Owner Notification Letter - The vehicle's steering may feel heavier than normal - or is hard to turn - particularly when the vehicle is not moving because of an electric power steering (EPS) control unit failure. If this happens, either the EPS indicator blinks with no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) stored, or the EPS indicator comes on steady with at least one of the following DTCs stored: DTC 32-09, DTC 32-08, or DTC 61-04.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Honda Crosstour steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Honda Crosstour have filed 21 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 72,000 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Crosstour | 3 |
| 2013 Crosstour (this page) | 21 |
| 2014 Crosstour | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 21 steering complaints filed for the 2013 Honda Crosstour, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Steering accounts for 44% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 6 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty on the EPS (electric power steering) control unit to 15 years from the original date of purchase with unlimited miles. This warranty covers vehicles where the steering feels heavier than normal, or is hard to turn, particularly when the vehicle is not moving, and either the EPS indicator blinks with no DTCs, or the EPS indicator comes on steady with DTC 32-09 (motor current correlation), DTC 32-08 (EPS control unit internal circuit [current sensor]), or DTC 61-04 (motor harness malfunction). The warranty extension does not apply to any vehicle that has ever been declared a total loss or sold for salvage by a financial institution or
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - Today, July 11, 2019, Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2013-14 Crosstour vehicles to address a concern with the electric power steering (EPS) system. Under certain conditions, affected vehicles may experience heavier than normal steering, the EPS indicator may blink with no DTCs, or the indicator may come on steady with EPS DTC(s). American Honda is extending the new vehicle limited warranty on the EPS control unit from the original 3 years/36,000 miles to 15 years/unlimited miles from the original date of purchase.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position. If you don't , the VSA indicator may come on along with one or more VSA DTCs. And when you run the Neutral Memorization Procedure in the i-HDS, it won't complete.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗A RUBBING OR GROANING IS HEARD FROM THE DRIVERS FRONT AIRBAG MODULE WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 Crosstour's electronic power steering system is failing with sudden, complete loss of assist and no advance warning. The EPS warning light (steering wheel with exclamation mark) comes on, the wheel locks or becomes impossible to turn, and drivers lose power assistance. Failures happen while moving at highway speeds and while parked. Several owners were driving at 30–60 mph when steering locked; one was on a bridge, another on an interstate. Owners with young children and passengers describe the failure as terrifying because manual steering effort at speed is nearly impossible.
Intermittent failures also occur: the system quits, turns on the warning light, then recovers after restarting the engine—until it fails again permanently. One owner reported this pattern starting at 80,000 miles.
Repair costs run $1,200 to $5,000+ per dealership quotes. Honda replaced the EPS control unit under warranty extension 19-036 for at least one owner, but the same trouble code (DTC 32-09) returned immediately, meaning the repair failed. Another owner was told only the computer needs replacing ($799), but pins may also need replacement ($1,800 more). Dealerships claim the Crosstour's platform matches the 2013 Accord, which Honda issued TSB 15-055 for the same failure—yet the Crosstour was not included in that technical service bulletin. Warranty coverage is limited to one year or 12,000 miles; most repairs fall outside it.
Failure modes owners describe
Complete or sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist
The EPS system abruptly fails, leaving drivers with no power assistance and forcing them to steer with full manual effort. The EPS warning light (steering wheel with exclamation mark icon) illuminates when this occurs. The steering wheel may become completely stiff or locked, making the vehicle extremely difficult or impossible to maneuver, especially at low speeds and during parking.
When: Failure occurs both parked and while driving, at speeds ranging from 25 mph to 60+ mph. One owner reported failure at 80k miles and intermittent onset starting around 80k miles before becoming constant. Another at 92,886 miles. Several owners report sudden onset with no prior warning. One case occurred after a Honda warranty repair for the same issue.
Symptoms owners cite: EPS warning light illuminates (steering wheel with exclamation mark icon on dashboard); Steering wheel becomes extremely stiff or locked; Complete loss of power steering assist; Vehicle becomes very difficult or impossible to steer; Increased steering effort, especially at low speeds and during parking maneuvers; Intermittent failures that may resolve temporarily after key cycling, then return; Hard brakes may also be reported in conjunction with steering failure
Codes mentioned: DTC 32-09
Repairs/costs cited: Honda dealerships quote repair costs ranging from $1,200 to $5,000+. Reported repairs include: EPS control unit replacement (circa $1,200), EPS steering gearbox replacement (approximately $5,000), steering rack replacement ($2,500), computer/module replacement ($799–$1,800 additional for pin replacement). In one case, the EPS control unit was replaced under warranty extension 19-036, but the same DTC code returned immediately after, indicating the repair did not resolve the underlying defect. One owner reported Honda service could not fix the issue even after installing a new system.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued warranty extension 19-036 for EPS control unit replacement on some 2013 Crosstour models. TSB 15-055 was issued for 2013/2014 Accord models for a similar EPS failure (PE14033), but owners report the Crosstour—which shares the Accord platform—was not covered by the same bulletin. NHTSA investigation apparently resulted in TSBs for the Accord but not for the Crosstour despite the shared architecture. Dealership warranty coverage is limited; one owner was told the repair is only covered for one year or 12,000 miles, leaving owners responsible for out-of-pocket costs after that period.
Intermittent EPS failure with temporary resolution via key cycling
The EPS system fails intermittently, with the warning light illuminating and steering becoming heavy. The failure may resolve temporarily if the driver turns the vehicle off and restarts it, but the issue recurs within hours or days, eventually becoming persistent.
When: One owner reported intermittent failures beginning around 80k miles in 2018, lasting approximately two weeks before becoming constant. Another owner experienced multiple intermittent failures over a single drive, with partial recovery after key cycling.
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent loss of power steering assist; EPS warning light illuminates during failure episodes; Steering becomes heavy and difficult to control; Temporary recovery after key cycling (engine restart); Failures occur over hours or days, eventually becoming persistent
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported the dealership stated that diagnosis is difficult when the failure is not actively present, making intermittent issues hard to resolve definitively.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner cites TSB 15-055 issued by Honda for 2013/2014 Accords covering similar intermittent EPS failure (PE14033), and suggests the Crosstour should be covered by the same technical service bulletin given the shared platform and identical symptoms.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Complaint Summary: Steering system failure remains unresolved after Honda warranty repair. Complete loss of electric power steering. Complaint Details: I experienced a sudden and complete loss of electric power steering on my 2013 Honda Crosstour V6. The EPS warning light illuminated, steering effort increased drastically, and vehicle control at low speeds became difficult and unsafe. The…
When I started the car, the indicator for a power steering failure was illuminated on the dashboard. The power steering did not function, and there was no power steering assist. The car has been taken to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. *js
I was driving and stopped at the red light when the green light came on I was unable to make a left turn as the steering wheel locked on me and I had to be pushed to the side by a few construction guys. I I could drive it but make no turns. Had the car towed to planet Honda in union nj, who stated it would cost me $4,000 dollars to fix the car is not 36 months old and they are saying it is…
The car was stationary in a parking space. I started the car and attempted to reverse, however the steering wheel was completely locked and the car was immobile. It would not turn at all, the steering wheel indicator turned on, and I was stuck in the parking space. After 30mins the steering wheel became mobile, however I had it towed to a Honda dealer. The dealer reports that the computer needs…
Electronic power steering unit going in and out while driving.
Driving on i85n at highway speeds the eps (elec. Power steering) light came on and steering became very difficult without any previous warning. I was able to slow down and veer off the highway without any incident thankfully due to minimal turning required. A week later, the issue reoccurred after a few days of being parked. At least this time I was not on a highway... Why did the NHTSA…
Had steering trouble with your 2013 Honda Crosstour?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2013 Honda Crosstour?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 57,000 and 76,000 miles, with the median around 72,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 57,000; a quarter make it past 76,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Honda/Crosstour.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.