Is the 2002 Honda CR-V a bad year?
515 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other CR-V years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2002 Honda CR-V are in line with other CR-V years. Air bags, electrical system and exterior lighting stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2002 CR-V owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 107,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 143 (28%) | 55k–169k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 95 (18%) | 62k–159k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 60 (12%) | 100k–160k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 40 (8%) | 53k–118k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Equipment | 39 (8%) | 67k–107k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 25 (5%) | 51k–150k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 17 (3%) | 61k–156k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (2%) | 72k–126k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 25 (5%) | 12k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seat belts | 25 (5%) | 31k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 24 (5%) | 21k–50k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine and cooling | 20 (4%) | 59k–87k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Latches and locks | 12 (2%) | 32k–96k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seats | 24 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 107,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 515 complaints: 48 mention a crash · 17 mention a fire · 35 report an injury · 7 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Apr 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
The A/C compressor has failed twice. The first time at 106101 miles in 2008 and the second time at 135567 miles on may 3, 2012.
My 2002 Honda crv 4WD, 81000 miles, has a defected ac compressor that is locked up. American Honda knows about the problem with ac compressors in the crv 2002-2005 models and will not issue a recall to fix the problem.
I have a 2002 Honda crv with 60,000 miles and I was driving with my air conditioning running and came to a stop light.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 107,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2002 Honda CR-V: 16
Moisture may enter the driver side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt. If the switch fails, it could overheat and smoke, increasing the risk of a fire.
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode. An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement. An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt. If the switch fails, it could overheat, smoke, and cause a fire. A switch failure, and a fire, could occur even if the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the recall repair has been performed.
In august 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 820,789 vehicles including certain model year 2004 and 2005 pilots and model year 2002 and 2003 civics. If the terminal ends melt within the wiring harness connector, the low beam headlights may become inoperative, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as DOT-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle… In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(S) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
On certain sport utility vehicles, the wire harness of the driver's front air bag was incorrectly wired. In the event of a crash, the air bag inflation rate would be incorrect, which could increase the risk of injury to the driver.
On certain sport utility vehicles, metal particles in the key cylinder body could interfere with the interlock lever operation, making it possible to remove the ignition key without shifting the transmission to "Park." If the vehicle operator does not shift to "Park" Before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions, excessive corrosion of the shift cable linkage could prevent the driver from shifting the automatic transmission into park. If the vehicle operator fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur. Dealers will inspect the shift cable linkage for corrosion. If corrosion causes binding, they will replace the shift cable.
On certain sport utility vehicles, the front seat anchorage nut strength is insufficient because the nuts were installed improperly. If a collision occurred, the seat anchorage would not withstand the force, and the front seat occupants would not be restrained properly.
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic seat belt pretensions. The CR-V is equipped with two seat belt pretensioners - retractor and buckle - in both the driver and front passenger seating positions. Some buckle pretensioners use a part that restricts the full motion of the mechanism. If these pretensioners activate in a crash, the seat belt could unlatch, leaving the front seat occupants unrestrained.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Honda: 32
Repair instructions Honda sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2002 Honda CR-V. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The MIL comes on with one of these DTCs: P2646/P2651 (Rocker arm oil pressure switch circuit low voltage)
The MIL is on along with the timing control valve which is contaminated and/or stuck
Honda CR-V: after stopping engine stalls or stumbles
In certain vehicles, the driver s (Front) airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment
NHTSA defect investigations: 8
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Low Beam Headlights Stop Illuminating
Low Beam Headlights Stop Working
Neighbouring years
2001 CR-V: 142 complaints, keep it · 2003 CR-V: 468 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Honda CR-V year
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Questions
Is the 2002 Honda CR-V a bad year?
515 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other CR-V years. At 107,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Honda CR-V?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (143), electrical system (95), exterior lighting (60), engine (40), equipment (39).
How many recalls does the 2002 Honda CR-V have?
16 recall campaigns list this model year: Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 20V-768), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-501), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-499), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-182) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.