Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

danfig · April 2009

I have an '04 CRV and had the check engine light go on with about 55,000 miles. Code reader indicated upstream oxygen sensor (there are 2). I replaced it and cleared the code, no problem ever since.

damendolia · April 2009

I am looking for used CRV. I will be putting a lot of miles (highway).Will this car be reliable. Looking at 2000 62K miles for $6500. What do you all think? How about Exterra or RAV4?

mjb56 · April 2009

I bought one last summer with 113K on it for $6K. We put about $700 in it with tires and fixing some minor rust along with a rear differential fluid change and valve adjustment. The vehicle had been very well maintained and now is virtually new all around. If the vehicle you're looking at had been maintained, I'd say you're getting a great deal for that price. What trim line is it? I'd say if you can get a look at the maintenance records and it looks good, I'd say go for it.

damendolia · April 2009

thanks for the help

tomk17 · April 2009

I have an 04' which is the same generation as the 00 model - it's been bullet proof with 110K miles. The Exterra gas mileage is a killer - expect only about 18-19 mpg highway vs 23-24 highway on the CRV

blueiedgod · April 2009

I have an 04' which is the same generation as the 00 model - it's been bullet proof with 110K miles.

1996-1998 is Gen 1
1999-2001 is Gen 1.5
2002- 2004 is Gen 2.
2005-2006 is Gen 2.5
2007-2009 is Gen 3
2010-2011 will be Gen 3.5.

there are subtle changes within Gens, e.g. from 1 to 1.5 the compression changed, so did the output and trim levels, Gen 2 to gen 2.5 included new AWD system (same as Gen 3) and drive by wire with VSC (same as Gen 3)

Gen 2.5 manual (mine) gets 26 mpg city, and 30 mpg on the highway.

As to OP, 2000 is a good model year if it is maintained well.

It needs to have the valves adjusted every 30,000 miles, like any B-series engine. Timing belt needs to be changed every 7 years or 100,000 miles, just like any B-series engine.

massautos123 · April 2009

I have an 05 CR-V that when I hit over 60 mph, it starts shaking. The steering wheel shakes, the center console shakes, the entire car shakes. I'm thinking that it might be due to a decent amount of miles on it (around 73k) and I do a lot of highway driving but I don't know. Any suggestions on what this could be?

circlew · April 2009

Sounds like either tires or alignment. Did you hit any large potholes lately? Could have bent a rim. How old are your tires?

When did the shaking start?

Regards,
OW

mcdermott · April 2009

If I were in your shoes...err...seat, I would have my tires balanced and rotated, and then a four-wheel alignment. That will typically resolve the shakes.

danfig · April 2009

if you are the original owner, there should have been a card with the radio code on your paperwork. Otherwise, if it is like other manufacturers, you may have to remove the radio to get the cereal number off the back then go to the dealer and they can look up the code.

joekinso · April 2009

Your code may be on the original bill of sale or inside one of the covers of the owners manual or warrantee manual. It may be a simple 5 digit # with no identification as to its purpose. Your CR-V should have come with a card containing two peel and stick tags about 1/2" x 1 1/2" with a 5 digit code over an 8 digit serial #. It is a plain tag with only the #'s on it. The original dealer may also have a record of the code if you have the original stock # or bill of sale. I think you get 5 tries to enter the code then you are locked out for something like 12 hours. If you do get the code, take care to depress and hold each digit for a second or so. My wife's last attempt to "jab" each digit failed in spite of having the correct code.

Good Luck

bigdadi118 · April 2009

The radio security code can be printed on a card, written on a page of owner manual or a sticker somewhere inside glove box.

You can retrieve the code by registering your ownership in owner link in www.honda.com. what it needs is answer a few questions.

newdriver2 · April 2009

I have the 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L Silver. Sometime when I start the engine, I heard the starter sound but the car did not start. I need to try it again to start it and then it start. Does any one experience this kind of problems. I try other CR-V in the dealer ship and it did not have the same thing. Any information could help, thanks.

blueiedgod · April 2009

I have the 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L Silver. Sometime when I start the engine, I heard the starter sound but the car did not start. I need to try it again to start it and then it start. Does any one experience this kind of problems. I try other CR-V in the dealer ship and it did not have the same thing. Any information could help, thanks.

Re-read the Owner's Manual on starting procedures, i.e. dash lights going out before starting.

Re-read the Owner's Manual on immobilizer protection, i.e. blinking green key light.

If those two don't help, then you are probably not cranking it long enough.

stever · April 2009

Try turning the ignition to "ON" but don't turn it all the way to crank for 3 or 4 seconds. That gives the fuel system time to pressurize (and time for the dash lights to go out?). You may even be able to hear the pump run. If that helps it could indicate that your fuel system isn't holding pressure like it should. Some cars just seem to start easier with this trick though.

ohbaobei · April 2009

Hi folks, I just got a brand new CRV a week ago.It is LX AWD. I was told that this is a real-time AWD meaning normally it is still under 2-wheel drive mode only when the vehicle detected the needs then it will switch to all-wheel drive. I am just curious how do our driver know if it is under all-wheel drive? Seems that there will be no lights on the panel to indicate that?! Do we just judge by feeling?

Also is there a way to manually start the all-wheel drive mode? Say I want the vehilce to be operated under all-wheel drive mode no matter what the road condition is!~~~

topcat8 · April 2009

You just judge by feeling. It workes real smoooooth. TopCat :shades:

blueiedgod · April 2009

Find an empty snow covered pakring lot.

Turn off VSA.

Put her in 1st.

And have fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6qxbyUlRz4

This is how you know AWD works.

isellhondas · April 2009

CRV's do not have "all" wheel drive.

They have "Real Time" four wheel drive.

If slippage occurs, power is transferred to the rear wheels. It is seamless and the driver has no control over this.

It works like a charm too. I was thankful to have it during this past crappy winter!

circlew · April 2009

It works like a charm too. I was thankful to have it during this past crappy winter!

Ditto. The traction is amazing and quite useful. Love it!

Regards,
OW

marsh56 · April 2009

The green light behind the D on my transmission indicator started blinking on my way home from work. When I got home, I checked the manual and found out that that indicated a possible transmission problem. My husband checked the fluid and it smelled burned. My CR-V has 113,000 miles on it and has not been driven abusively. It has been through the routine maintenance, and I had the 100,000 mile check completed. My local repairman looked at it and suggested that there might be more problems than just changing the fluid. Has anyone else had problems like this? Suggestions on trying a 'reputable' transmisssion shop or my Honda dealer?

tomk17 · April 2009

I think the trans fluid change schedule is 105K or 120K. Has this been done? It's a pretty easy drain-fill-drain-fill process. Dealer charges about $80 for it. Fluid with 100K miles will smell little naturally. I would go to the dealer, they see 10 CRV's a week whereas the shop see 1 a month. Think it was / is just low in fluid?

blueiedgod · April 2009

The suggested interval is only good for "normal" conditions, such as: no idling, no stop and go, no freezing weather, no hot weather....

Generally, ATF fluid in a Honda should be replaced every 30,000 miles with Honda ATF Z-1, only!!!!!

Honda recommends draining, refilling, driving 5 miles, draining, refilling, driving 5 miles, draining, refilling for 90% fluid replacement.

tomk17 · April 2009

Changing ATF at 30,000 miles is a bit over the top. I contend "normal" conditions include some idling and stopping. What it does not include towing for example. OK changing it at 60-80K miles would be acceptable if you want but I had no trouble running Hondas to 100K on the ATF and I'll bet many others have as well. Nothing wrong with changing it early, just a waste of money IMO just like changing oil at 3K.

2003n1998crv · April 2009

2003 CRV EX AWD had a noise in the alternator. My college student son had it replaced at Pep Boys while away at school. The battery light then came on (never was on before) but they told him it was the battery. When he came for a visit, I took the car and had it checked at the dealer. Battery, alternator and starter all checked out fine. They had no suggestion other than "after market alternators sometimes do that. Replace it with a Honda alternator." Went to Pep Boys and they said the problem is the light, a Honda problem not a problem with the alternator. I would even prefer someone take out the light as that would do me as much good as the light being on always does (and be far less annoying).

Anyone have a suggestion (other than electrical tape over the light, please)? Anyone ever solved this? Thanks.

blueiedgod · April 2009

Changing ATF at 30,000 miles is a bit over the top. I contend "normal" conditions include some idling and stopping. What it does not include towing for example. OK changing it at 60-80K miles would be acceptable if you want but I had no trouble running Hondas to 100K on the ATF and I'll bet many others have as well. Nothing wrong with changing it early, just a waste of money IMO just like changing oil at 3K

Normal and Severe conditions are defined in the OWNER's MANUAL.

blueiedgod · April 2009

2003 CRV EX AWD had a noise in the alternator. My college student son had it replaced at Pep Boys while away at school. The battery light then came on (never was on before) but they told him it was the battery. When he came for a visit, I took the car and had it checked at the dealer. Battery, alternator and starter all checked out fine. They had no suggestion other than "after market alternators sometimes do that. Replace it with a Honda alternator." Went to Pep Boys and they said the problem is the light, a Honda problem not a problem with the alternator. I would even prefer someone take out the light as that would do me as much good as the light being on always does (and be far less annoying).

Anyone have a suggestion (other than electrical tape over the light, please)? Anyone ever solved this?

Ask PepBoys if their alternator cycles on and off electronically like the Honda one does. Chances are that it does not.

Honda Alternators, unlike most others, are not on all the time. They charge the battery to 100% and then cycle off until battery is discharged to about 85%. Then cycle on again.

One can observe this with a voltmeter while driving. The voltage will cycle between 14.3V (alternator on) and 12.0 V running off battery. this allows the vehicle to be more fuel eficcient by taking the load off the engine, and prolongs the life of the battery by not overcharging it when it does not need to be charged.

Since the computer sees alternator on all the time, it alerts the driver that alternator is not performing properly and is probably over charging the battery and will eventually lead to failure of most of the electronics components, including, but not limited to the on board computer.

Honda, unlike others, are not cars, they are machines. Check out Honda Azimo if you think you are just driving a car.

madams1 · April 2009

Lately the wiper blades on my 2003 CRV have been acting up. Under normal setting, they sometimes act like they are on the high setting or even higher. The one my drivers side hits so hard it looks and sounds like it will fly off at any time. At other times it is normal. Is there any type of adjustment or could this be a sign the wiper motor is acting up.

Thanks

sailorboy1 · May 2009

Our 2007 doesn't get to 15% oil life remaining until 10,000 miles! Did that on the first oil change and again on the next oil change as well. My dealer doesn't have a service manager at the moment but the service advisor assures me that is pretty normal on a CRV that doesn't see a lot of hard and/or city driving. I figured they must use synthetic oil but they tell me it is not. I'm really skeptical about this !! I want this car to run for 300K and don't think such long oil change intervals will get me there. Are there any long term Honda owners out there that have been doing this for a couple hundred thousand miles?

tomk17 · May 2009

I've been going with 10,000 mil change intervals for years now BUT with synthetic oil only. I ran an Odyssey to 150K miles and our current 04 CRV has 120K miles heading for an easy 200K. Since I use a garage and therefore it's not outside on cold nights, I've always upgraded to 5W-30 weight vs the thinner weights.

circlew · May 2009

My 2006 BMW was recommended 15K between oil changes with synthetic only.

Regards,
OW

dagwood2 · May 2009

If you like your car (any car) and want it to remain in good condition, I would never follow any such rediculously long oil change interval even with synthetic oil. Plus synthetic oil or not, the type of filter used is just as important to how long the oil stays good. My rule?: IF your driving is: 1) mostly highway 2) few very short trips 3) not hilly 4) not too hot summer 5) not too cold winter 6) not a dusty environment,
THEN I would use good synthetic oil like Mobile 1 or AMSoil, and a good filter (mobile 1, Purolator Pure-One, AMSoil) every 5000 to 6000 miles.

If you said NO to at least two of the conditions above (like me), then I would stick to the usual 3000 mile interval, of course still using quality synthetic oil and a good filter.

If you continue to use conventional oil, I would never pass 3 months or 3000 miles whichever comes first, no matter what the conditions.

Anyone with the initiative can perform their own test.... change your oil and filter and check it, paying particular attention to the color and odor. Using a clean white napkin to wipe off the dipstick is a good way. Then repeat checking the color and odor weekly until the oil begins to get dark, and/or starts smelling like varnish. That is when you should change it, and the number of miles you have on it at that time should be your interval.

Using less expensive oil and fram filters, mine was getting bad at way less than 3000 miles. I now use only Mobile 1 Extended performance oil and Pure One filters, and I could go to maybe 3500 or 4000 miles, but I don't. 3000 is my limit.

stever · May 2009

I don't think you can't tell anything about engine oil by looking at it.

The Dark Oil Myth

Are oil changes every 3,000 miles really needed?

I use dead dino in my minivan and have pushed the usual recommended 7,500 interval out to 11,000 miles at least once. It's a '99 and ~133,000 miles on it. Oil's a lot better than it used to be.

If you really want to know what shape your oil is in, pay the $20 for an analysis.

tomk17 · May 2009

dagwood2, you are a little too old school. Virtually all car companies have extended oil change intervals over the past 5 years at least and it's not just because they want to show a lower cost of ownership although that's part of it. Do you really think Honda, Toyota, BMW, etc would sacrifice their engine reputations just to show low cost of ownership? I don't. The 3000 mile rule is out the window with today's engine and oil technology. I agree with you the oil filter is often the lowest common denominator but still, most good filters do their job to 10K miles. I've seen several oil analysis results (from the companies you send in a sample to) that show the oil is still performing at 8-10K miles.

I have NOT seen proof that 3-5K mile oil changes extend the life of the engine. I HAVE however seen first hand proof that 10K mile changes with synthetic oil and a good filter does not impact the life of the engine.

bigdadi118 · May 2009

Honda recommends to change the oil in 12 months if the mileage didn't trigger the M.M.

My M.M. told me for oil change after first 5,000 miles, then 8,000 miles later and MM shows I still have 40% left. I think may be a change of acceleration habit, now I accelerate slower and off the gas pedal earlier.

dagwood2 · May 2009

I have a 13 year old vehicle with a supercharger, which creates boat-loads of heat. Plus, I drive in a dusty environment, where it can be 100 degrees in the summer, -10 in the winter and I climb/descend over 3,000 ft to commute to my job. I don't care what they say, and anyway my manual has the severe duty at 3000 miles. You say most good filters do their job to 10k... I don't know what you call a good filter, there are only a few I'll use, but a couple of friends of mine and I did both a lot of research about filters, then a sort of hands on test, using different filters and seeing how long it took for the oil to get dirty. Only Mobile 1, Pure One, and AMSoil stood up to 3000 miles, much less ten. Fram is junk, even the ToughGuard.
So if you want all that junk floating around your engine for 5-7k miles, go ahead. I like my car.

stever · May 2009

You sound like the perfect candidate for an oil analysis. Why guess?

trcm · May 2009

My wife and I purchased a new 2007 Honda CR-V in late 2007 (November). The vehicle had 45 miles on it when we drove it off the lot. As with any new vehicle (and being old school), we were careful to drive it easy for the first few thousand miles to ensure proper break-in. The vehicle currently has less than 10K miles, and I do my own oil service every 3K using Castrol 5-20W (recommended viscosity), and new Honda filter. After the vehicle had approxinmately 5K miles on it, we took a trip from Central California to Los Angles and back (approx. 700 miles RT). Upon our return, I noticed that the oil level was down nearly 1/2 quart on the stick. After another regular oil change followed by another 500-mile trip, I found the oil to be a bit low on the stick again. Honda recommends using 5-20W oil. However, living in a more moderate climate (Central California), I can't help to wonder if the 5-20W viscosity isn't too thin for our conditions! I wrote a letter to Honda expressingf my concerns and they resopnded that I need to continue using the 5-20W, and add oil if needed. Am I over reacting here, or has anyone else had this experience? Does anyone use a heavier (5-30W) viscosity?

Mr_Shiftright · May 2009

What would you estimate your oil mileage to be, per quart?

trcm · May 2009

Using the info I provided (1/2 quart in about 700 miles) would extend out to be approximately 1400 miles per qt. It doesn't appear to be a problem with short (around town) trips, just at highway speeds.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2009

Well I think as long as you are under warranty, you'd best go with the type of oil stated in your owner's manual or on the oil cap itself.

You'll need a longer test to test oil consumption. You might have the dealer check your PCV valve, and also complain about oil consumption. Maybe there's a leak you can't see. At least the complaint will be recorded.

Generally, there's no cause for alarm here unless you continue testing and find that the oil consumption in miles per quart is slowly increasing as the miles pile up. An engine can use some oil and run forever, but when it drops to say one quart per 1000 miles, that really gets my attention, especially on a newer vehicle.

Next oil change, try to measure it very accurately. And make sure the dealer makes note of this on the repair order....and check the PCV system.

lzc · May 2009

The beauty of Honda's system is that finally an automaker has incorporated the obvious in their service schedule recommendations: all mileage is not the same. I guess a 3,000 mile oil change interval makes sense if one assumes everyone drives under the worst conditions possible.

But they don't. Some people drive mostly on freeways and at moderate speeds and live in an area with a mild climate. For them, a longer interval between oil changes makes sense. Honda's system attempts to account for these differences. It makes sense to me.

blueiedgod · May 2009

I've always upgraded to 5W-30 weight vs the thinner weights

Is there proof that "thicker is better"? Or is it just a personal preference?

trcm · May 2009

tomk17,
Aren't you concerned that the switch to 5-30W will void Honda's warranty?

bearcrkrd · May 2009

10,000 miles? No! 5,000 is ok. I don't go over that. Not sure about the first, but 3,000 -4,000 sounds right. Why would I buy a brand new vehicle and then do the first oil change (and second and third..) myself???
You should always use the thinest possible oil your vehicle's engine will use. I'ts because of the close tolerances in the new motors. The oil needs to get to all parts of the motor immediately upon starting and remain there at full pressure at all times.
The only vehicle I've had trouble with is an '01 Camry 4 cylinder. Started using oil at 60,000 miles. Treated it like my child, so it was doubly frustrating. It's got 135,000 now, and I'm going up (45 miles) after class this morning to check and probably add oil. My sister has it now. Cat converter hasn't gone yet, and it doesn't tick or knock. I changed the oil myself on that one, as it was easy enough for a fifth grader to do. But not the first few times.
I spent $10 on a raffle ticket two weeks ago. Prize is a CRV EX. Drawing in November. Just checking to see what I could be in for

tomk17 · May 2009

At 115K miles, it's long past warranty so not a concern for me. I'll have to check but I think the 0W-20 was the suggestion for one wide temperature range and 5W-30 was acceptable for a higher temperature range (I don't have the manual in front of me).

terryp1 · May 2009

Gotta agree with blueiegod on the oil change. I still can't believe manufacturers are suggesting 10k between changes. After a few break-in changes at under 5k I switched to Mobil1 synthetic and now change it right at 5k. The stuff that comes out looks plenty used and dirty to me.

And on the viscosity. I switched to 5w-30 early on but switched right back after mentioning it to a top-notch professional mechanic who has the same model CR-V. He says the engine's self-adjusting valves need the 5w-20.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2009

I think he means the variable valve timing perhaps? You can screw that up with the wrong weight oil.

kyfdx · May 2009

Hondas used to need a valve adjustment, every 30K miles... That hasn't been the case for Accords or CR-Vs for at least ten years, though..

Maybe that's what he meant by "self-adjusting".. :confuse:

bigdadi118 · May 2009

http://www.carspace.com/bigdadi118/Albums/bigdadi118%27s%20Album/Honda_Oil_Chart- .jpg/page/photo.html#pic

Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair

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