There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2003 Honda CR-Vin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
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 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. *TR
HEATER CORE LEAKING INTO PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIPPING ON PASSENGER'S FOOT. PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED BUT POTENTIAL FOR BURN. *TR
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
A/C COMPRESSOR IMPLODED AND DAMAGED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AS A REPLACEMENT COST OF $3400.00. *TR
JUST DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AND I HEAR A LOUD NOISE AND MY A/C STOPS WORKING....IT WAS 94 DEGREES IN THE MIDWEST! GOT HOME THAT NIGHT AND MY TIRE WAS FLAT. I TOOK MY TIRE TO GET FIXED AND THEY PULLED SHARDS OF METAL OUT OF THE TIRE, WHICH WAS NEW! WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO GET THE A/C LOOKED AT, THEY SAID THAT THE COMPRESSOR HAD BLOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THAT IT WOULD BE $1700 TO REPAIR!!!!! THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEN THE COMPRESSOR BLEW, IT SPRAYED PIECES OF METAL THROUGHOUT MY CAR, AND OBVIOUSLY INTO MY TIRE! I CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA, AND THEY OFFERED TO SPLIT THE COST. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THIS OFFER AS IT WAS SUMMER AND TEMPERATURES WERE OVER 100 WITH THE HEAT INDEX! HONDA REFUSED TO GIVE ME THE DAMAGED PART. THERE ARE SOOO MANY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS SAME EVENT HAPPENING, BUT HONDA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN. THE MORE THAT JOIN, THE BETTER THE CHANCES OF GETTING HONDA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE ONLY OWNED HONDA'S, BUT WILL NOW BE BUYING A TOYOTA! SO DISAPPOINTED IN HONDA! *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 CRV, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE MARBLES GOING THROUGH THE AC VENTS, THEN SAW A PUFF OF SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE AC QUIT BLOWING COLD AIR. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE CRV, HE SAID CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA SINCE YOU ARE A LOYAL CUSTOMER AND THE PROBABLY WOULD COVER IT UNDER A GOOD WILL GESTURE. NO SUCH LUCK, THE PERSON WE SPOKE TO SAID THAT THEY WOULD GIVE US NOTHING, SINCE THIS IS NOT A HONDA ISSUE. I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO SOME ONE HIGHER UP AND THE GENTLEMAN , STATED HE MAKES THE DECISIONSO IT DOES NOT HAVE TO GO ANY FURTHER THAN HIM, I ASKED HOW CAN YOU BE THE ONLY PERSON WHO DECIDES THIS, I THEN ASKED TO SPEAK TO HIS SUPERVISOR AND HE STATED HE WOULD NOT TALK TO ME ANY FURTHER ABOUT THIS EITHER, THAT THE DECISION IS WITH HIM. I REQUESTED ONE MORE TIME, HE THEN HUNG UP ON ME. I CALLED BACK A DAY LATER AND GOT THE SAME RESULTS, AS SOON AS YOU GIVE THEM YOUR VIN # , I GOT PUT ON HOLD AND SENT TO THE SAME PERSON AS BEFORE. I WANTED TO TALK TO A DIFFERENT PERSON. I GOT SEVERAL ESTIMATES NOW TO REPLACE THE AC, ANYWHERE FROM $2900 TO $4500 DEPENDING ON WHERE I TAKE IT. HONDA DEALERS ARE REQUIRING THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED, COMPRESSOR, DRYER UNIT, CONDENSER AND LINES. APPARENTLY IT SENDS METAL PARTICLES THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM. IF IT IS NOT FLUSHED OR REPLACED IT WILL OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE NOW TRIED TO GET THE DEALER TO HELP THE WILL COVER 25% OF THE COST ON PARTS ONLY. I WILL PROBABLY GET THE SYSTEM REPAIRED OR SELL THE VEHICLE AS IS. UNSURE. PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN I DO HAVE IT REPAIRED, I WILL ASK FOR THEM BACK. I WILL CONTINUE TO CALL AMERICAN HONDA UNTIL I RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION, MY WIFE IS WRITING A LETTER TO HONDA. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THIS SEEMED TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH 2002 TO 2004 HONDA CRV'S . NEVER BUY AGAIN. *TR
2003 HONDA CR-V AC COMPRESSOR FAILED AT 69,000 MILES. RAINY CONDITIONS CAUSED INTERIOR WINDSHIELD TO CONTINUALLY FOG UP REQUIRING REPEATED WIPING OF THE WINDSHIELD WITH PAPER TOWELS WHILE DRIVING. *TR
THE AC COMPRESSOR ON MY 2003 HONDA CR-V, 60917 MILES, DESTROYED ITSELF INTERNALLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CUT OFF. I HAD DIFFICULTY PULLING THE CAR OFF THE ROAD SINCE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. LOCAL HONDA DEALER SAID THE COMPRESSOR CAME APART SENDING METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. THIS WILL REQUIRE A COMPLETE A/C SYSTEM REPLACEMENT, COST $3300. AFTER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE CR-V. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA CR-V EX WITH 62K MILES ON IT. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3K ADDITIONAL MILES THE AIR CONDITIONER JUST STOPPED WORKING. WE WERE DRIVING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT JUST STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR. I TOOK IN TO BE DIAGNOSED AND WAS TOLD THE AIR COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST IS ABOUT $1200. I HAVEN'T HAD IT REPAIRED YET BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA CASH. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH HONDA. *TR
MY 2003 HONDA CR-V BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING OIL LEVELS NORMAL FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. I REQUESTED THAT HONDA CHECK OUT THE ISSUE A COUPLE OF TIMES; HONDA WAS NEVER ABLE TO FIND ANY ISSUES (I.E., THE CAR WAS NOT BURNING OIL OR LEAKING OIL ANYWHERE). LAST WEEK WHILE I WAS DRIVING, MY CAR ABRUPTLY DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE TIMING CHAIN HAD JUMPED FOUR NOTCHES AND BENT THE VALVES. ACCORDING TO MY EXTENDED WARRANTY (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PROVEN THAT I HAVE PERFORMED ALL OF THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE) I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGES TO THIS CAR. I FIND IT LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SINCE MY CAR SO ABRUPTLY STOPPED. I AM CURIOUS IF OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2003 HONDA CR-VS. *TR
2003 HONDA CRV TOTAL AC FAILURE AND CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY COMPRESSOR FAILURE. REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 30,000 MILES. OCCURRED AGAIN AT 55,000 MILES. THE SECOND MOST RECENT TIME CAME WITH A LOUD BANG AND SOUND OF LOSS OF PARTS. DID NOT NOTICE ITEMS ON GROUND AFTER GOING BACK, BUT THERE WAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF GREEN SLIPPERY FLUID WHICH WAS RELEASED. I ASSUME THAT TO BE THE OIL FROM THE COMPRESSOR. ALSO WOULD ASSUME IT SPILLED ONTO ROADWAY. *TR
AC COMPRESSOR BLEW UP CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE AC SYSTEM. COMPRESSOR SENT METAL PIECES THROUGH ENTIRE SYSTEM AFTER IT BLEW UP. QUOTED OVER $3000 FROM HONDA FOR REPAIR. CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP STATING IT IS BC THE CAR HAS OVER 36,000 MILES. HOWEVER, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WERE HELPED BY HONDA WITH THE SAME MILEAGE AS MY CRV. IT MAKES NO SENSE. I BELIEVE THAT IF ANYTHING IS "BLOWING" UP UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR (AS HONDA DESCRIBED IT) IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HONDA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMETHING THEY KNOW IS A PROBLEM. THIS IS NEGLIGENCE! LOOK UP WWW.HONDA-LAWSUIT.COM FOR INFORMATION ON A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED COOLING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO SAID THE COMPRESSOR BLEW UP AND MOST LIKELY CONTAMINATED THE ENTIRE AC SYSTEM. HE REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND ASSISTANCE. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS. THE ENTIRE AC SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HONDA CR-VS OF THE AGE OF MY VEHICLE. THEY EVEN HAVE A NAME FOR IT WHICH THEY PUT ON THE TICKET - "BLACK DEATH". THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF I WERE GOING SLOW ENOUGH THE ENGINE COULD HAVE STOPPED WHEN THE COMPRESSOR BROKE APART. IF I WERE ON SNOW I COULD HAVE SKIDDED THE TIRES OR THE BELT COULD HAVE BROKEN OR MAYBE SLIPPED. THE SERPENTINE BELT IS VERY STRONG SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THIS VERY WELL COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY CASE, NONE OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES HAPPENED BUT I FELT THIS WAS A SITUATION THAT MUST BE REPORTED SINCE IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. *TR
HONDA 2003 CRV WITH 52,000 MILES. AIRCON JUST BROKE SUDDENLY FAILED TO BLEW COLD AIR. CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA BUT THEY WONT ADMIT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR CRV OWNERS EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF SAME COMPLAINTS ALREADY FOR THE AIR CON SYSTEM OF CRV 2003. *TR
THE AIR CONDITIONING ON MY 2003 HONDA CR-V SUDDENLY BEGAN TO BLOW WARM AIR AND MAKE NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY COMPRESSOR AND REPLACED BOTH THE CLUTCH AND COMPRESSOR FOR $1400. THE SERVICE TAG SAYS "COMPRESSOR HAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE REPL COMPRESSOR ASSY" SO THIS FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO ROAD DEBRIS. *TR
I OWN A 2003 HONDA CR-V WITH ONLY 54,400 MILES AND THE A/C JUST STOPPED WORKING. I JUST TOOK MY CAR TO MIDAS SHOP TO GET A/C RECHARGE. I WAS TOLD AFTER INSPECTION THAT THERE IS A LEAK ON THE A/C COMPRESSOR. THE COST TO REPAIR WILL BE CLOSE TO $1400. *TR
A/C COMPRESSOR ISSUE, COMPRESSOR EXPLODES SENDING METAL FRAGMENTS THROUGH OUT REST OF SYSTEM CORRUPTING ENTIRE A/C SYSTEM. DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND KNEW PRETTY WELL RIGHT OFF WHOLE A/C SYSTEM HAD TO REPLACED. *TR
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO FUNCTION REQUIRING A $3,875.00 REPAIR. UPON INVESTIGATION HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE PART BUT REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026