We're driving a '99 5 speed (and wouldn't have it any other way... he he)
AWD and have had a shimmy on take off in 1st, 2nd and rarely 3rd. It is not
a clutch shimmy, but something you feel a little in the steering wheel and
in the floor. I have had the tires checked on one occasion and the balance
checked (unrelated problem - out of round tire and no one wants to honor
the tire warranty...).

We have had this shimmy since the car was brand new. It isn't bad, just
smething for me to worry about. I had an Accord with close to 200K miles on
it that required new axles (worn CV joints) that had a similar feel - a
vibration in the front end that you could not trace to wheels, tires, or
clutch.

We're approaching 20K miles this weekend and I don't want the warranty to
lapse if there is a repair required here...

I have looked at it (I am a mechanic) and see not defects (torn boots,
etc.) nor does it have excess play in the joints when checked by hand. The
dealer says that the vibration comes with a FWD system coupled to the AWD
system - just alot of parts down there. In other words just live with it...
He tells me his CR-V does it to but that the automatic CR-Vs don't do it as
badly.

I don't want to get the blow off here if mine has a defect...

My educated guess (worth about 2 cents..) is that a couple things are at
work here. Do the axles run down hill from the tranny to the wheels? If so
you have axles that are never straight from the inside joint to the outside
joint and will have a tendency to get the jitters when stressed highly like
take off.

Next idea. In order to give the CR-V alot of articulation (relative to it's
Civic cousins) in it's suspension, they had to give the CR-V axle joints a
little more slop so they could move more and handle the extra angle required.

Anyone educated enough to explain? Inquiring minds want to know...

See ya folks.

We LOVE our CR-V - our 5th Honda (1 CR-X, 2 Accords, and 1 Honda touring
motorcycle). Next will be an Accord to keep the CR-V company. We just need
to get out of college!


Holly and Chris Mills
Cookeville, TN

hbcmills@...
ICQ: 5944649

I have a 99 automatic that has the same shimmy. The dealers
didn't find anything wrong with it either.
If the automatic is suppose to have less than the stick,
then you must really have it bad.

I have this on my late 99 UK spec auto. It only happens when accelerating
hard from rest and appears to be linked to the 4WD engaging. Hard
acceleration from rest encourages front wheel spin, engaging the 4WD. I
recognise the vibration from the 4WD from some driving in snow last year.
I assume it is nothing to worry about, just a characteristic of the 4WD.
Regards,

Martin Brookes
OECLU
Shell Lubricants Centre - Stanlow
PO BOX 25, Oil Sites Road
Stanlow, South Wirral, CH65 4FS
England
e-mail : martin.m.brookes@...


>