2000 Honda CR-V Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year are dominated by the driver-side airbag inflator recalls, with many owners reporting that the replacement part was unavailable at their dealer for months. Beyond the recalls, owners most often describe engine valve and cylinder-head problems, ignition switch and stalling complaints, transmission and rear differential noises, and tires or suspension causing vibration and pull. Reports are spread across a wide mileage range, from under 20,000 to well past 200,000 miles, and many describe gradual wear rather than a sudden failure.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Driver airbag inflator recall parts unavailable

   • 28 complaints (22%)
   • median 127,328 mi at 13.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2021

   Owners describe receiving recall notices for the driver-side airbag inflator and then being told by the dealer that the replacement part was not available, often for many months. Several say they had not experienced a failure themselves and were simply waiting for the repair; a few describe a deployment that was unusually forceful or loud. Attorneys and manufacturers contacted through the process reportedly gave no firm date for parts. Mostly reported from 2020 onward on vehicles with unknown or very high mileage, long after the original recall notice.

   Recall 20V026000Recall 20V027000

   What to check: Ask whether both driver airbag inflator recalls (20V026000 and 20V027000) have been completed and request the repair paperwork; a dealer can run the VIN to confirm open campaigns.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been dealing with southern motors a Honda dealer in savannah, ga and they have not ordered parts for my 2000 Honda crv that has a recall going back a few years and they haven't corrected.the airbag problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11348454, filed 2020-08, 7,000 miles

   “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2000 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #11343457, filed 2020-08
2. 2
   Engine cooling

   Burned exhaust valves and cylinder head problems

   • 11 complaints (9%)
   • median 90,422 mi at 6.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2003–2017

   Owners describe a check engine light, rough idle, misfire codes and loss of compression traced to exhaust valves that had receded or burned into the cylinder head, sometimes requiring valve replacement and head work. Several mention a service bulletin covering the condition and that the repair was not covered once the vehicle was out of warranty. A few report the same valve problem returning after an earlier repair. Typically reported between about 70,000 and 150,000 miles, with some repeat repairs later in life.

   What to check: Ask for service records showing valve clearance checks or head work, and have a mechanic check compression and listen for valve noise before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Exhaust valves on my 2000 Honda crv charred and exhaust valve in cylinder #1 chipped and charred. All valves and #1 seats had to be replaced. I understand that this seems to be a common design problem to 2000 crv's and civics.”

   NHTSA complaint #10959979, filed 2017-03, 92,845 miles

   “2000 Honda crv - valve seat problem involving necessary head replacement. This is a known defect affecting a large percentage of models produced. The metal used to manufacture the head is apparently too soft of a compound to withstand the engine temperatures. I can not find a recall and have not been notified by Honda or advised of such by the dealer. The vehicle was in four months ago and I was not informed of any potential problem nor were any corrective measures implemented.”

   NHTSA complaint #10174217, filed 2006-11, 70,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls and cuts out while driving

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • median 182,000 mi at 14.6 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2003–2017

   Owners report the engine quitting without warning, sometimes at highway speed or on the first mile of a drive, with power steering assistance lost. Some point to the ignition switch or ignition components; in other cases the vehicle restarts immediately and runs normally afterward. Dealers in some complaints said they could not reproduce or find the problem. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 200,000 miles, with no clear mileage pattern.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check whether the ignition switch or ignition components have been replaced, and ask whether any stalling has been diagnosed with stored trouble codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving the car, it loses power, it will just quit. The radio, heater fan, brake lights still work. When you finally coast to a stop and try to re-start, it immediately re-starts and runs okay. Now it fails to start. I turn the key and it sounds like it wants to start but stops.”

   NHTSA complaint #10948446, filed 2017-01, 212,000 miles

   “Honda crv 2000 key locked in ignition switch, evaluation sited cable from switch to gear shift compromised. Park gear unavailable requiring emergency brake to be in use when car is parked. Difficult to switch gears from neutral to drive and reverse”

   NHTSA complaint #10716353, filed 2015-05, 186,000 miles
4. 4
   Tires

   Vibration, shimmy and tire or wheel problems

   • 20 complaints (16%)
   • median 86,518 mi at 8.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2017

   Owners report shaking, wobble, pull to one side and a jittery ride at highway speeds, sometimes traced to tire separation, bulges or out-of-round tires and in one case a damaged rear universal joint. Several say the ride felt loose from new and that a dealer described it as normal for the model. Replacing tires or driveline parts resolved the symptoms in some complaints. Reported from around 45,000 to 117,000 miles, with some complaints noting the behavior from the time the vehicle was new.

   What to check: Inspect tire age and sidewalls for bulges or separation, and drive at highway speed to check for vibration or pull before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After what sounded like the back end of my car dropping out, I began to pull off the I-5 freeway (in central ca). When I was partly on the right shoulder I lost control and spun across both south bound lanes, stopping in the median. It was truly a miracle that I didn't hit another car and that no cars hit me. I doubt I would have sruvived such an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10199644, filed 2007-08, 87,000 miles

   “This car vibrates a lot when I am driving at any speed. It has been going on for several years. I did not find out the specific problem until 3/15/2014. I had three different mechanics look at the car for the problem. They all said that the rear u-joint on the propeller shaft is badly damaged. This u-joint is not repairable by Honda design because it is a part of the propeller shaft. According to the Honda dealer, the entire shaft must be replaced at a cost of about $1800. I believe that it is a manufacturing defect. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10572726, filed 2014-03, 117,000 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard shifting and rear differential noise

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe delayed or rough upshifts from lower gears, hesitation gaining speed, and on all-wheel-drive models a rumbling or grinding noise from the rear differential. Some report the transmission failing outright after prolonged symptoms, while others mention fluid changes and dealer inspection without a lasting fix. Commonly reported between about 80,000 and 115,000 miles, with some failures near 80,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at low speed with the brakes lightly applied to listen for rear differential noise, and ask when the automatic transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a rumbling, grinding noise that is due to excessive and premature wear on the rear differential of my 2000 Honda crv awd. I have changed the fluid, but it seems that this is a common problem that should not be occurring in so many owners.”

   NHTSA complaint #10386053, filed 2011-03, 112,000 miles

   “While driving automatic transmission lower gear doesn't shift properly from the first to the second gear. Then, won?t shift at all. The shift lever would not down shift into low speeds while driving down steep hills. The dealer worked on the steering column and now the lever works better but it's not as smooth as the consumer's 2004 Honda accord.”

   NHTSA complaint #10087064, filed 2004-08, 32,300 miles

Buying note. A 2000 CR-V is an old vehicle, so records matter more than the model's reputation: confirm both airbag inflator recalls are closed, and ask for evidence of valve adjustment or head work plus transmission and differential service. A pre-purchase inspection covering compression, driveline noise and tire condition will tell you more than the mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.