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On every 5th-gen CR-V the ignition coils sit right on top of the valve cover under a plastic engine cover, so this is a genuinely easy job — four 10 mm bolts, four connectors, four plugs. The only real obstacle is on the 1.5 turbo, where the turbo inlet pipe and wiring harness crowd the front of the engine and you may need a wobble extension or a stubby ratchet to get a straight pull on the outermost coil.
The mistake people make is torque. These are 12 mm-thread iridium plugs in an aluminum head and the spec is only about 13 ft-lb, which feels loose compared to older engines. Run them down by hand first, use a torque wrench, and blow the wells out before you crack a plug loose so nothing falls into the cylinder.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| Socket set 10 mm socket, 3/8 in drive (engine cover and coil bolts) Removes the plastic engine cover fasteners and all four ignition coil bolts. | Required | search retailer |
| Ratchet 3/8 in drive, standard and stubby Drives coil bolts and the plug socket; the stubby helps at the tight firewall-side coil on the 1.5T. | Required | search retailer |
| Extensions 3/8 in drive, 3 in and 6 in Reaches the plugs down the deep wells in the valve cover. | Required | search retailer |
| Spark plug socket 14 mm (9/16 in) thin-wall magnetic or rubber-insert, 3/8 in drive Only a thin-wall socket clears the narrow plug tubes; the magnet/insert holds the plug for install. | Required | search retailer |
| Spark plug socket (alternate size) 5/8 in (16 mm) thin-wall, 3/8 in drive Backup in case your replacement plug uses the older 16 mm hex — check the plug before starting. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Universal swivel / wobble extension 3/8 in drive swivel joint or wobble extension Lets you approach the outer plugs on the 1.5T without fighting the turbo inlet pipe and harness. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 5-50 ft-lb range Plugs and coil bolts thread into aluminum and must be torqued, not guessed. | Required | search retailer |
| Compressed air or shop vac Air nozzle or narrow vacuum wand Blows grit out of the plug wells so nothing drops into the cylinder when the plug comes out. | Required | search retailer |
| Trim/panel pry tool set Plastic Pops engine cover grommets and harness clips without breaking tabs. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Spark plug gap gauge Wire-loop or feeler type Only to verify the factory gap visually — never pry on an iridium tip. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Anti-seize (optional, sparing) Nickel anti-seize, aluminum-head safe A very light film on threads only if your plug maker allows it; most Honda iridium plugs are installed dry. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Dielectric grease Silicone dielectric compound Thin smear inside the coil boot to prevent sticking and arcing. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Spark plugs OE iridium, 4 pcs — verify exact number by VIN (1.5T commonly NGK DILZKAR7A11GS type) The wear item being replaced; all 5th-gen engines use pre-gapped iridium plugs. | Parts | search retailer |
| Nitrile gloves Keeps oil and grit off your hands and out of the plug wells. | Safety | search retailer |
| Shop towels and brake cleaner Lint-free towels Wipe oil film off the valve cover and coil boots before reassembly. | Consumables | search retailer |
Coil bolts are 10 mm and plugs are 12 mm-thread iridium at roughly 18 Nm across the 1.5T (L15BE), 2.4 K24W and 2.0 Hybrid (LFA). Plug part numbers differ by engine, so order by VIN; the 1.5T is the only one where you will likely have to move the turbo intake tube for access, and on the Hybrid you must wait for the READY light to go out before starting.
| Spark plugs (12 mm thread, aluminum head) | 13 ft-lb (18 Nm) |
| Ignition coil mounting bolt (10 mm head) | 7 ft-lb (9.8 Nm) — verify in the service manual |
| Engine cover fasteners | Snug by hand only, about 5 ft-lb (7 Nm) |
A thin-wall 14 mm (9/16 in) spark plug socket on a 3/8 in drive fits the common OE iridium plugs, with a 6 in extension. Check the hex on your new plug first — some aftermarket equivalents use a 5/8 in (16 mm) hex.
Honda's schedule is roughly 100,000 miles for the iridium plugs, or when the Maintenance Minder calls sub-item 4. Many 1.5T owners change them earlier, around 60,000-80,000 miles, especially in cold climates with a lot of short trips.
No. The plugs are directly under the coils on top of the engine. On the 1.5 turbo you may need to unclip the harness and loosen the turbo inlet tube for clearance, but nothing else comes off.
About 13 ft-lb (18 Nm) — thread them in fully by hand, then torque with a 3/8 in torque wrench. The threads are in aluminum, so over-tightening risks pulling them out.