MajorCommonBody & Rust

Honda CR-V: Rust in rear wheel arches hidden behind body cladding

Rust in rear wheel arches hidden behind body cladding is a common body & rust fault on the Honda CR-V on the 2001–2006 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 59 documented faults on the Honda CR-V.

Vehicle: Honda CR-V
Years: 2001–2006
System: Body & Rust

This page covers the Honda CR-V as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda CR-V faults59 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Body corrosion yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

On the second-generation CR-V the rear wheel arches corrode from the inside out, and the damage is frequently hidden behind the plastic wheel-arch cladding and mud flaps where dirt and moisture sit trapped against the metal. Owners routinely find significant rust only after removing the cladding, by which point the arch lip and inner guard may need cutting and welding. This is age/exposure driven rather than mileage driven and is a real concern for NZ cars, especially coastal or previously salt-belt Japanese imports. It is worth checking alongside the rear subframe and jacking points. (Note: the well-known 563,000-vehicle Honda subframe corrosion recall applies to the later 2007-2011 generation, not the RD, so do not assume this generation is covered.)

What you would notice

Bubbling paint or rust along the rear wheel-arch lips
Flaky/rusty metal revealed when the plastic arch cladding is lifted
Rust staining around mud flaps and lower rear guards

How to check it

Where to look. Rear wheel arches and inner guards (behind plastic cladding), rear subframe area

Prise back or peer behind the plastic rear wheel-arch cladding and mud flaps and inspect the arch lip and inner guard for rust bubbling through from behind. Also check the rear subframe, sill/jacking points and tailgate lower edge; surface bubbles usually mean worse corrosion hidden underneath, which is a WoF and structural concern.

Parts involved: Body corrosion.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has anyone looked behind the rear wheel-arch cladding for rust?”
“Is the car a fresh import, and was it from a coastal or snow region of Japan?”
“Has any rust repair or welding been done to the arches or subframe?”

Now check the Honda CR-V you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Honda CR-V Owners Club Forums - '2004 CRV rear wheel arch repair' thread (crvownersclub.com/threads/2004-crv-rear-wheel-arch-repair.202255/)
Honda CR-V Owners Club Forums - 'Rust on both rear wheel wells' thread (crvownersclub.com/threads/rust-on-both-rear-wheel-wells.242355/) describing rust hidden by body cladding

Honda CR-V buyer questions

Is rust in rear wheel arches hidden behind body cladding serious on a Honda CR-V?

We rate it major and common on the Honda CR-V. On the second-generation CR-V the rear wheel arches corrode from the inside out, and the damage is frequently hidden behind the plastic wheel-arch cladding and mud flaps where dirt and moisture sit trapped against the metal. Owners routinely find significant rust only after removing the cladding, by which point the arch lip and inner guard may need cutting and welding. This is age/exposure driven rather than mileage driven and is a real concern for NZ cars, especially coastal or previously salt-belt Japanese imports. It is worth checking alongside the rear subframe and jacking points. (Note: the well-known 563,000-vehicle Honda subframe corrosion recall applies to the later 2007-2011 generation, not the RD, so do not assume this generation is covered.)

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda CR-V?

$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda CR-V years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2001–2006 Honda CR-V. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.