Honda CR-V

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Joe....I bought the 2WD. Not much need for AWD here in California. Bought it at CarMax with 32K. A really clean little car with 2K and 2 months worth of OEM warranty left on it. Its maroon and even matches one of my motor home colors.

We bought it for a couple of big trips this summer including a coast to coast. My motor home really doesn't know if its towing my truck or the CRV. Just thought it would be nice to tow something smaller and easier to clean.

I find that it's a little noisey inside, I think it's the Continental tires. I have them on my new Acura MDX and find them hard riding and noisey. They've got a few miles left on them, but I think I will change the tires to some Hankooks or another soft riding tire.

If ya think the tires are hard, wait till ya spend a few hours in the drivers seat. It's hard as a rock. Won't be comfy on long rides like my Jags were or your Acura. But it's great as a toad and for day tripping!

[F4Gary]

Until 2015, all CRVs have a lot of road noise. And the OEM tires are junk.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Joe....I bought the 2WD. Not much need for AWD here in California. Bought it at CarMax with 32K. A really clean little car with 2K and 2 months worth of OEM warranty left on it. Its maroon and even matches one of my motor home colors.

We bought it for a couple of big trips this summer including a coast to coast. My motor home really doesn't know if its towing my truck or the CRV. Just thought it would be nice to tow something smaller and easier to clean.

I find that it's a little noisey inside, I think it's the Continental tires. I have them on my new Acura MDX and find them hard riding and noisey. They've got a few miles left on them, but I think I will change the tires to some Hankooks or another soft riding tire.

We love Honda, have had several, but every one has had loud road noise! I don't know if it's the kind of tires they use or just the vehicle design.

[JacknKay]

Originally Posted by TwoCorners

I leave the valet key in accessory mode, flip the fuse bypass switch and lock the doors with the main key. I'd someone wanted to steal my CR-V at a rest stop, while I'm in the coach eating lunch, they would have to break out a window, unhook the car from the coach, drive off. Not likely.
At night if we're not unhooking I remove the valet key and just lock the car.

So if you use the valet key in ACC you can lock the doors? (manually or remote? I tried it with the regular key in the lock and the doors wouldn't lock.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by JacknKay

So if you use the valet key in ACC you can lock the doors? (manually or remote? I tried it with the regular key in the lock and the doors wouldn't lock.

We leave the Valet key in the car when towing and lock the doors manually with the main key. The wireless won't work with the Valet key in the ignition.

[JacknKay]

Thanks HCs. Had me wondering.

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

,,, I ordered the following:
- Roadmaster Base plates to match my Roadmaster tow bar.
- Diodes for tail lights (preferred system for me)
- Roadmaster Fusemaster switch fuse - pricey, but a nice setup
- Odyssey battery box
- Will install Group 24 battery
- Wiring for taillights
- Roadmaster Umbilical kit with 7 pin and 6 pin connectors (don't want to use my truck umbilical with my SMI air hose and break away cable attached)
- Laminated card with towing procedures
Did I miss anything?

Yes you did. CRV's use a separate turn signal light rather than flashing the brake light. What will happen is when the SMI system activates it will light the brake lights using the CRV's battery and override any turn indication coming from the coach which is to flash the brake signal. Diodes won't stop it from happening either.

Couple of options-
1. Pull the fuse for the brake lights
2. Go with separate bulbs in the CRV rear lights
3. Add a converter to the circuit Robot Check

I added the converter. Second year towing a 2005 AWD CRV. No Nav, blue tooth or other stuff so no fuse pulling just turn the radio off. The CRV replaced a 98 Accord Coupe. Both are/were daily drivers. Sold the Accord with 215,000 miles. Second gear clutch was starting to slip and it was time for something newer.

Tranny oil change is simple. Drain, measure what you drained (usually around 3 and 3/4 quarts) and refill the same amount drained. No pan to drop or filters to change but do replace the crush washer on the drain plug. Several You Tube videos on how to do it. Don't try and save a few dollars using after market oil only Honda Transmission DW1 oil. Can't stress this enough. Best to keep the clutch packs and torque convertor lock up clutch happy. Lots of labor to replace the clutches once contaminated with aftermarket non-Honda oil.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Sweetbriar".....Thanks for the heads up on the Robot Check. I'm anal and I like the amber lights to work, so I ordered one.

I called SMI today and they were $460.00 for the car parts I needed, so I decided to go with brakes. I know I have the braking power, but I would like to have a break away system, I'll add a Fuse switch to kill the brake lights.

Lots of wiring coming up as soon as my hand heals.

[F4Gary]

Whelp, just tried to fit the Odyssey battery tray into my '07 CRV. Won't fit. Way too big. Gonna go measure batteries at AutoZone to see if I can squeeze something else in there.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Joe....I bought the 2WD. Not much need for AWD here in California. Bought it at CarMax with 32K. A really clean little car with 2K and 2 months worth of OEM warranty left on it. Its maroon and even matches one of my motor home colors.

We bought it for a couple of big trips this summer including a coast to coast. My motor home really doesn't know if its towing my truck or the CRV. Just thought it would be nice to tow something smaller and easier to clean.

I find that it's a little noisey inside, I think it's the Continental tires. I have them on my new Acura MDX and find them hard riding and noisey. They've got a few miles left on them, but I think I will change the tires to some Hankooks or another soft riding tire.

Don:
We've had only one "car" that wasn't a Honda since 1988 and ALL of them have had a lot of road noise no matter what tires (almost always Michelins) they've had on them. Most magazines also complain about the road noise too. The Ody we tow even has a electronic noise canceling setup in it and I can tell when it starts up.

[F4Gary]

Just got back from Autozone and couldn't really find what I wanted in a battery. Their Group 35 AGM might wedge in there, but at $194, I think I will stick with my 1 year old Duralast Gold Group 51 for now. When is get time to get a new battery I'll revisit this.

Anyone want to buy a 2013 Odyssey battery tray and lid?

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Just got back from Autozone and couldn't really find what I wanted in a battery. Their Group 35 AGM might wedge in there, but at $194, I think I will stick with my 1 year old Duralast Gold Group 51 for now. When is get time to get a new battery I'll revisit this.

Anyone want to buy a 2013 Odyssey battery tray and lid?

Did you install the new two piece battery tray? The Group 24 will not fit the original tray.

[F4Gary]

The 2 piece Odyssey tray and lid will not fit into my CRV. The metal tray under the old plastic tray is only 6 1/4 inches wide. My radiator overflow tank is next to the battery tray.

I think a group 35 will squeeze in there, but it has to be an AGM battery and I'm not ready to spend $194 yet. The battery I have now is a Duralast Gold and is probably better than the OEM battery. Once it is on it's deathbed, I'll revisit this.

A group 24 is just to big for an '07 CRV.

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

The 2 piece Odyssey tray and lid will not fit into my CRV. The metal tray under the old plastic tray is only 6 1/4 inches wide. My radiator overflow tank is next to the battery tray.

I think a group 35 will squeeze in there, but it has to be an AGM battery and I'm not ready to spend $194 yet. The battery I have now is a Duralast Gold and is probably better than the OEM battery. Once it is on it's deathbed, I'll revisit this.

A group 24 is just to big for an '07 CRV.

Bummer,,,