# Honda CR-V 2002–2006 Pre-Purchase Checklist | CarCaseFile

Canonical: https://carcasefile.com/vehicles/honda-cr-v-2002-2006/checklist/

> Printable pre-purchase inspection checklist for the 2002–2006 Honda CR-V: the generation-specific checks that separate a good one from someone else's problem.

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.

[← Full case file](https://carcasefile.com/vehicles/honda-cr-v-2002-2006/)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Check 07

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

Walk-away signals

None outright. But a 2002 with an unreplaced Takata 'Alpha' driver inflator is on NHTSA's do-not-drive list until fixed (verify by VIN) · Any year with dead or weak A/C, unless the price already reflects a full-system replacement

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