Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

isellhondas · August 2004

Our 2004 Civic LX has been flawless and I haven't heard anything like this before.

autosaurus · August 2004

.. a looser"!!
I beleive it was car and driver. It was a comparison test with others in it's class. I owned an EX for years and it too was flawless .. much more so in every way when compared to my CRV.. Anyway ..seems the Civic rattled too much..mmm... low on power..noise..can't remember what else but check out C&D .. I beleive it was that magazine.. had to be late last year or early this year . personally, my Civic was one of the nicest cars to drive that I have owned. (and i have had new BMW, Volvos etc..)

edunnett · August 2004

Personally, I think C&D has their favorites and they don't base those opinions on reliability - but on performance and initial quality perceptions. They love all the new turbo and H-6 Subarus for instance but rarely look at Honda Civics because the Honda is not known for putting its racing engines on the street (strike the S-series from that gross generalization). What they are most known for are reliable, high mileage cars. High mileage and high performance are usually not coupled together. So the Civic - if you want your 35 mpg is not a performance car. Likewise, there are few Porsches touting their MPG ratings. Anyway, I stopped reading C&D because of their bias and focus on racing and performance. I would take what they say with a grain of salt and read the entire article before taking quotes out of context.
Elissa

mikefm58 · August 2004

Your's is the 3rd one I've heard about. There's mine and theraccoon's that is having locking / unlocking problems. See our posts, numbers 1543 and 1544 for the description. I haven't taken the door apart yet, but plan to in the near future.

matthew633 · August 2004

My 2004 CR-V EX Auto has developed an intermittent but loud rattling noise. Just returned from a 750+ mile trip to central Calif. up to Sequoia and it rattled off and on a few times on the trip. Has apx. 10,000 miles.

Due to an accident, the gas tank was replaced in April 2004 and Honda also decided at the time to replace the muffler/exhaust pipe.

I've heard the rattling noise basically 5 times: the week after I picked up the car from Honda after the repair (at apx. 4,000 miles), once when driving into a parking lot after a 150+ mile day trip, and a few times on the recent trip after driving apx. 200-250 miles that day. Don't know if mileage has anything to do with it but thought to mention this in case.

A friend drove the car on the trip and said it sounds like it's coming from the right rear. We checked the cargo area, even removed the jack from the right rear compartment, but still heard the noise, although it's intermittent.

The Honda dealer who did the repair has since spent about 15-20 mins. checking the car and found nothing, said everything appears tight and in place. Also, he said since they can't hear the noise to just go ahead and wait until I hear it again, then bring it in. Does this sound right? I don't want to drive the car much until this is resolved. Does anyone have any ideas/ suggestions on what this might be? Thanks for any suggestions.

nino1 · August 2004

I dont understand why it took three days to fix my 2003 Honda CR-V. On the highway, in the middle of nowhere, the Drive indicator starts flashing and the Check Engine Light comes on. I made it to a small town Honda Dealer who told me it was a code P1075 (A Range Switch Short). He cleared the code and told me to keep an eye on it . . .eventually; I got home with the Check Engine Light on, and the S.R.S. light on. I then took it to the big city dealer who also cleared the code and said the same useless thing! As soon as I got to my driveway, the Check Engine Light came on again. I returned to the incompetent dealer and requested they fix it right. . . three days later, they eventually replaced the Trans Range Switch. Who was to know that owning a Honda could be so frustrating? Are their technicians poorly trained, or are the vehicles too complicated to figure out?

Nino NoSpam

varmint · August 2004

What kind of accident was the car involved in?

I ask because I was rear-ended in my 1999 CR-V. The impact pushed the exhaust system forward adding just a little more bend than normal to one of the pipes. This bend was actually near the front of the vehicle, but the rattle it created, sounded as though it was coming from farther back in the car.

edunnett · August 2004

Are their technicians poorly trained, or are the vehicles too complicated to figure out?

My opinion: the dealers are either too incompetent, have insufficient customer service skills and/or insufficient technical skills. I have had nothing but bad experiences in Honda dealerships and unless it's warranty related work, I take my Hondas anywhere but the dealers. For a 2003 you are probably still under warranty and it is probably worth your while to go to the dealer I'm sorry to say. If you wish to forego warranty claims, you could try going to http://www.asecert.org/ and finding an ASE certified shop in your area. It doesn't guarantee that they will be worlds better but it's a safe bet. Good luck!

Elissa

auburn63 · August 2004

If you have an aftermarket alarm or remote start you will most likely get another check engine light in the near future as there is a interferance issue with the range switch and the way the aftermarkets hook up..We have had a few come back after the range switch was replaced only to find the starter kills and relays hooked into the black white (I think ) of the ignition switch..

johnnyquest1 · August 2004

RockyCow, Did you ever find out what the recommended pressure was for 70 - 85 mph?

Anybody know the current status of the fires?

stevedebi · August 2004

I use mine at a minimum of 32 PSI, which I consider to the the lowest advisable PSI at 75 MPH. However this is based on my interpolation of the tire sidewall listing of a maximum of 44 PSI and the factory 26 PSI.

Actually, I'm running about 34 right now...

julia · August 2004

The new CR-V CR-V I bought after alignment still pull (see my post last week). The dealer changed me a different CR-V EX with 26 mile on it before I tested it. This one does not pull. But when I drove home, then I realized that this car must be parked in dealer's park lot for many months. It is very dirty at black rubber seal on every door and lots of oil stain back side. Also the back life gate makes crack sound when I open it. I have to bring it to dealer again today.

I found the 2nd one they changed to me actually is nosizer on the road than the first one (the first one got 5 miles before I tested it). It seems the quality is not same between car to car. I do not know whether the dealer gave me the car which other people tested it but did not wanted it.

I NEVER expect that I need to spend so much time on a BRAND NEW car service after I bought. I cannot believe how BAD the quality/details of Brand new Honda car like that.

This is my first and will be the last Honda car. I will NEVER buy any car from Honda again in the rest of my life. I should buy Toyota Highlander or even Hyundai Santa Fe. The latter are amazingly smooth in drive, and much cheaper with best warranty.

autosaurus · August 2004

Julia,

actually I'm not a big fan of my CRV either..VERY poor build quality and in this part of the state i'm in, NJ, horrible dealers and poor service across the board.
But that said, I've owned many honda products before and they have all be great, with great build quality. This my first bad one. I wouldnt write them off, just look at some other models because they do last forever. I think the CRV is just a poorly designed car, the other models seem great!

Good luck!

edunnett · August 2004

I agree with autosaurus - I'm driving a 20 year old Civic. How other makes of cars do you see on the road 20 years later... I see Honda, Honda, Toyota, Honda, Honda... They are not too shabby.

matthew633 · August 2004

Varmint, the impact was underneath the car. Long story short, a contractor (who accepted responsiblity) left a collapsed but unrecognizable barrier in the street. The barrier popped up into position while attempting to maneuver the car around it, rupturing the gas tank. Honda found no other damage except a scuff mark on the muffler/exhaust pipe so they decided to replace this as well.

Question, was the rattle in your car intermittent as well?

varmint · August 2004

Mine was technically intermittent. It rattled most of the time, but I could vary the volume of the rattle depending on how hard I pushed the throttle. When coasting, it hardly rattled at all. I suspect the variation had something to do with how much air was being passed through the exhaust system.

stevedebi · August 2004

"actually I'm not a big fan of my CRV either..VERY poor build quality and in this part of the state i'm in, NJ, horrible dealers and poor service across the board."

Sounds like a different CR-V; mine has excellent build quality. The plastic is prone to scratching, but that is just the way it's made. The fit and finish of my CR-V is fine.

Was your CR-V made in Japan or England? Mine is a Japan production.

isellhondas · August 2004

And I'm in and out of CRV's on a daily basis.

VERY poor build quality?

Not that I've ever seen!

kathgip · August 2004

Julia, I am sorry that you have had a bad experience with your new Honda CR-V. I got mine 6 weeks ago and it is great. It is very nice inside and runs very tight with no pull to the right or left. My only complaint is the road noise, but I am told that it is mostly due to the tires and with a better tire, it will not be so noticable. I did ride in my friends Cadillac the other day and I was shocked at how much road noise her car had, so I did not feel so bad. Do not write off Hondas just because you are dealing with a crummy dealer. My daughter has a 2001 Accord, and it is past the warranty period. Her transmission was giving her problems and she took it in to the dealer and they are giving her a new transmission and giving her a 100,000 mile warranty on it and not charging her a dime. So I do believe that your experience is unique.

mikefm58 · August 2004

I believe Honda extended the warranty for trannys of 2001 Accord's to something like 7yrs/100K miles due to problems with that tranny. Didn't they send you a letter stating this?

kizhe · August 2004

autosaurus: I have CR-V EX 03. I got 30K on my odometer. Did not have any problems so far - no rattles, no scratches no pulls in any direction. I changed oil/filter 6 times and did not even have a fire! ;-). (I am changing oil/filter and rotating my tires every 5K). My tires look good - they are a bit noisy, but I can live with them. I could easily afford to buy much more expensive car like Lexus RX330, but ... I liked CR-V.
This car is roomy, economical, got low insurance premium, have a good resale value and not popular with car thieves.

isellhondas · August 2004

I do agree with the road noise. Replacement tires will make a MAJOR difference just like they did on my Accord.

julia · August 2004

Kathgip
Well, thanks for all your post. I was not happy with the 1st car which pull to the right. Then the 2nd car delivered to me was not shine/clean inside and outside as I expected on brand new (Although dealer said to me that they are doing good for me as usually they do not change cars after sold. Maybe this is truth). Then when I drive it on the way to work, then realized that the road noize is even much larger than my old 94 Toyota Corolla LE. So I am disappointed from beginning. But I do see the good side of roomy and other things when I make decision to buy CR-V. However, if I compare CR-V to Toyota highlander, I really think I should not buy CR-V. As Toyota has 0% for 36months on H/L. So there are not really much differenc in prices. Even MPG does not seems hugh difference. If you look inside of H/L, you really appreciate how nice design in every details and consideration. I will not be Honda fan until otherwise this CR-V 's performance down the road change my mind.

crvicia · August 2004

Well until today I had not had a single problem unless you count the hail damage. Driving home from work, my CRV caught on fire. Smoked filled the inside. I pulled over immediately. I had just had an oil change 2 days earlier(5500miles). Not sure if that was the problem because the service dept had gone home for the day. What is even more scary is that the person who towed my car told me that mine was the third in three months that had caught on fire in this area. And that is just one company!

julia · August 2004

Please post what happen after that. This is terrible. Where have you done the oil change? Is it at dealer or deraler specified places?

isellhondas · August 2004

Julia,

Sounds like a case of buyer's remorse to me.

I somehow get the feeling you won't ever be happy with your CRV no matter what happens. The zero percent financing comes at a cost too.

Seriously, you may be happier in the long run to bail out now and trade it for something else.

But, remember, no car is perfect.

crvicia · August 2004

oil change was done at the dealership, I probably got the tech fired! I cant believe that Honda has only sent a letter to dealerships telling them to be more careful with oil changes. I will be scared after every oil change. I have been on the NHTSA website, and it seems like there have been more than 27 fires. It may not seem like a large percentage when you look at how many CRVs there are, but when it happens to you the "percentage" no longer matters.

autosaurus · August 2004

My CRV is built in england I beleive.. I checked the vin because of the oil change/fire problem. Which brings up the build quality isue. Some may be perfect .. some aren't. The fact that quite a few CRV's pull to the right and quite a few dont means poor quality control/ design/build quality or some combo there of!

I have the black interior .looks great..gets dirty fast but I clean my car a few time a week so it really isn't a problem.

I'll put close to 25,000 miles on my CRV this year .. mostly highway.. so i'm in it ALOT. The poor ergonomics is fatiguing, the road noise is deafening and the intermitent rattling is annoying, and the thought of an oil change is frightening!!! what a great car.:)

Actually I'm looking at a Lexus RX.. they look about the same size as a CRV..should be lots more comfortable..since I spend so much time in mine thats a priority..

kyfdx · August 2004

I agree about the ergonomics.. but, since this is my 2nd CRV, I am used to it..

If you like the RX, I would suggest the Highlander.. It is virtually the same car.. My uncle just traded his '99 RX for a new Highlander Limited and says he can't tell the difference. They are selling for about invoice right now..

regards,
kyfdx

autosaurus · August 2004

Thanks for the info re the Highlander. I have a 2003 Rav 4 that I bought for my son and it does drive real nice, although a bit short on room. I'll give it a look

Don

kyfdx · August 2004

Just some quick numbers.. His '04 Highlander Limited msrp'ed for about $35,800, and he paid around invoice.. $31,800.. But that included signing over the $750 rebate to the dealer. His is loaded (V6, AWD, leather, sunroof), but doesn't have every single option (back-up sensors, navigation,etc). I think you can get the MSRP up to about $39K, if you are trying to.

Of course, you can go cheaper as well, but his compares nicely to the RX300 which would MSRP for about $43K, similarly equipped.

regards,
kyfdx

julia · August 2004

Actually, with 0% @36 mths for Highlander, the real cost is considered below invoice (If you think about =>3% for the money even in CD for 3 years).

julia · August 2004

isellhondas
I know now you are the one who sell Hondas after I read different topic from town hall. So your posts may be biased. I was NOT planned to be unhappy with Honda car. I planned to be happy on the brand new car I bought.

Only the Car I got made me unhappy because it's quality/details - No matter whether this is Honda's fault (pull to the right due to the car) or Dealership' service or whatever dept' s fault (due to out of alignment and dirty inside and outside). No one would expect send the car for service at Brand New - just out of door. If you buy a new cloth, do you expect to wear it or send to laundry first?

The road noise on CR-V is truth. If the tires are the one cause this problem, why Honda use low quality tire in the first place? My 94 Toyota car use Firestone tires that are considered not good tires - similar to Bridgestone tires too. But the road noise is not that high as CR-V.

Engine fire is another thing that is not heard from other car makers. It is unique to Honda.

I do regret to buy CR-V after the initial hassle on the car. However, I do not want to take loss now to trade in at Brand-new. Unless dealership can take the car back (which will never happen), then I definitely will buy Toyota H/L, even not V6, just 2.4L, which is comparable to CR-V. So I will live with this car to see how it performs.

After all, my decision to buy Honda CR-V was mostly based on Hondas reputation of reliability. I just want to see whether it is a reliable car.

And I know in this board, there may be dealers, Honda employees, and of cause car owners, people are free to post opinion. No one should criticize another.

isellhondas · August 2004

I wasn't being critical of you. I only suggested that you seem to have lost confidence in your CRV or may be having buyer's remorse. Being unhappy with a car isn't a good thing and despite the loss it may be prudent to move on.

Before you do, however, consider that Toyotas have problems too. Great cars, to be sure, but they also have unhappy owners.

The fires are caused by sloppy mechanics who don't remove the old gasket when they change the oil. Engine fires aren't "unique" to Honda either. It would be VERY rare for you to have this problem.

As far as tires go, Honda uses high quality tires that last a long time. They are, however, noisy when compared to other brands. I wish they would change this even if the alternatives don't last as long.

Lastly, yeah...I am a bit biased. I do believe in the product I sell. I'm not, however, blind to shortcomings.

Hopefully your troubles will be behind you and you will start enjoying your new CRV.

jschamberger · August 2004

Just bought an '04 EX this past week and noticed a rattling sound near the sunroof since the moment I brought it home. Not a big fan of immediately taking my vehicle to the dealer (as I've had horrible experiences with taking it in for one thing and it leaving with a few new problems).

Anyway, I took the seal off around the sunroof (that holds the ceiling liner to the edges of the sunroof) and re-installed. No more problems... just something some of you might want to try if you are having the same problem.

Now if only I can figure out how to get the clicking sound from the solenoid (spelling???) in the dash when I slow to a stop.

autosaurus · August 2004

"The fires are caused by sloppy mechanics who don't remove the old gasket when they change the oil. Engine fires aren't "unique" to Honda either. It would be VERY rare for you to have this problem."

No one should have be afraid to take their car in for an oil change because it might catch fire because of a "sloppy" mechanic. No mechanic is perfect..So essentially EVERY mechanic has to be 100% on EVERY day so my car won't catch fire..mmmm.. not sure that is a good design

Don

varmint · August 2004

Not every oil leak leads to a fire.

isellhondas · August 2004

Most drivers would be well aware of a leak way before a fire would erupt.

And, CRV's aren't the only cars this can happen to.

And, yes, Don, it doesn't take a skilled mechanic to simply make sure they install the oil filter correctly.

kathgip · August 2004

Hi Mike,
You said, "I believe Honda extended the warranty for trannys of 2001 Accord's to something like 7yrs/100K miles due to problems with that tranny. Didn't they send you a letter stating this? "

My daughter was married when she got this 2001 Accord, and when she got divorced, she got the car in the settlement, and her ex stayed in the house. No doubt, if Honda sent out a letter about the tranny, he did not forward it to her. So she knew nothing about this problem. Thank you for your information. Do you know anything else about this car that I can forward to my daughter? Where can I go to find out? Thanks.

theracoon · August 2004

Do you know anything else about this car that I can forward to my daughter? Where can I go to find out?

You can find recall information on the NHTSA website: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/

The service bulletin information is also available from a link on the left of that page. I found this one for a 2001 Accord Transmission.

Make : HONDA Model : ACCORD Year : 2001
Service Bulletin Num : 903 Date of Bulletin: SEP 16, 2003
NHTSA Item Number: 10005022
Component: POWER TRAIN
Summary:
WARRANTY EXTENSION TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS. TECH LINE SUMMARY. *TT

autosaurus · August 2004

First, I dont think most drivers look under the car with the engine running after an oil change to see if it's leaking. But I can tell you no one got in my CRV for the first day after each of my oil changes..Just the fact that I have to think that way is totally absurd. and no I dont think a leaking filter results in fires in many other cars! Its not something the normal driver would even consider when they get an oil change.

and if you didnt sell Honda's I'm not so sure you'd defend the CRV like you do!

Like I said before ..something new from Honda..a looser!"

edunnett · August 2004

I BELIEVE (but not 100% sure) that manufacturers get owners' contact information by VIN numbers and DMV records. That way they can catch up with owners even after people move, change names, sell cars.
Elissa

mikefm58 · August 2004

I'd recommend going to Honda.com and follow the links to register the VIN. You should be able to get all the information you need for the 2001 Accord. Good luck.

julia · August 2004

I just read the complaint about CR-V at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/results.cfm. I cannot believe there are still so many engine fire cases from different US states across country recently. It is not the problem of technician. It is the bad design of Honda oil filter. It will be ridicules just blame technicians.
I wish I read those cases on NHTSA web page before I bought CR-V. So I definitely would not buy CR-V. I will be worry about the fire after oil change. In case of fire, my little daughter in the car seat may not be able to get out of the car quickly. Honda should do something to prevent serious injury or loss of life due to engine fire.
If anyone plan to buy small SUV, it is better away from CR-V for the sake of safety and peace of mind.

julia · August 2004

Make : HONDA Model : CR-V Year : 2004
Crash : No Fire : Yes Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10086337 Date of Failure: July 29, 2004
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary:
WE PURCHASED THE 2004 HONDA CRV IN FEBRUARY '04. IT HAD 3500 MILES ON IT WHEN THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT HOLLER HONDA IN WINTER PARK, FLORIDA. THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE DROVE IT TO WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA ON VACATION. WHILE THERE, WITH MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW AND 2 SISTERS-IN-LAWS IN THE CAR, WE EXPERIENCED WHAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. PASSING CARS HONKED THEIR HORNS AND SCREAMED AT US THAT OUR CAR WAS ON FIRE. THAT WAS ON JULY 29TH. WE ARE NOW BACK HOME IN ORLANDO AND THE CAR IS AT WILLIAMSBURG HONDA IN VIRGINIA. I AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE A HONDA CRV. I DON'T WANT THE CAR BACK. I WANT MY MONEY BACK SO THAT I CAN GO BUY A CAR THAT I'LL FEEL SAFE DRIVING. IT HAS BEEN 8 DAYS AND HOLLER HONDA WON'T TALK TO ME. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE MY INSURANCE COMPANY DEAL WITH THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY. I GUESS I NEED TO ENGAGE MY LAWYER AND THE TV STATIONS.*AK

Make : HONDA Model : CR-V Year : 2004
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10088350 Date of Failure: July 15, 2004
Component: OTHER
Summary:
KNOWING THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD IN GETTING THE OIL CHANGED IN MY 2004 HONDA CR-V, I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING A SOLUTION. IN THAT PROCESS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL AUTO SERVICE PLACES THAT THEY WILL NOT SERVICE MY CAR DUE TO THE LIABILITIES INVOLVED. THEY TOLD ME THAT OTHER VEHICLES DO NOT CATCH ON FIRE WHEN A GASKET IS LEFT ON OR SOME OIL LEAKS OUT, SO SOMETHING WAS CHANGED IN THE CR-V ENGINE THAT IS ALLOWING THE OIL TO NOW REACH THE MANIFOLD. I WILL NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DEAL WITH THIS. HONDA MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

Make : HONDA Model : CR-V Year : 2004
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10088380 Date of Failure: August 20, 2004
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary:
ON AUG. 20TH I TOOK MY '04 CR-V TO THE HONDA DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FOR ITS 5,000 MILE SERVICE, INCLUDING ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE. THE NEXT DAY, AFTER DRIVING IT FOR SEVERAL MILES AND STOPPING TO GET GAS, I NOTICED A BURNT ODOR. I POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL DRIPPING FROM SEVERAL LOCATIONS. I RETURNED THE CR-V TO THE DEALER. THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A "DOUBLE-GASKET" - THE GASKET FROM THE FACTORY-INSTALLED OIL FILTER HAD STUCK IN PLACE WHEN THE OIL FILTER WAS REMOVED, AND A NEW OIL FILTER AND GASKET WAS INSTALLED OVER THE OLD GASKET, RESULTING IN AN OIL LEAK. AMID MANY APOLOGIES, THE OLD GASKET WAS REMOVED AND THE OIL CHANGE WAS PROPERLY COMPLETED. HAD I BEEN LESS ATTENTIVE TO THE VEHICLE AFTER THE OIL CHANGE, AND HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS A VERY GOOD POSSIBILITY THAT A FIRE WOULD HAVE RESULTED. WHY DID NHTSA CLOSE THEIR INVESTIGATION OF THE CR-V FIRES? WHY DID HONDA LAY THE BLAME ON TECHNICIANS? AND WHY, AFTER ALL THE PUBLICITY THE FIRES RECEIVED AND AFTER HONDA PRESUMABLY INSTRUCTED THEIR TECHNICIANS TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL WITH CR-V OIL CHANGES, ARE CR-V OWNERS STILL AT RISK OF A FIRE AFTER AN OIL CHANGE? WILL IT TAKE A DEATH BEFORE NHTSA AND/OR HONDA DOES SOMETHING THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM?*AK

Make : HONDA Model : CR-V Year : 2004
Crash : No Fire : Yes Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10088632 Date of Failure: August 26, 2004
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary:
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM HOME. I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND NOTICED SMOKE. I DIDNT' KNOW IT WAS MY CAR AT THE TIME. I DROVE A HALF A BLOCK AND MY CAR FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. I IMMEDIATLY PULLED OVER AND A PERSON BEHIND ME STOPPED AND TOLD ME SHE SAW FLAMES FROM MY CAR. I HAD IMMEDIALTLY TURNED MY CAR OFF AS SOON AS I PARKED IT, SO I DID NOT SEE THE FLAMES. AN ADDITIONAL MAN DROVE UP AND SAID HE HAD SEEN THE FIRE ALSO. OIL HAD POURED OUT FROM UNDER MY CAR. I HAD JUST HAD MY FIRST OIL CHANGE ON MONDAY AUG 23RD. I HAVE APPROXIMATLY 5500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT IS A 2004 HONDA CRV. MY DEALERSHIP (CHEZIC SAYERS) HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BY CAMPUS TOWING. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS THE THIRD CRV THAT HE HAD TOWED WITH FIRE DAMAGE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS.(HIS NAME WAS PHIL) I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IF THIS HAS HAPPENED THIS MANY TIMES. I ALSO LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET AND IT SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN 27 FIRES LINKED TO OIL CHANGES IN THIS VEHICLE. I FIND THAT APPALLING. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT! AS OF RIGHT NOW, I AM NOT SURE OF THE CAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER 5PM BY THE TIME THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME TOMORROW. I AM ASSUMING SOMEONE WILL CALL ME TO FIND OUT WHAT THE EXACT PROBLEM WAS AND TO FIND OUT HOW IT WAS HANDLED.*AK

varmint · August 2004

"It is not the problem of technician. It is the bad design of Honda oil filter." - Julia

You are welcome to avoid the CR-V is you feel that the fires represent an unusual risk.

However, since you seem to know so much, why don't you tell us exactly what is wrong with the filter. I mean, so far many service managers have given different stories, the NHTSA has not found fault with the filters, and the only consistent explanation with these fires is the stacking and pinching of gaskets (a Tech error).

So what is it that you know that none of the rest of the word has figured out?

stevedebi · August 2004

When Honda designed the second generation CR-V, they rotated the engine 180 degrees so that the catalytic converter was closer to the mainfold, to make for more efficient pollution controls. To my mind (I haven't seen the actual manifold locations between the gen 1 and gen 2), this means the oil may be closer to some hot components.

However, the mystery is why the fires only showed up on 2003 and later, since the engine design was not changed after 2002.

Another strange factor is that the initial oil change fires seem to be mostly from English build models, not Japanese builds.

julia · August 2004

Since I just saw NHTSA web page today, I searched the filed complaints for three 2004 model SUV, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, And Toyota Highlander. The results are as follows:
68 complaints again Honda CR-V (many are engine fires from different states across US.
23 complaints to Hyundai Sante Fe
15 complaints to Toyota Highlander.

Please remember these number for 2004 model. We can see the above data how real consumer cases regards to the problem of each model.

So please do not over trust Honda quality (as I did, unfortunately).

julia · August 2004

Oil change is basic and route job of technician. If different technicians from different states made same mistake. That must be some wrong with design/procedures. Just blame technician sounds Honda avoids responsibility to fix and admit the problem.
Do not know why you defend for Honda? Are you sell Honda too?

ses_650 · August 2004

I understand how julia must feel. A new car is a big purchase. If you are going to spend all that money you want a product that is going to work & of course be safe. Having a new car let you down time & again is equally dishearting.

I have a 1997 accord 4 cyn. Now if the tech does a sloppy job of changing the oil & filter, I will smell buring oil, but not much. Other times I wont smell a thing, which tells me it is more of a tech doing a bad job rather than a design flaw. Same thing could be said for many things like someone flying a plane incorrectly can cause injury or using a chainsaw. sorry sarcasm

I must say that honda make damn good cars(& I dont work for honda/dealer/car industry). I look at other forums for other cars and I must say honda does not have nearly the same amount of promblems as others. Not to say they are trouble free, but if I'm going to choose between a ford escape or crv, I'm going with the crv!

Bottom line: change yr own filter. cant do that, no problem. when you go to have your oil tell the tech. " hey, you heard about the fires. PLease make sure this is done correctly. take your time. dont spill oil. check the gasket. double check the gasket. thank you"

Hopefully you will stop having problems.
Good luck.

Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

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