Most Common Problems: 1997 - 2001 Honda CRV RD1 RD2 

I inherited a first-generation 98 manual CRV, and everything you've mentioned is exactly what's wrong with it right now 🤣 awesome vid dude!!

I live in South Africa and own a 98. Most issues you mention I have dealt with. One issue that there was with mine is on the ignition switch. There is a small harness about 4 inches long that connects the ignition to the wiring harness. The ignition wire fails, causing the car to cut out while driving, and you have to restart. In the beginning it happens intermittently, but get to a point where you start the car and it dies immediately, and to replace it costs a small fortune in my country. I solved the problem by brigding the ACC switch and the ignition switch with a small piece of wire. This was 9 years ago and never had problems again. Only drawback, when you switch the car on at ACC the dash lights up. Hope the advice helps someone

I have owned a 98 CRV since it was new, a common problem I have had is that the electronic air control valve bolted to the back of the intake manifold becomes fouled, causing rough idle. It needs to be cleaned with brake cleaner every 10,000 miles or so. Keeps the car idling smooth.

Thanks for the vid. I love my 1st Gen CRV. I do have some issues but for the most part, these cars are tanks. A true testament to Japanese quality cars when they were still made in Japan.

You are BRILLIANT !! ❗Thank you for all your video's. I in past years all I have owned are older Honda CRV's. I don't want to own anything else.

Thank you for all the valuable info. The one serious design fault that has bothered me is how the rear tailgate works. It is instinctive to just go straight for the handle on the tailgate, if you dont know to first lift up the glass. Obviously, as the owner, it is not a problem, but generally when someone else opens the back, they just open the tailgate, so that the glass gets forced up and drops again.... and then, if they try to close the tailgate, it will just break the glass. The printed warning is difficult to see, and pretty useless. The other irritating issue that I have noticed, - my CRV has the built in roof racks that run above the doors. Pretty useless compared to those that run perpendicular over the roof, and also no sensible way to tie ropes.... but the worst issue is that there is a gutter to collect rain water that runs under the roof rack, and there is a post just above the front door, so when it has been raining, and the roof is wet, when you brake, all the water runs forward, hits that post and then pours down the window.... if the window is open, it pours down onto the driver - happens to me often, and I curse myself for not anticipating it.

Great video man love your videos on these v's. You and couple other people i follow on the internet saved me lots of money learning how to repair things. I really appreciate it. Keep up the great work!!

You are spot on Sir…have had most of these problems…still a tough little car

I was wondering where that leak was coming from. Thank you for the great info.

wow the timing on this video is great for me... just now noticed a significant amount of moisture green mold under my mats after 17 years of having this car. it's always stayed dry until recently after we moved from our place that had a covered carport.

I have 1995 model and still running good today.

Hey thanks for the video, I have a 01 crv and I bought it about 2 years ago and I love it even with all the millage "230" it's still running solid but it's doing something that I don't know what it is, ans what it's doing is that the engine stops for no reason even when I'm driving in the middle of the road, then I Have to pull over and let it rest for 15 minutes and then I cracked and it's back to life and it's doing it more and more, I think it's a sensor or gas pump I don't know,

I just had all the frame bushings renewed in my 1st-gen CR-V - MUCH quieter now. Also had the door wiring problem - had the dealership do all the soldering - pretty good job - still works.

Just did a boatload of work to mine, including engine swap, most of the suspension replaced. just had one horn go out, which killed the brake lights, etc. Fixed that, and the rear washer. The only thing left is the Cruise control, which used to work and a front end alignment.

Great channel! Just got a 2001 for my grandson first car. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Great content my bro. Love your videos. I own 2 first gen crv’s and they’re both manual. They’re pretty rare everywhere with manual transmissions. One is a 99 lx and the other is a 01 ex. Love them both. The 01 I bought back in 2010. Picked it up from a surfer dude in Santa Barbara :)

I have a 99 CR-V My door wire harness was pinched BAD. 22 WIRES going to the door!. I spliced in a foot of new wires in between....44 connections! Luckily, I was a car audio installer in a previous decade, so it was more pain in the neck than anything else. I'm hoping to install 2 inch spacers soon, and get my baby BACK on the road! The guy that I bought the car from had let a ball joint go for a long time, and it made a seal go in my steering rack, with an endless drip. I'm replacing THAT too. I don't consider that a "common" problem.

I just bought one really cheap and it literally has everything you explained. 😂😂😂 not more not less. I got the clock working for a minute but it failed again.

I bought my '98 CRV in March of that year and it currently has a little over 292k miles under her belt so I'm coming from a place of experience. I've found checking/adjusting the valve clearance every 30k miles to be overkill. I slowly kept extending the intervals to see if it made any difference, I now do it every 50k miles and even at that interval I usually only have to adjust several exhaust valves to the loose side of specs. Last year I replaced the original lower ball joints with the Proforged brand which I've had good luck with when I replaced the outer tie rod ends around five years ago. Another thing to watch is the condition of the rear trailing arm bushings which I replaced last year as well. Great video!

Dude I hate working on a rusty car 😢 appreciate the video 👍🏼

Heyyyy just watching this video. I already identified some issues! thank you

Oh, I was waiting for you to have nailed the PGMFI and/or main relay problem, notorious for most Honda models of these years range. The cold solder joints on the PCB board, easy to fix or replace.

IVE BEEN SEARCHING YOUR CHANNEL FOR A RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT VIDEO FOR 1ST GEN 4WD OR POWER STEERING PUMP IF YOU HAVENT MADE THEM YET PLEASE MAKE ONE NO ONE ELSE HAS AN EXCELLENT WAY OF EXPLAINING THE PROCESS LIKE YOU IN THE CORRECT DETAIL. I THINK I KILLED MY POWER STEERING WHEN I PUT IN THE WRONG FLUID AND ITS JUST PISSING FLUID SO I THINK I MAY HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY.

Thanks you man! I'm French and your video is very interesting ;)

I solved the water leak on the passenger side of my 98 crv but can’t figure out the driver side? Every time it rains the carpet is wet. Spent hours running a hose over it and looking at every possible location but can’t find where it’s coming in. The drains are perfectly clear and flowing

very true, I confirm with the experience with my crv. good job. keep rolling :)

sway bar inlink breaking and making a big plong noise almost gave me a heart attack. I was sweating until I discovered the problem..... a 20 euro problem.... This video comfirms im not the only one lol

Yeah Philip I did have 01 voodoo blue 5spd 158k miles but eats gas like dragon because rpm high at high speed 3 1/2 rom

Hey there, aMy ac works but if I shut it off and turn the heat all the way up it's not blowing hot air, just warm ambient air...temp gauge on cluster is normal. Air is blowing normal rate still...where should I check first? Really hoping it's something easier than a heater core 😫

Window regulator especially driver side, door lock actuator, ignition coil/ igniter, upper control arms.

Hi, you've got a great collection videos here! Thank for sharing them with the public! I have fuel injector leaking to the intake side of the engine on my -99 CR-V. Have you got ideas how to make it stop? I've already bought and replaced a new injector o-ring, but it did solve the issue

I have a 2001 Honda CRV with 256K miles. Problem: Usually, when I accelerate to 50 MPH and above, there's an internal rumbling/knocking sound that seems to be coming from under the hood. I also feel some vibration. The problems greatly diminish or goes away completely when I let go of the gas but come back immediately as I accelerate again. The problems get worse as I accelerate more, as does the vibration. This problems usually do not present themselves until after I've driven my vehicle for 5 - 10 minutes. Also, they seem to be more likely when I've sustained around the same driving speed for a few minutes. Driving on flat or on inclined ground brings these problems out more than declined ground (though the problems are still noticeable during declined ground driving). Occasionally, while sustaining a certain speed, the problems will greatly diminish for a few seconds before starting right back up to where they had been. What the heck is going on?

I have 2001 1st generation CRV LX AWD Automatic with 135,000 miles on it, which I bought new in 2001. It’s in pretty good shape. I love this car. I’m hoping to keep it running as long as I do. Thanks for all your great advice. Have you run into issues with vibration sounds coming from the catalytic converter?

Love your videos keep up the good work.... please i have a question for a first time car buyer who is still learning to drive which do you advise on getting the first or second CRV will really appreciate your feedback

How about that dreadful ignition switch? I've known for the past year the switch needed replacing, but the problem has morphed into a crank/no start. None of the dash lights come on when key is turned to run or start. There are no fuses blown. The two phillips head screws that hold the plastic contacts/wiring have cammed out on me, so I'm getting ready to dremmel a slot in the breakaway bolt so I can just remove the entire assembly. These screws bring me back to when I had the front of the engine disected for timing belt, water pump, CFS, torque mount and motor mount, and a bunch of other repairs. Someone went crazy with the loctite and used the stuff on fasteners that did not require it, causing me ro round off several bolts, incl. the timing cover and the timing belt tensioner. That tensioner bolt was no joke and required extended work-around, since there wasn't enough room to use the proper "rounded bolt remover" and that bolt being gr. 8 and extremely hard; using a cut off wheel on a dremmel was slow-going. when the bolt finally came out, the loctite had been applied to the entire threaded section. That experience was worse than the crank bolt!!! I remember you answering several questions for me, and on the same day I typed them. Hard to forget about that, since you put me on the right track. I later discovered that the exhaust cam was off by one tooth. I became highly proficient in tearing that B-20 down in record time. The CRV has been running excellent and no further issues until this ignition switch. The first symptoms including the engine dying out at the worst possible time and loss of power steering during the event. It would always restart like nothing happened, and it was random - 2-3 times a month. I was able to duplicate the problem by wiggling the wires and turning the key ever so slightly. Keep up the good work and I hope you and your family are doing well.

Love your videos ! I live in Michigan and have a 99 CR V that’s got an engine light stuck on but my mechanic guy who works on cars out of his garage says it’s nothing to worry about ? Say what ? He says it’s got to do with gas tank ? Can ya help me ? I may as well go to reg shop have an inspection instead of guessing lol 😂

Hello I have a crv 1998 with problems in the sunroof but I can not find any video to help me with that, they tried to repair it and I do not know if it is missing parts

Thanks for the information. I have an 01 CRV SE with an odd no crank issue when below 10 degrees F. The ignition switch has been replaced, the battery which was old and lost CCA and now the starter. Had the car towed several times to the shop and they keep trying something else. The problem is it only happens when super cold outside. They bring the car in to the shop to troubleshoot and then it starts. It's a crapshoot on what to change. Besides the starter, battery and ignition switch, what esle could cause no crank in extreme cold? I thought the starter relay, so I swapped it with another relay in the car... did not affect the issue. What about the nuetral safety switch? Or, there was an alarm in the car when I bought it. The siren quit working and it does not work anymore. The remote works to open the doors. Could it be a relay or Immobilizer tied to that? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Big Dubz.

I had my valves adjusted on a '99 CR-V in Canda, and it costed $415.xx CND tax in. I supplied the valve cover/spark plug ring gaskets. I looked under the hood and noticed that it didn't even look different, and I had a certain zip tie holding my ignition wires in place and my ground wire looked the same last time I close the hood and (just did an oil change myself). Should I be suspect?

I have a 99 currently having a problem with the windshield wiper fluid tubing replaced the pumps nothing to the windshield, but it started leaking inside the cabin

I had a problem on my honda CR-V 1998 manual transmission. The engine starts when ist cold but when the engine is hot the engine cranks but no start. Pls any idea what is the problem

I have a 97 CRV the pry bar to upper and lower control arms conceive flexing around where shock mounts to lower control arm also sway bar end links could that be causing steering wheel wobble at high speed and low-speed and also the wandering issue it has first I thought it was a rack but crack is not leaking

Many thanks Mister , as usual your video are always useful for me ! A question: (I have a CRV I Y1998 model engine B20B3 ITALY market) Is it frequently in US equivalents models the current distributor problems? I will be grateful for your kind reply. Ciao Nicola from Verona IT

I know the rear frame support bars on these are commonly rusted out and broken, would you say that’s an urgent fix or can the car do without?

Hey there thank you for the video I have a 98 Crv and when I reverse it makes a noise up front two tires and its only when I reverse almost like metal slipping and gripping but idk would you happen to know what it possibly can be?

I recently bought a manual cr-v 98 in very good condition but with small problems in the electric window system and the roof window does not open, the check engine light also comes on at times, any suggestions?

Thank you for all the information my friend Question about a 1999bhonda crv automatic Rebuild transmission should I buy it or decline thank you

Ignition coil problem…perhaps video on it !!

I've owned several 1st gens and a big problem I have is the rear glass lift hardware coming out of the glass.

I have some questions and need help . Guidance with some things with my first gen! That leak u Dee the glove box I sealed the windshield with marine silicone has not leaked flood since. I love this car.

2000 honda crv. down stream o2 sensor issues replaced it, and the up stream. Still throws the code up

Was thinking about replacing the struts. Which brand would you choose that gives reasonable performance at a decent cost? What do you think of Monroe?

Recently, I replaced the original ball joints with Moog about 8 months ago, and recently my passenger side lower ball joint completely got ripped off, like the ball joint completely separated. It seems like a lot of Crv's ball joints get messed up.

i have owned a rd1 97 for over 10 yrs, sunroof wont seal properly (leaks), that leak in the passenger side, power window issues, now my tps and my a/c compressor wont shut off i had a b20b4, then b20b1 now a cross between a b20b/z

I have a 2001 crv and when im running down the road 1 gear is fine then 2 second gear sometimes it does fine sometimes it takes time to shift when reaching at 4000 rpm to shift and i did the oil change and it worked fine then it started to do it agian and i dont know what to do. Can you plz help me.

hey, I've got a 99 C-RV and well even though is made it two hours home with all the issues it has, I just wanted your opinion on if you'd save this one, or just ditch it. aside from needing an engine (that one I'm more than willing to get.) it needs ball joints on both sides up front, both rear axle bushings, a windshield, sway bar inlinks, both tie rod ends, all control arm bushings up front, I too have a leaking fresh air vent on the passenger side, oil pan gasket, rear seal that connects the engine to the transmission (no clue what its called sorry). so far that about concludes what we have found so far. However she still drives and stops so, I have a great deal of respect for this model C-RV. I like this car a lot even with all these issues. My question to you is, would you feel she's worth saving or would you not even touch it with a 10ft pole? xD

awesome video man. I have a 1st gen year 97'. i've encounter a odd problem when i come to putting it back into Park sometimes it's hard to get it back into it. sometimes the Park light will light up but the car would jerk forward or backward depending if I'm incline/decline area. i then have to hit the shifter up for it to click into Park. i'll have to pull the e brake up to prevent the car from moving. what may you think is the problem on my car ?

Do they have issues with the rear trailing arm bushings? I thought they had a similar setup to the civics and they are pretty much always cracked and need replacing.

Can u do most common leaks on transmission and engine

Any info on cutting off a cat i have a p0240 code and thing it’s clogged.

Looking at buyin a 99EX Auto with 190k miles. Say everything works right, few minor issues that can be easily fixed, almost perfect body and good running engine/trans. Would you buy it? Still a lot of life left?

Door lock issues can you make a video on driver door lock actuator replacement

great video!!!! now my question: 2001 CRV EX, 330K miles. situation: hot weather in central TX, cranks, rough loping idle, sounds like it's flooded, smells like it's flooded. maybe icm? thanks for everything.

I have a 2001 SE awd auto that has a constant whirring sound that increases in volume and pitch with road speed, any ideas of what i should check? Ive had rear diff fluid replaced, I did several trans fluid drain and fills with the proper atf. Shifting to N while driving does not effect it.

Love my 2001 did timing belt valve lash motor mounts thinking bout doing a distr cap and rotor delete

Can you do a video of replacing a exhaust manifold gasket or do you have 1

thanks for the video.

Do you have a video on changing a fuel pump on a Honda CRV LX 2.0?

In the 02 just a k24 on same plat form ?

Tell me crv 1998 good or bad to buying?

Hi I was wounding if you can give me some in put on issue am having my 1st gen crv died while driving. When I go to start it I hear fuel pump turn on and prime and I can hear the relay click by the glove box when I go to turn it over all I hear is spinning noise. It’s not cracking over I replace the starter and cap I did get the rotor but it’s not cracking so I can’t get to the bolt to replace it I was going to get spark plugs and wires and check the fuses but any other info that could help would be awesome

Gracias mi brother Bendiciones

have a 2001 honda crv green drive light blinking what sencor is it and ware is it to replace cant find any videos for 2001.thank you if you can help me in ca.

I have a 1998 crv and the steering wheel keeps going to the right and I hear a sound that keeps making noise whenever the tire does a full rotation on the road and it seems to push the steering wheel right from the left front tire

I just bought a Manual 1999 LX a few days ago. It's a super clean, well kept vehicle, but I'm finding it's hidden flaws that I missed on the test drive now. I already had to fix the door wiring, that was fun. It also looks like I'll be doing some suspension work, and I have reason to believe the input shaft bearing is bad in the transmission. :/ Ive rebuilt the trans in my Civic before, so I definitely think I'd rather just replace it this time around. (Hmu if you have one, I live in TN 😉) But once those issues are solved, I know I'll be very happy with it. They're such cool little vehicles. (I say little, when it's the biggest vehicle I ever owned haha) I just sold a 2000 Civix EX that I've had for many years and this feels like a big version of that with a bunch of cool extra features.

The clock doesn't display the temperature readings, any idea on how to fix that?

Hey I got a question my 1 st gen Honda 1997 CRV has a miss on my Honda and it’s leaking gas a bit and spraying a bit of oil on the the radiator cover so what could that be by chance

Power steering leaks

Nice video. Personally I am looking for someone to show me how to do a repair job on the cruise control. on the first gen crv.

Wow! Great resource here. I have a weird high pitched whistling noise in the engine compartment in my 2000 CR v; seems to be coming from back near the firewall a little left of center as you are facing the engine. I only hear it when I open the hood and the engine is idling. My mechanic said he suspects the piston rings have undue wear for a car with only 127K miles on it and I should probably sell the car. I live on a small island in the middle of the Pacific ocean and no one here rebuilds engines. I'm hoping he is wrong. Have you encountered this noise before? Do you think a clogged PCV valve might be the issue? I'm praying for something simple. Thanks

Nice Information, handy!!!

Where is your shop

awsome video man thanks!!!!

So I have a 1999 crv with a manual transmission and now it’s not shifting and stalls when I left of the clutch I just wondering if this could be the shifter cable?

Hey I'm my 97 AC blows cold going down the road both fans are gone but once I stopped at traffic light cold-air dies off very faint but both fans are going could I have something going on and change over valve or system itself

Thank you!

I'm having trouble with the drivers door handle, it sometime get loose

Dont forget to mention the rear end sag over time. It annoys me to no end

Cruise control stopped working around 250,000.

Sunroof leak 😞 and idle air valve control

Good info sir

I have a 2000 manual first gen and I won’t get rid of it

Any suggestions on a better horn? The horn for the 1997 sounds like a "Karen" at a riot.

Any tips for an overheating crv in hot weather it’s fine otherwise

From Tx looking for a 1st gen 5spd b20z.

Hi, I have a first gen 2000 Honda crv ex, , so, it would cut off if it was a super hot day abd I blasted my ac couple times, had to sit 10 minutes, it would be fine , so then , it sounded if just sitting running for 15 minutes like it was hiccupping out the tail pipe , but anyhow so one day drove it to work came out , it was crank no start. , got a jump , it started . Checked has spark , so , drove , work , again no start, but wants to , then changed fuel pump and filter, same darn thing , but I drove it one whole day after filter got replaced, but that's it , , is it the fuel rail, , because it's not getting the fuel pressure, help please, b4 it gets towed. Thanks , seems like something simple but idk...

Power windows go out on this generation, especially on the driver's side from all the use.

Where is the srs unit located?

The other issue on the inside will be the driver seat arm rest

He looks like Jason Statham. Transporter