Honda CR-V Start Stall and Idle Problems

bobby7809

I have been having problems with my car stalling out while driving. Once I pull off and put in neutral, it will restart. What could be the cause of this?

blueiedgod

Check if the ignition switch recall has been performed.

jerane

My friend had the same problem with her 2004 CR-V. The dealership couldn't find out what was wrong with it after 6 weeks so she ended up buying a 2006. Good Luck

hkuznik

Did you ever figure out what was causing the problem? I have a 1999 Honda Odyssey that is doing the same thing.

eforce2

Check the rotor if it's coroded. Renew or use fine sand paper to clean the corrosion. It's better to do the complete tune too.

jason32

it sounds like the electrical portion of the ignition switch, your local dealer can run a vin-stat for you to see if your crv was one of the vehicles that fall under the campaign. if the recall has been done then you'll probably have to pay out of pocket

albert25

I have a 1997 CR-V with ~94,000 miles. In the last few days I have had 3 incidents where I will drive the car for ~ 10 minutes and then it will die. I still have dash lights, radio, 4 way flashers. After about 3 minutes I start the car up and drive it for 30 minutes without any problems. I have had the recalled ignition switch replaced. The vehicle normally runs smooth and is fairly well maintained. After the first incident I replaced the distributor cap, rotor, and plugs. The problem happened on 2 of my next 3 drives (this is a commute so my time is usually consistent). Thanks for any help - Al

fibrofatigued

If anyone could help here, I would really appreciate it!
A few days ago my husband noticed some clutch problems. He consulted the manual and our favorite shade tree mechanic and was told to add fluid. He did that, but the car wouldn't start. We thought it was from sitting in the cold without running for a few days (it's been very cold here), but it still wouldn't start that afternoon. The clutch feels fine now, and the engine "wants" to turn over, but won't. I don't think it's the battery because the engine makes noise and dash lights and everything come on. We really haven't had any trouble with this car for the 6 years we've had it. So we are really stumped.

blueiedgod

Is the check engine light on?

When were the valves adjusted last time?

fibrofatigued

We had the valves replaced a couple years ago. No dash lights have been coming on. We do all it's regular maintenance at the dealership. We are now thinking it's the clutch because when he went to try and start it again it won't go into gear. I think we are going to have to have it towed to a mechanic . . .

freeface

1998 CR-V that I bought new, 151K, automatic. Problem is that I'm going down the highway and suddenly I hear a click and the engine cuts off.
Or I put on the turn signal and the engine cuts off.
Starts right away everytime and I can go for days without it happening then it will happen 2,3 or 4 times in one day.
Any ideas? Of course, when my mechanic drives the car, it never happens.
Is it okay to put the car in neutral while it is going 50-60 mph, restart and put back in drive?
Thanks.

tidester

Is it okay to put the car in neutral while it is going 50-60 mph, restart and put back in drive?

You can probably do that but I recommend getting to the root of the problem. From your description, it sounds like an electrical circuit breaker in the engine is being tripped. This may be a problem with the circuit breaker itself or some other electrical problem (overloading, short circuit, etc.) triggering it.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

blueiedgod

Has the ignition switch recall benn performed?

Have the valves been adjusted at 30,000 mile intervals?

tierod1

HI Albert25,
Did you ever resolve the stalling problem?

marcuscrv

I have a 1997 honda crv with 195,000 miles on it. The car recently has been giving me problems. When the car is driven for a while and it warms up it stalls. The first time this happened, the car started right back up, however the last three times it happened, the car just cranks. Then when the car cools down it starts. I have had the recall done on the ignition switch at 145,000. I had similar stalling problems, but it always started right back up. This time it usually takes 30 min to start up again. I never have had the fuel filter replaced because the dealer told me that honda does not recommend it. The cap and rotor were changed 25000 miles ago. I am wondering if it could be a faulty coil or another ignition switch or the fuel pump? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Marc

ruthmandog

MY CRV WILL NOT IDLE WHEN PUT IN DRIVE OR IN PARK. REPLACED THE IAC VALVE, WATER TEMP SENSOR, THERMAL VALVE AND MAP SENSOR. TRIED TO ADJUST TIMING, IDLE AND RESET COMPUTER WITH FUSE 7A. WITHOUT RESULTS. I HAVE POSTED RECENTLY WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE ANSWER ON THIS WEB IN SPITE OF BEING NOTIFIED BY E-MAIL THAT AN ANSWER IS AVAILABLE. NEED BETTER WEB AND LINK ICONS.

stever

Hey Ruthmandog,

You posted over in Edmunds Answers and that's where you got a reply:

Edmunds Answers

Stick around the forums - you might get some more info here too.

blueiedgod

B-series engine in the CR-V needs to have the valve lash adjusted every 30,000 miles. If they are not adjusted, the valves will tighten and will eventually press the valve seat into the head and will burn the valves.

If you are under 90,000 miles, you may get Honda to pay for half or all of the $3500 repair. If you are over 90,000 miles, the valves should have been adjusted at least once as per owner's manual, or 3 times as per shop manual. Honda made a mistake in the Owner's manual by stating 90,000 mile interval. And as result of that, they will pay for repairs associated with the mistake, if the vehicle is under 90,000 miles. If the vehicle is over 90,000, then it was the owner's responsibility to ajust the valve lash at 90,000 miles.

mvk

I am having the same problem with my 2004 HONDA CRV which has 90,000 miles. It has been in and out of the dealership since May 1, 2008. We have had the serpentine belt replaced, the idle re-calibrated, the spark plugs replaced and just recently the whole throttle body along with a thermal sensor replaced. I asked about the ignition switch and was told that was not the issue. I am in contact with HONDA corporate but no one can seem to find what is causing my car to stall. The car stalls when you are going about 40-50 miles per hour and then drop it in neutral say for a turn, stop, etc.
The car stalled on me on a busy intersection, I refuse to drive it until the problem is 100% corrected. I am 7 months pregnant and I can not put a newborn in this car. For once, I can say that I do not feel safe in a HONDA. At this point, I am at a loss and need help getting this situation remedied? Am I better off trading in the car?

beardjr

wow! you sound almost exactly like us. for about a year now we've had the same problem with out '01 crv when you downshift (like into 2nd for a turn) and in the middle of the turn it will cut off. since its in gear and rolling we just pop the clutch back off and it'll cut right back on. it seems to only to it when its within the first 10 minutes of driving. honda dealer said there was a code that would pop when they diagnose it on the computer and they reset it twice. we wound up having them change the idle something or other and then it kept up and they said it was the o2 sensor. we are fed up with it and my wife is now 6 months pregnant and i don't want her running around in it. so a local garage we trust more that honda said it was the throttle positioning sensor. we are thinking about doing that but its only available through honda and its $700...without labor!! hope that helped and good luck.

mvk

I understand your frustrations, especially when your wife is pregnant because it is scary and could lead to an accident. I am in the same position and I will not drive the car. This was supposed to be our family car and a Honda with 90,000 should last us another 5 years. Have you called the corporate office? I have been dealing with them and the dealer on this issue. I would suggest calling them as well. They last told us it was the throttle body. We had the whole throttle body replaced along with the intake air bypass control thermal valve. Unfortunately, this did not fix the problem. It has been in and out of the dealer for 8 weeks and the car is going back in tomorrow. I would hope that a reputable company like Honda would not want to be liable for an accident or worse of any of its customers, especially a pregnant woman or a newborn baby. I will let you know if they fix it this time, if not, we may seek further action. This should not be happening and you should not be fixing the car on your dime, it appears to be an engineering issue not a "wear and tear" issue. Let me know if they are able to fix your vehicle and I will do the same.

beardjr

i will remember that and keep you posted as well. good luck and thanks.

hondasucks2

I am having the same problem. My car stalls every time i slow down to make a turn or stop at a light. I have spent $900 at the Honda dealler already. They told me that I had bad gas. I still have the same problem. The check engine light comes on some times and some times not. I am very worried because it is the second 2004 Honda crv I have owned in 6 months. The first one that I bought burst into flames while I was driving down the highway. I asked icbc if this happens a lot and should I get a new one and they said it was a great suv. So I bought a new one only to get this never ending stalling problem. It has been to 3 mechanics and Honda dealler and nobody knows what is wrong with it. I also have 90,000 miles on it.
Did anyone with this problem ever get it solved?
Someone please help....I don't want to keep spending money for the same problem.

mvk

It has been 10 weeks and my car is still not repaired. It went back to the Dealer last week. I live in NJ and it is at the Causeway Honda Dealer. The car went back in last week, and I have called two days straight to find out the status of my car. Needless to say, I am still waiting for a reply from the Dealer. I work in a law firm so I think at this point I am going to take further action. I think there is something wrong with the 2004 SUV. You really should call Honda Corporate and make them aware as well. You can even tell them you know you are not the only one with this issue. At this point, I have letters going to various individuals to put them on Notice. I am sickened over the lack of help, I am getting. Plus, as I have stated previously I am pregnant and I need a safe vehicle. I cannot imagine Honda wanting to put there reputation on the line. I do not want to deal with his aggravation 10 weeks before my baby is due. ALL I WANT IS A SAFE CAR. Do not spend money on the car, call Honda Corporate. Why should you be responsible? Did you build the car? You may be covered by the Used Car Lemon Law depending on your state, if you bought it Used. If you bought out your lease you are not covered by the Used Car Lemon in certain states, however, you may covered by another statute under Consumer Frauds or some DMV's have a Failure to Repair to protect consumers like us. Please keep me posted. I have a feeling we are not going to be the only people with this issue. If anyone else is experiencing the same issue, I would like to know.

mvk

The stalling issue has not been resolved and my car is still at the Dealer for repair. I spoke with Honda Corporate and they told me they will keep the car at the dealer as long as the have too. I was told I was basically screwed if they cannot fix it, I will have my loan and be responsible for the payments and a car that stalls. I am grateful the dealer (Causeway Honda) has given me a loaner, however, I am making payments on a car that I am not driving. I have been a loyal customer to Honda and I am outraged that they will not act in goodwill to take this Lemon back or trade it in. The amount of money we(the Dealer and I) have spent on this car and the amount of time that has gone into the repair, it would have been more advantageous for them monetarily if I was able to trade in the vehicle or get a new car. Most importantly, I am appalled with Honda by their apathetic attitude of the safety of this vehicle. In speaking with them, I said to them their reputation would be tainted if something happened to me or a newborn baby and the reply was, "It would be sad." Can you say FORD PINTO??? I WILL NEVER BUY A HONDA AGAIN!!! I will tell EVERYONE I know about this experience!!! I already dissuaded a woman at work from buying one. It maybe be peanuts to them but now maybe she will tell someone, who will tell someone, etc.All I want them to do is the "right" thing. Maybe I am better off with an AMERICAN CAR I know of similar circumstances with General Motors, and they bought the car back!!!!

tidester

I spoke with Honda Corporate and they told me they will keep the car at the dealer as long as the have too.

Ten weeks to get your CR-V working certainly seems excessive but it would appear that Honda is making a substantial effort to resolve the issue.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

stevedebi

"Maybe I am better off with an AMERICAN CAR I know of similar circumstances with General Motors, and they bought the car back!!!!"

Could you please post the details? I don't know of any American manufacturer who bought back a car that was 4 years old. And out of warranty as well, or did you get an extended warranty?

I realize you are frustrated, but if you have no remaining warranty, Honda is going beyond the requirements in your case. They could just tell you to pound sand or pony up the $$.

andersenmotors

I own a repair facility in Langley and have several customers who have recently reported this problem. I believe we have found the solution. It seems common that the ignition switch is the root of this problem. It is a relatively inexpensive repair. In some cases however it has been found that the distributor, which contains the control module for the ignition, can also be at fault. I suggest going to a reputable shop and having the ignition switch replaced first. It appears that Honda is considering a recall for this problem, so I would also considering phoning Honda and inquire about the ignition switch. Some people have even had Honda pay for the part.

mvk

Thank you for getting back to me. I suggested to Honda Corporate and the Honda Service Department when I first brought the car in that I read about the ignition switch problems (especially in earlier models) however, they told me it is not the ignition switch because of the fault indications. They replaced the serpentine belt, throttle body (this is an issue in some Honda CRV's as well), spark plugs, relearned the idle, adjusted the valves and last the VTC Solenoid was replaced. The end result it still STALLS!! I appreciate your suggestion and if you can think of anything else let me know, please I am running out of time before my baby arrives. CRV= CANNOT REPAIR VEHICLE!!

mvk

Now Honda told me if they cannot repair the vehicle that I will be stuck with a $14,000 loan . Honda corporate told me I was basically screwed. I was told Honda will not buy back this vehicle or trade it in because of this unresolved issue. So, I will be stuck with a car that I cannot drive and $14,000 in the hole.
I was also told that if I got in an accident with this car and my soon to arrive baby, that it would be sad but there is nothing they can do. Furthermore, it was "suggested" that I may want to get my attorney involved. It is a shame because I have been a loyal customer for years and out of "goodwill" one would think they would do the "right" thing. What bad business, they just lost a loyal customer and I will pass the word on to everyone I know.

mvk

We have an extended warranty on the vehicle that we purchased when we bought out our lease. However, they cannot figure out what is making the car stall. When they figure out the cause we will exercise the warranty and hopefully the part/service is covered under same.

In NY, there is a failure to repair rule with the DMV, I know of a situation with Cadillac, where the car was in and out of the shop where they could not repair a reoccurring problem. The vehicle was not covered by the used car lemon law in NY but the Dealer acted in good faith because of the safety issue on the vehicle. The car was about 5 years old in that case and over 100,000 miles.

In NJ, I would be covered by the Used Car Lemon except that I bought out my lease. If, I just bought this car USED this car under statute would be considered a lemon and they would have to buy it back. ( Now, I see why we have a Used Car Lemon Law) The NJ Lemon Law covers vehicles under 100,000, that have been in out of the shop more than 3 times during a reasonable amount of time ( mine has been about 6-8 times).

And you are right, they could tell me to pound sand, however, they are misrepresenting the safety and reliability of their product. Thanks god for Consumer Fraud statutes. A car stalling is a safety hazard and it would be a different story if the car could be repaired. Thank god we live in a country where we can exercise our rights, it would be a shame, if we all got STUCK with cars like mine. Plus, it is a Honda it is supposed to run forever; a 4 year old Honda is a BABY!!! This car should last for another 6 years which is why I and most people purchase Honda vehicles. A four year old Honda being OLD is just another misrepresentation on their part. Wear and tear is one thing, a reoccurring engineering issues is another this is how many class action lawsuits are born.

Thank you writing to me, and understanding my frustrations. I am sure you would not let your wife, daughter, son, etc. drive a vehicle like this one. Eventually, I hope this to all be resolved properly.

otto888man

I would suggest to contact this person he is the best of the best when it comes to troubleshooting in regards to unsolved problems in the automtive world. His name is John Anello his website is autotechonwheels.com you can email him. He goes around to many place i.e. dealerships, garages. I know that he can resolve your problem. I hope this helps. Keep me posted.

Otto

otto888man

I belive your problem could be one of the following sensors the crank or the cam sensor.

Otto

mvk

Thank you very, very much and I am going to email him now. I really appreciate the information and will keep you posted.

stevedebi

"And you are right, they could tell me to pound sand, however, they are misrepresenting the safety and reliability of their product. Thanks god for Consumer Fraud statutes. A car stalling is a safety hazard and it would be a different story if the car could be repaired. Thank god we live in a country where we can exercise our rights, it would be a shame, if we all got STUCK with cars like mine. Plus, it is a Honda it is supposed to run forever; a 4 year old Honda is a BABY!!! This car should last for another 6 years which is why I and most people purchase Honda vehicles. A four year old Honda being OLD is just another misrepresentation on their part. Wear and tear is one thing, a reoccurring engineering issues is another this is how many class action lawsuits are born.

Thank you writing to me, and understanding my frustrations. I am sure you would not let your wife, daughter, son, etc. drive a vehicle like this one. Eventually, I hope this to all be resolved properly. "

Ah, a USED car lemon law! I don't think we have that here in CA...

I can't understand Honda sometimes. They will bend over backwards to some people and for others just stand pat. I am beginning to believe that there were some design issues with the Gen 2.

I was car shopping this last Feb, and I considered the CR-V. But I don't really like the styling (long story), and I wanted better gas mileage, so I'm driving a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, which has been very good so far ... for about 3 months now. But I am actually a bit more comfortable with Ford engineering over Honda. Each manufacturer has their own design style and engineering.

Good luck with your situation!

andersenmotors

I'm at a complete loss as to why they would have replaced some of the components you've listed for a stalling problem, but I hope they didn't charge you for them! There is still a recall action for 97 to 99 CRV's concerning the ignition switch. I phoned Honda this morning to check, and found one of my customers still has an outstanding claim for the switch, so she will be going to Honda to have it replaced for free! If you're CRV falls into that year span, I strongly suggest making sure your ignition switch has been replaced before any more useless repairs are made. Just phone the service department, give them your VIN number, and ask if your vehicle qualifies for the recall. If all else fails and if you are in the Langley, BC area, give me a call and we can work it out before the stork arrives!

otto888man

You are very welcome. He is the best of the best. Even dealerships calls him for problems they can not fix. Take care. Keep me posted.

Om

scegla

This may sound crazy but it ties into the ignition switch problem. Many years ago my uncle (who then owned a Ford and worked for Ford) had this weird problem where the car would intermittantly stall in turns or when coming to a stop. But it would always stall when he took a certain turn coming home from work.

The problem turned out to be too much junk hanging on his keychain. The extra weight on the keychain and the force that was added when turning or stopping cause the ignition switch to cut the engine.

Just a thought....

bigbev

i need to know how to test the top dead cylinder position sensors in the distibutor, i have tested the crankshaft fluctuation sensor and it is good. the problem i am having is that the engine will not start but i have fuel and spark, the timing is also on. I need to what terminal to test and what kind of reading i should be getting out of them.

thanks.

otto888man

What is the colour of the spark is it blue or orange? anything done before this happened? Is the spring for the coil still there?

bigbev

the spark is orange in color, and yes the spring for the coil is still there, it is not my car so im not 100% sure if anything has been done but i do know that the car was running fine before this problem, i was told that it was running good then all of a sudden started to spudder and then stalled and and it hasnt started since. the book i have says to test the resistance between teminals 1 and 8 on the connector coming from the distributor, it says there sould be between 350 to 700 ohms and im only getting 1 ohm but im not sure if i am testing it right cause the book is not very clear on its explanation. some more help would be great.

thanks

bigbev

got it figured out. It was the coil going bad, so i replaced it and the car is running fine know.

Thanks for the help.

otto888man

Thanks for replying about the fix.

debola

Pls help. My CRV stalled for the first time yesterday on a motorway. I almost crashed. Startyed it up again, managed to get on the hard shoulder and called out the emergency breakdown service. They couldn't find anything wrong with it. I have 2 toddlers and I'm so afraid that the next time this happened, a fatal crash could occur. Pls help anyone. Bought it 6 mths ago for £12000. First registered in the UK 2005

stevedebi

"Pls help. My CRV stalled for the first time yesterday on a motorway. I almost crashed. Startyed it up again, managed to get on the hard shoulder and called out the emergency breakdown service. They couldn't find anything wrong with it. I have 2 toddlers and I'm so afraid that the next time this happened, a fatal crash could occur. Pls help anyone. Bought it 6 mths ago for £12000. First registered in the UK 2005 "

Is that a diesel CR-V? Otherwise, the engine used in the 2004 was a 2.0 liter, as I recall, which is different from the US. I think most of the Edmunds forum members are from the US.

Take the car to the Honda dealer, it may have thrown a computer code that can be examined.

chocolate_bill

My wife was driving our 'V a couple of days ago and while going about 40 mph everything but the stereo suddenly shut down... engine, gauges, turn signals, etc. She turned the car off then back on and everything went back to normal, and ran fine.
Since it all imediately went back to normal it doesn't sound like an alternator or battery, and the ground is good (figured it was anyway since the radio stayed on).
So, what could have come loose that would affect all (or most; some things weren't on, like the headlights) of the electrical system except for the stereo?
Also, I'm curious if this is in any way related to a P0301 code (cyl #1 missfire) that I have been troubleshooting that seems to be electrical in nature as well (yes, the valves are fine). I'm wondering if there might be an intermittent open that could affect the ignition and have been causing these missfires as well as this sudden shut-down? Whatever this most recent episode was, however, it did not trigger a code.

blueiedgod

Go to Honda.com, follow the link to Honda owner's link. Register your car online using the VIN number. Once you are done, you should be able to see if the ignition switch recall has been performed. If not, then take it to Honda and they will replace the ignition switch for free.

Good luck.

garagetuner1

I have 2000 CR V with 131,000mi. Now it has a serious starting problems. It began when I was driving home, while on the road it started to idle really low and would not accelerate faster than 40 MPH. I managed to get it home. Next morning I tried to start it, but it runs really rough and idle very low. Now it doesn't run at all. It tried to start when crank, but won't run. I have good sparks in all four wires, Timing is right now and there's fuel.

Can it be the coil, or ignitor module, but sparks are really bright.

I've ran out of ideas and start to think how little I know about cars.

Any help would be appreciated,

Garagetuner1

garagetuner1

CR V won't Start...finally got it running again. The main problem was a simple cadilladic converter. The cadilladic converter was so clogged that it wouldn't allow any exhaust to pass through the tail pipe. I installed a new one, and I even adjusted all the valves and did the tune up again. Now it runs smooth.

Garagetuner1

cyninsofla

My son has a 1998 Honda CRV that is continually stalling, no consistancy when ot wHy, going staight at 60 mph and just stop - there is no power . . . pop in neutral and can t up again . . . mechanic can't figure it out. Anyone have any ideas?IGHT 60 mph, AND IT STALLS . . . POP IM mEUTRAL AND STARTS RIGHT UP AGAIN, BUT WHEN STALLS,LOSES ALL ABILITY TO STEER AND LIGHTS . . . mECHANIC CANNOT FIND PROBLEM . . .dOES ANYONE HAVE AN IDEA WHAT HE SHOULD DO?

crvforms11

I have 97 HONDA CRV -LX-4WD and i had no issues for 13.5 yrs, worked great.

All of a sudden, it started showing troubles in starting the engine. Verified the battery has power and tried with jump start as well. Came to know that there is no battery issue. The problem is in engine starts and runs few miles and stops. I have to wait for 20-25mins before it starts again. I thought it's summer heat issue, it's not. it's happening in late evenings too. I am really helpless in this. It could be spark plug spark/distributor or electrical ignition switch issue. I went to the dealer to replace ignition switch as part of the recall,. Still didn't solve the issue. I have more than half tank of gas and i see the gas smell during subsequent starts. I also make sure the fuel is injected through fuel injection system. It stopped for 4 times in 10 miles distance. Finally after a long wait, reached home by waiting in between stops due to engine stops smoothly. Please help me in this matter.

No other problems with transmission and brakes.

Current Status with symptoms:

Self starter attempts to start the engine as normal through ignition key. Engine doesn't start as normally. I have seen a wait a of 20 mins, engine starts and runs for few miles and shutdown smoothly.

No Check engine light was ON till today and all of sudden, check engine light shows up code as P0108 (Faulty Map sensor) which has been reset using meter at Autozone and there were no lights on today.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I had browsed the articles and the following list of tasks were listed. I am interested in knowing if there is one basic thing i have to verify from this list below before going for rest??

Check fuel pressure -- How can i verify??

Is the fuel pump on (you should hear it make noise for 30 seconds or so when you first turn on the ignition.

Is fuel filter clean? - How can i check??

Is there spark? -- How can i check??

Is distributor working? -- How can i check??

Are contacts worn out? - How can i check??

Are wires intact? - Looks okay visually; How can i check??

Is the ignition coil producing the voltage needed for th spark... --How can i check??

For an engine to run you need Air, Fuel and Spark, all in the right proportions and correct times. Get your self a Helms Honda Shop manual and work from there.