2004 Honda CR-V Exterior Lighting
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
While driving down the freeway at 6:00 AM in the morning, the headlights flashed on and then off intermittently. I thought nothing of it and then they went out completely and would not come back on right away. I was driving in complete darkness and thankfully the bright headlights still worked. After this incident, my left headlight completely stopped working and the right-side low beam will come on intermittently. The bulb in the left side appears to be working and I replaced it and it still doesn't come on.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAN HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED THE BULB AND CHECKED THE FUSE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED TAMERON HONDA DEALER, (1675 MONTGOMERY HWY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35216, (205) 396--3108) AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V086000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,400.
HEAD LIGHTS JUST TURN OFF AND I DON'T TOUCH THE SWITCH, THE HIGH BEAM WORK FINE. NO WARNING THEY JUST GO OFF AND DON'T WORK ON THE LOWER STANDARD SETTING BOTH LIGHTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS FAILED TO OPERATED WITHOUT WARNING. STOKES HONDA (8650 RIVERS AVE, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29406) WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V136000(EXTERIOR LIGHTING), BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
WHILE DRIVING HOME TONIGHT, AFTER DARK, BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SWITCH THEM TO HIGH BEAM, WHICH WORKED. UPON ARRIVING HOME, SPOKE WITH MY HUSBAND WHO CHECKED AND CONFIRMED THAT BOTH LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK, BUT NO EVIDENCE THEY HAD BURNT OUT. A CHECK ON THE INTERNED INDICATED THAT NHTSA RECALL # 12V-136 WAS ISSUED. WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE NEW AND DO NOT RECALL RECEIVING ANY RECALL NOTICE. A SEARCH OF THIS SIDE BY VIN NUMBER DID NOT SHOW THE RECALL. A SEARCH BY MODEL NUMBER DID. WE WILL CONTACT THE HONDA DEALER AS SOON AS THEY ARE OPEN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V136000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING ON THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 97,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE STEERING COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT PERFORMED THE REPAIRS HIMSELF. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND NOTICED THAT THE CONNECTORS WERE MELTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
I TOOK MY 2004 CR-V TO HONDA DEALER FOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WIRING TO BE REPLACED UNDER RECALL. I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT HAVE PART AND WILL CALL WHEN THEY GET IT. I HAVE CALLED A 2ND TIME FOR REPAIR AND STILL TOLD PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AS OF THIS E-MAIL IT HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS AND NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT ENGINE STARTUP, THE HEAD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE BUT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED APPROPRIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT COVERS WERE VERY CLOUDY AND AFFECTING VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 6/4/12 *CN
HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. WIRING BURNED. *TR
BOTH HEADLIGHTS LOW BEAM WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ANY PRECONDITION WARNING. NEW LIGHT BULBS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HIGH BEAMS WORK. AN ELECTRICAL CONDITION SUSPECTED BUT NOT FIXED YET. CHECKED WITH DEALER NOT AWARE OF THIS CONDITION OR ANY RECALL. *TR UPDATED 03/21/12 *BF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF RANDOMLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE CONNECTION TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND ROUTING CONNECTIONS WERE BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 11/16/11*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING SPORADICALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND AS TEMPORARY FIX SHE VERIFIED THE FUSE WERE DAMAGED AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 230,000. UPDATED 11/23/11 *BF UPDATED 12/05/11
I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IN MY 2004 HONDA CRV. THE FIRST THREE TIMES I REPLACED THEM MYSELF. THE FOURTH TIME I TOOK MY 2004 HONDA CRV TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT A SHORT. THE DEALERSHIP PROCLAIMED EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS. SO FAR THEY HAVE LASTED SIX MONTHS. I WILL BE SURPRISED IF THEY LAST ANOTHER MONTH. *TR
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT, BOTH AT SAME TIME. REPLACED WITH NEW BULBS, STILL NO LOW BEAMS. HIGH BEAMS WORK AND FUSES OK (HIGH BEAMS ARE ON SAME FUSE AS LOWS). MEASURED ZERO VOLTAGE AT BULB CONNECTION FOR LOW BEAMS. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN ON THE FORUMS MANY OWNERS OF 2002-2004 EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IT IS RELATED TO WIRING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN CONNECTION OVERHEATING. THE PARTS USED IN THESE VEHICLES ARE THE EXACT PARTS INVOLVED IN A RECALL FOR CIVICS FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. WHY NOT FOR CR-V'S? *TR
BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN AUGUST, 2010 BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED AGAIN IN OCTOBER, 2010...WENT TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AGAIN AND THE MECHANIC NOTED THE WIRING HARNESS APPEARS OVERHEATED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *TR
HEADLIGHTS, "LOW BEAM ONLY FAIL TO WORK". *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2004 Honda CR-V has 21 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.