Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

isellhondas · March 2005

These to burn out quickly. I gave up on them after having them burn out too often.

98accordex · March 2005

I've used the Philips Vision Plus for more than two years in my Accord and really do provide a noticeable improvement. It states 20% but seems like 50%. Also bought for my Dad's Accord and likewise he was impressed. Highly recommend!

wen · March 2005

I just purchased four new 16" genuine O.E.M. Honda alloy wheels (dealer take-offs which were removed from a 2005 CR-V) for our 2004 CR-V EX. I figured that since the stock Bridgestone tires that came on our '04 are the absolute worse tires I have ever "experienced" and wanted to replace them a week after we purchased our new CR-V, that I might as well look around for 16" O.E.M. Honda alloys and buy four brand new 16" tires. I see the 2005 CR-V's come stock with 215/65 R16's. I want to purchase a "one-up" size of 225/60 R16 which will actually have the same diameter as the original 15" tires (26.6" - 783 Revs per mile) but they will be a wider 7.3" tread width (vs. 6.5") as well as wider 8.9" section width (vs. 8.2"). Any comments and/or information from someone that has already done this ??
Thanks !!

kyfdx · March 2005

Do you know the width of the new '05 16" wheels? Are they 6.5"?

You are correct.. the 225/60-16 is a better fit in overall height than the 215/65-16...

bob05 · March 2005

Apologies to veteran posters, but a search on "oil change" yields a lot of hits on...you know what.

How many people actually stick to the recommended 10,000 oil change interval (not to mention the 20, 000 recommendation on the filter)?

Our saleswoman really emphasized NOT changing the oil until 10,000 because of the presence of an important break-in additive. I'm now at 3000k and already itching to change....

Bob

PS: if there is a standard FAQ or something on this, I'd be happy to read it.

wen · March 2005

I made the "assumption" (a bad thing to do) that the 2005 16" alloys are 6" wide, the same width AND OFFSET (+50 mm) as my '04 alloys, just a larger diameter. I just purchased them (eBay) late Friday and they were just shipped out today and I have not received them yet. I have asked many times before on THIS board and others about "wheel compatibility" and have gone around in circles, probably because no one is "nuts" as I am and willing to "play wheel swap" ?? Actually one of the threads I started (last year) was asking about five Genuine O.E.M. Acura Alloy wheels I purchased. Now THESE five alloys are 16" x 6.5" with a +55mm OFFSET. They are "absolutely perfect" condition, brand new NEVER used (still have blue plastic on them) Dealer "take-offs" from a brand new 2003 TL. They are the really nice looking 5-Spoke SILVER (not gray paint like most) Acura wheels. I specifically purchased these for a 2000 TL I once had but sold shortly after purchasing these alloys. Just per chance I hung on to them and when we bought our '04 CR-V this crazy idea came into my head of using THEM on the '04 CR-V !! I was told that the +5mm offset difference (which is ONLY +.19") was just enough to cause "rubbing and interference" when used on an '04 Honda CR-V !! By the way, I STILL have 'em !! I will be very, very anxious, once the 16" ('05 CR-V) alloys arrive this week, to compare ALL THREE rims.... ('04 CR-V 15", '05 CR-V 16" & '03 Acura TL 16"). I still can't "see" how just .19" more (+ offset) would make a difference ????

kyfdx · March 2005

Just my $.02..

I stick with the 10K interval on everything else, but I do oil/filter changes every 5K.. This works well for me.. because:

1) I grew up with 3K oil changes, and can't bear to go farther than this.

2) It puts me at the dealer every 4 months, meaning I rarely have to buy washer fluid, tires get rotated, etc, etc...

I can't imagine changing the oil without changing the filter... for an extra $10, I would never skip that step..

regards,
kyfdx

wen · March 2005

I too am from the "old school" (60's/70's muscle car GearHead) and I changed the oil & FILTER (1st change) in our brand new 2004 CR-V EX at 5,100 miles. That was long enough for the "break-in oil" to do it's thing. I used Mobil1 0W-20, a genuine Honda oil filter & new drain plug washer. We are nearing 10,000 miles and I will change oil/filter/washer very soon. Living here in Central Florida has hot days as well as very cool nights, making lots of condensation in engines, as well as stop-and-go driving on the many crowded turnpikes. I am lucky enough to get genuine Honda oil filters for around $4.40 and Mobil1 oil on "sale" for around $4.00 a quart, and do MY OWN oil changes. The $22.00 (and 1 hour labor) I spend every 6 months is a small price to pay to keep my vehicle running smooth and clean.

mikefm58 · March 2005

What ever way you decide to do, just make sure you're within the mileage and time limits in your owner's manual to protect you're warranty. And save ALL receipts. There's been some posters lately claiming certain manuf. "suck" because they've had problems but no maint. receipts and have to prove the work was done.

bigeaux · March 2005

Drove a CR-V LX '05 a few days ago. Having read about the PTTR thing here, I was definitely on the look out. I did a total of 7 full stops/starts, and had it up to about 45 mph at one point for several seconds.

I experienced what I would call "torque steer" once when accelerating hard. Evened out as I let up. Letting go of the wheel completely while at speed, I didn't feel any type of drift that I hadn't experienced before on other vehicles.

If we're talking about a pull that results in a car changing lanes in a second or two, then no, I experienced nothing even close to that.

Puzzling phenomenon.

bshel · March 2005

steve, I had experienced pttr on my 2nd Accord (4cyl EX AT), so although I had "ordered" my '04 CR-V EX 5spMT, I did wait the couple weeks until it arrived before I went to dealer to test drive and then take delivery, negotiations all taken care of prior. I had driven a used CR-V MT which had pttr and a very rough shifter, so I was watching for a few things upon delivery. I had no issue with pttr then or now (and the shifting of the used V may have been due to prior owner's shift style) so I had the live and learn as well. the dealer was able to correct the pttr on my previous Accord.

hawaiicrv · March 2005

I've been reading through these posts as I'm set for arbitration re: lemon law on my vehicle April 6th. I purchased the car last October, noticed the problem as a weird tugging the night I drove it home with and without the VSA on (I live down a 5 mile cliff that descends 1200 feet on twisting roads). When I took the car in 2 days after purchasing it (to get its care package coatings done) I asked them to check the alignment as it pulled to the right. When I picked it up, driving home I almost caused an accident going forward from a top light with BOTH hands on the wheel and at slow speeds (it lurched so hard right that I almost hit the car on my right).
The technicians agreed from the start that there was a problem when I initially took it in. After 3 alignments, which all came back saying car was fine, rotated tires, checked tire inflation, suspension, etc. (with the dealer doing all of this and I've not had the car in my possession since 10/22/04 as I refuse to pick it up because it is unsafe to drive.) I was told as some other members were to get used to it that's the way they drive. I refuse to accept this as I've never driven a car that does that. We tested it on flat surfaces (to rule out crown issues) and it still does it.
I was surprised to hear that Honda told some of you that they had never heard of this problem as I opened a case with Honda and my dealership did the same with Techline way back in October of last year.
Frightening to me is that in their manufacturer's statement I just received for arbitration they claim they applied the 2002-3 tech bulletin re: dampers/struts, etc. which they DIDN'T do and if they did without letting me know, it didn't repair the problem.
So I am requesting a full refund and taking my money elsewhere should I win. I'm also planning to file with the NHTSA when arbitration is over.
I trusted Honda and feel really let down - this was supposed to be a happy event. But I beg to differ that it is okay to design a car that pulls to the right. That's ridiculous. And where I live, we have triathletes on the road, roads with huge drop offs, etc. so it's a serious safety issue.
I will post my results of arbitration and agree that maybe it is time to make Honda take responsibility for poor design. I've driven for almost 30 years with a clean record, no accidents. We are commercial fishermen, so I've driven pretty much everything from old farm trucks, to luxury vehicles, commercial fish trucks, and my 2004 Ford Escort wagon, which at a mere $10K back then, is safer than this Honda as the Ford drives straight with or without hands on the wheel.
What a disappointment this has been. And I know that some of you think we are blowing up the situation, but trust me, when you almost hurt another person because your car pulls hard right, it's a very serious matter.

varmint · March 2005

Hi Ejw,

Take a gander at this article. It's likely that this explains the whine you are hearing.

varmint, "Honda CR-V Owners: FAQ" #3, 22 Nov 2003 12:10 pm

chuckles · March 2005

I got my CR-V EX in June '04. Now have about 7000 miles on the clock. Lately it seems to me that the engine has become a lot noisier than when new. This plus the noisy tires make for an unpleasant ride. Am I being picky about the noise or is this something I shouild be concerned about.

varmint · March 2005

Tire noise is pretty much a given. Especially with the stock tires.

However, engine noise with the 2nd gen CR-V should not be an issue. Every one I've driven has been very quiet. I can't diagnose a noise over the Internet, but, if the sound has increased significantly, I'd take it into the shop.

hankiepoodle · March 2005

Hi there. I just joined this group as I'm doing my own research after having spent money at the dealer with no diagnois/solution found. My 98 CRV starts like a charm in the am, adn almost 98% of the time. Sparks on immediately even when bitterly cold outside. I drive about 45 minutes to work. Leave 5 hours later. THIS is when I have a problem. Happened all four afternoons last week - I did not think it would catch (just started doing this last week). Finally it reluctantly turns over (sounds sickly is the best way I can describe it) and off we go, no problem from there on. I have never had it stall on me while driving, by the way. This same problem happend about 4 years ago and I was told it was the ERG valve or something like that, and I felt it was repaired. Dealer here said that it could not be that now nor it shouldn't have been the problem before. They could find nothing in their testing or in their "let's try it every hour and see if we can catch it in action .." trick. Of course the car didn't cooperate with that game. Any ideas? Am I explaining it clearly enough? I have 108K miles on it. Other than this problem now and a few years back, and other than the uncomfortable seats, I'm pretty pleased with it overall. I love it in the snow, it's great off-road, and I can fit three dogs in the back very comfortably.

Just thought I'd throw in a kind word or two. Thanks for any insights. H

steve royal · March 2005

hawaiicrv,

I hear ya bruthah. Sounds like you are on the Big Island...living down Captain Cook side? I'm over on Oahu and I also filed for arbitration under the Lemon Law. I have not received a date yet. I'd love to talk to you about your arbitration and how you plan to approach it. I'm not sure what kind of evidence that the arbitrator will allow in but you might want to file your complaint with NHTSA before arbitration. You may have read my multiple posts on the PTTR (lurching) in this forum. Your story sounds like my broken record. I bought my CRV in November on Oahu and it sounds like our two vehicles were out of the same mold. Keep us posted on the arbitration. If you would like to talk before, I would welcome comparing Honda stories and helping each other out. Let me know. Steve

bigeaux · March 2005

To hawaiicrv and steve royal,

Maybe try comparing VIN numbers?

http://www.vinguard.org/vin.htm

varmint · March 2005

varmint, "Honda CR-V Owners: FAQ" #13, 11 Feb 2004 12:04 pm

For VIN decoding a la CR-V.

thirdof4 · March 2005

My 04 that was purchased in 2/04 and now has about 12,800 on it, also has increased engine noise. Used to be quiet and smooth sounding. I plan on taking it in to the dealer (rather than locally) for the next oil change and have them take a gander at it. The original tires are awful and are already wearing out... Not looking forward to the expense of replacing them so soon but am looking forward to better tires.

steve royal · March 2005

Thanks Varmint for the VIN info.

hawaiicrv, my VIN is JHLRD68595C00****. Let's compare to see if the location of manufacturer and other info match up. Maybe the people on this Board can start to narrow it down as to where the faulty vehicles originated. Honda probably already knows where the faulty vehicles were made but I'm sure they plan on keeping it a secret while the Lemon Law arbitrations wind their way through the system. Steve

mrstrajan · March 2005

This seems to be a new issue to the board - my 202 CRV rolls a foot or so after I put it into Park. You can actually see and hear the gear shift click into place after you take your foot off the brake. It happened after some recall work was done on shift cable. The maintenance guys say its "within the range of normal" but I disagree. anyone else out there had this issue?

armand · March 2005

Good practice is to put the emergency brake on, take your foot off the brake (to let it roll until the emergency brake takes hold and then put it into park. This saves strain on the transmission.

mblinteris · March 2005

Want you toknow that my car with the same intial complaint now has 10,700 miles and it is not better...it gets worse. Have you done anything about this?

ebml · March 2005

Hello. Okay, my situation is a little complicated, but I'll do my best to explain. I would appreciate any of your input.

I have a 2003 Honda CRV with 50,000 miles. I have brought it in for all it's scheduled check ups and have never had any problems until....

A little over a month ago I was hit by a drunk driver from behind. I was at a complete stop at a red light. It was a "hit and run" so i never did find out how fast he was going...I'm assuming about 40mph. He was going fast enough to cause my car to hit the car in front of me. Anyway, everyone is fine but my car has suffered. There was 9000 dollars worth of damage. The reason I'm telling you about the wreck is because it might help you understand more about where the car was damaged. Mostly the back door/trunk area and some of the front bumper. At least that's all that was visibly damaged from the outside.

Sooo, my car was towed to the shop that the insurance company reccomended. It stayed there for three weeks. I pick it up and all seems fine except the air conditioning and heater are not working as well as they had, but I really didn't want to complain about it and wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not.

About a week after I had gotten it back from the shop I notice the temperature gauge is on the H, so I immediately drove it back to the shop that fixed it, about 10 miles from where i noticed the temp gauge on H. When I arrived, the mechanic checked it and added some water to the engine coolant. He said that when they replaced the engine coolant there may have been an air bubble giving a false reading of it being at the correct level. Soo, I say okay and i'm on my way with the temp gauge back to normal.

However, I forgot to mention the air conditioner to him, but I did mention it to the insurance adjuster whebn she called. She said that maybe it was low on freon. So I told her that it was due for a 50,000 mile check up and that I'd get the freon checked then.

Well, about two days later I noticed that my car sounded "louder" than usual. Again, was i just imagining this? No, a day or so later it was really loud then it would go back to normal sounding then get loud for a few seconds then sound normal for 20 min etc. The following day(today) I'm leaving my driveway to bring it back to the shop and it's REALLY loud and then a sort of crash sound. The car still ran and the air conditioner blew air, just not cool air. (I live in South Louisiana)

So, when i get it to the shop the mechanic said it was the compressor, but was puzzled as to how the wreck would have caused the compressor to fail. So, I said well maybe it didn't. I did not want to have the insurance company pay for something not caused by the wreck but I had a hard time assuming otherwise. The insurance Co. did not want to pay for it at first, but they gave in and are. But I'm still not comfortable with the whole situation especially taking into account the whole overheated engine situation.

I did a little research on air compressors and why they fail and here are my concerns:

1. Did the original mistake with the engine coolant, thus an overheated engine, cause the compressor to fail? If so, are there going to be other problems cropping up from this first mistake?

2. Is it just a coincidence that my compressor went out around the time of the wreck? If so, what caused it? I read that if you don't get to the root of what cased the compressor to fail, the new compressor will fail as well.

2. If it fails again, who should be held resoponsible? The insurance co of the guy who hit me? The mechanic? Me?

---I would rather get the answers to these questions from someone other than the mechanics. They have really been nice and i do not want to insult them. If I start asking questions they will think that I'm questioning their work, which I'm not. I think that they did a good job, but I still want to get to the root of the failed compressor.

Thanks,
ebml

hawaiicrv · March 2005

Hi Steve -
Glad to have someone else in my corner! Sorry it's for a not so fun reason, though. My VIN is JHLRD68505C0000***. According to the service manager here, those last three digits are supposed to be the number of the car off the line. I filed for arbitration mid-January and got a date for 4/6, but we started hearing from the DCCA in mid-February. Let's see how this goes, shall we? I'll talk to my attorney about filing with NHTSA - wasn't sure if I should wait or not. Thanks for your help.

steve royal · March 2005

hawaiicrv,

You may want to have your attorney look at the NHTSA complaints also. I, too, am an attorney and I wouldn't mind talking to your attorney. Ask him if it's OK with him. Just give me his last name if it's OK as I'll be able to locate him in my Bar Directory or if he prefers, he can give me a ring. I assume he is on the Big Island. I'm sure Honda is getting all their troops together so it doesn't hurt for us to do the same. Let me know how I can help. Steve

hawaiicrv · March 2005

Not a problem - use the name Jung, that should do it and they can refer you to my attorney at the office. Is there anyway to trade our email addresses here without making them public so we can discuss this off the boards. My brother is also an attorney and will be helping me right before I go in (he's from Calif.). I agree that we should start joining up here to take this on since Honda has been unwilling to face up to the problem.

steve royal · March 2005

hawaiicrv,

I asked the Board monitor if she can do the e-mails for us. When she responds, I'll let you know. I see a F. Jung in Kona in my Bar Directory. I assume this is the one. Let me know. If it is, I'll give him a ring and we'll figure out a way to communicate off the Board. Steve

hawaiicrv · March 2005

That should be the one - his wife, Carol, is doing the footwork with me. FYI, I'm a sistah! Buying this car was my husband's idea, car make was my choice, though (he's feeling pretty awful about it now!).

steve royal · March 2005

hawaiicrv,

Sorry about the gender confusion seestah. I will call the attorney tomorrow. If you want, let them know to expect a call from me. Steve

pricelister · March 2005

I just picked up my '05 CR-V SE today. I bought the longer Honda (made by Thule) roof box. At 65 mph, I can barely tell it's there. After listening to aftermarket rack systems, I will use the factory set up from now on. Just thought I'd share.

bob05 · March 2005

Thanks.

Does that apply to just the roof rack (cross bars) too (I mean the noise)? I would add a bike rack or perhaps a shell later.

Bob

emsee · March 2005

My old style 01 CRV with only 30,000 miles on the clock makes a binding/rubbing type noise when turning right only with the steering wheel on full lock. It is sometimes not there and also not so noticeable if i go slow. It became noticeable 2/3 months ago and has seemed to be been getting worse recently. Any ideas please?

varmint · March 2005

Could be a CV Joint. Does it sound like it's coming frmo the front or the rear? Does it ever happen when turning to the left?

Also could be the RT4WD fluid needs replacing. Is your's an AWD model? If so, check out the link below.

varmint, "Honda CR-V Owners: FAQ" #3, 22 Nov 2003 12:10 pm

emsee · March 2005

Doesn't happen when turning left and 95% sure it's coming from the rear

varmint · March 2005

Then I'm 95% sure it's the rear diff fluid. It's an easy fix. Just like changing oil or transmission fluid. Read up on that link for details.

to4ecrv · March 2005

well i actually had the same exact problem butthe solution to my problem was i changed the spark plug wires,plugs. the check engine light kept flashing so i went to honda-tech where i found a website that hosted the codes for the check engine light and the reading i got was misfiring in cyl 4 . suggestion was before taking to dealer to try replacing the wires and plugs which also give you the smae diagnosis as a bad cyl . here is the website hope this helps you out http://www.londonautoclub.org/html/tech_info/Honda_CEL_Codes.htm

emsee · March 2005

Thanks for advice. If it is the rear diff fluid how urgent is it to change it? Also is any damage being done when it starts making that groaning type noise on full lock?

websterchik · March 2005

i bought 2005 honda crv less than 3 months ago. right away heavy foul smell from rear right of car. gas usage poor. less than 18 overall mpg's. then 3 weeks after purchase check engine light went on and off by itself 2 times. code problem relating to air/fuel metering. honda repaired. mpg remain unchanged and poor. last week, at about 5500 miles and about month and a half since honda repair check engine light came on and off again.code again related to air/fuel metering. car is currently being repaired at honda dealership. defective intake manifold valve i am told. they will continue to analyze the car for further problems. at first oil change our oil was quite dirty and smelled of fuel. anyone having similar problems or have any advise?

varmint · March 2005

How long has it been happening? It's not an urgent thing, but I wouldn't let it go for more than a month. The fluid is wearing out, but it's not like an engine running sans oil.

mantra · March 2005

Just got a new 2005 CRV-EX with the 6 cd changer. Anyone have a problem with some of the tracks skipping sometimes?

michellej · March 2005

I own a CRV 2001, which now has 81,000 miles. I recently noticed that when I was idling, the engine was kind of rough. This prompted me to bring it in for a valve adjustment, as I had a similar problem at about 57,000 miles (and adjusted my valves at that point). Anyway, I just got back from the dealership where I get my auto work done. They told me that a) they were unable to adjust one of the valves b) I should not be driving my car much at all, as the valves may burn and ruin the engine c) that the likely cost of repair is going to be $3000. They were able to adjust some of the valves, such that I don't noticed the rough idling, and so said I would be OK to at least drive home. Needless to say, I am extremely unhappy and upset. I have been getting regular maintenance done at the Honda Dealership.... it's not like I've been neglecting to attend to the Valves at all. Is $3000 for real? I have NEVER had such a problem with my previous Honda (an Accord). I'm not even sure what to do at this point, whether it's worth it to get it fixed, or whether I should give up on this vehicle and try to buy a used Toyota with whatever money I can get for it. Any advice or thoughts about my problem, would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
michelle J.

jd27 · March 2005

I am searching for the most direct instructions on how to remove and replace the micron A/C filter on my 2001 CRV.I know where the slot is located that houses the filter, but there happens to be a bracket blocking me from simply pulling out the old filter. Any suggestions would be appreciated (before I go dismantling my whole dashboard)

theracoon · March 2005

a bracket blocking me from simply pulling out the old filter.

The bolts holding the bracket on are 10 mm. I remove all of the bolts from the left end, then loosen all of the bolts on the right and remove enough of them then I swing the bracket down out of the way enough to remove the filter.

emsee · March 2005

Thanks for advice on this. I spoke to my local Honda dealer here in the U.K. about it and it is a problem that is known to them. They are not recalling the autos but if you tell them about the problem they will replace the rear diff fluid free of charge if the auto is under 5 years old! Hope this info is useful to U.K. owners.

sosborne301 · March 2005

I just bought a new 2005 CRV yesterday. The buying experience was great. After reading the posts on Edmunds, I made sure to test drive the CRV I was buying. There was no pull to the right, which was a relief. I looked at all of the CRV's and asked to drive the one that had the dead-on straight steering wheel. The cars also have a sticker inside the drivers door jam which tells you when and where the car was made. Most said Oct 04 or Nov. 04. The one that had a straight steering wheel said Dec. 04, which was the newest one they had on the lot. I'm in Maryland and all were made in the U.K. I love the car, but found the XM Ready radio misleading. I went home that night and tried to convert my current XM radio subscription to the Honda and the car I got did not have this option even though the radio has an XM button on it, etc....very frustrating.

armand · March 2005

Its XM ready meaning that you have to buy and have installed a XM unit that works with your auto radio - available from your friendly Honda dealer. Yes it is misleading.

isellhondas · March 2005

Not misleading but the salesperson did a poor job of explaining things.

armand · March 2005

Doing a poor job of explaining things is misleading even if not intentional.

Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles