2003 Honda CR-V problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
468 owner complaints analyzed
13 distinct recall campaigns
68,480 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 329 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 103 of 468 complaints (22.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 44 | 9.4% |
| Steering behavior | 40 | 8.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 31 | 6.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 17 | 3.6% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 1.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 0.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 103 |
| Electrical System | 54 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 32 |
| Exterior Lighting | 31 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 30 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 26 |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 |
Air Bags: 103; Electrical System: 54; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 32; Exterior Lighting: 31; Engine And Engine Cooling: 30; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 26; Unknown Or Other: 24
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 76 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 41 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 59 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 49 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 70 |
| 150,000 and above | 34 |
Under 25,000: 76; 25,000 to 49,999: 41; 50,000 to 74,999: 59; 75,000 to 99,999: 49; 100,000 to 149,999: 70; 150,000 and above: 34
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (76). 139 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 34 |
| 2004 | 60 |
| 2005 | 29 |
| 2006 | 29 |
| 2007 | 14 |
| 2008 | 25 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2010 | 29 |
| 2011 | 29 |
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 70 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 34; 2004: 60; 2005: 29; 2006: 29; 2007: 14; 2008: 25; 2009: 21; 2010: 29; 2011: 29; 2012: 23; 2013: 18; 2014: 16; 2015: 70; 2016: 17; 2017: 11; 2018: 13; 2019: 6; 2020: 4; 2021: 9; 2022: 3; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 44 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 31 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10023133 · 2003-06-16 (June 16, 2003)
I GOT A 2003 HONDA CR-V, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE IT'S MAKING A CLICKING SOUND. I WENT TO THE DEALER SO THEY CAN CHECK IT BUT ONE OF THE GUYS SHOWED ME A DIAGRAM OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. HE SAID THAT IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM WITH CR-V AND CIVIC. THEY CAN PUT GREASE ON IT BUT AFTER A WHILE YOU WILL HEAR THAT CLICKING SOUND AGAIN. FOR ME THIS A MAJOR PROBLEM. THEY CALL IT "SLIDING DISC BRAKES". *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023133 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028949 · 2003-07-23 (July 23, 2003)
CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT BRAKES, WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. DEALER SAYS THIS IS A NORMAL SOUND, NO OTHER CAR MAKES IT ONLY THE HONDA CRV. IT APPEARS TO BE THE BRAKE PADS THAT ARE NOT SECURELY FASTENED.
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003195 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON 2003 HONDA CRV AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING A CRASH INTO BRICK WALL.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003195 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023825 · 2003-06-26 (June 26, 2003)
STEERING HANGS IN A TURN CAUSING DANGEROUS LOSES OF CONTROL, STEERING WHEEL MUST BE FORCED BACK TO STAIGHTEN OUT. DEALER TRIED TO FIX BUT COULD NOT. HONDA TECH-LINE ENGINEERS SAID PROBLEM IS INHERENT IN NEW DESIGN, AND THERE IS NO FIX.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023825 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037846 · 2003-08-28 (August 28, 2003)
DASHBOARD LIGHT WENT OUT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SWITCH, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. WIRE HARNESS WAS THEN REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. BUT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT LOCATE THE EXACT COMPONENT THAT WAS THE SOURCE OF THE SHORT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 34 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037846 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081077 · 2004-07-14 (July 14, 2004)
I JUST RECIEVED MY FIRST OIL CHANGE AT SHOCKLEY HONDA IN FREDERICK MARYLAND ON MY HONDA CRV. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 MILES MY CAR STARTED TO SMOKE OUT THE BACK. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, FLAMES SHOUT THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE DEALER DID REPLACE SOME OF THE BURNT PARTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS. HAD TO BUY A NEW CRV BECAUSE OF THIS DAMAGE. I HAD SUBSTANTIAL EXPENSES NOT REMIMBURSED BY HONDA. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 4,219 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081077 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045655 · 2003-11-07 (November 7, 2003)
GEAR SHIFT (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) BECAME STUCK AND WOULD NOT GO IN OR OUT OF DRIVE. HAS HAPPENED ON 2 OCCASIONS (AUGUST, 6000 MILES) AND (OCTOBER, 8600 MILES). DEALER CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050683 · 2003-12-18 (December 18, 2003)
2003 HONDA CRV EX - WHEN REDUCING SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILS TO DOWNSHIFT AND BEGINS TO MAKE GRINDING NOISE. ONCE STOPPED GRINDING CONTINUES THEN GEARS RE-ENGAGE AND LUNGES SUV FORWARD QUICKLY. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME AT THE LIGHTS!! TO REMEDY - I HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE FROM PARK POSITION. PROBLEM REPEATED ITSELF AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION AND ENGINE LIGHT ENGAGED - I TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR TESTS - STATED ENGINE LIGHT REPORT STATES "TRANSMISSION FAILURE" BUT NO OTHER INFO PROVIDED. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE BY DRIVING AND WAS TOL…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,090 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10115266 · 2005-03-16 (March 16, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH DRIVER MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 16,605 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115266 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10346079 · 2010-07-29 (July 29, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE AIR CONDITIONER INDEPENDENTLY SHUT OFF. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE IN HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR COULD LOCK AND THE SERPENTINE BELT COULD FRACTURE CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WOULD COVER SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 61,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346079 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10174588 · 2006-11-28 (November 28, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AFTER BEEN PARKED FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME, A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL WAS NOTICED. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, A HOLE WAS NOTICED NEAR THE BACK SEAT, WHICH WAS LOCATED ABOVE THE GAS TANK AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TESTED THE VEHICLE TO FIND THE FAILURE CODE READING "AUXILIARY EMISSION CONTROL EVAPORATION, GAS LEAK". THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE GAS TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT THE PHYSICAL LEAK TO BE SHOWN WHICH NEVER HAPPENED. THE CONT…
Owner-reported narrative. 67,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10174588 at NHTSA ↗