who agreed that the problem sounds consistent with an electric power steering (eps) issue and recommended reporting it to NHTSA. Because the problem only develops after extended highway driving in hot or humid conditions, it is difficult to reproduce during a typical short test drive. This wording makes it clear that the weather connection isn’t just a possibility—it has been a consistent pattern every time the issue occurs.

The steering on my 2018 Honda Cr-v intermittently sticks around the center position. When making small steering corrections, the steering wheel does not move smoothly and requires additional force to move past the center position. This creates difficulty making precise steering corrections and is a safety concern, particularly at highway speeds. I am concerned about a potential steering gearbox/eps steering defect. I contacted Honda customer service regarding this issue, but Honda denied assistance because there is currently no recall associated with my VIN. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a safety-related defect affecting 2018 Honda Cr-v vehicles. I want to report this as a potential safety defect and Honda should rectify with their own cost.

While driving straight and then attempting to make a lane change or take an off ramp or on ramp the steering would require extra effort to make the vehicle do what was needed. The assist features were off at the time. I took the vehicle into jim white Honda, maumee, OH and what they found was in line with the 2017, 2018 Honda crv recall for "sticky steering". They informed me that my VIN was not included in the recall even though it demonstrated the same problem and the procedure to repair the vehicle was the exact procedure in the recall. How can the recall exclude certain VIN numbers when the exhibit the same issue as the recall?.

At approximately 57,200 miles, the electronic power steering (eps) rack assembly failed due to internal mechanical binding. When straightening out from turns, the steering wheel sticks in place and requires deliberate manual force to unbind, creating an overcorrection and lane-departure safety hazard. The issue was confirmed by an authorized Honda dealership technician on repair order #51151, who verified the internal binding and recommended full replacement of the eps rack assembly (part #53620-tld-a03). No dashboard warning lamps illuminated before or during the failure.

-the steering wheel is sticking, especially at highway speeds, causing the wheel to jerk even on straight and smooth roads. -the problem has been reported online, but Honda only fixed 54 from NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 -I am taking the vehicle in to be inspected but reviewing online complaints, this fix is thousands of dollars that I cannot afford -there have been no warning lights or messages for this.

Crown Honda diagnosed my used 2018 Cr-v I purchased on 07/05/2021, with a defective gearbox, on a vehicle with only 34,400 miles. A failing steering rack is not a standard wear and tear component like tires. It is a critical vehicle safety component. The steering gearbox should last the lifetime of the vehicle. Premature mechanical binding constitutes an unreasonable safety risk. Honda explicitly recalled 1. 7 million newer Cr-vs for an improperly produced steering gearbox worm wheel that swells and creates excessive internal friction. I have a 5'th generation Cr-v sharing the same foundational electronic power steering (eps) architecture, and it is experiencing the exact same "notchy/sticky"e mechanical friction failure.

The steering wheel sticks in place and requires additional force to turn the steering wheel while driving.

I am having trouble with a sticky steering. The dealer told me that the part I need was recalled on other 2018 Honda crv‘s, but mine was not under the recall. He said I need the steering rack replaced. He also said that there are a lot of others having the same problem and yet there has been no for the recalls. My gearbox is the same as the ones that were recalled but mine wasn’t recalled. Therefore, I am having to pay a lot of money to have this replaced.

The steering wheel is jerking or sticking and now it is making a clicking noise when slightly going left or coming back from the left. After reading on line there is a lot of the same problem going on with others. It ended up the steering gearbox and from your site 5 out of 5 things has been recalled with this type of Honda crv #5 was a recall for the steering. It said consumers were not notified.

The steering wheel sticks and requires force to move it back to center. When driving on the highway, a small curve is enough to let the steering wheel stick, requiring pressure to move it back to center. In the process, over-correcting occurs due to force being applied by my hands, which requires steering back and forth to settle in the center. Very unsafe.

At highway speeds the steering intermittently sticks at center and then releases suddenly. It feels unsafe and causes me to oversteer to correct causing chance to run off the road. This matches the known eps rack binding issue on 2017–2019 cr?vs. I have had diagnostic performed at Honda of marysville on 6/12/26 and they responded with confirmation of the problem and agreed to escalate to Honda for goodwill repair, for safety concern. Honda of marysville responded on 6/15/26 that Honda corporate declined goodwill coverage. Called Honda corporate on 6/15/26 at 415p. Talked with alec. Explained situation. Calling to file an appeal for goodwill coverage. 1. Dealer confirmed problem 2. Dealer applied for goodwill coverage. Declined 3. Known safety problem and is under an sb 18-103 which applies to 2017-2019 crv vehicles 4. Had problem for 2+ years. Getting worse per last trip on highway to michigan [xxx]. He looked up and confirmed case information. Reaching out internally. Received call from haley at Honda corp @6p on 6/16/26. (800) 999-1009 x88210 as assigned case worker. Explained situation and confirmed information she was seeing. Haley said response in 24-48 hours and would call Friday 6/19 with update worse case. On 6/19/26 I left two vm’s and one email but did not get a promised update. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Power steering issue with vehicle wanting to veer left and having to jerk the wheel back to keep from crossing the center line. There was a previous recall by Honda (18v663000) but my vehicle is not listed. This began at about 75k miles. For the year, this is a low mileage car and this is becoming dangerous to drive because of the steering issue.

The steering wheel is getting stuck in position on straight road driving and you have to force the steering wheel back and forth. It started as a gentle problem, most notably at highway speeds. Now it is getting progressively worse and is starting to make a clicking sound. I see Honda recalled models from 2022-2025 but I am having the same problem with the steering box/gears or clock spring or magnet. Whatever is causing the problem, on my 2018 year model. I feel Honda should be held responsible for this repair and corrective action. I don't know how long I can keep driving my car under this condition, and I do not have the money for an expensive repair caused by Honda.

Vehicle steering wheel would eventually seize up, then snap out while driving on all types of roads, causing the whole car to jerk left or right. Happens at all speeds on any road type upon inspection from schofield Honda in wichita KS, they determined that it was the electronic power steering module that failed and needed to be replaced. A $4,949. 31 bill for parts and labor. This vehicle just hit 51,000 miles so not new necessarily, but for something to make the vehicle inoperable while driving. . . There were no warning lamps, message, anything at all and progressivly got worse the more it was driven over the span of a month.

Steering "sticky". Intermittently steering feels stuck, resistant to during turns requiring extra force on steering wheel to break free both in low speed maneuvering and at highway speeds. Sticky steering associated by a soft clicking noise. Jim coleman Honda of clarksville MD checked the vehicle and confirmed the sticky steering and associated clicking noise. Their remedy to the sticky steering diagnosis was replacement of the eps steering rack and gearbox at a cost of $6,000. 00 they noted that this issue was the subject of a limited 2017-2018 recall 18v663 and more recently under 2022-2025 24v744. As result of stickiness the lka system no longer works properly.

Steering is sticky.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Cr-v. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, extra effort was needed to turn the steering wheel while driving the vehicle and the vehicle failed to drive in a straight line. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the eps steering rack needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

This car has the same steering rack sticking problem for this model and year that there is a recall for but the VIN for this car is not included in the recall. The problem has been confirmed by a Honda dealer. They want me to pay close to $5,000 to repair it. They told me to reach out to hntsa. Hoping you can correct this. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

•symptom description: while driving straight at highway speeds (typically between 50 and 70 mph), the steering wheel temporarily locks or catches in a central "notch. " when making routine micro-corrections to stay centered in the lane, the wheel physically resists. •the "catch" release: to overcome this resistance, I must apply deliberate physical force to "break the wheel free. " once it breaks loose, the sudden loss of resistance causes the vehicle to jerk slightly, making it difficult to maintain a smooth, safe line of travel. •systems eliminated: this issue persists regardless of whether the lane keeping assist system (lkas) or road departure mitigation (mds/rdm) are turned on or off. This is a physical, mechanical resistance in the steering column or gearbox, not an electronic driver-assist intervention. •diagnostic note: because this is a mechanical friction/binding issue within the steering components, it does not trigger a dashboard warning light (mil) or store an electronic diagnostic trouble code (dtc). A standard computer scan will show no faults. These micro adjustments make it difficult to stay centered in the driving lane, putting myself and others at risk of injury. Aggravation and frustration grow the longer the car is driven. The car was inspected at a local Honda dealer and it was suggested that the rack and pinion steering mechanism be replaced at a cost of $5,625. 31. I further enquired to Honda corporate goodwill assistance for help repairing this problem (case #16673404) and was told that there would be no financial reimbursement available. The car is drivable but I will not be taking it on any long drives (over an hour) due to this condition.

May 15, 2026 - after driving highway speeds for 2 hours on a road trip, the steering wheel started to stick when trying to make small adjustments driving straight. It seemed like it could only move in notches, not glide smoothly. May 17, 2026 - after driving highway speeds for 1 hour, the same thing started happening again and continued for the remaining 2 hours of the trip. May 29, 2026 - after driving highway speeds for 2. 5 hours, the steering wheel started to stick again but this time I could also hear a little clicking noise every time I made a small adjustment to the wheel that moved it into a "notched" position created by the stickiness. The clunky movements of the steering wheel made me nervous driving on narrow curvy roads. I drove 5 hours one way where it started doing this halfway into the trip and 5 hours back home the same day with it sticking & clicking the entire time as I made minor movements of the wheel. It was not isolated to fast speeds; it continued at slow speeds. June 2, 2026 - the rear tires had been replaced 6 months earlier, so we decided to replace the front tires now to see if that would help resolve the issue. June 4, 2026 - after driving highway speeds at 2 hours, the steering wheel started sticking and clicking again. New tires did not fix the problem. Our destination was 2. 5 hours from home. We returned home later the same day with the sticking & clicking starting after about an hour and continuing the rest of the way home. There have been no warning lights or messages related to this problem. June 9, 2026 - we've seen online that there have been recalls on newer model Cr-vs for the eps gear box. We called our mechanic and described what we're experiencing. He agreed that it sounded like an eps issue and recommended we report it to NHTSA. Because the issue doesn't surface until at least an hour of driving highway speeds, it's hard to reproduce on demand.

My wife and I spent the past 10 days putting approximately 2,300 miles on our 2018 crv while vacationing. On the first day of our vacation I noticed that the steering wheel would get stuck in a certain position which needed a slight push to unstick the wheel, this occurred after about 600 miles. This stick and unstick process happened every time I needed to make a small adjustment to my steering. It happened about 20 - 30 times a minute. As you can imagine driving for over 28 hours in 10 days I was quite frustrated with this tug of war. Many times this added nudge to turn the wheel would cause an over steer requiring a corrective steer in the opposite direction. This oversteering caused me to swerve within the lane that I was trying to stay within. I called my local dealer to make an appointment, I was told that I could drop the car off in a couple of days and it would take them 2 to 3 to get to it. Once they get to it, it would cost over $100 to diagnose the problem then they can estimate the cost of the repair. I need my car I can't drop it off for 2 or 3 days. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer, the vehicle components have not been inspected by anyone. And there were no warning lamps or messages displayed during this failure.

The steering has a catch in it which makes for jerky driving. When driving to avoid drift and correct travel path the steering has a hard spot which makes it easy to over correct causing safety issues with nearby vehicles and driving on slick roads. I had heard that some crv’s had a recall for this issue but none shows up for this vehicle. This happens frequently when driving and has happened on many trips.

Steering problem. Steering wheel sticks while driving making it a safety hazard. Automobile dealership repair service said the gear box needed to be replaced. When I checked on the NHTSA website I saw that the 2017-2018 Honda crvs had a safety recall for this problem but I don't find that we received a recall notice for our vehicle.

My local Honda dealership inspected my crv on 6. 3. 26 after my complaint of "sticky steering. " they said the steering gearbox needs to be replaced at a cost of $4,000 +. Some crvs (1. 7 million) have been recalled for this, but my VIN number is not included. The mileage on this vehicle is 62,973. I am afraid to drive this vehicle because the steering is unreliable. I have to transport my husband to cancer doctor appointments and treatments as well as transporting my granddaughter when she is in my care. There were no warning lights, I just noticed that the steering was behaving erratically. I have contacted Honda care and received a case number: 16405358.

Experiencing steering wheel binding at highway speeds - steering gearbox on my leased car, 2018 crv was issued a safety recall by the NHTSA on September 28, 2018. I leased my car in July of 2018, but never received a safety recall from Honda. Document [xxx] . The issue is described as "sticky steering". I've contacted 2 Honda service locations, and they can't find any recall information for my 2018 vehicle. There are newer more recent models/years that do have this recall, but none for mine. However, the NHTSA issued one that nobody can find. I found it, but apparently it doesn't exist and I'm not finding anyone at the Honda service centers that are helpful. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Cr-v. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel became loose and grabbed. The vehicle felt like it was traveling into another lane. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering). While her husband was driving, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who provided a front-end alignment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering assembly gearbox needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there was no recall coverage. The manufacturer mentioned goodwill assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,018.

I am having a terrible problem with the steering wheel, keeping it in the lane along with hearing a loud noise when turning the steering wheel left to right. I only have 63,000 miles on this car. Took it to a dealership and they said it is the electric power assist system. I am finding out there is a recall with this very thing but that my car was not on the list. It should be. I am having this very problem. It is to dangerous to drive. Honda has a reputation for being a great safety car. This one is not. They said the charge would be $4500. This is not right. I am a [xxx] and [xxx]. I don't believe the manufacturer has been honest about this safety issue. . . They claim only 54 cars were affected. Please check into it for me please. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).