1.5

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
109,661 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Honda CR-V engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Honda CR-V Owner Comments

problem #6

Nov 282020

CR-V

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Marion, KS, USA

problem #5

Jun 042018

CR-V

  • 108,965 miles
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.

- Englewood, CO, USA

problem #4

Mar 162016

CR-V

  • 113,000 miles
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!

- Bentonville, AR, USA

problem #3

Dec 182015

CR-V

  • 164,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Hixson, TN, USA

problem #2

Dec 042014

CR-V

  • 137,000 miles
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.

- St Louis, MO, USA

problem #1

Mar 162013

CR-V 4-cyl

  • 135,000 miles
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.

- Livingston, MT, USA

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