2003 Honda CR-V Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Honda CR-V. Part of Generation 2 — 2002–2006.

20022004
Complaints
580
Crashes
56
Fires
28
Injuries
43
Fatalities
Recalls
11

Worst 2003 Honda CR-V Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1102 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:115,069 mi
Crash-related:15
#254 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:286,999 mi
Fires:5
#332 complaints

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Avg mileage:69,395 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Honda CR-V.

Airbags
102
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
Avg Miles
115,069
Electrical Faults
54
complaints
Crashes
Fires
5
Avg Miles
286,999
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
32
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
69,395
Headlight/Taillight Failures
31
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
130,282
Engine & Cooling
30
complaints
Crashes
Fires
4
Avg Miles
61,451
Unintended Acceleration
28
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
88,482
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
26
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
67,352
Air Bags:Frontal
19
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
Avg Miles
36,499
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
7
Avg Miles
17,965
Latches / Locks
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
27,531
Steering Defects
9
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
74,452
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
120,860
Body Structure
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
121,131
Suspension Failures
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
52,237
Tire Defects
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,900
Engine Problems
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
131,593
Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
178,302
Wipers & Visibility
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
107,297
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
18,221
Transmission / Drivetrain
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
126,025
Hydraulic Brakes
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
23,314
Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
110,198
Seat Belt Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belts:Front
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Honda CR-V. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Honda CR-V

11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~14,589,826 vehicles.

20V768000Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls · Electrical System
~268,655 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2002-2006 CR-V vehicles. Moisture may enter the driver side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt.

19V501000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,657,752 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V499000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~3,947 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V182000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,101,534 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

18V268000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,335 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

15V370000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~3,498,481 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

15V320000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~6,281,043 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

14V700000Airbags
~0 affected

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

14V353000Airbags
~133,207 affected

American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

12V486000Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls · Electrical System
~268,655 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2002-2006 CR-V passenger vehicles, manufactured from February 19, 2002, through July 28, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt.

+ 1 more recalls

Other Honda CR-V Years

2003 Honda CR-V — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2003 Honda CR-V reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2003 Honda CR-V has 580 NHTSA complaints, 56 crash-related, and 11 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 102 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2003 Honda CR-V?
Top reported problems: Airbags (102 complaints, avg 115,069 mi); Electrical Faults (54 complaints, avg 286,999 mi); Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System (32 complaints, avg 69,395 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Honda CR-V?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 113,293 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2003 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA complaints for the 2003 Honda CR-V include 56 crash-related reports, 28 fire reports, 43 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2003 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
Yes — 11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 14,589,826 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2003 Honda CR-V?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda CR-V reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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