2003 HONDA CR-V Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR CONTUSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AUGUST 28TH, MY 2003 HONDA CRV HAD AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ONLY WARNING, WAS A RUBBING SOUND WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED BUT NO DASH LAMPS PRIOR TO SEEING THE SMOKE AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET MY FAMILY OUT OF THE CRV AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. UPON REPAIRING THE CAR AT THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER, THEY IDENTIFIED THE AC COMPRESSOR AS THE LIKELY ROOT CAUSE OF THE FIRE BASED ON MELTED CLUTCH DRIVE WIRES WHICH APPEAR TO BE THE IGNITION SOURCE FOR THE OVERHEATED DRIVE BELT. SINCE THE 2 YR OLD AC COMPRESSOR WAS A FOUR SEASONS - EVERCO 58881 REPLACEMENT A/C COMPRESSOR FROM AUTO ZONE, HONDA WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION BUT THEY DID ALLOW ME TO KEEP THE DAMAGED AC COMPRESSOR AND DRIVE BELT. I SPOKE WITH EVERCO CUSTOMER SERVICE HOWEVER THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY SO I DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH THE AUTO ZONE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER WHO MADE AN INTERNAL INQUIRY AND THEN SAID THEY COULD NOT INITIATE A CLAIM BECAUSE THE COMPONENT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT NEITHER HONDA, AUTOZONE NOR EVERCO ARE INTERESTED IN A ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION OR PROVIDING ANY COMPENSATION. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT BUT OTHER CRV OWNERS MAY BE LESS FORTUNATE. I HAVE THE DAMAGED HARDWARE AND PHOTOS WHICH CAN SUPPORT AN INVESTIGATION. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 CR-V IN 2003. IN THE FALL OF 2003 A VEHICLE STRUCK THE CR-V IN THE RIGHT FRONT AREA. THE CR-V WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL DEALER'S BODY SHOP. DUE TO A PARTS SHORTAGE IT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. IN SPRING OF 2004 I REPLACED A HEADLAMP THAT HAD QUIT BURNING ON LOW BEAM SETTING. THE OPPOSITE BULB STOPPED WORKING A FEW DAYS LATER AND WAS REPLACED. ABOUT 4 MONTHS AFTER REPLACING THE FIRST BULB ANOTHER I EXPERIENCED ANOTHER BULB FAILURE ON LOW BEAM SETTING. I REPLACED BOTH HEAD LAMP BULBS AND WENT ANOTHER 4 MONTHS OR SO BEFORE EXPERIENCING ANOTHER FAILURE. SINCE THIS PROBLEM BEGAN I HAVE REPLACED AN AVERAGE OF 8 HEADLAMPS (4 SETS)PER YEAR. WHEN DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT IT WAS THOUGHT THAT A WIRE MAY HAVE BEEN PINCHED DURING THE COLLISION. DURING THE INITIAL DISCUSSION OF THIS PROBLEM I TENDED TO AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY 4 WEEKS AGO I REPLACED BOTH HEADLAMPS IN THE CR-V. ON 9/02/11 I NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ODOR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. LATER THAT DAY MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER DROVE THE CR-V. UPON THEIR RETURN HOME I WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING REQUIRING THEM TO DRIVE HOME USING THE HIGH BEAM LAMPS. PREVIOUSLY THAT DAY I HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN A DECK AND KNEW THAT AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME BOTH LAMPS WERE FUNCTIONING ON LOW SETTING. I WENT TO REPLACE BOTH LAMPS TODAY BUT NEITHER REPLACEMENT WOULD BURN ON A LOW SETTING. FURTHER RESEARCH VIA INTERNET LED ME TO THE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. AFTER LEARNING THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND FILED A REPORT WITH THE NHTSA I FELT THAT ADDING MY NAME AND EXPERIENCES MIGHT PROVE BENEFICIAL IN DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS FAILED WHILE DRIVING, FOUND CAUSE TO BE MELTED ELECTRICAL WIRES AND CONNECTION AT HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,322 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,069. UPDATED 10/04/11*LJ PRIOR TO THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THE THROTTLE BODY PART OF THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM WAS BROKEN WHICH CAUSED A CABLE TO BE STUCK; THIS CAUSED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH IS CLEARLY A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. UPDATED 10/24/11

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME; NEW BULBS DID NOT WORK; FUSES WERE FINE. UPON LOOKING ONLINE, SAW THAT THERE WERE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN. THE TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN AND FOUND WIRES WERE BURNED. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRE HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THIS, I HAD OCCASIONALLY NOTICED A BURNING SMELL WHILE DRIVING AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SMELL. IT RESULTED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. UPDATED 09/27/11 *BF UPDATED 2/28/12 *CN

2003 HONDA CRV--HEADLIGHT LOW-BEAMS REPEATEDLY GOING OUT. HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE. CLEANED CONNECTOR IN STEERING COLUMN LAST TIME, AND LOW-BEAMS CAME BACK ON (OBVIOUS CORROSION/SIGNS OF OVER-HEATING NOTED). THIS TIME I HAVE RE-CLEANED CONNECTOR, BUT LOW-BEAMS STILL OUT. WILL TRY REPLACING BOTH BULBS. I HAVE READ ON INTERNET THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

THE AIR CONDITIONER (AC) STOPPED WORKING. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP AND DESTROYED MANY COMPONENTS IN THE SYSTEM. HE QUOTED ME ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX THE ISSUE. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO HONDA DEALER AND THEY TOLD THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE $3500. I LIVE IN THE DALLAS, TEXAS AREA AND WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING TRIPLE DIGIT TEMPERATURE. THIS IS A CAR MY WIFE USES. WE HAVE TWO LITTLE KIDS. NOT HAVING A WORKING AC IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I CONTACTED HONDA USA FOR HELP AND THEY TOLD ME SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE SYSTEM. THEY WOULD NOT AGREE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE COUNTLESS POSTINGS ON THE WEB ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. HONDA SHOULD BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. IN HOT CLIMATES, NOT HAVING AN AC IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. NOW, I AM STUCK! WHERE AM I GOING TO GET $3500 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM HAS MADE THE CAR COMPLETELY USELESS. I AM BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. HONDA SHOULD NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS COMPANY IS ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE.

CPSC# I1170403A 2003 HONDA CRV. FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER HIGH IMPACT SIDE COLLISION. *LN

DRIVING AT 5 MPH AFTER LEAVING HOME I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM THE CABIN FAN (THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON). I TURNED OFF FAN AND NOISE STOPPED. AT TRAFFIC LIGHT TRIED FAN WITHOUT THE AIR CONDITIONER AND ENGINE STALLED. ENGINE DID NOT RESTART UNTIL I TURNED OFF FAN. PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS FAILURE OF AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND A FROZEN AIR CONDITIONER CLUTCH. OTHER THAN THE NOISE THERE WAS NO WARNING OF FAILURE. CAR WAS SERVICED 2 MONTHS AND 800 MILES BEFORE INCIDENT. IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE RESULTED IN STALLED ENGINE. IF CAR WAS MOVING THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOSS OF CONTROL AS POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. IF FAILURE HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED I THINK I WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE OR COMPRESSOR CLUTCH (AND SHRAPNEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR ON THE ROAD AND LIKELY LOSS OF CONTROL). HERE WAS NO EARLY INDICATION OR WARNING OF COMPONENT FAILURE. ALTHOUGH DAMAGE WAS ISOLATED TO COMPRESSOR, IF I HAD REACTED SLOWER OR HAD THE SPEED BEEN HIGHER THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OR INJURY.