Honda CR-V Owners Accessories & Modifications

kyfdx

When 911's were air cooled, they took 11 quarts of oil... At least you got a lot of oil for your money..

regards,
kyfdx

stevedebi

My dealer uses Castrol. I get my oil changed there becasue they are cheaper than the oil change places.

icvci

11 quarts of oil! That's crazy. Of course, I haven't owned anything bigger than a 4 cylinder since 1986. I never thought about oil capacity from a conservation stand point.

kyfdx

All cars are air cooled... What most people call water cooled, have antifreeze/coolant running through a radiator, then through the engine block. The old 911 was really oil-cooled.. The oil runs through a radiator and then through the engine.. Both are cooled by air running over/through a radiator.

The 911 actually held 14 quarts... but, only 11 would come out in an oil change. Not related to the size of the engine, though.. It was only a 2.7 litre flat six..

regards,
kyfdx

llofgren

Anyone have a picture of the Putnam or Hidden Hitch on their 2nd Gen CRV?

varmint

Just an FYI, Putnam only sells a class 2 hitch. It does fit the CR-V, but it's still only going to work as a class 1. Hidden Hitch has a true class 1. I've got one on my 1st gen CR-V, but only because I couldn't get my hands on a Putnam in time for a road trip I was making.

crvex

my wife keeps complainning that the head light for our new 2004 crv is not bright enough. is the optional fog lamp a good choice for this problem? if so, how much should be a reasonable for me to pay the dealer?

thanks

tomk17

crvex, wow I'm not the primary driver of our V but I'm always amazed at the excellent headlights when I do drive it. Anyway, I've seen several posts here saying the foglights ARE very good on the V also. They may be worth it to keep her happy! Don't know if they are easy to install yourself.

kizhe

About Fog lights: Regular CR-V lights are very good and bright, but they are directed forward (where you suppose to be looking while driving . But sometimes you need extra lighting on your sides (like on windy narrow driveways or sides of the road during bad visibility). Honda fog lights give you vertically flat but horizontally wide beam.
During fog they will be looking beneath the fog and show you the road, sides of the road, and dividing white lines.
You may use them for extra lighting also, but in forward direction they do NOT add too much light.
Fogs switch located on the left of your steering wheel, illuminated (green) when ‘ON’. Fogs are ‘ON’ on Low Beam and ‘OFF’ on High Beam.
I paid about $450 installed at the dealership when I bought my EX.
If you are able to install fogs yourself you may buy them online @ about 1/2 price (installation instructions provided). IMO Honda fogs worth every penny spent. Some people are spending much more $$ on absolutely worthless auto gimmicks.

crvex

it took me a hour to install a cd player and 4 speakers in my 93 civic coupe. compare to that, do you guy think i can install the fog lamp myself or i better pay the dealer extra $$

crvex

never mind,14 pages instruction!!!. i think i will pay the $$

angkays

sorry if this has been discussed before..
but has anyone installed steering wheel volume controls on a cr-v? if so, how much does it run?
thanks

bshel

I have read that some have done this, but it doesn't seem to be an easy DIY.

Looks like the 2005 will have this feature.

stevedebi

It can be done, by ordering the parts for the Odyssey and then running the wires back into the stereo. Cost of the parts can be had by calling a Honda dealer and asking the parts department.

You have to remove the airbag, most of the center trim, and the radio. You also may have to trim up the mounting bracket a bit. Also, I'm not sure if the Odyssey comes in a "saddle" interior color, so you may end up with a black switch on the left side.

llofgren

I am looking to get the Hidden Hitch and install it for my '04 CRV. Anyone have a picture of that hitch on their Gen 2 CRV? (Gary_William?) Installation hints?

Thanks!

jfigueroa1

I drive a cr-v 02 well same thing lol. I did installed the hidden hitch with no problems at all, it was easy did it myself it will take the same amount of time to do the hitch than to do the elec wire. Well I do not have any pic of the hitch but if you want let me know your e-mail and gladly I will take and send pics.

kay1864

I emailed cheaphondaparts.com to try and buy this, and this was their reply: "The answer to your question for retrofitting the steering controls on the CR-V, is no. It can not be done. The wiring harness comes prewired from the factory to the Odyssey and it can not be purchased."

Well dang. And HandA-accessories says they are limited to the items listed, so I can't get it from them.

Do you know for sure this can be done on a CR-V? And any chance you can direct me to installation instructions (possibly for the Odyssey) that would give me an idea as to how to route the wiring harness, where to connect it on the head unit, etc.?

And perhaps an online source for the controls and wiring harness?

Sorry, I know I'm asking for a lot. I'm a cheap DIY-er :-)

Crossing my fingers!

stevedebi

Here are the part numbers, you have to get them from a dealer:

switch= 35880-sox-003za $20.92
Bracket=78517-s5d-a61 $1.48
screws=93893-04010-07 $0.57 x2

The TH rules prohibit me from posting a URL with instructions. Please go to my site, www.greenshouse.com, and send me an E-Mail for more information.

kay1864

Fantastic, thanks!!

gary_william

I will take the camera out and take a few shots this afternoon. I bought mine on-line here

http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Sto- - re_Code=E&Product_Code=60952&Category_Code=H

the only two hard parts are that you need to remove the muffler hander and bend it a little so that it sits out of the way. It is a simple friction fit rubber spacer that slides onto a nubbed bracket. A little elbow grease will do it. The second hard part is that the holes in the frame were not quote big enough to accept the bolt head, so a "convincer" aka hammer and chisle were used to elongate the frame hole to let the bolt head fit through.

The kit comes with a wire that is used to hold the bolt in place during installation. The drawback of this system of installation is that it is very difficult to remove the hitch and then reinstall it since the bolt is inside the tube frame and removing the nut could allow it to push up into the tube frame and make rattling noises so bad that you sell the vehicle. I am sure that the same wire installation system could be used to remove the bolt, but it would be a delicate operation.

This hitch uses three connection points, being two in the frame rail and the third is the tie down loop under the bumper. I strongly recommend using lock washers (not included in the kit, sadly) to secure these bolts in place, as I had the third connection point bolt rattle loose and fall out, allowing the hitch to swivel on the two frame bolts, which bent that frame area slightly. I fixed it as soon as I found out, and pray that no other damage was done.

This hitch was about $100, but there may be less expensive ones out there. The unfortunate thing is that it is a class I receiver with a 1.1/4" mount, and many good accessories are for a 2" receiver. They make a 2" receiver that fits the CRV, but because the vehicle has such a light towing capacity and tongue weight, a 1.1/4" receiver is structurally sufficient.

shooterd

Has anyone installed or even seen one of these wider armrests yet? They list them and their instructions on the Honda Accessories site, but don't have anything but the diagrams to see what they look like. I know that if I end up purchasing a V, I am going to miss having a center console. All of my cars have had them for the past 15 years or so and I've gotten kinda used to leaning on that cushioned elbow rest. LOL I'd like to read about how they look/function. Thanks. :-)

bshel

shooterd, if you reveal an email address for you in your profile, I'll send you some further info on a couple options for wider armrests. I don't think I'm supposed to refer another site here.

icvci

You can refer to another site, but not another message board.

rsholland

Are there any good sites/dealers to get CRV accessories? I'm looking to find a black cargo cover for my daughter's new CRV. I haven't even started looking yet, any idea as to what one might cost? And a good place to purchase it?

Bob

Karen_S

Handa (link at the top) has quite a few happy customers...myself included. I purchased some items as a Christmas gift for my brother-in-law and was very happy with the price and impressed with the service. If you scroll back a few pages, I believe you'll see some references to other sites offering CR-V accessories.

varmint

I've done business with HandA and I'm a happy camper. Send me an e-mail and I can send you a few sites for comparison shopping. The OEM retractable cover runs about $140.

If you're looking for other practical accessories, I'd recommend the Element's center armrest with storage, or the leather steering wheel wrap. The wrap is good for giving the wheel a nice chunky feel.

Most importantly, you should bring the owner up for the Honda SUV Olympics in July.

dondada

Comparison shop with hondacuraworld.com. Have found them quite reliable,cheaper and they also offer free shipping. Genuine Honda accessories. Cargo cover can be had for about $130.

kizhe

I would like to have a good looking spare wheel cover. I checked "H & A Accessories" and the like
but all covers look ugly to me. They all look even more ugly then the stock one I got. For example, cover for Toyota RAV looks good. I would like the one which can get painted (black). The CR-V's paint able one with the "right wing" looks really ugly. I would not take it even for free... . Yesterday I spot Honda CR-V with a nice painted spare cover (white). Looks like it was a Honda's product - it had a large HONDA logo on it.
I never saw anything like that before. Anybody have any info about it?

bshel

sounds like the imported one from Australia - look at collegehillshonda.com

varmint

Kizhe - I bought the generic "grey" hard spare tire for about $150, then spent another $30 for Sebring Silver spray paint and clear coat. It's much cheaper than the $300 some places ask for the body-colored spare cover and it's not hard to do.

I'd suggest finding one that you like (the RAV4's, if it will fit) and paint it yourself.

kizhe

I checked collegehillshonda.com .
Looks like the Body Colored Hard Tire Cover:
08U50-S9A ($279.00) is what I want. They currently do NOT have Black color. GOLD color looks great. But I need Black. I'll call them and ask. Thank you.

jeffgriz

For a 2004 CR-V, is the WeatherTech bug guard installed in pre-existing holes or is it a 3-M tape mount?

wen

We will soon be picking up our new '04 CR-V EX (Mojave Mist) and want to purchase (tan) FLOOR MATS as well as a (tan) Cargo (rear) liner. Unfortunately genuine Honda only makes BLACK and we need TAN. With my '00 Acura TL (recently sold) the WeatherTechs I bought fit GREAT, but in our '03 Acura MDX the front WeatherTechs are about 2" too narrow and the rears (two universals that "link together") had to be "kluged" and "cut-up" to fit. In both vehicles the cargo (trunk) liners fit excellently. ANY SUGGESTIONS for the '04 CR-V ??
Thanks............

theracoon

According to the Honda website, the CR-V will come with color coordinated carpeted floor mats. If you're talking about rubber mats, WeatherTech makes both floor mats and cargo liners for the CR-V in the Saddle (tan) color.

wen

Yes, when I said RUBBER floor mats I meant the kind WeatherTech -or- Husky manufactures. Like I wrote, the WeatherTechs, although nice, pliable, heavy duty ribbed rubber mats, are always a "compromise fit".... that is they are CLOSE but always off a few inches in width or have a different "cut out".... unfortunately they are NOT cut for the EXACT model vehicle.... somewhat of a "universal, close enough" fit !! The HUSKY is actually "molded" a lot closer to the vehicle's "floor pan" but they have such an "industrial" look to them !! I am hoping for some FEEDBACK from someone reading this, that indeed HAS either the WeatherTech -or- the Husky's !! Thanks !!

tomk17

I have the Huskey cargo liner in black but I believe they make grey and tan as well. Its held up fine. It's probably less "rubbery" than I expected but fits fine and has a 2" lip. It was about $20 cheaper than the Weather Tech which has a 3" lip. If I get more than 2" of bad stuff in the back, the mat will be the least of my worries.

wen

Luckily as Service Manager (small town Chrysler Dealer in CT.) I "see" many vehicles every day, unfortunately very few Hondas and fewer Acuras. I actually drove a one year old Dodge Durango yesterday that it's meticulous owner installed all HUSKY "molded" floor mats and trunk liner. I examined them carefully and I was NOT impressed. From the wear I assume they must have been 8 to 12 months old and already were badly "distorting", that is the side lips on ALL mats were bending inward and the ALL the centers were depressed and distorted. Looked like someone cut down RubberMaid dishpans. The good thing is that Husky Mats are custom molded to the specific vehicles, but overall the stiff plastic/vinyl "industrial look" construction and turning in side lips just made them look like "cheap junk". Although the WeatherTech's are "universal" and may not fit as exacting to every vehicle, they are so much thicker and the rubber contruction has the ribs and "molded squares" to actually trap the dirt and water. I guess I have answered my own question .....
Thanks .....

varmint

Thanks for sharing your findings Wen!

matthew633

Just some info. for those of you considering installing a hitch to haul a bike rack. My initial goal was to be able to haul more than two bikes if possible, but I didn’t know what the limitations of the CR-V would be. Due to the tongue weight limitations of this particular SUV I was told that I couldn’t transport 4 bikes on the back of the vehicle but that 3 bikes should be okay.

Hitch installed: After a lot of research (talked to U-Haul, which specializes in hitches for trailers, and Honda headquarters, which by the way only installs a 1-1/4” hitch, not as strong as a 2” hitch, but was still an option), I ended up going to a local company in Orange County, California (they were VERY knowledgeable) that installs standard as well as custom hitches. (*NOTE: While the 2” hitch is stronger than a 1-1/4” hitch due to the tongue weight limitations of a CR-V it CANNOT tow as much as a 2” hitch normally does.) I went with a 2” custom hitch (cost apx. $100 more than their standard hitch), with the horizontal piece place mostly inside the back bumper so it is less conspicuous – looks great! The hitch receiver was installed FLUSH with the back bumper so when the back door is open you don’t hit your leg.

Bike rack selected: Sportworks - TranSport Series with locking device, which has a ratcheting quick-load (RQL) system for 2 bikes. Very easy to operate. (FYI, I can always install a modular piece to add a third bike to the rack and still not exceed the tongue weight requirements.) In order to clear the rear tire of the CR-V an extension piece was also required and installed to the bike rack. I’m very happy with the bike rack, it’s very durable, and one person can easily lift the “2-bike” version. Also, if you use the rack often you can leave it attached in the upright position and still see out the back window (not sure if you can do this with the “3-bike” version).
Keep in mind that when the rack is either in use transporting bikes or in the upright position you CANNOT fully open the back door of a CR-V because the back door is not as high as in some SUVs, however this bike rack (like many) has a pin with a hinge that allows you to temporarily lower the bike rack so the back door can open.

Result: With the smallest rear seat folded down I can tow 2 SMALL-frame bikes in the cargo area and another two regular bikes in the rack on the back of the CR-V. I have room to transport 4 people.

I’m sure I could have saved some money here and there on this installation but am very satisfied with my choice. Good luck to those of you researching the same thing and hope you find this information helpful.

hkjcrv

I am thinking that I should install splash guards on my new 2004 CRV. I wasn't going to order them right away, but now I'm thinking that I probably should so that I can install them before the wheel wells get too dirty. My question is... do splash guards increase the chances of the wheel well rusting? It seems as if the splash guards would allow more dirt, salt and sand to be trapped in between it and the wheel well, eventually causing rust. Is this true/not true/don't know?

Thanks

wen

After purchasing three Acuras that all had four mud/splash guards factory installed, I just purchased a new '04 CR-V EX this past Saturday. I haggled the Honda Dealer down very low on the price and then I had the nerve to ask for "free" wheel locks (remember 5 - spare tire lock too) but decided NOT to push the issue of "free mud/splash guards", so I ordered them Tuesday from HondaAcuraWorld and got 'em yesterday. I will be installing them tomorrow (Sat.)
As far as your conceren for dirt/salt getting "trapped behind"........ remember, when your CR-V is "new" the undercoat is still soft and pliable. When you install these front mud/splash guards (when new) they will nicely "mold into" the soft undercoat and make a nice "seal". I could be wrong, but I strongly feel there is noting to worry about trapping contaminates behind them, and as far as their benefits, man the "road spray crap" that sprays up against the nicely painted body, especially in Northern Winters, will be far, far reduced and deflected by the mud/splash guard.
ORDER THEM, put 'em on........
-and- Have a great 4th of July weekend too :-) !!
Wen

hkjcrv

Thank you, Wen... it helps to know that you have installed them on other cars and didn't have a problem. How do they look once they are on the car? The way that they are designed is not an eye sore, correct? It's kind of difficult to tell from the photo on the web site. I guess I'll just order them and see what happens... I suppose chipped paint and dings is more of an eye sore than a splash guard in the wheel well!!

What is HondaAcuraWorld? I've been looking on handaaccessories.com. I will have to search the internet for HondaAcuraWorld and compare prices. I'm also thinking about eventually ordering the rubber floor mats (again for the darn winters we have up here!), a cargo net and perhaps even the leather steering wheel cover. I'm amazed how much $$ is saved just by going to handaaccessories.

Thanks again, and have a nice 4th of July weekend as well!

theracoon

The Honda splash guards I added to my '99 CR-V are definitely not an eyesore. They blend right into the rest of the moldings and look fine, especially since the rear wheels come with splash guards already installed.

There are many online stores where you can get accessories and parts for your CR-V. H and A prices are pretty competitive. Definitely get the leather steering wheel cover. It significantly improves the feel of the steering wheel and makes it more comfortable.

kyfdx

While there are some cars I wouldn't put them on because of aesthetics, I've put them on 3 Accords, 2 CRVs and 2 Acuras.. The factory models look good, keep your car clean and have no negative effect on rust, paint..etc.. I'd get them...

regards,
kyfdx

drive62

Take a look at your wheel wells. They are coated with a rubber like substance (name escapes me). Very little chance you'll get rusting there with or without the splash guards. The guards are more for keeping dirt off the body of the vehicle.

So did I miss something? Last posts your vehicle had not arrived, now you have one? Or are you just being proactive. All the accessories will arrive in three days so no real need to preorder.

hkjcrv

So did I miss something? Last posts your vehicle had not arrived, now you have one? Or are you just being proactive. All the accessories will arrive in three days so no real need to preorder.

Well, when I ordered the splash guards this morning, I was being proactive. However, turned out that a couple of hours later, I was surprised by a phone call from my dealer saying that my CRV had in fact arrived! My nightmare while dealing with the dealer is officially over. I picked up my beautiful blue CRV this afternoon and I am in love.

Thanks for all of the support when I was waiting everyone. It was actually a surprise to me that it came today, I was thinking I wouldn't get it until at least sometime next week. Instead, it came just in time for the holiday weekend. I guess it all worked out in the end, it was just rough getting through the waiting part!

wen

Hello again hkjcrv,
ALL the Acuras I ever purchased already had all four mud/splash guards on them, I think factory installed, but the Honda Accords ('90 EX Coupe & '95 EX Coupe) as well as this new '04 Honda CR-V are the ones I ended up installing the additional ones. Although thay are fully functional and I think 100% necessary on these vehicles, I really would have liked to have been able to purchase (or have come standard) FACTORY PAINTED ones that matched the body color, especially on the Acuras. Toyota does this on their Solara and others, and man does it look sharp !! They use a special paint, and perhaps a slightly stiffer vinyl/rubber splash guard, but it stays on forever. DON'T tell me to buy a can of paint and paint them because it just is NOT the same thing. Anyway, go to this link and not only can you get great selection and prices, but you can download GENUINE Honda factory instruction sheets:
www.hondacuraworld.com
Weekend (4th) has started........ are we having fun ????? Enjoy !!

jmolinsky

Folks,

I just had a great experience with handa accessories so I wanted to share. I decided to purchase the air and cabin filters for my wife's 2003 EX from them this year as they were less expensive (even with shipping) than hondacuraworld.

Well, the filters arrived Tuesday but the box was extremely damaged (fine job by UPS). As a result, the cabin filters were partially crushed (air filter was fine). I sent handaaccessories.com an e-mail yesterday morning about the issue. I received an e-mail last night from them stating not to worry about it and that they were sending out replacements to arrive by Friday. I then got a shipping confirmation/tracking e-mail and it shows the parts will be here on Friday. So, not only did they send out the parts the same day, they also upped the shipping to two-day rather than ground even though none of it was their fault. They even said to trash the damaged filters as it wasn't worth the time/cost to make a claim with UPS.

Now that's dang good customer service. Anyway, I was just impressed and wanted to share. FYI, I had purchased items from them previously (1/2003) and that went just fine. Now, if only UPS doesn't damage these as well....

maryclover

Has anyone used their roof rack with a soft carrier? I was looking at the Weathertech Roof Sack. My only hesitation is that it appears to sit on the roof and not on the rack. How much weight can my roof hold and is this a good idea?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Mary

kizhe

Define "soft carrier". What does it mean?