[otto888man]

I've had the same issue with "phantom unlocks" when approaching the car for MONTHS, and this past week it got to the point where I now have to jump the car with a pack every time, so thank you for this post, very helpful.

In the meantime until I can get it replaced, will pulling the fuses for the driver's door lock (passenger compartment box, fuses 15 & 30) temporarily stop the battery drain?

This is a great idea! But be very careful of not wearing out or making the contacts where the fuse sits. Or you can buy fuse tap. You can use the tap to temporarily install & uninstall the fuse that powers the driver's door lock.

 

[Mark Stack]

In the meantime, my solution is to just disconnect the battery when leaving the vehicle untouched for more than 48 hours.

Same issue here. Dealer said it was battery. They put a new one in and charged $400+. They are idiots. My neighbor did a parasitic drain test with the multi-meter and saw > 1.0 amp draw when car is sitting in drive. Passenger door unlocks when you walk by with the key fob in pocket...even with a new battery.
Here is my problem (listening Honda?). Why can't the dealers be honest with the customer? They must know this model has this drain issue related to door handles. Why not come clean with the customer and be up-front? Tell them the door handle is bad and you need a new one for $600+. Honda...bunch of crooks.

 

[Mark Stack]

Not sure about a defect, very limited from what I have heard on here.

Battery tender may help.

what is a "battery tender"? The problem is very, very common.

 

[ilovemyhonda88]

Battery tender, aka: battery charger. That will not solve the problem if your handle is malfunctioning. It only keeps your battery charged up.

 

[CRVTLC]

what is a "battery tender"? The problem is very, very common.

Basically a battery trickle charger. I have a battery drain issue on my 2015 CRV. I use the NOCO 5 battery tender and monitor the battery voltage with a digital display that plugs into the accessory plug

 

[Traylaw]

Same issue here. Dealer said it was battery. They put a new one in and charged $400+. They are idiots. My neighbor did a parasitic drain test with the multi-meter and saw > 1.0 amp draw when car is sitting in drive. Passenger door unlocks when you walk by with the key fob in pocket...even with a new battery.
Here is my problem (listening Honda?). Why can't the dealers be honest with the customer? They must know this model has this drain issue related to door handles. Why not come clean with the customer and be up-front? Tell them the door handle is bad and you need a new one for $600+. Honda...bunch of crooks.

All cars with keyless entry potentially have this issue. Everybody wants all this tech crammed in their cars until it breaks then they wish they didn't have it.
The dealerships are not a bunch of crooks. The problem is they don't have anyone who actually understands the technology. Most of the techs barely got through high school.

 

[ajchien]

All cars with keyless entry potentially have this issue. Everybody wants all this tech crammed in their cars until it breaks then they wish they didn't have it.
The dealerships are not a bunch of crooks. The problem is they don't have anyone who actually understands the technology. Most of the techs barely got through high school.

I think this is a bigger problem that dealerships are having every day. I’ve got a few friends that are Honda techs, one of them jumped dealerships a few years back. When I asked him why, he said this:

The owner of my prior dealership passed away. Wife doesn’t want anything to do with the business so she hired a business manager to take care of it. We techs used to get sent to all of the Honda seminars and training courses. They taught us about new tech and how to diagnose better with newer tools. The new manager cut all of that off. So no more education. If you care about doing a good job, you have to leave. Otherwise youll be completely left behind as the tech changes pretty fast.

it is realizing that dealerships are independent franchises, and they are not all equal. Some of them invest in making their techs better. Others apparently think it’s too expensive to have up to date techs.

 

[devhammer]

Just fixed this issue on my 2016 EX. If you're willing to spring for the cost of the parts, the replacement is really very easy. I considered @JimPghPA's technique, but opted for new parts because I did not want to have my doors pulled apart for the time it would take to complete both handles...I just wanted this fixed.

I got both driver and passenger side handle from HondaPartsNow, and they ran me around $630 for the pair, including shipping. Not cheap, but worth it for the time I saved trying to fix the existing handles, and the peace of mind of not worrying about the battery.

Used these two videos from the DIYHonda YT channel as guides for removing the door panel, and replacing the handle. The videos are short and to the point, and easy to follow.

Removing the Door Panel (YT video ID is PRI7IFqQBmM, you'll have to search, as I can't post links with a new account)
Removing the Door Handle (YT video ID is UhrWZW0fifE)

From start to finish, the whole process took me an hour or so.

Some tips:

• Make sure you have a non-marring (i.e. - plastic) pry tool for prying off the various panels as needed, so you don't scratch them up. You might be able to get away with a screwdriver for some of them, but you risk scratching the plastic.
• It's easier to get the door panel off with the window down, but you'll need to put it back up to reach the door handle on the inside and disconnect some of the cables.
• The bolt in the end of the door can fall into the door panel if you aren't careful. I used some masking tape on the inside of the socket to make it a tighter fit, but a magnetic socket or bit would also help. H/T to JimPghPA for that one.
• When pulling back the plastic that is under the door panel, the tar-like adhesive can get all over the place and is very messy. One of JimPghPA's tip's suggested covering both sides of the exposed adhesive with wax paper, and that worked very well.

Since the replacement, the doors locks work exactly as they should. If I lock the car and walk away, it stays locked. If I walk up to the locked car and touch the front driver or passenger door and pull, the doors unlock. Likewise with the tailgate.

If you're handy and have plenty of time on your hands, may well be worth having a go with JimPghPA's method. But you can still avoid the trip to the dealer, and at least the labor cost, by just buying the parts yourself and replacing them. One of the easier jobs I've done on my cars over the years.

 

[TheRegent]

Just fixed it on my 2016 EX-L. Devhammer's steps are great. The helpful videos are here:

Removing the Door Panel (YT video ID is PRI7IFqQBmM)
Removing the Door Handle (YT video ID is UhrWZW0fifE)

A single handle runs between $300-400 on the various OEM Honda parts websites. Get the paint code from the sticker on the inside door then match it to the correct one on the parts site. You'll be surprised that some colors cost more than others.

How to find your Honda paint color
Honda CR-V Color code names

NOTE ABOUT THE X IN COLOR CODE:
Some Honda paint tags have been released with an “X” at the end of the color code. The “X” is to be ignored; it has nothing to do with plant designation or the color code itself. I have found this answer on the internet so I hope it helps as I'm searching for the same answer.

Took me less than an hour, including fumbling in Youtube because I got confused removing the handle harness. Good note: the harness has two tabs - one on the top that aligns it to a rail and one on the bottom that connects it to the handle. If it's too hard to remove, you're missing something. The wax paper tip is flawless and highly recommended, you WILL get some on your hands if you don't handle it in some way. Be careful removing the vapor barrier from the top button, I tore it and ended up putting a piece of electrical tape on it when I reassembled. That part does not bear weight so I'm hoping I'm ok.

As was mentioned earlier, I did not disconnect the window/lock controls, I removed all the screws from the latch and controls, popped the door panel, knocked the latch in, and then let the panel rest on a small stool I had (I was nervous to let it just hang, though the wires are probably tough enough). The door rotates nicely to leave you plenty of room to work. If you have a wide plastic panel remover tool, you can fit it in the bottom center-ish of the door and pop nearly the whole thing out at once. I did not break a single tab this way. The rubber insert in the inner door handle can rotate and cause confusion. Again, if it's not working right, you're doing something wrong, just flip it over. Be careful getting out the plastic backing of the door latch. I broke a tab on my other CR-V doing that. Parts are cheap, but shipping isn't.

I got an inexpensive magnetic metric nut driver set from harbor freight to tackle the bolt in the door. Same thing with the panel tools. If you use a screwdriver, you'll probably scratch something or ding the rubber/plastic.

Removing the handle is easy. there's some grease in there so watch your hands. If your car has a key lock, when you remove that part, a long metal bar with a four-way 'clover-like' bit will be on the end. If you look inside the hole with a light you'll see the corresponding mount for it. It will slot back in when you reassemble.

You don't need to disconnect the battery to do the fix.

Don't pay the dealer! You can do this yourself!

 

[Mark Stack]

All cars with keyless entry potentially have this issue. Everybody wants all this tech crammed in their cars until it breaks then they wish they didn't have it.
The dealerships are not a bunch of crooks. The problem is they don't have anyone who actually understands the technology. Most of the techs barely got through high school.

Thank you for your response. Perhaps my assertion that "crooks" are at play was a bit insensitive. But really, Honda knows about this issue. They don't want a recall imposed by the government agency, so they let their customers pay the $1,000 ($1,400 in Canada ) to have it repaired. I am having a problem accepting that a HONDA-sanctioned dealer would not have a tech that can read the service bulletins and understand that when this issue occurs, it is not the battery or the alternator. It is the $600 door handle.

 

[Mark Stack]

Just fixed it on my 2016 EX-L. Devhammer's steps are great. The helpful videos are here:



A single handle runs between $300-400 on the various OEM Honda parts websites. Get the paint code from the sticker on the inside door then match it to the correct one on the parts site. You'll be surprised that some colors cost more than others.

How to find your Honda paint color
Honda CR-V Color code names


Took me less than an hour, including fumbling in Youtube because I got confused removing the handle harness. Good note: the harness has two tabs - one on the top that aligns it to a rail and one on the bottom that connects it to the handle. If it's too hard to remove, you're missing something. The wax paper tip is flawless and highly recommended, you WILL get some on your hands if you don't handle it in some way. Be careful removing the vapor barrier from the top button, I tore it and ended up putting a piece of electrical tape on it when I reassembled. That part does not bear weight so I'm hoping I'm ok.

As was mentioned earlier, I did not disconnect the window/lock controls, I removed all the screws from the latch and controls, popped the door panel, knocked the latch in, and then let the panel rest on a small stool I had (I was nervous to let it just hang, though the wires are probably tough enough). The door rotates nicely to leave you plenty of room to ...

thanks for the post.
Will try.

 

[bob_u]

Which model years have had the door handle issues?
Can this affect vehicles that use a metal key in the ignition switch?

 

[Ralphs]

Which model years have had the door handle issues?
Can this affect vehicles that use a metal key in the ignition switch?

My 2015 EXL has had this going on for a few years now. I just make sure to drive it every few days or plug in the battery tender. I have the push-button ignition.

 

[MicroBeta]

For Your Information - resolved a parasitic drain of the battery

For about 6 months, the car battery in our 2016 CRV EX would not have enough power to turn over the engine. The night before it would be at 12 volts and in the morning it would be at 8 volts. The battery was replaced but the problem continued. I noticed that when I approached the CRV with a FOB, sometimes but not always, the car would auto-unlock without me pressing the FOB unlock button. If this happened in the evening, the battery would be low in the morning and could not turn over the engine. The dealer ran a diagnostic test ($180 US) and found the driver's side door handle was causing an electrical short, which would repeatedly send a signal to the circuit board that controlled the Smart system.

The handle was replaced ($600 US) and the parasitic drain of the battery stopped. It's been 5 months and the dead battery issue has not returned. The service advisor said that they have started to see this happen in older CRV and Civic.

I had the exact same problem last spring on my 2015 Touring. The battery would die over night...even a brand new batter. It turned out be the passenger side handle. The dealer described it as the module was continually trying to lock and unlock. It cost me a little over $700. I got the impression from the tech that this is known problem. ¯\(ツ)/¯

 

[golope.golope]

Yes, I paid it all. I'm not happy with the amount but the problem was resolved. It took 6 weeks to get the handle and it looks new - it matches the color perfectly. I do not have Hondacare since overall, the Honda's that I've owned have been very reliable.

I paid the same and it worked great for just over a year and now I'm having the same issue. Amazed that in 13 months the warranty on Honda part is only 12 months so I get to pay the full amount again.

 

[Traylaw]

I paid the same and it worked great for just over a year and now I'm having the same issue. Amazed that in 13 months the warranty on Honda part is only 12 months so I get to pay the full amount again.

Question, wondering if you park your car in a garage or outside. I just wondering if water might be getting into the electronics in the handle...not that it should.

 

[DuWayneM]

thanks for the post.
Will try.

Hello - I have the same issue with a 2016 Honda CRV, battery drains when the car sits for a couple days, I have replaced the battery 2x, the alternator checks out fine. when I approach the vehicle from the passenger side, the car opens before I touch the door handle. My question is this - assuming the parasitic drain is coming from the passenger door handle, can I just simply remove the inside door panel, then disconnect the connector to the door handle? This would seem like it would solve the parasitic drain issue (again, assuming its all from the door handle), but does this cause any other issues?

 

[golope.golope]

Question, wondering if you park your car in a garage or outside. I just wondering if water might be getting into the electronics in the handle...not that it should.

Happens inside and outside.

 

[JimPghPA]

I paid the same and it worked great for just over a year and now I'm having the same issue. Amazed that in 13 months the warranty on Honda part is only 12 months so I get to pay the full amount again.

Maybe its time to try fixing it the way I did, instead of paying for a part that is going to fail again in the same way.

From my thread "How to fix your electronic door lock on your CR-V, instead of replacing them..":

Update, the problem came back some. I was wondering if I had made the epoxy coating of the touch section too thin, I really wiped it away to the extent you could not see it. I think that was the problem now. The handle acted up the most if it had rained recently, so moisture was getting into the sensing section again.

I took the handle off again and put it on a cotton cloth in a toaster oven at 150 F for 24 hours to bake all the moisture out again. Then I put a coating of JB Weld ( not the fast version because the original slow seeps into surfaces better ) on all the black sensor section, I did not wipe it away, just a decent coating. I also put JB Weld into the heatshrink around the wires, and then applied electric tape to the end of the heatshrink and wires. Let that dry for 6 hours and then into the 150 F toaster oven for about half a day. Then I put a decent layer of the loctite hp60 on top of the jb weld on the sensor section ( I did not wipe it away this time, just a decent coating ), let that dry for 6 hours, and then put it back into the 150 F toaster oven another half day.

I put it back on my crv and it's been working fine for a month now, and we had plenty of rain days with no problems.

Both coatings, the JB Weld and the loctite hp 60, are about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch thick. The loctite is white, so it does not look great, but seals very well so moisture can't get in. There's still plenty of room to place your fingers behind the sensor.

When the weather gets warm, I'm going to pull the handle off one more time and put a neat coating of JB Weld Black on it so this fix is not noticeable. But it is working fine now.

So, the bottom line is this problem seem to be moisture getting into the sensor. Weather that is from getting through the plastic you touch, or into the inside, I don't know. But if you carefully heat the handle long enough without overheating it and damaging it, then seal it very well so moisture can not get back in, you can fix these handles, instead of buying new ones.

Just using JB Weld Black might work, but I don't know if it would let moisture in eventually.

The loctite hp 60 provides a very good seal that will not let in moisture.

I also sealed off every little access around where the heatshrink went into the handle with the type of silicon that dries like clear rubber. And I sealed the small holes on the side of the handle opposite where the wires go in with the loctite hp 60.

It seams the electronics in the handle was still fine. I just had to get the moisture out and seal it to then keep it out.

Be sure to test the temperature of whatever oven you use with an accurate thermometer before putting the handle in. And set it on some clean dry cotton cloth.
I used an IR thermometer. 150 F for 24 hours did not damage it. But I would not try any higher temperature.


Note, I put the JB Weld about 1/4 inch into the heatshrink where the wires go into it this time. Then put electric tape over that before the epoxy cured. So if moisture was getting into the handle by this path, I have that sealed now.

--------------

I use to fix industrial electronics for a living, and if only the sensor getting moisture into it is the problem, then baking out that moisture and sealing it well should work for a long time.

I don't like the idea of spending hundreds of dollars on a part I can fix for a lot less. And any new handle probably would fail the same way in several years.

And yes, I used wax paper again ( actually the waxy side of freezer paper this time, and it even workd better than translucent wax paper ). That black gue for the weather barrier is a real mess if it gets on you. And wax paper on both the door and the weatherstrip speeds this job up a lot, because your not messing with that stuff.

Don't overnighter the 10 mm door handle bolt. It's only threading into aluminum. I think it might even be 8 mm on recent models.

Good luck if you try this fix.

 

[mngcollier11]

Is it necessary to pair the new door lock with the key fob after replacing the door handles?