Case file · HONDA-CR-V-2002-2006 · Field document

Honda CR-V 2002–2006 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Run the A/C hard on a warm day for 10+ minutes. Warm or weak air on this generation usually means compressor 'black death,' a $1,500–$2,500 full-system job — not a recharge. Price the car accordingly or walk.

2. Check 02

   Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls). Confirm the Takata airbag inflator recall AND the driver's power window master switch recall (12V-486 and its 2021 re-recall) are both marked complete.

3. Check 03

   On AWD (Real Time 4WD) cars: do slow, full-lock figure-8s in a parking lot. A groan or shudder from the rear is broken-down dual-pump fluid — cheap to fix, but it tells you fluid services were skipped.

4. Check 04

   Ask for proof of a valve adjustment if the car is past ~100k miles. K24 exhaust valves tighten with age; tight valves are silent and eventually burn.

5. Check 05

   Test the driver's window switch through all four windows. Erratic or dead switches on this generation are the exact recall failure — and it's a fire risk, not just an annoyance.

6. Check 06

   Look for oil leaks and check maintenance records. These engines don't die from design flaws; they die from 8,000-mile oil changes.

7. Check 07

   Check for rust at the rear wheel arches, tailgate, and rear subframe on northern cars.