The contact owns a 2003 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the engine fan was inoperable causing the engine to overheat. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the thermostat, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
2003 Honda CR-V engine problems
92 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 65,000.
- owner complaints
- 92
- of this car's complaints
- 20%
- typical mileage
- 65,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Cooling system32
- Engine14
- Exhaust system3
- Engine: gasoline2
- Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1
- Exhaust system: emission control1
- Engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys1
- Cooling system: radiator assembly1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Honda CR-V engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Honda CR-V engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Underhood fires
In documents provided during ea04-027, honda identified a mechanism which causes the rubber seal (gasket) of the original equipment (oe) oil filter to adhere to the engine block of the subject vehicles.if an adhered seal remains when the oe filter is removed and a new filter is installed, a double gasket condition results.a subsequent rupture of the extraneous seal can result in oil contacting nearby exhaust system surfaces and a fire may occur.throughout its discussions with odi, honda has maintained that it is the servicing technician?s responsibility to inspect for and remove the seal prior to installing a new filter.odi?s analysis found that seal adhesion, in conjunction with technician error and exhaust component location, resulted in a high rate of subject vehicle oil filter fires compared to earlier models and peers.vehicles that have not had the oe filter disturbed are not at risk.service replacement filter seals, which are manufactured by a different supplier, do not exhibit the seal adhesion condition.therefore, if the initial oil change is done properly, the elevated fire risk is eliminated for the remainder of the vehicle?s life.based on average mileage accumulation and oil service interval, odi estimates that more than two thirds of the subject vehicles have received their initial oil change and are no longer at an elevated risk.honda changed the design of the filter seal to prevent the adhesion condition and introduced the new seal at both cr-v assembly plants in december 2004.in a december 8, 2004 letter to odi, honda committed to send a notification to subject vehicle owners advising of the fire risk if an oil change is improperly performed.the letter discusses measures consumers can take to ensure the first oil change is done properly.letter mailings commenced on december 10, 2004.owners who have recently had their first oil change performed and are unsure if it was done correctly can have it inspected by a honda dealer at no charge; if an improper filter installation is detected, a free remedy will be provided by the dealer.unsold subject vehicles in dealer stock (~20,000 units) will have the oe filter replaced with a service component prior to retail.the injury noted above occurred when a consumer slipped on oil that leaked from their vehicle.recent report trends indicate that honda?s efforts to improve oil filter service proficiency at their dealerships have been effective.see the ea04-027 summary report for further details on this investigation.
EA04027
Oil filter fires
This investigation identified 32 incidents of oil filter leakage in the subject vehicle population, with 22 resulting in vehicle fires.all of the incidents occurred following oil changes.honda's investigation of 14 of the fire incidents determined that five oil filters had stacked seals (double-gasketing), and nine oil filters had distorted or pinched seals.according to honda, both conditions result from failure to follow necessary repair procedures. Stacked seals result from failure of the service technician to remove the old seal prior to installing the new filter and seal.distorted or pinched seals result from failure to properly lubricate the new seal prior to installation. Oil leakage from a stacked, distorted, or pinched seal can be ignited by heat from the exhaust system, which is located near the oil filter in the subject vehicles.honda will issue communications to its dealers warning of the necessity to follow correct procedures when replacing oil filters in the subject vehicles and of the potential for vehicle fires to result from improper repairs.odi will continue to monitor the alleged defect in my 2003 and later cr-v vehicles.this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
PE04018
What 2003 Honda CR-V owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My low beams do not work on 2003 honda crv. I bought the car in 2015, and see there was a low beam headlight recall in march/ april of 2012. Since the issue just started in my vehicle, and there was a prior recall on this issue, I would like the recall to be sent to me. Also, my vehicle is showing a code p1259 vtec system malfunction showing up.
When in drive, at a light, with foot on the brake, the engine suddenly accelerates briefly, then returns to normal. This happened 3 or 4 times over the last year or 2. On 06/04/18, when in motion,in reverse, the engine suddenly accelerated. I dropped it into drive, it continued until I braked and jammed it into park, then the engine returned to idle.
Takata recall : when I start the car and keep AC on, rattling sound comes and AC stops working. I can see there is one recall for 2002- 2008 honda crv for clutch and AC compressor recall. Published on jun 6, 2014 if you own a honda cr-v between 2002 - 2008 then you will encounter a common problem with the AC compressor clutch not engaging properly due to the location and overheating of this part. Need help. Thanks!
On december 18 my youngest daughter was returning from a babbysitting job..her 2003 crv accelerator stuck open ..for 5 to 7 miles she pressed on brakes as car was accelerating over 100 MPH..she managed to slow to 60 and engage neutral while car still revving..and shut off vehicle..no dash or warning lights..the car is now at a honda dealership in chattanooga..the dealer has pics of what happened and brakes were fried as they were new..im 2 1/2 weekks waiting on a reply or investigation from honda ..im out a car and my daughter needs to get to college..she was on a long stretch of highway at incident.which is what likely saved her by the grace of god..or could have been serious injury or death.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda cr-v. While in park, the vehicle failed to start. The contact independently replaced the battery twice; however, the failure recurred. The contact removed the remote starter per the dealer's instruction, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was unable to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.
My family and I were driving on an interstate, traveling up a slight hill at 65 MPH. I stepped on the accelerator to increase power, and the pedal suddenly went right to the floor and the engine rpms increased from 3k to about 5.5k. The crv accelerated rapidly, approaching 80 MPH, and I removed my foot from the pedal. The engine was completely unresponsive, and the crv continued to accelerate to 85 MPH. At this point, I made sure that the cruise control was turned off. I quickly realized something was wrong, so I began to apply the brakes, gently at first, but the engine was racing and accelerating the crv, so I had to smash on the brake with both feet. I was able to bring the crv down to about 45 MPH and exit the interstate at a rest area. Once on the off-ramp, I put the transmission into neutral because the brakes were under a lot of stress. The engine rpms shot even higher, so I cut the ignition and coasted into the rest area. We had to call for a tow truck. A mechanic confirmed (as I suspected) that the butterfly valve in the engine throttle body was stuck in the open position. A few days later, a honda parts inspector reviewed the crv and determined that the problem was caused by normal wear and tear, and that we were responsible for paying for a new throttle body. A series of calls with corporate honda ensued, wherein they refused to acknowledge any responsibility for the defective part. After much complaining on my part, honda agreed to pay for a new throttle as long as I would sign a waiver absolving them of all future legal liability. I refused to do so. Ultimately, I worked with my local dealership to trade-in the crv for a newer model. I do not know the fate of the 2003 crv. The incident on the road was horrifying, and then to be treated poorly by corporate honda was infuriating. The national safety database shows that this is not a new problem.
On my 2003 honda at around 66,000 miles the air conditioning quit working. Although I hardly use A/C since I only have a short drive to work. I took the vehicle into a honda dealer. It was reported that the A/C blew up and was contaminated throughout the system. I had to replace everything including lines. Although they claim this happens, im concerned since the A/C was rarely used. Clearly a defect in the A/C. Ive owned other vehicles with only having to do regular maintenace on the A/C with no problems. This repair costed 2,611.70. I had an extended warrenty which did not help much either. I have been told or read other problems with the A/C in hondas.
Heater core leaking into passenger side and dripping on passenger's foot. Passenger was not injured but potential for burn.
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.
Questions about the 2003 Honda CR-V engine
Does the 2003 Honda CR-V have engine problems?
Owners have filed 92 complaints about the engine of the 2003 Honda CR-V, 20% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda CR-V engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 65,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Honda CR-V engine?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Honda CR-V have bad engine?
The Honda CR-V model years with the most engine complaints are 2018 (545 complaints), 2017 (541 complaints) and 2015 (254 complaints).
Other 2003 Honda CR-V problems
Airbags 125Electrical 62Lights 40Acceleration 32Visibility 24Transmission 23Brakes 18Locks 17Body 14Steering 14Suspension 13Fuel system 12Seat belts 12Tires 9Wheels 2Driver assistance 1Seats 1
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