Problems with 2003 Honda CR-V ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda cr-v. the contact stated that the coolant leaked which caused the air conditioning compressor to fail. the steering column overheated. the passenger air bag light illuminated with or without a passenger in the seat. the cruise control activated suddenly at times. the oxygen sensor light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop but the exact causes of these failures could not be determined. the contact called the manufacturer who advised her to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. the failure mileage was approximately 75,000 and the current mileage was approximately 77,000.

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

There is two problems with my 2003 honda cr-v. when car has sat overnight or when the air conditioner was on full and the car was off when we went to start the car it sounded like the main starter had been corroded not allowing the car to start it's not the battery nor the alternator and whats keeping the starter from starting the car only has 92,000 miles. the bigger safety issue is that the tilt steering is not locking allowing it to stay loose while driving, this is a big issue when in motion and cannot find a solution. my two requests are why is the starter going bad so early and why wont the tilt lock into place? *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

Purchased 2003 honda crv in feb 2003. clutch snapped off ac compressor april 2005 - covered by warranty. february 2009 ac compressor imploded sending metal shavings into engine. estimate to repair $3600. waiting for dealership to advise if they will pay for all or part under "goodwill". *tr

The a/c compressor of my 2003 honda crv locked up and it needs to be replaced. the failure occur at about 64,000 miles. *tr

Within the past year i have had both fans go out because the entire system was "contaminated." also, the fan under the dash (the blower) has quit and i needed a new relay switch. they split the cost of the two fans in the engine compartment but they said the fan under the dash was separate. altogether it cost me over 1800 dollars. now i find out that there have been 35 complaints about the air conditioning system in the 2003 crv. i think it is a factory problem and they should have a recall.....and give me back some of that money. 35 complaints?? isn't that enough to signal a recall?? *tr

Air compressor exploded on 2003 honda crv. honda will only pay for half the damage, and this seems to be a documented problem with this particular part. if honda has an ongoing issue with this part, they should either recall the part or pay for the entire cost of replacement. here is a link showing 22 pages of this same problem occurring with others. http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/honda-cr-v/tu0okfjgv9v3f3fgl thank you for looking into this matter. *tr

I have a 2003 honda cr-v and the a/c compressor died after some rattling sounds while on the highway. the dealer wants $3200 to fix it. my research on line and in talking to repair shop tells me this is not an unusual problem. i am told multiple parts have to be replaced when the compressor goes in this model. this seems to be a design flaw. i feel honda should have to recall and pay for this design flaw. *tr

2003 honda cr-v air conditioner/compressor blew up at approx 97,600 miles. mechanic said because of debris, filings, etc., cost for repair is $3800. *tr

2003 honda cr-v bought new. air conditioning condenser just went out - looks like clutch went then the compressor blew. in looking at other sites, lots of people are having this problem. following their advice and putting this in. *tr

A loud rattling noise suddenly started in the engine compartment while driving and the air conditioner stopped cooling. took the car to honda and problem was diagnosed as a failed a/c compressor which contaminated the entire system. estimated cost of repair was $3500. service adviser called it the "black death". car has been driven only 23,000 miles. honda agreed to pay 90% of the repair costs as part of their "good will warranty" . *tr

Air conditioning stopped working at about 70,000 miles. this is a well-known problem with 2003 and 2004 crvs. be sure to complain to honda america and ask them for assistance. they should pay for the compressor and you might have to pay about $400 in labor. *tr

I have a 2003 honda cr-v. recently, the a/c stopped blowing cold air and began making a horrendous knocking noise. i took it to the dealer today and they informed me that the a/c compressor had "blown up" and contaminated the entire cooling system w/ metal fragments. total cost to repair = $3200.00. according to the following forum there are nearly 400 other cr-v owners who have reported exactly the same scenario. http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/honda-cr-v/tu0okfjgv9v3f3fgl/p18 honda has been paying partial repair costs on this, but with such a widespread problem this ought to be cause for a recall of the compressor and a/c clutch. *tr

2003 honda crv a/c compressor blew damaging condenser and other parts requiring complete replacement. this is a known honda issue per research on the internet. honda has been covering 100% of costs. i was offered 75% replacement costs. i asked for an appeal as i live in 100 heat (tucson) with two children and cannot afford $500/25% to replace the a/c and is a hardship to me. they denied the assistance. *tr

Air condition compressor failed and destroyed the entire air conditioning system. two oxygen sensors for the emissions part of the vehicle failed. transmission sensor failed. engine light stays on. honda 2003 crv *tr

My ac system went out at about 80,000 mi. the honda dealer said both fans had burnt out and the whole system was contaminated. they split the cost with me but it still cost me $1600. i asked if there was a recall and he said there wasn't but the number of complaints i am seeing make me feel that honda should take more responsibility. the system failed. i did nothing to cause it. i feel cheated and am now looking at toyota for a replacement car. *tr

Air conditioning system failed at 60000, compressor arm snapped causing containments to enter system, need the whole system replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda crv. while driving between 25-30 mph, the compressor seized. the contact was able to continue to her destination. the dealer stated that due to a lack of lubrication, the compressor seized and caused damage to the air conditioning unit. she was first informed that this was an isolated failure with vehicles from another country with specific vehicle identification numbers. her vehicle is no longer under warranty; however, the dealer is willing to pay for half of the repair. the current mileage was 73,000 and failure mileage was 72,000.

My 2003 honda cr-v a/c starts blowing warm air on july 7th, the same day afternoon i heard rattling sound in engine compartment. honda dealer checked and confirm the ac compressor blew up inside. they recommended to replace the compressor, clutch, coil set and condenser all. i checked edmonds.com and hondasuv.com and found out this is a common problem with 2002-2005 honda cr-v. called honda, they will not take any responsibility. *tr

My wife's 2003 cr-v has had 3 compressors explode. the first time was at 17,000 miles, the second was at 41,000 miles, and the third was 3 weeks ago at around 65,000. the entire system was replaced 2 times by honda at no cost (once under warranty and the second time as a 'goodwill' gesture). though they deny any knowledge of a history of air conditioner problems with cr-vs, they have agreed to replace the entire system this third time for only the cost of labor ($699). *tr

Honda crv 2003 ex air conditioning compressor failure. *tr

My 2003 crv was making a strange faint squealing sound. shortly after that the air conditioner stopped working, and was running funny. i took it straight to my mechanic. he had to replace the entire unit, at an overall cost of 1,200.00 a week later the same thing happened to my friend with her crv and as i began to search on line, it has happened to 100's of others with the '03 and '04 crv's. i am angry that honda hasn't issued a recall after covering the cost for most of these persons. clearly they are aware of the consistent problem with the air compressor. i am currently waiting to hear back from honda. *tr

At approx 80,000 miles air conditioning compressor went (would not blow cold air). dealer indicated repair would require replacement of complete system due to contaminants - as i live in the north not sure this is worth it. definitely a common problem in crv's although my dealer feigned ignorance. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda cr-v. the contact noticed that the engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. when releasing pressure off the brake without applying pressure to the accelerator pedal, the vehicle dramatically lunged forward. she took the vehicle to a local mechanic and they stated that the throttle position sensor caused the failure. the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the powertrain was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 74,500.

My honda crv with 45589 miles dated may 28, 2007 ac died, had to pay $1546 to change the compressor. *tr

Head gasket oil leak. *nm

The a/c compressor failed after only 3 years of buying it brand new from the dealership. there have been numerous complaints concerning the same equipment failure from other buyers.

Air-condition in my car stopped blowing cold air. it started in the summer of 2006. honda dealer couldn't find what the cause of the problem is. they couldn't even find any leaks to the system. to remedy, i've been having the freon charged every summer. that would usually last until the cold season starts when i don't have to use the a/c again. *tr

I was driving on the interstate and starting hearing my engine make strange grinding-like noises. at first i thought it was a tire, but it would come and go so i knew that wasn't it. i stopped a few miles later and when i pulled in the parking space and stopped, the engine made an incredibly loud grinding noise and died. i tried to restart it and it made the same loud noise and died again. when i turned off the a/c, it started okay, but then turning on the a/c killed it again. apparently, the a/c compressor failed, and contaminated the complete a/c system. the complete a/c system had to be replaced. i was lucky in that the honda service manager at my dealership apparently realizes that there is something terribly wrong with the 2003 cr-v; he had had four other 2003 cr-v''s come in for repair for the exact same problem over the course of only a few months. he was able to get his dealership to cover the cost of the parts. my 2003 cr-v was bought from a different dealership than the one where we had the repairs done, so there was basically nothing he could do to have them cover the labor. we ended up paying $1074.76. i feel that honda should have covered this completely, and the service manager told me the same thing. my husband and i have contacted honda directly as he suggested, but we have not received any type of response. this is our second major engine problem with this car. the first one was with the emissions system (also cost over a thousand dollars). both of these problems occurred in our neighbor's identical vehicle.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's steering froze up while driving at 30 mph during wet road conditions. the problem usually occurred while making turns. the dealer was contacted who inspected the vehicle, but could not find the cause of the problem. the corporate office of dealer suggested that the vehicle be taken to an independent repair shop to have the belt changed. the vehicle was taken to the independent repair shop and had the belt replaced.

Dt*: the consumer stated the strike plate for the catalytic converter was hanging from the bottom of the vehicle. the entire exhaust system rusted and needed to be replaced. there were no indicators of a problem with the exhaust system. this vehicle is not in a salt belt state. *jb

While driving on the freeway, my 2003 honda crv starting making a loud whining noise in the engine compartment and then it sounded like a metal part fell off the car. i immediately pulled off the road and found that everything was running fine except the air conditioner. there was still freon in the system, but i later found out that the compressor was ruined. our car only had 48,000 miles when this happened. a rebuilt compressor for this car is not available anywhere because the old compressors are not rebuildable. the bill for this failure was over $1,700.00. *nm

Faulty emissions sensor shortly after the warranty was up. 2003 honda crv has 38,000 miles on it. had to pay for the labor. was able to get dealer to get the manufacturer to pay for the part. *jb