Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

the_breeze

Hello everyone I Had the good fortune of purchasing a 04 CRV in Feb of 07 with 13,863 original miles on it ! So far i enjoy and grow fonder of this vehicle more and more !

I now have 16,033 miles on it and from what the dealer has told me where it was sold new it had all of its services up till 15,000 miles according to their service schedule.

I went to the local Honda dealer and asked what the next service should be ? And was told a 3 year/60,000 mile service should be preformed on it to the tune of $355.24 I found this very odd. Is this the proper procedure ????

On their service menu it was the most expensive service they offer.
If you were in my position what type of maintence should be preformed at this age and mileage of the vehicle ???

This 'baby' looks and drives like BRAND NEW ! And has Leather seats to boot !!! Dealer had em installed. Plus alloy wheels and a roof rack ! This CRV is very very sweet !!!!!

Also should i ask the dealer about the A.C > compressor issue i have been reading about ??? Or call Honda America to see if they will do anything about the AC compressor issue, it seems like most of the compressors are going out around 50,000 miles or so !
With the mileage i drive it may take me 3 to 4 years to get there

Thanks for any info :-)

blueiedgod

I went to the local Honda dealer and asked what the next service should be ? And was told a 3 year/60,000 mile service should be preformed on it to the tune of $355.24 I found this very odd. Is this the proper procedure ????

A sweet CR-V like yours should have come with the OWNER's MANUAL. In the back there are two service schedules, one for Normal and one for Severe driving. Read what defines Normal and what Defines SEvere driving and then match the years or miles to the years or miles of your vehicle and go by that.

Dealer will always try to sell you stuff that you may not need, because service departments is where the dealership makes most of their money.

Happy Reading!

mikefm58

Also, I believe you can order an owner's manual on helminc.com. And you can also get the mainteance schedule at Honda's owner link website.

plim77

Blueiedgod-

I read a lot. Almost every post you've made you tell people to READ THE OWNERS MANUAL.

Besides being rather annoying, I think you missed the point. People write questions on here (I'm sure many of them seem dumb to you) because they want to hear what other owners have experienced- and you can't get that out of a book.

Anyone can read the manual... DUH.

A more helpful reply could have simply been to answer her question... Something along the line of "I don't think the 3/60k service is necessary yet" or "$355 is too much."

If all you're going to do is tell people to read the manual, then at least be more of a smarty pants and tell them what the applicable pages are.

Anyone else agree?

mikefm58

Anyone else agree?

No. Pointing someone in the direction of something that should be read anyway is good advice. Telling them the applicable pages is just a waste of time.

mtkelly

My wife and I are considering buying a new ('07 or '08) CRV. They seem to get good reveiws and their owners seem to be generally happy with them. I realize this question has a wide range of possibilies for anwers, but what can I expect for cost/yr for maintenance over say the first 3 years if I average ~10,000 miles/year? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Matt

tidester

You may want to take a look at True Cost to Own ratings at Edmunds while you're waiting for a reply here.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

the_breeze

I went to the local Honda Dealer inquiring about the cost of maintence on the 04 CRV that I purchased. They had a menu for the CRV all the way up to 120,000 miles broken down into intervals 5k -10k -20k 30k etc. Maybe your local dealer has something similiar to give you !
The total cost i.e. on my 04 up to 3 years 30,000 miles would run approx $487.61 not including whatever they may find that is needed above and beyond !!!!

Hope this Helps I really do enjoy the 04 CRV LX 2WD that i purchased, the more I drive it the more I "Like it "

And like i was sharing in my first post i found one with only 13,853 or so miles on it !!!! Its still looks and drives "Brand New" (what a find)

Can anyone else tell us what they needed on their CRV other than routine maintence for the 1st 30,000 miles ???

blueiedgod

Blueiedgod-

I read a lot. Almost every post you've made you tell people to READ THE OWNERS MANUAL.

Besides being rather annoying, I think you missed the point. People write questions on here (I'm sure many of them seem dumb to you) because they want to hear what other owners have experienced- and you can't get that out of a book.

Anyone can read the manual... DUH.

A more helpful reply could have simply been to answer her question... Something along the line of "I don't think the 3/60k service is necessary yet" or "$355 is too much."

If all you're going to do is tell people to read the manual, then at least be more of a smarty pants and tell them what the applicable pages are.

Anyone else agree?

Why not make it even easier and just tell them what they need instead of pointing to them the locaiton of information. (sarcasm)

The reason I preach the manual is because 90% of the questions asked on these boards are already answered in the manual. There is a reason why manufacturers spend millions of dollars writing and publishing these manuals.

Yes, I agree that people maybe interested in hearing what others have done BESIDES what the manual recommends. Then, the question should be addressed as such.

The OWNERs MANUAL is not always the gospel one should go by, but, in the least, one should know what the manual states. (Gen 1.5 valve lash adjustment intervals were wrong, Gen 2 and and 2.5 has erroenous DPF service intervals). But, if one knows exactly what is written in the OWNER's MANUAL, the one can easily argue with Honda over who pays for damages due to wrong information in the manual

Real life case 1: If Honda said in the manual not to adjust the valves until 90,000 miles on Gen 1.5, and the valves burned at 70,000 miles, one can argue that Honda is on the hook. but if one is clueles what the manual said, then he/she will end up paying $3000 for the new head.

Real life case 2: Honda published 60,000 mile DPF service on Gen 2 and 2.5. I told co-worker, whose vehicle developed "the groan" at 17,000 miles to go to Honda nad have them service it. He was asked to pay, because the schedule at the dealer listed DPF service at 15,000 miles. I smaked him on the head and pointed out that the OWNER's MANUAL stated 60,000 mile service interval. Had he known tha at the time he was presented with the bill, he would have successfully argued that it should have been done for free, since it is not scheduled service.

Besides, with the question asked here, OP did not state whether the driving conditions involve extremely hot or extremeley cold weather, short or long trips, whether OP uses the vehicle to tow, or haul stuff... So, how can one give any direction to a poster that did not include such essential information? OP knows exactly what conditions his/her vehicle encounters and can easily match those conditions to what the MANUAL recommends.

fnamowicz

I agree with you since most people who ask silly questions like when should I change my oil or how much air should I put in my tires don't know the difference between a valve or a potato, so referring them to the manual is the best thing.

phisher

If you have read most of blue eyes post you should of realized that 70-80% of the replies that he has made to the questions are answered by simply reading the manual. I think to many people are to lazy to simply read the manual and find it easier to post the question here. I don't find it annoying for him to say read the manual. I find it more annoying when people ask questions that are already answered in the forums or in the manual.

mikefm58

Can anyone else tell us what they needed on their CRV other than routine maintence for the 1st 30,000 miles ???


On my 99 CRV, nothing was needed other than the recommended maintenance as listed in the owner's manual. Even the original tires, battery, and brakes made it through that stage.

marksj

I read the owners manual when i purchased my 06 CRV awd and didn't see too many things major that had to be done till it got around 3 yrs ie brake fluid or the 90,000 mi mark.Well my CRV has 36,000 miles and it started making the groaning noise at turns.Took it in and dealer said the rdf needs to be replaced at 30,000mi(book says 90,000) and the trany fluid at 30,000 mi(book says 120,000)They get the fluids replaced and he hands me their maintanence plan which is way different than the manual.I now believe them about the rdf fluid but what about everything else such as Blistein oil passage@22,500 then every 15,000 and power steering flush@ 45,000 and brake system flush @ 45,000 :confuse: Also my manual lists inspects valve clearance at 110,000 miles who do i believe :confuse:

fnamowicz

Is this your first car? What the dealer showed you is his recommended service which is not required by Honda.
It,s up to you if you want this done, I wouldn't.

marksj

Not my first car at all.I have owned several cars before and have never done fluid replacements done as soon as my Honda needed it.I have owned several minivans with over 120,000 miles and have done fluid changes at a very higher mileage.Just wondering if there are any other things like the REAR DIFF FLUID that will plague the CRV :confuse: and what manual to believe about which mileage they should be done at.

blueiedgod

Not my first car at all.I have owned several cars before and have never done fluid replacements done as soon as my Honda needed it.I have owned several minivans with over 120,000 miles and have done fluid changes at a very higher mileage.Just wondering if there are any other things like the REAR DIFF FLUID that will plague the CRV and what manual to believe about which mileage they should be done at.

Although, I usually advocate the Owner's Manual... Reading the manual and then asking questions is better than not reading it at all and expecting someone to give you answers...

I would change the DPF (Honda Only!!!) and, if you have Automatic tranny, ATF (Honda only!!)at 15,000 mile intervals. The fluids are cheap (less than $4/qt), and easy to replace on a Honda. If you get DPF-II, then it can probably stay in there for 30,000 miles.

Brake fluid needs to be replaced every 3 years, regardless of mileage.

Power steering fluid (Honda Only!!!) and coolant (Honda Only!!!),if you have blue coolant, can stay there up to 5 years, I believe.

Brake slider pins and pads edges need to be lubricated with Molykote-77 every spring, if you live in the "rust belt"

Replace air filter and cabin filters once a year, or every 15,000 miles.

Change oil (specified grade, "thicker" oils are not better!!!) every 5,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.

Properly maintained Honda will reward you with years and years of faithful service.

mikefm58

"Usually" the best course of action is somewhere between what the owner's manual says and what the dealer recommends. Both have a financial incentive for their way. The less maintenance that is recommended in the manual makes that vehicle more attractive than its competition. The more the dealer can convince you what's needed, the more bucks in their pocket.

I'd recommend doing exactly what you're doing now. Start with the owner's manual but rely on other's experiences here and other fora. Good post just prior to this by blueiedgod.

marksj

This is exactly the kind of response i was hoping for Thanks so much and i will put this in my owners manual.Thanks again

adventuregyrl

Hi. Just a quick question I'm hoping someone can help me with, and yes, I did read the manual but will go back and read it again now that I have some more knowledge to start with. I've had my 07 CRV for 3 months and this morning my low tire light came on. After checking the tire pressue, (all were right around 27 psi) which indicated to me that it wasn't one particular tire, I began thinking it was because today was the coldest morning we have had in a while. I went to the dealer because I wasn't sure if I had to reset my light after I put more air in the tires. (my previous vehicle could be reset without a visit to the dealer) I did more put more air in the tires and the light went out. I am going to keep checking to make sure all of the tires are holding air properly.

While at the dealer I was informed that only the dealer can reset the system because it is electronic. I was told this was a free service while the car was under the warrany. Does this mean after 3 years (I have only the standard warranty) I would really have to pay to reset the system? I'm not happy that I would have to pay for something I have no control of (and the dealer suggested I should check/inflate tires monthly - does anyone really do that??).I would have to leave my car with the dealer because they didn't have time to do it immediately this afternoon and I assume that will be a common issue. Am I going to lose use of my car one day a quarter (estimate) so they can reset the system? Or should I just check the tires myself and ignore the indicator to save myself time? I was just curious to know if this sounded right or if anyone had suggestions with coping with the low tire indicator. I really only expected to see it when a tire was leaking, which may be the case. Also my tires were far from the 10-15 psi difference that should set off the indicator.
Thanks for any guidance in advance!

plim77

Most cars with TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) do not require the service dept to reset the system. I haven't had mine long enough to know whether or not I would have to pay for this once the factory warranty runs out.

For the last two Fall seasons, the light comes on when the temperature drops. The light should go out once air has been put in the tire and the car is restarted. In fact, this is really the only time I ever put air in my tires. (This is usually done when I get my oil changed an other maintenance services.)

I'm not sure why service departments don't seem to understand that checking your car in for service is a hassle. Just because there's no payment doesn't mean that you can afford to just drop by for several hours!

Sorry, blueiedgod, but your famous 'read the manual' thunder has already been taken. hahaha

adventuregyrl

Thanks plim77. I do think it was related to the temperature this morning. I'm in VA and we got down to the 30's overnight which is the first for the changing season.

If anyone has more info on how Honda operates their policy for resetting the TPMS - that would be great. I'm still going to run it by the dealer later tonight to make sure a sensor isn't malfunctioning. Sounds like this will just be an annoyance when it gets cold.

One other thing, my disc brakes on the driver side have lots of rust on the edges. (looks like a disc but might be the rotor?) The dealer said this was normal and that any grinding I may hear (but don't yet) would be the sound of the rust wearing away. It's only on one side so it seems a bit odd.

fnamowicz

No reason to reset anything.
Only reset by the dealer if the TPMS does not go out.
The Honda TPMS are some times prone to go on for no reason
just deflate a little then inflate to the proper pressure and the TPMS should go off.

thomasf

I just brought my 2007 CR-V into the dealer for a front wheel alignment and they told me that I would have to pay for it b/c it isn't covered under warranty...but the car is less than a year old and only has about 5k miles on it. I checked the warranty booklet and it says that wheel alignment isn't covered after 1 year or 12k miles. So, should I have to pay for this service?

crvme3

thomasf,

I think you answered your own question... If warranty booklet specifically states alignment is not covered AFTER 1 year or 12K... You state that you have now owned your "V" less than a year & have less than 5K miles... Than "no" you should not have to pay. Good Luck to you

thomasf

Ok, I had thought so...I just wanted to make sure I was reading the warranty manual correctly.

lkh1999

My 2001 Honda CR-V LX FWD has about 65,000 miles.

1. Whenever I get home from work (12 miles of driving one-way with freeway and local), I can sense a burning smell after I step out of my car. I cannot sense this burning smell inside my car, and I have never sensed this burning smell before. The burning smell does not smell like burning rubber, rotten eggs, old gym locker room, etc. I cannot tell what kind of burn is that. I haven't brought my car to the dealer for this problem yet. Any idea what's wrong with the burning smell?

2. In my last visit to dealer, they told me that both sides of the rear trailing bushings had some cracks on them and recommended to replace them for $660. I haven't noticed any vibration or noise from my car.
a) If I do NOT replace the cracked bushings, will the cracks on bushings cause any permanent, serious problems to my car in the future?
b) For $660 to replace both the rear trailing arm bushings, is it a rip-off?

Thanks,

kiawah

The dealer would not cover an alignment, if it didn't see any symptoms caused by an out of aligned vehicle.

chivas1

Hello,

I live in northern California , in the East (San Francisco) Bay Area -- weather wise it gets to lowest to 30 and highest up to 105 ...only rains, never snows....

...I have an 07 CRV EX AWD and would like to ask 2 questions...

1)the manual states to use 5W-20 Motor Oil....Can I use Mobil 1 5W-30 Synthetic Oil or should I stick with the recommended weight of 5W-20?

2)Are there any other brands of Synthetic Oil others have used and are fond of?

Thanks in advanced

chester07

My 2006 CRV vibrates between 45 mph and 55 mph for the first 1 mile or so from a cold start. It is more pronounced during a cold weather. Once last January I thought I had a flat tire and had to pull over to check. Change in RPM has no affect. I can feel some vibration at higher speed but not as much.
I suspected the tires and replaced each tire with the spare one at a time, but no change.
I bought it last November and has 9,000 miles now.
I hate to take the car to a dealer just for this problem unless I really have to since I'll most likely have to leave the car overnight.
BTW, probably not related to this, but I cannot get better than 23.5 m/g no matter how I drive (city/highway combined)
Any help will be appreciated.

lzc

My impression was the automakers lowered the recommended oil viscosity in newer cars primarily because of a slight gain in gas mileage. But others have told me that tighter engine tolerances now make the better flowing 20w oil the better choice.

I'm doubtful that 5w-30 oil in mild California weather would make much of a difference. But, I guess, the question should be "Why not follow Honda's recommendation?" What's the gain here? Is the slight cost difference worth the risk?

cdamech

Check the Rear Differential. The Dealers know about this problem. Manual says to change fluid afer 90K Km but I had to change after 27K Km in Canada and this Web page is full of people with 2006 / 2007 CRVs with the same problem. Honda is keeping this quiet and only fixing when brought to their attention. I think they should completely redesign and do a recall. For that reason, I will not keep my current 2006 CRV on lease after it is over the lease.

flightsimmer

Hi,
Purchased a 2007 CR-V in June. Today (11/2/07) it has 7200 miles and it's oil life is 30 percent. Do I need to change the oil now or can I wait until maintenance "wrench lite" minder comes on? Thanks.

chester07

Thanks, CDAMEC.
I'm aware of problems associated with the rear differential, but I noticed my problem within several days of driving with only about 100 miles.
BTW, the tires are BFGoodrich Traction T/A Specs.

I'm thinking of swapping four tires with my wife's 00 Oddy which has the same zise wheels and tire - any thought on this?

chester07

I noticed this topic since it was posted while I posted my vibration problem:

Is there a way to make sure the oil change shop put 5W20 not 5W30?

And If 5W30 was put (by mistake or cheating), will it be just a matter of lower gas mile or will there be a mechanical problem?

I live in Chicago area.

lzc

>>Is there a way to make sure the oil change shop put 5W20 not 5W30?

Short sending the oil to a test lab, I doubt it. Are Chicago area oil change shops known to be dishonest? (Just joking)

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. I still think the change was mostly to capture a slight gain on the EPA mileage test.

terryp1

I, too, thought that the call for 5W-20 rather than 5W-30 was simply a way to squeeze a bit more gas mileage (while also squeezing away some engine life.) But I was disabused of that notion by the guys at my local high-quality repair shop. I do most of my own work but go to them when I need something extraordinary done on one of my cars. The dealer's mechanics sometimes kiss off assignments and do shoddy work. Shops like the one I'm talking about have no captured clientele like the dealers have, they live on word-of-mouth, which means high quality or no work. (BTW, I now have '07, previously had '05.)
They researched it and say the reason for the lighter weight is Honda's self-adjusting valves. If you know engines, you realize that's getting into some awfully sophisticated stuff. The weight difference in the oil is enough to throw off the correct adjustment for the valves. Who'd'a-thunk?

plim77

> Is there a way to make sure the oil change shop put 5W20 not 5W30?

If there is a question to the integrity of the oil change shop, then I wouldn't go there again. As for the 5W30, I doubt there will be much of a problem, especially now that it is winter and it's the "5W" part of the 5W20 that matters.

116549

Would you recommend using a K&N air filter in a 2002 Honda CRV EX? I know they dont gain a ton of hp, but do you think it would be a good idea for a small power gain? Also, where is the fuel filter located in the CRV?

kay1864

I have a 2004 LX, 48K miles. I keep the climate control on recirc almost all the time, to keep out Atlanta traffic fumes. This is whether the A/C is on or not.

In the past several months I've noticed fumes seeping in anyway, whereas when it was new, there would be none. A few months ago I had the cabin filters changed, but it didn't help.

Could this be a seal or gasket that needs to be replaced? If so, what do I need to tell the mechanic needs replacing? Or is this an in-dash DIY? (I put in the tweeters in the dash, so I'm moderately capable)

muaoo

When I turning left (not right) while driving, my 05 CR_V making a rubbing noise. Dealer fixed it by adjusting the engine position. But the noise still exist. It used to making a noise when turning especially left before stop for parking, and this problem has been fixed after changing rear differential fluid. Thanks in advance for any information.

stupidhang

Can you post a picture of where the handbrake is for crv 2008. Thanks.

rrbhokies

I've had similar issues with the low tire pressure warning on my 2007 on cold mornings. Turns out, the tires weren't low. However, I topped them off, but the light remained on for a few days, and then it went out and hasn't come back on. Guess it kind of has a mind of its own.

I did have another cold morning issue though. Temps around 30 degrees. Unlocked the rear hatch, but when I opened it, I could hear the motor trying over and over to continue to unlock.

Further, when I went to close it, it didn't want to latch. Had to shut it several times before it latched. Seems like the cold weather was affecting the rear hatch latch and locking mechanism. Strange since it was only 30 degrees (with frost).

Wonder what new fun things even colder weather will bring for the CRV!!

mojo123

Is it normal to have differential fluid change/refilled.
my car is relatively new 11500 Mile(s), went to dealer to check up, he suggested for differential fluid change/refilled.
He said fluid is on back order & will replace in 2/3 week.
(is it recommended to drive till that point ?)
What is the cause of this problem, is it common ?
if not what should i care in future to prevent it to happen?
thanks
Mojo...

thegraduate

I've looked at several CR-Vs on my dealer's lot and noticed, even when turned off, the tach is pointing to anywhere from 1,000-1,400 RPM, indicating that the tach apparently stayed in place when the car was turned off. The same issue (is it a problem?) is affecting some 2008 Accords as well from what I have read in the Accord forum.

Has anyone else noticed this or experienced this?

user777

yeah, i believe it's been determined that the service interval on the rear differential requires updating. i think there was a TSB on this and it's possible it will be done under warranty for you. yeah, evidently people have experienced quite a change after the fluid has been changed.

sorry i can't find the actual TSB for the earlier model years.

when i was searching, i came across this for a range of japanese made '07s:
http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/A07-021.PDF

116549

Would a K&N air filter be a good purchase if I wanted a little more power in a 2002 CRV?

user777

doubtful. i'd opt for a clean air filter, running a bottle of fuel injector cleaner, and maybe a new set of sparkplugs.

truro_rob

hi peeps , got a 1999 cr-v stick shift with a no starting problem , and wanted to pick peoples brains on likely faults ok has been fine uptill one day i stopped at a set of traffic lights and it just stopped running , got a tow back to home done some investigation but before wripping the car apart totally this is what i have found , spark is good , cam belt newish and not slipped , no fuel going to injectors , checked the fuel pump in the tank and in car does not work , removed tested off car and works fine , so i would say problem either fuel pump relay (as fuse is ok) ecu or wiring fault ? anyone got an idea on most likely cause ?

thanks in advance

kiawah

When you say the fuel pump doesn't work in the car, but it does out of the car.......did you put a voltmeter on it and determine that it is not getting voltage to run? If so, back up thru the wiring diagram to meter where you are loosing the power.

Mr_Shiftright

Don't think it's worth the risk or hassle, no.