Honda CR-V Problems

Honda has told us that they have been in contact with you and that you have been advised that oil changes are done on a time basis, and that “scheduled maintenance changes define the maximum time before oil is to be replaced. Where an oil change is required earlier, this remains a maintenance issue. As a gesture of goodwill, Honda covers this oil change if it occurs during the vehicle's warranty period.” We were further told that “the design of the differential on the CRV model incorporates friction plates that require lubrication. The differential oil will deteriorate with use and this can cause the friction plates to stick slightly on full lock/turns or if the front wheels lose traction. The symptom is a vibration in the car, this vibration will certainly not cause any damage however to eliminate the symptom there is a process recommended by the Honda factory that our Dealer network follows. The process requires flushing and replacement of the differential oil particularly between the friction plates.” I would suggest you take this information to your Honda dealer and ask why your car needed the earlier oil changes that were done.

I expect the extra connectors are for the auto transmission cooler, in which case there’s no need to block them off. The cooler is sealed off from the coolant in the radiator and there is no transmission fluid to run through them.

A CARS such as the Corolla, Mazda3 and Honda Civic will tow a small box trailer comfortably without overstressing the engine, and will be more economical than your Commodores were. But because you have found getting in and out of the Corolla difficult you need to try other cars to see how they stack up. Alternatively, try a compact SUV such as a Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. They are higher, which may make them easier to get in and out. You should be able to get a two or three-year-old model within your budget.

It should tow your trailer without a problem, as long as the trailer is braked, and you are sure it weighs less than 1000 kg when loaded with all of your gear. In addition to the cars you are looking at there are plenty of other cars that could also tow your camper, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V etc.

The life expectancy of any engine is largely determined by how well it is maintained. The Honda engine, like all modern engines, requires regular servicing with fresh oil and new filters; if that’s done there’s no reason to believe it wouldn’t do 300,000 km and more.

You should try and dry it out and keep it as dry as possible to minimize the chances of rust developing. It would be worthwhile to consult a body repairer to trace the source of the leak. You could drive it through a carwash and watch for any water entering the cabin, or have someone hose the car down while you watch inside to see if you can observe any leakage.

It’s a used car out of warranty. I’m not surprised the dealer is showing no interest. I would approach Honda direct and ask for help given the past history of the car, but I wouldn’t hold my breath about getting any assistance.

The correct inflation pressure is contained on the sticker attached to the car and in the owner's manual. I would think 280 kpa is too high.

It's quite often recommended to run tyres at a higher pressure than the carmaker specifies. It's ok to do that within reason, but I think 40 psi is way too high. I imagine it rides like a dray at that pressure. I would suggest you try around 32 psi, it should handle better and give you better fuel economy without the deterioration in ride.