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 ↗2014 Honda CR-V steering problems
severe Owners of the 2014 Honda CR-V have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 9,970 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
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 CR-V | 14 |
| 2011 CR-V | 10 |
| 2012 CR-V | 35 |
| 2013 CR-V | 15 |
| 2014 CR-V (this page) | 15 |
| 2015 CR-V | 45 |
| 2016 CR-V | 17 |
| 2017 CR-V | 57 |
| 2018 CR-V | 315 |
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 15 steering complaints filed for the 2014 Honda CR-V, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2014 CR-V report multiple steering problems. Steering wheel vibration occurs at highway speeds and occasionally becomes violent enough to affect vehicle control. Electronic power steering (EPS) has failed in at least two cases, with warning lights illuminating and steering becoming hard to turn. One owner reported intermittent EPS loss at low speed that cleared after restart; another experienced concurrent EPS and VSA failures on the interstate. In a separate case, the steering wheel locked, preventing the ignition key from turning.
Several owners describe loss of control in winter conditions. One owner—3.5 months into ownership with under 10,000 miles—reported the vehicle sliding uncontrollably downhill even in first gear with brakes applied, wheels spinning uphill from a stop, and ABS engaging without slowing the vehicle. Amber AWD lights flashed repeatedly. A dealer-supplied loaner of the same model year drove significantly better, suggesting systemic issues beyond normal winter behavior.
Upper control arms show visible rust at 40,000 miles. Suspension vibration and thumping noises occur on curved roads, with passenger floors vibrating violently. Dealers have declined to perform repairs under warranty, blamed drivers for alignment damage, claimed inability to replicate problems, or refused diagnosis altogether. Steering wheel adjustment is reported inadequate for drivers under 62 inches tall, obstructing road view and creating safety hazards.
Same Honda CR-V steering reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Steering vibration at highway speeds
Steering wheel vibrates during highway driving, ranging from low-speed shimmy to violent vibration at 60 mph. Owners report the problem persists across multiple repair attempts and dealer visits.
When: 30–60 mph highway speeds; one case at 5,500 miles, one at 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel vibration or shimmy at speed; Loss of vehicle control during acceleration on highway; Vibration reported as violent in at least one incident
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers blamed unbalanced wheels due to snow/ice pack; axle replacement attempted in one case without resolving vibration; rear differential replacement attempted without success
Electronic power steering (EPS) failure
EPS system failed while driving, causing steering to become hard to turn. EPS warning light illuminated. In one case, the failure occurred at low speed and resolved after restart; in another on the interstate at highway speed with concurrent VSA failure.
When: Failure mileage approximately 5,500 miles (interstate incident); one intermittent failure at low speed (10 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: EPS warning light illumination; Hard steering / difficult to turn wheel; Intermittent power steering loss that resolves after engine restart; VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) failure concurrent with EPS failure
Codes mentioned: EPS failure code, VSA failure code
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer blamed misaligned front tire rather than addressing EPS; no repairs completed in reported cases
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer refused warranty claim, blaming driver for impact damage to alignment; Honda customer support repeated dealer's refusal
Steering wheel hard to turn / steering system lock
Steering became difficult to turn in separate incidents, including one case where the driver could not turn the ignition key due to steering wheel lock.
When: At 2,000 miles; intermittent low-speed incident at 10 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Difficult steering wheel turn; Steering wheel lock preventing ignition key turn; Intermittent hard steering
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to dealer; not repaired in reported case
Steering alignment drift / misalignment
Front-end alignment went significantly out of specification, causing difficulty turning and illuminating warning lights. Owners report dealers blamed impact damage rather than investigating the root cause.
When: Occurred after purchase; one case on interstate at highway speed
Symptoms owners cite: Hard steering / difficult to turn; EPS warning light; VSA warning light; Low tire warning light
Codes mentioned: EPS code, VSA code
Repairs/costs cited: Front-end alignment corrected; alignment was severely out of specification
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty claim refused; manufacturer and dealer blamed driver for impact damage
Steering column design inadequate for short drivers
Steering wheel does not adjust low enough for drivers 62 inches or under, obstructing road visibility. Driver seat design tilts away from steering wheel, worsening visibility. Headlight beam does not reach far enough, creating dangerous night-driving conditions.
When: Design issue present from purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel blocks road view; Headlight beam ends before driver can see the road; Driver seat design inadequate for short drivers
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs available; dealer declined to investigate
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda declined to take action or investigate safety concern
Suspension rust on upper control arms
Upper control arms (steering/suspension components) exhibiting visible rust. Owner concerned about steering safety due to corrosion of steering system components.
When: At 40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Visible rust on upper control arms (both sides)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer indicated owner would have to pay out-of-pocket for diagnosis
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls identified by dealer
Intermittent brake and steering loss (cold weather)
In new vehicle (3.5 months old, under 10,000 miles), steering and braking became unresponsive in snow and cold conditions. Downhill, even in first gear with brakes applied, vehicle accelerated to 40 mph uncontrolled. ABS engaged but did not slow vehicle. Problem worsened over 2 weeks.
When: First snow fall; vehicle 3.5 months old with under 10,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No traction in snow; wheels spin and vehicle slides downhill uncontrolled; Vehicle will not climb hills; wheels spin from stop; Downhill acceleration to 40 mph uncontrolled even with brakes applied; ABS engages but does not stop vehicle; Amber AWD lights flashing; No control on any non-dry road surface (snow, gravel, slight moisture); Vehicle climbed to 40 mph in first gear going downhill with brake engaged
Codes mentioned: AWD system warning
Repairs/costs cited: Rear differential diagnosed as defective—overheating to near-glowing, fluid overheated
Suspension vibration / shaking on curved roads
Vehicle vibrates and makes loud thumping noises on curvy roads, causing passenger floor to vibrate violently. Problem started at 30,000 miles on relatively new vehicle. Dealer unable to replicate and denied problem exists.
When: Started at 30,000 miles; 45,000 miles at report (13 months old, new purchase)
Symptoms owners cite: Loud thumping noises on curved roads; Violent floor vibration; Vehicle feels like it is falling apart; Vibration on curvy road surfaces
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to replicate; no repairs performed
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Accelerating up to travel speed on a highway the wheels start shimming we could not control the car. Talking to the dealer who said that they where aware of this and that snow & ice can pack into the rims causing the wheels to be unbalanced. I am 70 years old and do not think its safe for me to get out of the car on the highway to clean the wheels. *tr
When on a curvy road the car sometimes makes loud noises thumping noises and the pansanger floor vibrates violently like the car is going to fall a part. Car is only 13 months old and I bought it brand new. It has 45k miles now but problem started at 30k miles. The dealer could not replicate the problem and denied that their was a problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Honda cr-v. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the steering wheel violently vibrated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,500.
Had steering trouble with your 2014 Honda CR-V?
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 2014 Honda CR-V?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 7,140 and 40,000 miles, with the median around 9,970. A quarter of owners report trouble before 7,140; a quarter make it past 40,000. 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/2014/Honda/CR-V.
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.