Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • rockycow33rockycow33 Member Posts: 76
    The 04 CRV LX automatic goes for (no accessories) $19,515.00 MSRP. One dealer I know is listing his last 2004 for $18,387.00. That is out the door not including tax and license.

    The Digishield and Environmental Package can be described as Dealer Markup.
  • coolchidcoolchid Member Posts: 33
    As I was driving home on Thursday, I suddenly felt that the A/C did not seem to be blowing cold air into the V - putting my hand in front of the vent confirmed this, so I turned the A/C off.

    Friday a.m. I called my dealer, and was told that they couldn't fit me in til Tuesday! When I explained my situation, they said I could bring the car in, and if they had time, they would take a look at it and they would give me "alternate transportation". So I took it in and left it, and they got me a rental car ('05 Toyota Corolla - BOY, do I miss my V!!).

    They called last night and told me that the "A/C compressor had blown. Caused by some probably defective part somewhere in the system." They will have to get parts in to replace the whole A/C system and it might not be ready til Monday or Tuesday.

    The funny thing is that Thursday was my 6 month anniversary of owning the V. We made it through the first oil change just fine and now this . .

    Has anyone else experienced an A/C failure in an "04 V?

    Is there anything I should be checking for when I pick the car up?

    Thanks for your help,

    Norah
  • gary_williamgary_william Member Posts: 52
    OK so I have run across the greatest dealership in the history of time, or better said would be the greatest service department in the history of time. Town and Country Honda in (Barre) Montpelier Vermont. They replaced the pads, rotors, bearings, and hub on my '03 EX. Well, they had to replace all of that since the rotors were rusted in place and they had to use a cutting torch to remove them! So they gave me a nice rental car, rather than making me wait, and did all of the work under warranty. I had to bring it back for a tweak, and they did this as we waited, priority-like.

    I know that this is the type of service that one Should receive from a dealer, but it is rare today. Now-a-day someone gets applauded for doing their job to an average level, not for excelling. Regardless, I felt very well taken care of by them. Kudos, T&C Honda.

    Now... I have a 'pong' sound coming from the suspension. It soulds like when one charges and then releases a big metalic spring *pong* . I hear it when turning the wheel to the left or right and articulating the suspension, such as by driving over a curb or turning sharply to go up a hill in city traffic. My wife hears it, too, so I know that I am not crazy.

    Oh, and the check engine light is on. They tell me it is due to bad sensors, but we'll see. I'll report back when I have information.
  • formrbankrformrbankr Member Posts: 10
    The driver's seat on my recently purchased '04 CR-V is causing me quite a bit of lower back pain. I have never had a back problem before and am wondering short of selling the vehicle what if anything could be done. Are others experiencing similar discomfort? Thanks for any advice.
  • abcde10abcde10 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 03 CRV with the OEM security system installed with the dealer. It has some problem recently. I checked previous posts on this forum and found seems that it was in "manual" mode before and switched to some unknown mode accidently. The symptom is that when I turn off the key, and get out of the car, the LED start to blink very fast. When I push the button on remote, it blinks normally. But in either case, if I open a door, the horn just dosen't honk. Is that kind of "valet" mode as I read in some other posts?
    The dealer never give me owner's manual for the alarm. Can anybody kindly tell me how many modes the alarm have and how do I switch between them? Loooooot of thanks!
  • cybernut04cybernut04 Member Posts: 98
    Yeah, I feel your pain ... literally. I didn't have any problem on the test drive, but on the drive home (actually, the ride home, since my wife was driving), I just couldn't get the seat and my back on a neutral setting - no matter what I did, it hurt my lower back. That continues today, more than 6 months later.

    People have suggested putting the seat back in a straight-up position, and that seemed to help my back a little but I found that it also messed up my legs a little.

    I've tried a McCarty's SacroEase car seat insert from the Healthy Back Store (you can find them online), and it helped my back, but the thickness of the back of the car insert pushed my too far forward in the seat, and my right leg started to hurt. I ended up returning the insert.

    I've tried a homemade cushion my wife made of foam rubber, and that too helped a little with the lower back but started to affect my shoulders.

    The best thing I've found so far is a hand towel folded in such a way as to "fill" the middle of the lower 4" of the seat. I can drive (or ride) locally, but anything over 50 miles or so and even the towel doesn't work.

    Meanwhile, I've started receiving chiropractic "adjustments" that seem to be helping. Guess the CR-V helped me to realize I had some lower back issues I wasn't aware of!

    Most people with CR-Vs don't experience this lower back pain, and as far as I know, it isn't related to either height or weight -- I'm 5'10" and 155 lbs -- not exactly oversized.

    The CR-V is the first vehicle I've ever ridden in that has caused me pain like this, and this pain is one of the reasons (the fires being the other) that I've started looking around for something else.
  • autosaurus1autosaurus1 Member Posts: 7
    I've posted on this subject a few times before. Its a VERY uncomfortable car. I dont have back pains either but after driving this car 70 miles per day I do now. The only thing I can say about it is that after 15,000 miles on my '04EX I'm starting to get used to it. It's just a VERY unHonda like car. BTW, my wife loves the seats but she doesnt drive it nearly as much as I do. I also didnt notice it on my test drive!
  • formrbankrformrbankr Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for the responses. I've tried the foam padding with no results and I would probably have a similar problem with an insert as I'm 6' tall. It does not sound too promising for me. Therefore here's my next question. When I check Autotrader and Cars.com I notice dealers listing various used 2004's CR-Vs' with prices in excess of the MSRP. Are there gullible consumers out there? If buying a used vehicle how much dickering is going on? How much is my car worth? I checked the Kelly Blue Book and the trade in value is $19,300 ( I assume the vehicle to be in excellent shape as I only have 1,800 miles on it.) Should I expect to get this on a trade-in?
  • eskuratoeskurato Member Posts: 3
    Hello,
       I have a '04 LX 4wd stick and almost since I have gotten it I have noticed that the gas pedal is way too sensitive when coasting. If I let up just a tad it is like the brakes are being applied and if I gently press down on the gas again it lurches forward. This is very noticable (and unenjoyable at slow speeds) and is not really noticable above 60. It seems to be slighly worse going down hill but is still very present on flat roads. I haven't seen the dealer yet but I get the feeling I am going to get the blow off. Any ideas?

    thanks

    john
  • eskuratoeskurato Member Posts: 3
    Whoops make that an EX. I have been reading about a similar complaint with the automatic transmission but has anyone had a similar experience with a manual? Thanks again..
  • theracoontheracoon Member Posts: 666
    I don't know the exact numbers MSRP 20690 + tinted glass $190; $ 275 digishield; $ 995 environmental protection package for a total of $22,175. The salesperson quoted me a great price of 19153 on the CR-V. I new that was a good deal. I had calculated around 19,600 (excluding profit). I know that digishield and EPP are way overpriced. Several minutes later he came to me and said that he made a mistake and forget to add the options. I don't know if he did that on purpose and really made a mistake. We agreed on $20,400. I asked what digishield and EPP were and he briefy described them.

    I've never heard of digishield, but a Google search found a company that makes something that might be what you got. It sounds like it's a film shield that's applied over the paint to protect it. I wonder how much of the vehicle has actually been covered.

    As for the "environmental protection package" I have no clue, unless your state requires some sort of extra fee. But what exactly did they do that cost nearly $1,000?

    The change in price from $19,153 to $20,400 is awfully suspicious. I'd have demanded the vehicle at the agreed price and refused the environmental protection package and digishield.

    The only way to know for sure what you got would be to go back to the dealer and ask for details in writing of what the digishield and enviromental protection package were.

    :)
  • cybernut04cybernut04 Member Posts: 98
    One thing I forgot to mention ... someone else suggested to me that back exercises can help, and my family doctor gave me 8-10 fairly simple stretching exercises to do for the lower back. And when I remember to do them, they seem to help a bit.

    You asked about the value of your CR-V. I, too, checked Kelley Blue Book for the Private Party Value: "...represents what you might expect to pay for a used car when purchasing from a private party. It may also represent the value you might expect to receive when selling your own used car to another private party." The figure for my CR-V, with automatic transmission and 6000 miles (as of yesterday) in Northern Virginia is $22,115.

    The Trade-In Value given is $19,800.

    I've never sold a vehicle or traded in a vehicle that was this new before, so I don't have a clue whether the figures above are accurate or not.
  • drive62drive62 Member Posts: 637
    Is this your first Honda? Or first Import? IME domestic vehicle continue to coast when you let off the gas. Hondas and imports in generally actually slow down (which is what I want my vehicle to do when I take my foot off the gas).

    On the occasions I have a domestic for a rental I always notice this difference.

    So the bottom line is there is nothing wrong with your Honda.
  • eskuratoeskurato Member Posts: 3
    My 87 Honda CRX and Civic don't do it. It is not a smooth deceleration/acceleration but very abrupt (like the car is not getting enough gas on deceleration).
  • gfxguygfxguy Member Posts: 18
    Disclaimer: I don't own a CR-V, but I'm planning on buying one so I read this forum occasionally...

    That said, I do own two Hondas and in the past couple of years have had bad mid-back problems (mid to lower back... I consider lower back to be just above the tailbone, where you might injure yourself lifting something by bending your waist and not your knees).

    Anyhow, I was in agony and couldn't figure it out until one day, while driving home in my '93 Civic, I rolled up and stuffed my jacket behind my lower back - the pain went away almost instantly. Since then I've discovered that Hondas have virtually zero lumbar support. I have the same problem in the Odyssey, too... the seats in which are even more spartan than the Civic.

    The third pary lumbar pillows are too thick and with the seat all the way back my knees are up against the dash board. The only reason I'm sticking with Honda is because I'll either have more space in the CRV or I'll get a thinner pillow...
  • ripple4ripple4 Member Posts: 8
    I recently had my first oil change @ 10,000 miles
    based on the manual for my 04 CRV Ex. I noticed the tech put a sticker for another oil change @ 13000 miles.
    The manual has it @ 20,000 miles
    Should I change it @ another 3,000 or can I wait
    for another 10,000
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Should I change it @ another 3,000 or can I wait
    for another 10,000 "

    Find a different dealer, they are either ignorant or crooks.

    Use either 5000 miles (severe) or 10000 (normal oil change interval.
  • eepers14eepers14 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 CRV and I am having problems with whistling/whining noises coming from the front. Have you got this problem fixed????
  • kathgipkathgip Member Posts: 39
    Hi, I was on vacation for the last 10 days and it has taken me a long time to skim the posts and get somewhat 'caught up'.

    I have a question - any recommendations on alarm systems? I am going to Canada for a week and I NEED an alarm system. (our previous vehicles have been broken into 5 times in Canada). Which is the best bet, factory alarm system, or one from a Car Toys type store? Will that affect warranty at all? The dealer wants about $100 more for a system that is similar to a Viper alarm. Is it worth going for the factory alarm? I really appreciate any info and advice. Thanks.
  • juliajulia Member Posts: 74
    My CR-V just had an accident today. When I drove slightly over 35 MPH and slow down into a long right turn lane, The car suddenly jerk to the right and total lost control to the right side road. It happened so fast that I did not even know what happened? The next thing I knew after I came out from the car was the passenger wheel hit the curb and front bumper scratched by a pole. When I managed to drive the V to a Honda dealer, they notice the front passenger side of wheel bended back.

    Before that happen, a couple weeks ago, the CR-V started to have extra noise when I press the accelerator paddle when the speed is between 30 to 40 MPH, especially when close to 40 MPH. The extra noise sounds like the sound Bee made. Once it is over 40 MPH, the sound will disappear. I made a complaint to a Honda dealer a week ago. And they did let one of the technician sit into the car when I was driving. But every time I heard the sound and he said he did not. So he said he could not fix the problem if he could not hear that. I agreed with him he could do nothing if he could not hear the noise. So I said I will bring the car in when the noise sound become louder.
    Anyone experience this kind of problem? Could these two related? Any info is helpful. Thanks. Julia
  • juliajulia Member Posts: 74
    By the way, the technican who took ride with me said he notice a transmission change everytime I signal I heard the sound.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    From sharing my opinion here...:)
  • coolchidcoolchid Member Posts: 33
    What part of Canada do you go to that you have suffered 5 vehicle break-ins? Do you leave things out in full view to tempt the crooks?
  • coolchidcoolchid Member Posts: 33
    I commend you on your restraint and control!!!!
  • autosaurus1autosaurus1 Member Posts: 7
    Julia, its hard to say if the sound and accident are related .. not sure anyone can tell you that ..but.. if you were in a turn and hit a dip in the road it's possible for the car to "lurch" over. I haven't had that problem myself with my CRV. (one problem I havent had) but I owned a Explorer that was awful in that regard and did come close to causing a few accidents..would never buy another Explorer (2 door Sport)for that reason..very unsafe car. Sounds like you need to get rid of that car and find something else more to your liking. Nothing worse than owning a car you hate. Good luck
  • kathgipkathgip Member Posts: 39
    Coolchid, to answer your question re: all our breakins -
    Our son went to university in B.C. and lived in a suburb of Vancouver (which by the way, is the breakin capital of North America for cars). He parked in the apt. parking lot and was very careful to keep nothing in the car in sight or of any value. He got the door lock jammed 3 times with a crow bar that destroyed the drivers door and it had to be replaced all three times for about $1500 each time. Luckily insurance paid.
    My husband does business in Vancouver, B.C. and when he was parked in the lot of a fancy restaurant, the trunk of the car was crow barred open and his brief case was stolen, along with the brief case of his collegue, both had their cell phones in them.
    And then the fifth time, I was up visiting my son and parked in an underground parking lot that had a security guard cruising around. My rear window was smashed in and some things under the passenger seat were stolen.
    There is a joke in Vancouver that you should just leave your car doors open and the windows down, because no matter where you are, or how careful you are, you will have a break in.
    I am very careful to hid everything, so it was not negligence. And Vancouver is the only place we have had break ins in our 35+ years of driving.
    I still need input on alarms, since I am going to B.C. in Nov. for a week and do NOT want my V broken in to. Thanks.
  • muxamuxa Member Posts: 16
    I can see changing your oil every 10,000 miles if you drive that much during a fou month period.However arent you asking a lot of your oil filter.Your oil filter should be changed at least every 7,500 miles or sooner,also remember that if it takes you the better part of a year to drive 10,000 miles than ignore the manual and change your oil at least every four months.
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    "Anyone experience this kind of problem? Could these two related?"

    First I've heard of it. And anything is possible.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,983
    How is the alarm going to stop the break-ins? No one that I know responds when they hear a car alarm, because false alarms happen so frequently...

    Unless you are going to be constantly in "hearing range" of your car, and not sleep all night, it seems like a high expense, just to visit Vancouver... At that price, I'd just rent a car, and pay the CDW.. That way, someone else's car gets torn up.

    Plus, you won't have to confront a burglar with a crowbar.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • coolchidcoolchid Member Posts: 33
    I'm really sorry to hear of your troubles in Vancouver and that I don't have an answer on the alarm issue for you.
    I was born there and lived there for the first 25 years of my life. My family still lives there. My Mom lives up by UBC & my brother and his family are scattered from North Van to Delta. I have never heard of them or their friends experiencing a break-in.
    The worst I've heard was during the recent gas price dramatic increase, (now their gas prices - those are criminal!) was that my niece had filled her Jeep up one night, and went out the next a.m. to find that the full tank had been siphoned.

    I'm afraid that alarms are not the answer to break-ins, as the sound of car alarms going off has become so common that passers-by ignore it. The best deterrent is to not leave anything in the car that looks inviting (which I acknowledge, you are doing), and always park in a well-lit, populated area.
    Wishing you a safe & incident-free visit to Vancouver!
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    According to their website, LoJack has not yet begun operations in Canada. You might want to see if that has changed recently. While nothing can stop thieves from breaking into a car, it can increase the potential for recovering it without damage.
  • juliajulia Member Posts: 74
    Thanks for your post. One person from Honda service and my colleague also mentioned I could hit the dip on the road. But unfortunately I left right away without check.
    Actually I am getting use to the the CR-V though still feel high road noise and my lower back pain. Have not thinking of sell it now. If I sell, I will either buy Toyota highlander or Hundai Santa Fe.
  • refereeguyrefereeguy Member Posts: 20
    Julia, I am glad no one was hurt during the sudden jerk to the right.

    I have heard both the Highlander and Santa Fe have VERY comfortable seats and are VERY quiet.
     
    I have also heard that they are selling them VERY cheap right now.

    Probably a perfect time to trade in the CR-V.

    I am thinking the resale values on CR-V's will fall off the face of the earth with all the bad fires and such.

    Good Luck, let us know how it all turns out. ;-)

    Refereeguy
  • matrixva1matrixva1 Member Posts: 21
    A butt ugly car:)
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Are quite strong and I expect they will remain so.

    Most prospective buyers wouldn't be worried about the slight possibility of a fire.

    If Julia had bought a Sante Fe and then decided she didn't like it, the resale value would be a MUCH different story! As used cars they are VERY slow movers.
  • kathgipkathgip Member Posts: 39
    Thanks for all your input. Maybe I am an optimist, but the reality is that after my son got an alarm system for his vehicle, he never once got broken in to again. His wife also put in an alarm in her car and it never got broken in to again also. So maybe it is the flashing light that makes a fast crook think twice, and since crooks are lazy, they want an easy hit without any attention drawn to themselves. Or maybe it really does work. I don't know.
    I love Vancouver, it is a beautiful city. I got married in Langley (which was about 5000 when I was going to college up there - and now it is over 100,000) at the justice of the peace 33 years ago. So B.C. is special to me.
  • richk6richk6 Member Posts: 87
    My annual milage on my 02 EX is only 4000-5000 miles. I change my oil every six months. The milage will be between 2000-2500 miles every change . Is this OK? Any harm to changing at low milage, but strictly based on time? Thank for responses.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,983
    No harm at all.. I think you could easily go to an annual interval, but what the heck.. You are only spending $50/yr on oil changes now, so not much to worry about.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • refereeguyrefereeguy Member Posts: 20
    isell, did you see the wink and my tounge in cheek?

    Refereeguy
  • theracoontheracoon Member Posts: 666
    I change my oil every six months.

    You should be fine. If you check your Owners Manual, the change intervals are mileage OR time. My '99 CR-V, for example, has change intervals of 3,750 miles or 6 months (severe conditions), and 7,500 miles or 12 months (normal conditions). Your Owners Manual also defines the difference between "severe" and "normal" so that you can decide which change interval you should be using based on your driving habits.

    :)
  • autosaurus1autosaurus1 Member Posts: 7
    I'm not so sure that if you told your customers that the CRV has a higher chance than most of catching fire due to an oil change they would say "ah, no problem I'll buy it anyway".. I wouldn't have touched it had I known.

    Again, this is a nice car.. not a great one and while I'm glad for the high resale value, I cant figure out why it's so high! - must be riding on the Honda rep!
  • cowboy2cowboy2 Member Posts: 11
    Must be the reputation of the Honda name. So far no fires, noise, jerks to the left or right or back pain. It actually works like I had envisioned. What a concept!
  • cybernut04cybernut04 Member Posts: 98
    "Must be the reputation of the Honda name. So far no fires, noise, jerks to the left or right or back pain. It actually works like I had envisioned. What a concept!"

    I've had (almost) three out of four: no fire, but I think I came close when the technician at the dealer put a double-gasket on my CR-V during its first oil change; lower back pain, but I think the "adjustments" by my chiropractor are starting to help; and noises - rattles that I've experienced (tho perhaps not so soon) with just about every vehicle I've owned. But, I've had no problems with the CR-V pulling or jerking one way or another, no problems with the power windows or locks, etc., etc.

    I think that for the vast majority of people looking for a small SUV, the CR-V is a fine choice. I sincerely wish it had worked out for me.
  • surfactantsurfactant Member Posts: 36
    i have the same problem with a rocking seat in a 2002 crv-ex had it fixed 3 times rocking returned 3 times any fixes available to you!! di ya get a new seat
  • coolchidcoolchid Member Posts: 33
    Now that you mention it, my brother installed a "flashing light" in the dash of his early '90's Toyota pick-up. No alarm, only the flashing light to mimic it. Since he uses the truck for his own business, and often has VERY expensive (exotic import) car parts in the cab, a break-in would be very costly and inconvenient. So far, the flashing light has done the trick.

    And yes, the Lower Mainland is bulging at the seams, and still people move there. I certainly don't blame them, it is still an unbeatable area for scenery, climate, public transportation, etc. Can't wait to get up there next week!!!

    Congratulations on 33 years - I'm only at 24 so far!
  • fasteremfasterem Member Posts: 5
    I just bought a 1998 CRV with a bad automatic tranny, just wondering if anybody has heard of the the problem, or knows a fix. No drive, reverse,and park takes a while to catch. Third gear works sort so does second, but you drive it for 100 feet or so and the whole vehical shuts off, stop the vehical turn it off try to start a couple of times and finally it will start and the process starts all over again.
    Also is the tranny in the 97 CRV the same as 98?
    thanks a bunch
  • wrascalwrascal Member Posts: 25
    I once had a similar problem with a 91 Accord. I towed it to the dealer. AFTER the Honda dealer recommended a used tranny, and did the job ($1200?), car still had the same prob, was unable to even drive it to another repair shop. Dealer then said that the tranny prob created a computer prob, and replaced the computer($400). The computer repair actually fixed the problem. I don't believe that the tranny created a computer prob, but had no choice; dealer wasn't going to put old tranny back in, admit mistake and reimbuse me. In many years of Honda experience, this was my only negative experience, and I don't use this service dept anymore.
  • fasteremfasterem Member Posts: 5
    Ok now what kind of test is there that I can do to check to see if its the computer or the Tranny? because I am not going to do the guessing game again specially with this kind of cost involved
    thanks
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    I would expect the only way to determine if it's the transmission or computer is to hook it up to one of the diagnostic systems. That often costs between $50-80 alone. :(

    As for the transmission, I'm not aware of any issues with the 1st generation CR-V transmissions. Nor have I read of any changes between 1997 and 1998 (except the addition of a manual in the US market).
  • wrascalwrascal Member Posts: 25
    Don't ask me how to tell the difference, I was on the short end of that stick. And it may not even be close to your problem, but it did sound enough like it to mention it. My 98 CRV, by the way, has been flawless; not noisy, not underpowered, etc. Just perceptions, I suppose.
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