Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

provost1 · April 2003

1998 CR-V LX 4wd. 55k miles. Wifes car. Very well taken care of. Driven off paved roads once or twice a year to camp/fish. Mild climate, very seldom snows, occasional ice. No dealer for me....I go to highly regarded local Honda/Acura Specialty shop....Still on original Bstone Deuler ht's

Now that the background is established, here is the question: Will need new rubber in 5k or less...As you may be aware, the CR-V is not a quiet rig at highway speed. This seems to be worse in our state where the highway dept uses largeish aggregate in their paving mix (nearby states that have "blacktop" or "smoother" roads are much better but the thing is still pretty loud). Is there such a thing as a quieter tire? I know Bstone has a technology called "5 degree noise reduction" but I hesitate to spring for unverified bells and whistles. Any ideas? I know it will never whisper like an Oldsmobile but even a 10% noise reduction would be worth a little extra Jang!

icvci · April 2003

www.tirerack.com

After you input your vehicle they'll give you a list of tires as options. Most have customer comments and a satisfaction survey on them and, some will be from CR-V drivers.

provost1 · April 2003

and to lots of other tire sites. I was kinda hoping for some specific suggestions regarding tire make and model from others who have addressed the CR-V road noise problem. I forgot to mention in my original post that a friend swears that upgrading the stock wheels to Alloys will make a difference too. I guess I'd like input on that too since wheels are about a G for decent ones. Thanks for the link though...

slugline · April 2003

Switching from steel wheels to alloys will reduce what is known as "unsprung weight," which should help with performance, but the idea that they also reduce noise is new to me.

As for specific recommendations: I replaced my Bridgeston Dueler H/Ts with Dueler H/Ls 23,000 miles ago and have been very satisfied with every category that matters to me: noise, wet and dry traction and handling. And I can't help but conclude that you must be less demanding on your tires than I am because we have virtually the same mileage on our CR-Vs; my original tires were worn out by 30k-mi!

kyfdx · April 2003

Alloy wheels helping road noise? Don't think so, but they will make it handle and look better. Before I bought aftermarket, I'd just look for used EX wheels. There should be plenty, as five of them came on each one, and I know of at least one '98 EX thats been totaled. (LOL) If you only buy new, check out college hills honda. I would imagine around $600 for a full set. They have a website.
If the noise really bothers you, I don't think any tire will really make you happy from that standpoint, because the high noise level is mostly from very little sound deadening insulation, in an effort to keep the weight down, on an underpowered vehicle. That said, all tires in the CRV stock size are actually passenger car tires, and not truck tires. On tire rack, concentrate on models that people are putting on sedans like Accords and Camrys. A good Michelin or Bridgestone grand touring all-season tire will probably be your most quiet choice, without any sacrifice in wet or snow. The tradeoff is they are probably $30-40 more than the Bridgestone or BFGoodrich that come on most CRVs.

Sorry for the long post..hope this helps

kyfdx

nycajun · April 2003

Does anybody know the rpm range for a 2003 CRV 5spd manual??? At 65mph the rpm is at 3000. At 75mph the rpm is at 3500, and of course this is in 5th gear. I believe a 2003 with auto transmission at 75mph runs at 2900rpm. It seems as though the 5spd manual transmissions run at about 500 - 600rpm higher than the automatics. Idle rpm is fine at 650 to 750. I also have a 98 Accord with a 5spd and at 75mph the rpm is about 2800. I know the gearing in the transmissions is probably different but I dont know why. Higher rpm translates into poor fuel efficiency. Also if on a long trip or over the course of many years wouldn't higher rpms be a cause for more or sooner wear of various engine components??? I love my CRV but I dont like seeing the rpm so high between 60 and 75 mph.

slugline · April 2003

nycajun: Your observations are all correct. The 5-speed is almost certainly geared towards acceleration above all else. If lower cruising rpms and higher fuel efficiency are high priorities, I would recommend choosing the automatic.

provost1 · April 2003

Thanks folks, I thought the wheel thing might have been BS. I'll probably go with Michelins. Yep Slugline, probably 90% of that 55k is freeway and I rotate and check pressure like the anal retentive geek that I am ;-) My goal is at least 200k before the car becomes more trouble than it's worth. Wish me luck

varmint · April 2003

Provost - You might also try purchasing sound dampening material like Dynamat or any of the other brands. They do have a spray-on paste that coats the wheel wells and will supposedly reduce road noise.

I have sheets of Dynamat under the floor and in the doors of my '99 CR-V. It did muffle road noise. However, if I were to do it again, I'd pay more attention to the engine noise (which should not be as big a problem with the new models).

Alloy rims may or may not reduce road noise. It depends on many factors. Changing the size of the rim is one way to reduce road noise, but this is one of those situations where bigger is not always better. Rubber is generally better vibration insulation than metal.

Nycajun - If you don't like the idea of having the engine rev at 3,500 at highway speeds, downshift to 4th and run it at 4,500 rpms.

Seriously, the high rpms are not a problem. If it helps, Acura uses a version of the same 2.4L block that is good for 7,100 rpms.

mikeydan · April 2003

Bought my CRV two months ago, very versatile vehicle, so far like it pretty much. Have noticed that the roof ( I have the EX with the sunroof ) has a persistant rattle on all but the smoothest roads. Thought it might have something to do with the roof not being stable, it's driving me nuts. Also, a clunking sound seems to come from the rear when shifting (auto trans)..am taking it to the dealer tomorrow. Anyone else experience any of this? Lastly, I can only seem to get about 280 miles from a tank (mostly freeway) which is less than on my V6 Accord.
Thoughts?

kyfdx · April 2003

I have a 2002 EX and no sunroof rattles at all.. The low fuel warning light comes on much earlier with the current model than it did with the previous generation CRV. Its mildy irritating. I believe you can get 300 miles easily on each tankful, if you don't mind looking at the light for 50 miles. If you can keep from biting your fingernails, that is. I find myself filling up every 280 miles anyway, just in case I'm wrong. (what are the chances?)

kyfdx

colorado_kid · April 2003

I had a sunroof rattle that was annoying as well, however the dealership installed a foam pad by the sunroof opening that completely corrected the problem. I think they have a TSB or other document that outlines the "problem" and solution for HONDA dealerships. Give that a try...

tmalkoff · May 2003

I just purchased a 2003 CRV last month. I have already been to the dealer twice with minor problems. The front and rear brakes needed to have the rotors resurfaced. The only explanation the dealer could give me is that perhaps the brakes rusted while in transit from Japan with the brakes is one position.

The problem that the dealer could not fix and thought was normal is a vibration that I feel with the gas pedal, the clutch, and the brake pedal. All three work properly, but I feel a tingling vibration in my foot when I use all three pedals. Am I losing my mind? Has anyone else experienced this? Are the springs or cables so tight when the car is new? Could this be causing the vibrations? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

gsleve · May 2003

People if you check you're manual you'll see that the tranny has two modes one where the OD is constantly on two where you can disengage it by hitting the button in the middle of the shifter.

If the OD is on while driving in the city the tranny hunts for a gear while coming to a stop or recovering from a slow speed it is more than likely downshifting is too soon and can not recover in time OD should be used on the highway, one shoud disengage the OD while driving in the city that way the tranny no longer hunts for the gear to select and is more precise in choosing the appropriate gearing for the condition at hand additionally there is more torque given to the tranny while it is out of OD allowing for better power when exiting or entering a road or highway ramp, it is better for city driving as well

peachy1 · May 2003

why is the suspension so harst in the CRV? it seems like the whole car vibrates when u go over some imperfections on the road. even my sedan subaru did not vibrate like this and my tire pressure then was like close to 40 psi. the crv is on 33. compared to a forrester it almost feels like my car has NO suspension.

theracoon · May 2003

In the US Honda recommends 26 psi. I've found that 30 psi is an acceptable balance between ride, handling, and fuel mileage. You might decrease your tire pressure a little and see if that helps.

JM2C

simcaco · May 2003

I've had this problem before with my car. It was the spring which holding the padel back to its original position. This problem solved after I lubricant the joints between the spring and the pedal. Let us know if this would help. Looking forward to hear from you soon.

rpg2003 · May 2003

I am new here. I bought a Brand new 2003 CR-V EX in February. Since then the SRS light has come on and stayed on about four times. I originally took the car into a dealership that was closer to my home and they said the light came on because of a fault code in the OPDS system, then after they cleared it the light came on again, then they replaced a sensor in the passenger seat. So then after that the light still came on later.
So I decided to take the car back to the dealer I bought it from and I am currently going through the exact same process. 1) Dealer cleared a fault code 2) light came on again. 3) Dealer states a sensor needs to be replaced. On my last visit I spoke with one of the techs and he said that if you just place a heavy book on the passenger seat the SRS light could come on. I find this kind of hard to believe a car would be this sensitive. Has anybody else been told some thing similar as Im read yt ot take this car back undet the lemon law.

bgabel1260 · May 2003

Yes! A relatively light item on the passenger seat (even a half-gallon of milk) will turn on the SRS lamp. I have a 2001 Accord with side airbags and anytime I place an item weighing more than a pound or so on the seat the warning lamp illuminates. Of course, put anything heavy on the seat and the lamp stays off. When the lamp comes on it means the airbag is deactivated (because it thinks you may have a child on the seat). You do not have a lemon; this is normal, though somewhat annoying, operation.

I have no idea why the dealer is repeatedly replacing the sensor. This makes me wonder about their competence.

icvci · May 2003

I was under the impression the sensor was optical. If you lean over or bend down it will turn on the SRS light too.

auburn63 · May 2003

Is the light you see a red SRS or a yellow light ? If it is a red SRS, do you see a yelow come on at all before hand? Most of the time mutiple trips of the opds will cause a red SRS fault and leave behind a code. Neon lights, laptops, electrical devices(non-OEM), items on the seat or if the seat is wet can also cause sensor codes. There is no optical sensor it is done through weight and height sensors in the seat bottom and back which are calculated through a OPDS control unit which then sends signals to the SRS unit. They need to be initialized in order to talk with each other so it is possible that they just need to be re-initialized by your dealer...

rpg2003 · May 2003

The Yellow Side airbag light comes on at the start of the car but goes off as it should. I have never seen the Side air bag light come on while the car is running or right before the SRS light. Is there anyway to clear the fault code yourself?

auburn63 · May 2003

It is really not that easy to clear the code yourself so it would be best to stop in at a local dealer. Make sure when they clear it to do an re-initialization with the OPDS

nickng · May 2003

I have my CRV for 4 months. I also find the ride to be very stiff and bumpy. I lowered the recommended tire by 1.5 PSI which helps some. I am wondering if there is any other solutions to this. What happen if I lowered the pressure more, besides getting lower gas mileage?

grimmace70 · May 2003

Has anyone tried to repair/replace damaged window moldings ? I have a '98 which looks new, aside from the Arizona sun-ravaged window moldings at the base of each window. They're all cracked and flaked off, exposing bare metal - not good. Where it hasn't flaked off, I've got a wicked alligator pattern - not good either.

Anyone tried to repair this or replace the moldings altogether ? Thanks for the input.

sek4mlk · May 2003

I recently had occasion to replace the cabin air filters on both my 2002 CR-V and 2001 Civic (same filters in both). Although the owner's manual recommends replacement every 30K, I replaced at 15-20K. Filters in both vehicles were very dirty. While filter replacement in Civic was a very easy, CR-V filter replacement was another story. Due to interference from section of dash board the contains glove box latch, removing and reinstalling both filters was very difficult. Has anyone else had difficulty with CR-V cabin air filter replacement?

In an attempt to reduce cost (two Honda filters are $50), I used Purolator filters on my Civic since they were about half the cost. Compared to the Honda filter, the Purolator filter appeared to be substandard with about half as may pleats. Has anyone tried any other aftermarket CR-V/Civic cabin air filters (such as Wix)?

BTW, local Honda dealer advertised a "special" to replace Honda cabin air filters for the "low" price of $129.95 (ouch!)

micky1310 · May 2003

I drive a 2003 CRV LX 4WD.
Can someone tell me if it's OK (& beneficial) to use OverDrive (o/d off) on a frequent basis in a stop-and-go driving.
Does it effect the transmission in the long run?!?

mikefm58 · May 2003

Check out http://www.batauto.com/articles/cabinair.shtml

It was recently posted in the Accord forum and is almost identical to the CRV. I used the after market filter since it looked identical to Honda's, don't remember which brand though.

jmolinsky · May 2003

Folks,

My wife has a 2003 CR-V with about 8,000 miles. As she drives only long-distances, etc., we are following that maintenance schedule. Per the manual, her first oil change is not until 10,000 miles. So, why would the light be coming on now?

BTW, on the CR-V, is this light synonymous with the check engine light in other vehicles, where it could be emissions related or a loose gas cap?

Thanks for the info! I'm just trying to save her a trip to the dealership if possible.

sek4mlk · May 2003

I'm pretty sure that the maintenance required light is not related to the check engine light. Both my 2001 Civic and 2002 CR-V have the maintenance required light. My understanding is that it is odometer related; i.e. relative to the last time it was reset, the light flashes briefly on engine start after a certain amount of mileage has elapsed, and then glows steady at some greater amount of mileage. I'm not sure what these mileage set point are. If you change your oil yourself, the owners manual has the procedure for resetting this light.

kyfdx · May 2003

The maintenance reminder light is supposed to come on 2000 miles before the service interval is due. It happened on mine also. I'm not sure if I remember. Does it flash when starting, then go out? I think it comes on solid when you get closer to 10,000 miles. I'm sorry, but can't remember the specifics.

However, sek4mlk is correct, it has nothing to do with the check engine light.

regards,
kyfdx

sek4mlk · May 2003

After reviewing other posts regarding tire pressure, here's my two cents. My CR-V is approaching 19K. The other day while looking at the tires, I noted that all four appeared to be wearing as you would expect an underinflated tire to wear. Since new, I've always inflated the tires to the Honda-recommended 26 psi(tires are the BF Goodrich Touring T/A SR4s). I've since raised the pressure to 30 psi without noting any increased harshness in ride. Hopefully, the gas mileage will improve (20-22 mpg in mixed driving). Any other comments regarding tire pressure vs. tire wear would be appreciated.

rockycow · May 2003

sek4mlk, I believe you are on the right track. My Bridgestone duelers have a max pressure rating of 44 psi and I have run them with more than 26psi and still see some outside wear and none of the mid-tread wear characteristic of over inflated tires. I have run up to 42psi. I believe your BFG's are rated at max 36. Be aware that honda says use 35psi for 100mph driving. My question is what does honda say about 75 or 85. Anyway I would try running as much psi as you can tolerate for ride purposes up to the max. The BFG IMHO is a far superior tire to the Dueler H/T.

jfigueroa1 · May 2003

At this time I have the Dueler h/t only 12,000 miles the V is a 02 a/t. At 10,000 I rotated the tires and noticed that the wear on the front tires are a littler too much of what i was expecting, I know the tread wear # is 185 which is very low. I keep them at 28psi it is an ok ride. By the way last week I installed a tow hitch and wires, after removing the side aft panel I noticed the lack "none" of insulation and while tapping the sheet metal with my fingers you could tell is very thin this explain all or must of the road noise.

Greetings from rainy Miami.

bonyparte · May 2003

The bar underneath the passenger seat that moves the seat back and forth on my '02 CRV EX is loose on one side - this is the second time this has happened. The first time I took back to the dealer and they 'fixed' it. I'm wondering if anyone knows how to fix this once my warranty is over.

I have stuff in the tray underneath the passenger seat, like a car caddy that contains maps, air gauge, etc, the owners manual and a folder for car maintenance records. I don't use this tray every day but probably once every two weeks. Wondering if there is some problem with how this tray interacts with the bar, causing it to become loose.

peachy1 · May 2003

why don't u ask the dealer to lock-tite the thing? use the blue stuff so it's not permanent.

powiebaby · May 2003

I picked up my new silver 03 CR-V EX 3 weeks ago. Thrilled to death over it. No problems with it, per se. Just a quick comment on rear visibility. It's really pretty poor visibility looking at your rearview mirror. The middle headrest HAS TO BE REMOVED, and I've done that. No big deal there, as I don't typically have 5 passengers in the car. But even with the headrest removed, rear visibility is still lousy. Probably a combination of the somewhat small hatch window, the partial obstruction of the spare tire, and the tint of the glass. I've got a 5-year old daughter, and I like to put her car seat in the middle position of the rear seat because I feel it is the safest position in the event of a side impact collision. The carseat only ADDS to the small "window" of rear visibility. Not much I can do about that, though. I wanted the mini-SUV, so I guess I'll have to compromise something somewhere. Every other facet of the CR-V is just about top-notch. I can't get over how small it is from the outside, yet feels sooooooo spacious inside!!

icvci · May 2003

Heard that before. You'll get used to it. I took off the center restraint but, put it back on and now I don't really notice a problem. I think you'll adapt to the vehicle.

Congrats and have fun.

danpf1 · May 2003

I have a 98 CR-V, EX I bought it used in 99. First thing I did was to ditch the good year tires and replace them with Michelin X plus tires. what a difference they made, they wear better and handle better plus they produce a lot less road noise. I keep my tires aired at 30 to 32 PSI. Had them rotated after 10K miles no uneven wear patterns and very little tire wear. I average 20 MPG around town and 26 to 28 MPG open HWY driving.

evanyng · May 2003

My CR-V clock shares the display with the Audio System. With this arrangement, no matter what you do with the audio system, the display goes back to the clock in 5 seconds. In other words, I have no idea what radio station I'm on! At least with the CD player, the display shows the track number for a brief moment at the beginning of a track. Or, if I press the CD button again, it will show me the track number. I wish there is a play time display. But with the radio, I'm really "blind" to what station I'm playing. Anyone knows how to lock-out the clock display?

kyfdx · May 2003

There is one clue to what you are listening to. If you are listening to a preset station, it will say am-1 or fm-5 or whatever on the display. So, if you know what your preset buttons are hooked up to, you'll know what station you are on. Otherwise, no help. I'd rather have a dedicated digital clock display, that also stays on when the car is off. My wife's 2001 Accord has this.

regards,
kyfdx

peachy1 · May 2003

yeah i think u r stuck w/ that 'feature'. i feel annoyed at that myself. myb there's a hidden way to un-feature that. anyone?

mikefm58 · June 2003

I recently had my tires rotated and noticed right after that I had a slight vibration when braking, usually means rotors are warped and need resurfacing. I never noticed this before having my tires rotated. So I immediately re-torqued the lug nuts on all the wheels to specs. But the vibration is still there and slowly getting worse. Is it possible the mechanic torqued one or more of the lug nuts too tight and warped the rotors?

agolynsk · June 2003

Gentlemen, my new Honda CR-V 2003, auto, (4) wheel drive, ABS purchased in may 2003 and
developed annoying clunking noise every time I am using brakes. Noise starting @ aproximately 20 mph up to full stop. When I remove foot from brake pedal noise stops, but reapplying brake producing same noise. Please advice, is this normal? And what must be done to correct it.

Thanks, Ark

auburn63 · June 2003

If the noise happens on first apply after changing directions then there is a service bulletin that just came out which has the tech change the lower retaining clip in the front brake caliper. If not or if your not for sure go have it checked out, as that is about the only brake noise that these usaly make.

seaustin · June 2003

I have a new Ex and want to pull a small camper that weights 1400 lbs.. Honda says to put electric brakes on the trailer if it exceeds 1000 lbs. Does anyone have experience with this and what advice do you have for towing a small camper with an 2003 CR-V ex.

seaustin · June 2003

I plan to put a rack on the top of my 2003 CR-V EX to carry a kayak and mountain bike. Anyone have recommendation on the type of rack to buy, and has anyone ever carried bikes on a rack on the back door? Thanks.

seaustin · June 2003

My CR-V had 5000 miles on it at time of purchase. It is red so I am worried about the paint fading. Should I use regular car wax such as Turtle Wax on it or a polish? I can not determine if it has a clear coat on it-the paper work does not say. Please help.

theracoon · June 2003

I have a new Ex and want to pull a small camper that weights 1400 lbs.. Honda says to put electric brakes on the trailer if it exceeds 1000 lbs. Does anyone have experience with this and what advice do you have for towing a small camper with an 2003 CR-V ex.

Actually, the US 2002 and 2003 CR-Vs have a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs. The 1997-2001 CR-Vs were only rated for 1,000 lbs. You can confirm this on the Honda website (http://www.hondacars.com) or here on Edmunds.com under the New Car link.

fraver · June 2003

Hi, I have recently purchased a 98 CRV LX. I noticed a creaking/rattle on the right rear while test driving. Salesman thought it was a loose spare but could not locate. He then advised that he thought it was just the sway bar bushings were dry. I decided to buy it anyway. The noise was not very loud and only seemed to show up in parking lot at slow speed. I also thought it would be easy fix w/ lube. Since purchasing the vehicle I have read on another site that the sound is the result of dirty rear diff oil. I changed the oil but the noise continues. I used Honda's recomended dual pump fluid. The noise may be louder now its hard to say, I may just be more tuned into it. The problem is I now feel it is my mission to get rid of this noise. I have lube all the linkage I can find. The noise is best described as a tap, it sounds as though the exhaust is bumping against the bottom of the car. Only occurs at speed under 40 mph and seems random in rythym. I thought I remember reading something about the 4wd being engaged until 40mph is this true? Do CV joints go bad often it these? Is there any additive that can be added to rear diff oil. I saw brand at advance that said it quiets chattering differentials, sounds like what I need. Sorry for long post. I wanted to make sure I had everything. Mine is automatic in case it makes a difference. Thanks,

Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

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