Engine Belts And Pulleys problems of the 2003 Honda CR-V

On Sunday afternoon August 28th, my 2003 Honda crv had an engine fire. The only warning, was a rubbing sound when the car was started but no dash lamps prior to seeing the smoke and subsequent fire. Fortunately I was able to safely get my family out of the crv and put out the fire. Upon repairing the car at the local Honda dealer, they identified the ac compressor as the likely root cause of the fire based on melted clutch drive wires which appear to be the ignition source for the overheated drive belt. Since the 2 yr old ac compressor was a four seasons - everco 58881 replacement a/c compressor from auto zone, Honda was not interested in any further investigation but they did allow me to keep the damaged ac compressor and drive belt. I spoke with everco customer service however they said they would not deal with the public directly so I discussed this issue with the auto zone district service manager who made an internal inquiry and then said they could not initiate a claim because the component is outside the warranty period. I am disappointed that neither Honda, autozone nor everco are interested in a root cause investigation or providing any compensation. Fortunately no one was injured in this incident but other crv owners may be less fortunate. I have the damaged hardware and photos which can support an investigation.

I have a 2003 Honda Cr-v. While driving on the interstate, the air conditioning stopped cooling. I took the car to my mechanic who said the compressor blew up and most likely contaminated the entire ac system. He referred me to the local dealership for further diagnosis and assistance. The Honda dealership confirmed the diagnosis. The entire ac system must be replaced. The local mechanic and dealership acknowledged that this is a known problem with Honda Cr-vs of the age of my vehicle. They even have a name for it which they put on the ticket - "black death". This is a safety issue because if I were going slow enough the engine could have stopped when the compressor broke apart. If I were on snow I could have skidded the tires or the belt could have broken or maybe slipped. The serpentine belt is very strong so there are times when this very well could be a safety issue. In my case, none of these circumstances happened but I felt this was a situation that must be reported since it is a known issue with these cars.

: the contact stated the vehicle's steering froze up while driving at 30 mph during wet road conditions. The problem usually occurred while making turns. The dealer was contacted who inspected the vehicle, but could not find the cause of the problem. The corporate office of dealer suggested that the vehicle be taken to an independent repair shop to have the belt changed. The vehicle was taken to the independent repair shop and had the belt replaced.

2003 Honda Cr-v 44,200 miles: bad bearing or pump noise starting coming from engine compartment, stopped and checked (noise varied with engine speed). Narrowed noise to area around ac compressor/alternator/belt tensioner. Operated vehicle less than 30 minutes from first appearance of noise, then there was a thud,and a clunk looked out the passenger side rearview mirror and saw a something rolling down the street. Noise went away, and ac stopped cooling. Went back to see what had fallen off, and found part of the clutch assembly. No apparent damage, vehicle operates minus ac. Took vehicle to dealer, was told that he has seen this a four or five times recently, and that he would contact Honda, to see what can be done. Was later told that Honda would cover the repairs.

Concerns regarding fires following oil changes in 2003 crv. The passenger seat belt jammed and the drivers door lock failed.

Vehicle fire regarding 2003 Honda crv. There was overheating of the electrical components that caused the fire. The consumers wife was locked in the burning vehicle. The locks remained activated and would not open from the inside or the outside, even though the ignition was off. The entire vehicle had become filled with heavy black smoke along with the instrument panel warning lights flashing. The consumer was informed that the damage found was consistent with a high resistance condition occurring in the crankshaft sensor oil control solenoid circuit wiring resulting in electrical overheating, resulting in a fire. Minor heat and fire damage was sustained to the right front area of the engine starting near the crankshaft pulley extending upwards towards the valve cover area. Upon examination of the fuse/relay center located in the passenger compartment revealed a 15 amp fuse protecting the ecu circuit was blown consistent with a component and or electrical failure within this circuit. According to the technical report, the fire began in the engine compartment and was considered an accident not a manufacturer defect.