Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

silver_bullet · May 2004

For Gen I cars, the service indicator is extinguished by inserting the ignition key into a small rectangular slot to the left of the indicator lamp - check your owner's manual. Try the sponsor at the top of the page for an aftermarket oil filter wrench that fits the new filters.

tomk17 · May 2004

I've done this many times on the old Odyssey. It works for the new CRV as well... Press and HOLD the trip odometer reset button while turning on the ignition (either start the car or activate ignition on so all dash lights come on). KEEP holding the trip reset for about 10 sec, it will keep flashing but eventually go off after about 10 sec and you are good for another 10K miles or so. The manual covers this procedure as well.

shonda · May 2004

Our 2002 CRV EX, stick shift, which we love, has 43,000 miles on it and is thus outside warranty. It developed a strange sluggishness, as though we had mistakenly left the emergency brake on -- not rolling in neutral, and hesitating as we shifted gears. Took it to the dealer who test drove it and found no issue -- it was an off and on kind of problem. But they said they thoroughly checked the brake system and everything was fine. A week later it happened again, and I took it straight to the dealer. Once there, it stopped doing it and I left it there for a day so that the diagnostician could take it out a few times. Next day they called and said they had found the problem -- the brake fluid, they say, was contaminated, causing the problem, and necessitating the replacement of the entire brake system (parts and labor, $2300.00). The car was never serviced except by this dealer, and my local garage, which assures me that they had never topped up brake fluid for me. At the moment I am waiting for American Honda to contact me to discuss whether they might find it in their hearts to chip in on this. Has anyone had this kind of problem? I am torn between believing the dealer and wondering if they contaminated the fluid on purpose because they couldn't figure out the problem and needed the business. There has been a certain amount of doubletalk -- particularly on the issue of why they didn't see the fluid issue when they "thoroughly" checked out the brake system the week before.

grapevinetx · May 2004

Shonda, if it was me, given that the CRV is out of warranty, I'd be getting a second, and maybe a third, opinion from a respected independent shop before I signed off on having the dealer replace the entire brake system. What is it that the dealership is saying the brake fluid is contaminated with? Depending on the answer, I might change my thinking, but for starters I'd be asking why a brake system flush wouldn't be the appropriate next step and then see if the problem recurs.

mikefm58 · May 2004

I wouldn't believe the dealer in a heartbeat. Excellent advise from the other poster, get another opinion. Checking brake fluid is one of the first things checked. How did the brake fluid get contaminated and contaminated with what? And how would that cause $2300 in repairs? What parts do they want to replace? Something is definately fishy?

shonda · May 2004

Thanks to grapevinetx#1083 and mikefm28; I'll get a second opinion and proceed from there. I apprecite the help!

isda65 · May 2004

I have read somewhere in this forum about owners being very happy with their 5-speed and in fact recommending this to others. So I bought one, eight months ago. I must admit I test drove an auto (no manuals were available at the time) and never worried because you see I've been driving manuals for more than 20 yrs. Why should it be any different now. The only difference now is that this is the first time that I'd be driving a Honda. Well, let me say that if I only have the money to burn I'd have traded this in six months ago.

I just want your opinion though on a couple of issues that has been bothering me. First, is it normal in all 5spd CRVs to have their clutch pedals sit quite high from the floor, higher in fact compared to the brake and accelarator pedals?

Second, being high, I have noticed (experimented) that I can shift normally by stepping on the clutch a third to half of the way rather than push it all the way down. Is this normal? Will this break things?

Third, if I release the clutch without pausing halfway back I'd more often than not induce jerking. My feeling is that you have to give the gears a bit more time to catch before releasing it. Is this a Honda thing? That's why it's kind of hard to take off quickly from stop; one because of the clutch travel and second because the car doesn't take too kindly to quick shifting.

I know I'm not technical enough to explain it but I know that something's different with my car considering that I've read very good reviews about the 5 speed here.

I do hope somebody can help me in this regard. Could this be an adjustment issue with the clutch. If so I'd be more than willing to pay for the labor fees to sort of "tune" my shifting.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Isda65

theracoon · May 2004

I have a '99 CR-V, so the linkage may be slightly different, but there is a pedal height adjustment. My clutch pedal is the same height off the floor as the brake pedal.

As to the quick release resulting in jerking, mine does that too. You do know that the clutch pedal activates a hydraulic system that engages and disengages the clutch, right? There isn't a cable that runs between the pedal and clutch. I was surprised to learn that, as all my previous manual transmission vehicles had cables. I've gotten used to it, and just assume it's a function of the hydraulics.

isda65 · May 2004

"You do know that the clutch pedal activates a hydraulic system that engages and disengages the clutch, right? There isn't a cable that runs between the pedal and clutch. I was surprised to learn that, as all my previous manual transmission vehicles had cables. I've gotten used to it, and just assume it's a function of the hydraulics."

Yes, I've been told by Honda mechanics about this. I guess I just needed to hear this from other CRV 5spd owners. I have also made the necessary adjustments but I have yet to feel the experience of enjoying it. I'll see if I can have the clutch pedal height adjusted. I feel it would make a big difference.

Thanks theracoon for your reply. Any more comments from other CRV 5-spd owners?

Thanks

kyfdx · May 2004

Hydraulic clutches have been around for decades. Was your previous experience with manual shifts on domestic cars? Honda makes some of the slickest manual shifters in the business.

Most domestics that I have driven engage the clutch when the clutch pedal is very close to the floor. I think this is harder. Hondas typically get all their clutch action in the last half of clutch travel. Meaning, a quick stab at the clutch about half-way down is enough to shift gears. Also, if you have the clutch pedal depressed all the way, it doesn't seem to start to engage until you release it about half-way.

I'm surprised that after 6000 miles, you haven't become used to it. But, it should in no way be related to the fact that the clutch is hydraulic.

regards,
kyfdx

isda65 · May 2004

Thanks kyfdx.

My experience is with Toyota's, Nissan's and Mitsubishi's and I can't remember having any complaints about the driving experience especially shifting.

"I'm surprised that after 6000 miles, you haven't become used to it".

Actually it's about 4700 miles but even then I guess one of the reason's is the level of resistance that I have shown thinking that there's something wrong with the car.

Do you agree with theracoon though about the fact that the clutch pedal height can be adjusted?

Thank you for your input and time, kyfdx.

kyfdx · May 2004

I don't have a manual transmission in my '02, but I did have one in my '98. I know theracoon also has a previous generation model.

That said, I'm almost positive they can adjust the clutch pedal down. That may solve most of your problem. Without being there, I can't say for sure that there is nothing wrong with your car, but a properly working hydraulic clutch should work just as well as the mechanical kind.

regards,
kyfdx

richk6 · May 2004

My 02 EX developed a mid-pitched whining noise after about 25 minutes driving. Touching the brake pedal stops the whine, but it then returns. I can't tell if noise is front or rear.

I let the car cool off, then after a short drive,(I believe after brakes heated up, the whine returned). Touching pedal again stops noise, but it returns.

I only have 9000 miles on the EX. Am taking it to dealer for service next week. It is still under warranty.

Has anyone had a similar problem, or have an idea what causes the noise?

autosaurus · May 2004

I've had a number of Honda, and Accura, products over the years and the thing that is different about their manual transmissions is that you must actually "ride" the clutch slightly to have a smooth launch. After driving other cars, not just domestic, but BMW's VW's etc, this takes getting used to. I do have to say though that although you'd think you'd burn out the clutch , I've never had to replace one and drove them to about 50,000 miles before selling the car.

It's not enjoyable at all.

As for wanted to trade in the car early, I must admit that I felt the same way, and am still not happy with mine but it does grow on you, or you just begin to ignore the picular driving positions, constant rattles etc. I guess with the warm weather and windows open I dont hear them as much. My plan was to get rid of it after a year but considering gas prices, 23 mpg seems alot better than the 15 to 18 other SUV's are getting.

Bike Racks - does anyone have any recommendations for a good bike rack /setup, for this car. I didnt get the roof rack as I wasnt sure yet if I needed it to get a roof mounter bike rack.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

crvex · May 2004

my new 04 CRV always gives out loud "click" noise after i park the car. the noise sounds like water dropped on metal, any comments?

isda65 · May 2004

Thanks autosaurus,theracoon,kyfdx. I feel a little better now knowing that this is not actually a defect. In fact I've been a little kinder to the car now (no more cursing and swearing when I feel those jerks) Next time I consider a manual I'm definitely going to test drive them now

Apart from this, the car's great. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. Thanks for all the input again. This is a great forum.

thirdof4 · June 2004

I have a 2004 EX and tow it behind a mini motorhome so I didn't want to add the weight of a hitch and hitch-based bike rack plus bikes on a Class III hitch. After looking at many bike racks, I settled on the Cyclehiker and sent for it through J.C. Whitney online. The Cyclehiker is a spare tire bike rack. A lot of the spare tire bike racks require you to remove the tire and then replace it before mounting the bikes. The Cyclehiker fits over the tire and is quite fast. The only complaints that I have is that it fits very tightly between the back wiper blade and the tire and I feel that putting some sort of padding between the door and the bar is appropriate for protection. Also, it only fits two bikes. We only use it when the EX is not being towed. We use the motorhome ladder bike rack for towing so the bike-associated weight is not adding weight to the EX.

kyfdx · June 2004

Do you tow the CRV with all four wheels on the ground? If so, what do you have to do to prepare it? Just curious.

regards,
kyfdx

varmint · June 2004

Kyfdx - The instructions for towing flat are in the owner's manual. I'm not sure if they've changed since the first gen, but I recall something about putting it in and out of gear, turning the ignition on and off, putting your left foot in, and stuff like that.

kyfdx · June 2004

LOL... I know that for both generations, they say never to tow the vehicle.. to always flatbed it, in case of a breakdown.. But, of course, they are referring to towing it with two wheels off the ground. I've always been curious as to what kind of wear and tear you are putting on a car, towing it behind a motorhome. Especially an AWD car like the CRV, with no transfer case.

regards,
kyfdx

thirdof4 · June 2004

We tow will all four down. It's quite easy actually. Start the engine, put foot on brake, go through all of the gears, then back to Drive, then Neutral, sit for three minutes while the transmission fluid warms up, turn key to Accessory, make sure brake is off. I think that's all of the procedure and in the correct order. The manual is very specific. The V tows quite nicely but is a bit heavier than our Sidekick so we noticed a little bit of difference on steep hills. Overall, as far as drivability we're happy but I do notice lots of suspension noise when going up into driveways, making sharp turns. Don't know what that might be but since we only have 3,300 miles on it so far, I'm waiting to see if things work themselves out.

kyfdx · June 2004

So....what happens to the odometer? Does it record mileage?

Just curious,
kyfdx

thirdof4 · June 2004

The manual suggests that if you drive the vehicle under what they might refer to as "severe" conditions, the maintenance schedule is pushed up a bit. In other words, rather than changing transmission fluid at 100,000 miles (just an example, as I don't have the manual here for reference) you would change it at 70,000 miles for severe conditions. We plan on maintaining our V on the "severe" schedule just to be on the safe side. There are a couple of other restrictions such as not driving over 65 mph while towing, running pre-towing procedure after a certain amount of miles or hours, etc. We're hoping that with good maintenance, we shouldn't be shortening the life of the vehicle. I guess time will tell...

thirdof4 · June 2004

It's a digital odometer, no mileage is recorded and this is a great feature because our old Sidekick racked up the mileage even though it wasn't being driven. When we sold it, we had to explain that approximately 5,000 miles were "toad" miles. Fortunately, the people who eventually purchased it were also going to tow it.

kyfdx · June 2004

Thanks... interesting.

rtm · June 2004

I have a 2002 CRV EX & the AC compressor recently went out with 99,000 miles. My 1995 CIVIC EX had 230K mikes when I traded it & I never had any problems. Anybody elese with any problems? Repair is going to be $1,200+. American Honda was not of any assistance & just said that is a fact of owning a vehicle with air conditioning.

rtm · June 2004

My 2002 CRV EX air conditioning just went out & it's going to cost $1,200+ to fix it. My 1995 Civic EX had 230K miles when I traded it & the only major work I had was changing the timing belt once & CV joints.

isellhondas · June 2004

With 99,000 miles?? Wow!

It's not unreasnoble for an A/C compressor to fail after than many miles. They usually last longer but stuff happens.

mr_bots · June 2004

Are Honda's that much more expensive to fix? The A/C compressor in my 96 Chevrolet S10 went out a month or so ago and it $600 to fix. I was considering a CR-V but I keep cars for well over 100K miles and if parts on these are twice what they are on a GM or Ford product I think I'll stick with the domestics.

isellhondas · June 2004

Oh, some parts cost more and some less.

You might have had a cheaper rebuilt compressor installed instead of a factory new one or remanufactured one. Labor would probably be about the same. 1200.00 sounds awful high!

You mentioned cost of ownership?

Hondas are usually far more reliable than the domestisc you mentioned and the resale values down the road will be MUCH better.

derkommissar73 · June 2004

Hey, I've got a 2004 EX, and I'm wondering if the shuffle function on the CD changer can be set to shuffle from all disks? It seems to just shuffle from a single cd, then move to the next. Thanks!

kyfdx · June 2004

No, it can't... I know this is a desirable feature, but the in-dash changer takes way too long to shuffle between discs, so I'm sure it would not be as enjoyable as it sounds.. Also, I think durability of the mechanism might be a problem, if that were the case.

regards,
kyfdx

mr_bots · June 2004

Actually it was a brand new compressor that the mechanic had overnighted. And as far as reliability, I don't really fall for that Toyota/Honda hype, I had a 95 Suburban for 7 years and 150K miles and never a single problem. I still have that 96 S10 with about 110K miles and the A/C is the only problem I've had. Also while Toyota's and Honda's typically have better resale, you're lucky if you get it at MSRP and I can currently get GM vehicles for under the dealer invoice. I don't have anything against Honda, I think they're great cars, but I don't really think that they're really any better than a GM vehicle.

tomsr1 · June 2004

I just traded my 02 CRV for a Toyota to move upscale.The CRV interior was wearing badly at 39k miles.The seat material is cheap and was fraying.The steering wheel was actually wearing out where
I placed my hands.The left spoke had a groove in it from my left index finger.Mechanically it was fine except I had to have the front rotors turned because of warpage.I guess I will learn if Toyota
quality is as good as it is claimed.I got my Highlander for $100 over
invoice because my son is an employee of the owner at another dealer
and negotitated it.He works for Ford owned by the same owner of the Toyota dealer and I could have any Ford under invoice but cheap quality turns me off.I had a 98 Explorer and at 40k miles the leather seat seams were splitting,besides terrible gas mileage.

sabrina9 · June 2004

Although I like the CRV, I paid 23K last year and six months later had to spend another 2k when the first one burst into flames. I am sure a Ford would not have cost me that much that soon. 2K in six months buys a lot of repairs, and with rebates, etc, I would have come out way ahead, even if it only lasted 100k, which any decent car should do. After 4 or 5 this is my last Honda

crvman · June 2004

Good afternoon everybody,
I am the proud owner of a 2000 CRV. About one week ago, an odor started coming out of the vents. It smells like stale flowers. At first I thought perhaps a cat had gone to the bathroom under my car but I have opened the hood and everything else smells normal. As soon as I start the car and start rolling, the odor starts coming out of the vents only. I will be servicing my car in 2 weeks and can ask Honda, however I thought maybe some of you might have an idea. Thanx!

crvman · June 2004

That happened to me as well. Not to worry, I just waited until my next servicing and they reset it for me.

silver_bullet · June 2004

Unless you've changed the microfilter recently, I'd bet that is where your smell is coming from. I changed the filter in my friend's 2001 CR-V recently (only 22K miles) and it was black with mold and loaded with pollen. Yum.

crvman · June 2004

I also hear that noise after I turn off the engine. I have noticed it since I've had the car however it was never really an issue.

crvman · June 2004

Silver Bullet,
Thank you for your advice. Not being an auto buff, is changing the cabin microfilter difficult??

drive62 · June 2004

Of course every car market is different but I find it hard to believe people are paying MSRP for a Honda or any brand. This isn't 1988.

How much is an airline ticket to Chicago? You can buy Hondas here for invoice or below. I can't imagine this is the only area this happens.

CR-V EX w/AT for $20795 is a very doable price here. I think that even beats a similarly equipped Ford, or if not it is awful close. And the Honda's higher residual value will more than make up for the small difference.

silver_bullet · June 2004

See my message and link at post #1077 - I'll let you decide if it's something you feel like tackling.

rockycow33 · June 2004

CRV requires two filters, my Ody just one. After acquiring undesirable odors I have started changing my pollen filers at 15K intervals.

silver_bullet · June 2004

I have an opportunity to buy a clean 2002 LX AWD with just under 17K miles. Since it is an early production "Gen II" vehicle, I'm concerned that I might be buying a car full of problems that Honda worked out as they got more production under their belt. Anyone out there with good or bad experiences with an early '02? All info appreciated! BTW - dealer records show all recall items have been done already.

tntitan · June 2004

My wife's '02 EX was one of the first on the lot at our dealership and she loves everyhting about it. We have had no problems whatsoever except with the CEL for the O2 sensor and that has not been a problem for over a year. Currently have 47K miles on it and still haven't done anything to it except for fluid changes and tires. Brakes are still good. I am planning on a tuneup at 50K (manual recommends 100K) but I just don't buy into waiting 100K to change a spark plug.

nozzle_man · June 2004

I am having the same problems with my 2002-CRV. My trip to work is 20 miles with no stops, 60MPH the entir trip. When the weather is hot the engine loads when the compressor engages. A drop in RPM's is noticable on the gauge. The MPG of my CRV is getting wors by the month. This is the third CRV I have owned, and all the rest were exceptional cars. The Honda was taken to the dealer twice for this problem, and they can not find anything wrong. Can anyone make suggestions ?

Thanks:

mir · June 2004

I just bought 2004 CRV LX AWL, and noticed when looking up straight by the front weels, I can see car's engine and actualy I am also able to see through on the other side of the car. Shouldn't that area be more isolated/protected from the outside?

varmint · June 2004

Mir - No. There's no reason for that area to be "protected". Look under the engine on any car and you'll find a 10 sq. ft. hole under there.

cargeekish · June 2004

I own a 2003 Honda CRV EX AWD with about 10,000 miles on it. When i was washing it the other day i noticed a chip on the engine hood. I took a small wash cloth and wiped over it because i first thought it was some junk sticking on the paint, but when i did that more paint came off. Will this be covered by Honda's Warranty (I got a 7/75000 extended warranty as well) or will i have to pay out of my pocket? I am shocked that a Honda would start to peel so early. EVEN A KIA WOULDNT START TO PEEL UNTIL AT LEAST THE 3rd YEAR!!!(no offense)

rockycow33 · June 2004

you are correct, the paint should not peel. Is there any evidence of a repaint or repair prior to delivery? I would sure press the dealer and or Honda for a fix.

Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles