Home       FAQ Main Page      Contact       Search


Do CR-Vs require special treatment other Hondas don't?
(use your browser's Back button to get back to where you were)

Yes! Several different types of special treatment, in fact.

Valve clearances
From Curly, a CR-V guru:
"The first generation CR-V and the Acura (I never remember which model it was) that donated its engine to the CR-V both have the annoying problem of tightening valve clearances.
"The most important symptom an owner can be on the lookout for: Stalls at first traffic light / stop sign, during warm-up. Next symptom is a Check Engine Light and [by this time] a valve grind [will be needed].
"Gen 1 CR-V owners need to know that it's a symptom that SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. The manual is wrong. Valves should be set to the 'loose side' of the spec, and should be adjusted every 30,000 miles (50,000 Km) Euro manuals say 50,000 Km."

Rear differential
In addition to the valve clearances, CR-Vs also have requirements for the rear differential. Failure to change the fluid as required, or using the wrong type, will cause an odd rubbing noise when going around turns. The noise may not even sound like it's coming from the rear, but it is. More about that, also from Curly, is here.

Windshield trim on 2002s and later
One thing I discovered on my own has to do with the black plastic windshield pillar trim, and the roof trim that flows back from that. I suppose the design looks interesting, but it can also dramatically increase a glass place's chance of screwing up royally when they replace your windshield.

The problem is, out of either ignorance or haste, they may try to remove the windshield trim first, which will cause untold damage to the rest of the trim, and will make it nearly impossible for them to get the big nuts back in place after. Those nuts are crucial to holding everything together, and are about all that's keeping your $70 piece of trim from flying off on the highway.

The windshield pillar trim is the LAST thing to be removed, NOT the first. The order is this, for each side:
  1. Unclip taillights, invert and let dangle from their wires
  2. Carefully release all access covers on roof trim with small screwdriver, taking care not to break clips!
  3. Remove all bolts and one screw from under access covers
  4. Slide rear-most roof trim backwards until plastic clips release from their slots
  5. Slide front-most roof trim back until it releases. Be careful of tiny clips on front; easily broken!!!
  6. Undo big nut from top of windshield trim
  7. Carefully pop trim free of clips along windshield pillar, unhook trim from leaf grate at bottom, remove trim.
  8. Reassemble in reverse.
All this takes literally a couple of minutes once you've done it once.

If you get your windshield replaced, afterwards make certain the roof and pillar trim are flush, tight to the glass and roof, and cannot be easily lifted or wiggled. If the trim is sitting high, or is easy to wiggle and lift, they've left the screw or the big nut off! Take it back!!