2003 Honda CR-V Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2003 Honda CR-V, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 96,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “low beam” (13% of reports).
- 62electrical system complaints
- 96,750median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Low beam: mentioned in 8 of 62 complaints (13%)
- Driver door lock: mentioned in 7 of 62 complaints (11%)
- Master switch: mentioned in 6 of 62 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 54 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 62 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 1 an injury.
Honda CR-V electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 CR-V | 28 | 18% | 1,600 |
| 2025 CR-V | 18 | 7% | 13,525 |
| 2024 CR-V | 35 | 9% | 6,200 |
| 2023 CR-V | 28 | 5% | 894 |
| 2022 CR-V | 14 | 5% | 4,000 |
| 2021 CR-V | 34 | 10% | 14,800 |
| 2020 CR-V | 43 | 12% | 11,500 |
| 2019 CR-V | 164 | 15% | 7,000 |
| 2018 CR-V | 284 | 13% | 14,941 |
| 2017 CR-V | 401 | 23% | 19,500 |
| 2016 CR-V | 64 | 16% | 24,000 |
| 2015 CR-V | 84 | 13% | 28,750 |
| 2014 CR-V | 77 | 13% | 8,832 |
| 2013 CR-V | 38 | 10% | 32,420 |
| 2012 CR-V | 68 | 17% | 30,000 |
| 2011 CR-V | 55 | 10% | 53,731 |
| 2010 CR-V | 43 | 9% | 79,000 |
| 2009 CR-V | 44 | 11% | 62,000 |
| 2008 CR-V | 218 | 23% | 80,000 |
| 2007 CR-V | 264 | 30% | 80,000 |
| 2006 CR-V | 75 | 19% | 75,400 |
| 2005 CR-V | 77 | 16% | 88,175 |
| 2004 CR-V | 73 | 15% | 90,000 |
| 2003 CR-V | 62 | 13% | 96,750 |
| 2002 CR-V | 95 | 18% | 110,448 |
| 2001 CR-V | 7 | 5% | 179,840 |
| 2000 CR-V | 15 | 12% | 137,000 |
| 1999 CR-V | 27 | 21% | 134,000 |
| 1998 CR-V | 38 | 30% | 124,100 |
| 1997 CR-V | 31 | 29% | 125,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Visibility:power window devices and controls; electrical system
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2002-2006 CR-V vehicles. Moisture may enter the driver side power window master switch, causing the switch to fail or melt.
Risk: If the switch fails, it could overheat and smoke, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power window master switch and inspect the wiring harness for damage, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is P9D.
Electrical system; visibility:power window devices and controls
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2002-2006 CR-V passenger vehicles, manufactured from February 19, 2002, through July 28, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt.
Risk: 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.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the switches, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on November 2, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
SRS LIGHT CAME ON 2 MONTHS AGO. FEAR FOR MY SAFETY. RECALL PLEASE. ELECTRICAL. BACK RT WINDOW AND RT FRONT DOOR LOCK CANNOT BE OPERATED FROM FRONT DRIVER DOOR. LIGHTING. BACK INTERIOR LIGHT DOES NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATICALLY. Paint is peeling from all over the car, especially on the front of it. Looks…
There was a recall for 2003 CRV will water getting into master door look switch. This switch would cause fire. The smell off burning plastic and smoke came from the door look switch. The the rear driver window didn't work. I don't use the window so it wasn't important. About 6 months later it…
The contact owns a 2003 Honda CR-V. The vehicle had previously been serviced at the dealer under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V768000 (Visibility, Electrical System) however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the driver's side front power window switch failed to operate as needed. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Honda CR-Vs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 62 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2003 Honda CR-V (13% of the 468 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Honda CR-V electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 96,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2003 Honda CR-V?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 8 of 62 complaints, followed by “driver door lock” (7).
Other 2003 Honda CR-V problems
See all 2003 Honda CR-V problems or electrical system problems across all CR-V years.