HondaCR-V2001Overview/honda/cr-v/2001/base/

2001 Honda CR-V

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 CR-V.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 4-spd

Positioned near the start of the CR-V's long production arc, the 2001 model represents Honda's compact SUV paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and returning an EPA-estimated 20 city / 23 highway / 21 combined mpg, with an engine oil specification of 4 quarts at 10W-30 or 5W-30 API viscosity. Reliability data for the model year, drawn from 153 owner complaints, points to the airbag system as the most frequently reported concern and includes a single official recall. Viewed against the CR-V's broader 1997–2026 complaint history—which peaks at 2,085 reports in 2018 and bottoms out at 99 in 2026—the 2001 sits on the favorable end of the spectrum, making it a useful benchmark for researchers tracking the model's long-term reliability.

Model year202620242023202220212020201920182001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/23/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51R · 410 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 51R · 410 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size205-70R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length173.2 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height66.1 in
Wheelbase103.1 in
Curb weight3201 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 23 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the CR-V of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.30 sec — 2001 SE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2001SE 2.0L I-410.30 sec17.70 sec146 hpAWD
1999EX 2.0L I-48.60 sec16.70 sec146 hpAWD
1999EX 2.0L I-49.40 sec17.10 sec146 hpAWD
1998EX 2.0L I-410.30 sec17.70 sec126 hpAWD
1997SUV 2.0L I-49.40 sec17.00 sec126 hpAWD
1997SUV 2.0L I-410.90 sec18.20 sec126 hpAWD
1997SUV 2.0L I-411.70 sec18.70 sec126 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, HONDA CVT DUAL PUMP FLUID OR EQUIVALENT in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilHONDA CVT DUAL PUMP FLUID OR EQUIVALENT
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.3 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.0 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings23 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts130 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsAT: 54 ft-lbs, MT: 76 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts8.7 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs4MM

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug33.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug33.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub134 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.63-.77 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.54-1.66 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.33 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance410 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)40.0-47.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)31.0-38.0 psi
Engine Compression135-178. 28 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure10 psi @ Idle, 50 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.003-0.005 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle83 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Drum Nominal Diameter8.661 in
Drum Maximum Machining8.701 in
Drum Discard at-or-over8.702
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
263 ft. lbs.63 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5618 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant at 120,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 120,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 90,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Timing Belt (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) · Water Pump (inspect)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Honda CR-V sits at the end of the first-generation run (1997–2001), and within that cohort it actually carries the highest complaint count at 153, edging the 142 logged in 2000 and well above the 109 of the 1997 debut year. However, that modest upward drift is paired with the lowest recall tally of the entire dataset (just 1) and zero open investigations, while TSBs had been steadily declining from 114 in 1998 to 81 in 2001 — all signs of a mature, well-diagnosed platform. The picture changes sharply in 2002, when complaints more than triple to 527, recalls explode to 16, and 8 investigations open simultaneously, suggesting the second-generation launch introduced a cluster of issues the prior years had largely avoided. Within 2001 specifically, air bags dominate the complaint mix at 55 of 153, with engine/cooling a distant second at 23, and the 13 crash-related and 3 fire-related filings are present but not concentrated around a single component flagged in the data. The bottom line: the 2001 model year represents the calm just before a clear storm in the federal record, and among first-gen CR-Vs it is arguably the best-positioned candidate to buy used — provided the buyer verifies that any air-bag-related work has been completed.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
81
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
153
Owner complaints
13 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 153 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags55
Engine & Engine Cooling23
Tires7
Visibility7
Engine6
Power Train6
Seat Belts5
Electrical System4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V027000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/01/2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 81 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DORE5C4S092019-07-11SuspensionThis SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of…
DLR MSG - Honda2014-08-06Air BagsDealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for…
DLR MSG - Stop S2014-07-23Air BagsDealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for…
SB-99-0752013-08-09Engine And Engine CoolingHONDA: TROUBLESHOOTING OF DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) P1456 AND P1457. DEALERS ARE TO…
08-0402008-05-31EquipmentLOAD CARRYING CAPACITY REDUCED LABEL FOR ALL HONDA VEHICLES. *PE

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
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Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 CR-V take?

4 qt of ABOVE 15 F: 10W-30 API BELOW 95 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 CR-V have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the CR-V get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 23 highway / 21 combined mpg.