2004 Honda CR-V problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
501 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
69,850 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 352 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 92 of 501 complaints (18.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 39 | 7.8% |
| Braking behavior | 34 | 6.8% |
| Steering behavior | 24 | 4.8% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 2.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 1.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 1.6% |
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 | 92 |
| Electrical System | 56 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 56 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 51 |
| Exterior Lighting | 35 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 27 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 22 |
| Unknown Or Other | 22 |
Air Bags: 92; Electrical System: 56; Engine And Engine Cooling: 56; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 51; Exterior Lighting: 35; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 27; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 22; Unknown Or Other: 22
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 78 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 36 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 77 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 58 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 66 |
| 150,000 and above | 37 |
Under 25,000: 78; 25,000 to 49,999: 36; 50,000 to 74,999: 77; 75,000 to 99,999: 58; 100,000 to 149,999: 66; 150,000 and above: 37
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (78). 149 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 90 |
| 2005 | 29 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 39 |
| 2009 | 29 |
| 2010 | 37 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2012 | 33 |
| 2013 | 17 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 59 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2003: 3; 2004: 90; 2005: 29; 2006: 8; 2007: 16; 2008: 39; 2009: 29; 2010: 37; 2011: 40; 2012: 33; 2013: 17; 2014: 23; 2015: 59; 2016: 12; 2017: 21; 2018: 6; 2019: 11; 2020: 6; 2021: 7; 2022: 1; 2023: 7; 2024: 3; 2025: 2; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 39 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 24 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 10078798 · 2004-06-25 (June 25, 2004)
ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2004 MY 2004 HONDA CRV CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER LEAVING DEALERSHIP FROM HAVING 1ST OIL CHANGE. I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS "THE OLD O-RING/GASKET WAS NOT REMOVED AND A NEW ONE ADDED ON TOP OF OLD ONE". HOWEVER YESTERDAY WHEN I WENT BY TO GET THINGS OUT OF OTHER CAR I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSED FIRE. DEALERSHIP WANTED TO REPAIR CAR AND GIVE IT BACK TO ME, BUT I REFUSED. AFTER WATCHING MY CAR BURN I JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT BACK....AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF DISCUSSION AND TO THE POINT OF ME WALKING…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083951 · 2004-07-26 (July 26, 2004)
DEFECT REGARDING WIRING HARNESS OF THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG BEING INCORRECTLY WIRED. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING STRUCK BY AN ONGOING VAN, THE CONSUMER SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A POLE. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. *SC THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE WIRING OF THE AIR BAG. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083951 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10060859 · 2004-03-09 (March 9, 2004)
ONE MONTH AGO I PURCHASED A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THIS AFTERNOON ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN I DISCOVERED SOMETHING HAD FALLEN OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL. HONDA HAS PUT A PIECE OF PLASTIC UNDER THE DASH FOR SOME REASON AND DEVISED SOME RINKY DINK WAY TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. THE LATCH WAS STILL IN THE LOCKED POSITION BUT IT HAD VIBRATED TO THE SIDE AND CAME LOOSE, FALLING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT FOLLOWING TO CLOSE SO I HAD TIME TO STOP BEFORE REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF M…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10060859 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072359 · 2004-05-10 (May 10, 2004)
MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT A RELATIVELY FLAT AREA AT THE TOP OF A HILL. WHEN I GOT IN TO START THE CAR, THE LIGHT CAME ON THAT THE TAIL GATE WAS OPEN. I WENT TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO SLAM THE GATE AND THE WINDOW. WHEN I GOT AROUND TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CAR AND OPENED IT, I HEARD A POP AND THE CAR STARTED ROLLING. I STUCK MY FOOT IN TO GET MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE OPEN DOOR KNOCKED ME DOWN AND THE CAR CONTINUED ROLLING TILL IT HIT A STONE WALL. I AM SURE THAT I HAD THE CAR IN PARK. THAT DAY I GOT A RENTAL CAR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10072359 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073654 · 2004-05-14 (May 14, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073654 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081680 · 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING, AND TRYING TO MAKE A TURN STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND THE CAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND AGREED THAT THE POWER STEERING UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE. HONDA WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE, AND STATED VEHICLE HAD NO DEFECTS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 6,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059393 · 2004-03-17 (March 17, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK DEALER REFUSED TO TELL CONSUMER THE SPECIFIC DEFECT ON VEHICLE. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059393 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078342 · 2004-06-16 (June 16, 2004)
ON MAY 29, 2004, I PURCHASED A HONDA CR-V, 2004, VEHICLE FROM CASEY HONDA IN NEWPORT NEWS. IT IS A FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY TWO WEEKS AND I ONLY DROVE IT 109 MILES. THE ODOMETER RIGHT NOW SHOWS 117 MILES. ON JUNE 13, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, IN FRONT OF THE STOP TRAFFIC LIGHT. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING OUT OF THE HOOD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TURN ON THE ENGINE THE TACHOMETER SHOW 10…
Owner-reported narrative. 115 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078342 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10242658 · 2008-09-17 (September 17, 2008)
I'M THE FIRST OWNER OF A 2004 HONDA CRV WITH A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. FROM JUNE 2008 TO THE PRESENT (SEPTEMBER 2008) THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED A STALL PROBLEM DURING EVERY SINGLE USE. CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE IS 115,000. ALL THE STALLS OCCUR DURING THE SAME PERIOD RELATIVE ENGINE STARTUP, BETWEEN ABOUT FIVE AND TEN MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, AND WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. THIS STALL PERIOD BASICALLY OCCURS AT STOP SIGNS FOR A MULTI-MINUTE PERIOD AFTER THE CHOKE COMES DOWN. UNFORTUNATELY THIS STALL PERIOD COINC…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242658 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074947 · 2004-06-07 (June 7, 2004)
JUST PURCHASED A HONDA CR-V (NEW). WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLED UP AT THE PUMP THERE IS GAS SPILLAGE FOLLOWING THE AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF OF THE PUMP. THE AMOUNT IS APPROX. 2 TO 4 OZ OF FUEL. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND IS ALSO AN AIR POLLUTION SOURCE. THIS SPILLAGE OCCURS EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE TANK. THIS MUST BE CORRECTED. IS THERE CURRENTLY A RECALL??? AM I THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM??? WILL THIS GET FIXED??? WHO SHOULD I CONTACT NEXT??? *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074947 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081029 · 2004-07-14 (July 14, 2004)
UNDER FUEL TANK CAP, THERE IS A VENT HOLE AND A PLASTIC EXTENSION (SCOOP SHAPE). THIS PLASTIC IS POINTING UPWARD AND VENT HOLE IS AT THE LOWEST POINT. IN RAIN OR DURING CAR WASHING WATER GETS ON THE SCOOP THROUGH THE FULE DOOR (FUEL DOOR IS NOT WATER TIGHT) AND WATER ENTERS INTO THE FUEL TANK THROUGH THE VENT HOLE. AND WATER GETS INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDER.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 5,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081029 at NHTSA ↗