38 complaints reported

2002 Honda CR-V Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
38
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2017

WE RESPONDED TO A SAFETY RECALL ON OUR 2002 HONDA CRV IN 2013 TO REPLACE THE COMBINATION LIGHT SWITCH WHICH MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE OR THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED 30 OCT 2013. IN MARCH 2017 THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALL WERE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THE SWITCH STARTED SMOKING AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. I NOTIFIED THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIRS FOR THE ITEMS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT YES THIS IS THE ITEM COVERED BY THE RECALL BUT WOULD NOT BE COVERED AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME BUT AS I HAD TO DRIVE 80 MILES TO RETURN HOME I WENT AHEAD AND PAID. I CONTACTED HONDA AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. THEY RESPONDED THAT THE PARTS THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED WERE NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COSTS. IT SEEMS THAT EVEN IF REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE USED AND THE SAFETY ISSUE STILL HAPPENS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE SAFETY RECALL, THEY SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THEY FELT OTHERWISE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2017
Aug 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT AND THE DETAILS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2014
Jul 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER REVERSING AT 5 MPH, SHE NOTICED THAT THAT A HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE WIRING OF THE HEADLIGHTS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2014
Jul 2013

I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE LIGHTS WERE PULSATING AT A LEVEL THAT WAS BARELY DETECTABLE. JUST YESTERDAY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE VEHICLE AND TURNED ON THE LIGHTS ONLY THE RUNNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS EITHER HIGH OR LOW BEAM. RESEARCH HAS DISCOVERED THAT 2002-2004 HONDA CRVS HAVE HAD THE IDENTICAL ISSUE DUE TO OVERHEATING CIRCUITRY CAUSING THE LIGHT SWITCH TO CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2013
Jul 2013 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH PLUG AREA WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 191,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2013
Apr 2013

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS INOPERATIVE. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL IN PLACE DUE TO A KNOWN WIRING ISSUE. HOWEVER, CAUSE OF FAILURE IS CONCURRENT BURNOUT OF LOW BEAM FILAMENTS IN BOTH BULBS. THIS IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY UNLESS THERE IS A VOLTAGE SURGE OF SOME SORT. UNKNOWN WHETHER THIS IS RELATED TO THE WIRING RECALL, AS THE DESCRIBED FAILURE MODE IN THE CURRENT RECALL CAMPAIGN WOULD RENDER THE CIRCUIT OPEN AND NOT SUBJECT FILAMENTS TO OVERVOLTAGE. POSSIBILITY OF A SECOND CAUSE OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE IN THIS MODEL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2013
Aug 2012

LOW BEAMS QUIT WORKING. HIGH BEAMS CONTINUE TO WORK. BY SEARCHING ONLINE SEEMS LIKE QUITE A PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 MODEL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2012
Jul 2012

2002 HONDA CRV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL RESOLUTION RECALL 12V-136000.*TGW THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH HEADLAMPS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. THE CONSUMER STATED AT THE TIME, NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. SHE PURCHASED AND REPLACED THE SWITCH WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. ONCE A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HONDA REIMBURSED HER FOR THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH, BUT NOT THE HEADLAMP BULBS. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE BULBS, BECAUSE THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2012
May 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WAS DEFECTIVE. THE LENSES WERE FOGGY AND THEY DID NOT PRODUCE PROPER ILLUMINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LENSES COULD BE SAND CLEANED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE HEADLIGHT LENS WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGEWAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,408. UPDATED 06/29/12 *BF UPDATED 07/09/12

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2012
Apr 2012

UPON LEAVING MY HOUSE LAST EVENING, I NOTICED THAT BOTH OF MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY. I CAME BACK HOME AND INITIALLY CHECKED THE FUSES FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS, FINDING THAT BOTH FUSES WERE IN WORKING ORDER. I THEN REMOVED EACH HEADLIGHT BULB FROM THE CASING TO SEE IF THEY HAD BURNED OUT. BOTH BULBS APPEAR TO BE PERFECTLY FINE WITH THE COIL INSIDE THE BULB BEING UNDAMAGED. I THEN CHECK THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTORS AND MADE SURE THAT EACH WAS FREE OF ANY MATERIAL THAT MAY INTERRUPT CONNECTION. I CALLED MY LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A BAD HEADLIGHT SWITCH, WHICH I AM NOW GOING TO HAVE TO PAY $163.00 TO REPLACE. I WILL KEEP THE FAULTY SWITCH SO THAT IF THE NHTSA WOULD LIKE TO INVESTIGATE I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND IF IT LEADS TO A VEHICLE RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR EQUIPMENT FAILURE. *KB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2012
Mar 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN ACTIVATION, THE HEADLIGHTS SEEMED ABNORMALLY DIM AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000. UPDATED 05/08/12

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2011
Mar 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW-BEAM EXTERNAL HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 191,848.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2012
Mar 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE CONNECTORS WERE FOUND TO BE CORRODED. AS A RESULT, BOTH COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 04/10/12*LJ

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2012
Mar 2012

BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. I HAVE CHECKED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS AND THE FUSES FOR THE HEADLIGHTS AS ALL APPEAR NORMAL. I HAVE ALSO MADE SURE THAT THE CONNECTORS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FREE OF ANY TYPE OF MATERIAL THAT WOULD HINDER CONNECTION. *KB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2012
Feb 2012

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. I FOUND THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR SHORTED AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH...UPDATED 03/21/12 *BF *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2012
Feb 2012

I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTING SYSTEM THIS MORNING I HAVE NO LOW BEAM LIGHTS AT ALL. IN REVIEWING HONDA FORUMS THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS AND HONDA HAS RECALLED THE CIVIC'S FOR THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO DARLING'S HONDA AND THE DIAGNOSIS IS THE SWITCH AND CONNECTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAS MELTED AND THIS IS THE SAME SYSTEM THAT IS USED IN THE CIVIC BUT THE CR-V'S WERE NOT RECALLED AND THERE IS NO PLAN ON HAVING THAT DONE. MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR HONDA'S MISTAKE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HONDA REIMBURSE ME FOR MY EXPENSE BUT DARLING'S IS NOT AT LIBERTY TO DO THAT I USE MY CR-V TO DELIVER NEWSPAPERS AT 1 AM AND NEED TO REPLACE THIS ON MY OWN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2012
Dec 2011

BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON TONIGHT WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AFTER DARK. FOG LIGHTS ALSO WILL NOT TURN ON. HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WORK. NO BLOWN FUSES. SLIGHT BURNING SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WORKED YESTERDAY. HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM CHECKED BY DEALER OR MECHANIC YET. LEFT HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED TWO MONTHS AGO, RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED ONE MONTH AGO, BOTH BY LOCAL HONDA DEALER. I BOUGHT THIS HONDA CR-V EX NEW IN 2002 AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I HAD THE HONDA DEALER ADD FOG LIGHTS TO THIS CR-V IN 2004. REALLY WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT BOTH LOW BEAMS AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. UPDATED 02/24/12 *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2011
Dec 2011

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. LOW BEAMS WORK AGAIN AFTER BEING OUT FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES. IT TENDS TO HAPPEN AFTER HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR ROUGHLY AN HOUR OF DRIVING. A DAMAGED CONNECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *KB UPDATED 06/04/12

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2011
Dec 2011

LOW BEAMS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY. HIGH BEAMS STILL WORKED. CHANGED OUT HEADLIGHTS AND SWITCHES; LOW BEAMS STILL DID NOT WORK. TOOK VEHICLE INTO HONDA ZIMMERMAN DEALERSHIP, EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT IT SEEMED ODD THAT BOTH LOW BEAMS WOULD GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I MENTIONED TO DEALERSHIP THAT THE NHTSA HAD RECEIVED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING REPORTED AND NO FORMAL RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND SET OF HEADLIGHTS REPLACED IN SIX MONTHS; AND THE LOW BEAMS STILL DO NOT WORK. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2011
Nov 2011

HEADLIGHT BULBS (LOW BEAM) BURN OUT FREQUENTLY. BULB LIFE VARIES FROM 10 MINUTES TO 14 MONTHS. I USE ABOUT 5 BULBS A YEAR ON AVERAGE. BURN-OUTS OCCUR ON BOTH DRIVER-SIDE AND PASSENGER-SIDE. OCCASIONALLY, BOTH WILL BURN OUT AT THE SAME TIME. HONDA DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2007
Sep 2011

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING. HIGHBEAM WORK. FUSES AND RELAYS IN WORKING ORDER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2011
Sep 2011

HONDA CRV 2002: HEADLIGHTS - LOW BEAM - BOTH WENT OUT AT ONCE, FORCING USE OF HIGH BEAM FOR NIGHT DRIVING UNTIL IT COULD BE FIXED. REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED AS THE "LIGHTING SWITCH & REPAIR HARNESS" REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. REPAIR SHOP MENTIONED SOMETHING LIKE "SEEN THIS BEFORE" - I GOOGLED & FOUND IT HAS HAPPENED ENOUGH THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED HERE. I TOOK WHAT I HAD FOUND ONLINE TO REPAIR SHOP, THEY SAID IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT MY CRV EXPERIENCED. UPDATED 06/30/11 *BF UPDATED 07/01/11 *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2011
Aug 2011

LOW BEAMS ON 2002 HONDA WENT OUT, HIGH BEAMS WORK. CHECKED BULBS ETC, CRV FORUMS STATE MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE RELATING TO CONNECTER MELTING UNDER STEERING COLUMN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2011
Jul 2011

HONDA 2002 CRV- LOW BEAMS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. REPLACED BOTH BULBS THE FIRST TIME. ONE MONTH LATER, NOW, BOTH LOW BEAMS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY AGAIN. HONDA DEALER HAS NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM WITH WIRING HARNESS AND REQUIRES $100 TO SIMPLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 08/11/11 *BF *TT UPDATED 3/08/2012 *LN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2011
Jun 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CRV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND WOULD ONLY ILLUMINATE ON THE HIGH BEAM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 122,000. UPDATED 09/07/11 *BF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CR-V, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2011

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Honda CR-V has 38 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.