Dealer message - American Honda (AHM)is investigating certain 2013-2014 CR-Vs with a complaint of the rear reflectors loose or missing (part #33505-SLJ-013 for right rear reflector assembly or 33555-SLJ-013 for left rear reflector assembly). To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to your attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Honda CR-V lighting problems
moderate Owners of the 2014 Honda CR-V have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the lighting at roughly $250 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See lighting across all vehicles →
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
| Model year | lighting complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 CR-V | 5 |
| 2011 CR-V | 3 |
| 2012 CR-V | 12 |
| 2013 CR-V | 29 |
| 2014 CR-V (this page) | 19 |
| 2015 CR-V | 4 |
| 2017 CR-V | 14 |
| 2018 CR-V | 8 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering lighting on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2012-2014 CR-Vs with a complaint of the parking brake indicator not illuminating when engaged. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to your attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2013-2014 CR-Vs with a complaint of the rear reflectors loose or missing (part # 33505-SLJ-013 for right rear reflector assembly or 33555-SLJ-013 for left rear reflector assembly). To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to your attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2012-2014 CR-Vs with a complaint of the parking brake indicator not illuminating when engaged. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to your attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2012-2014 CR-Vs with a complaint of the parking brake indicator not illuminating when engaged. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to your attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2014 CR-V vehicles describe a systematic headlight problem affecting both low and high beams. Low-beam visibility is consistently inadequate on unlit and rural roads, forcing owners to use fog lights for usable illumination during evening driving. The real safety hazard emerges when high beams are selected: instead of adding light as conventional headlights do, the high beam pattern leaves the immediate area 50 feet ahead dark while throwing light 300+ feet forward. Several owners describe this as a design flaw where low beams effectively shut off when high beams engage.
The problem appears across vehicles within the first few weeks to months of ownership and persists through years of use. Dealers have confirmed to owners that this performance is normal and by design—Honda's single-bulb system cannot be adjusted to provide balanced illumination. One owner reports bulbs failing and requiring replacement four times within a year, though a mechanic found no mechanical cause.
Owners report this forces dangerous driving compromises: sticking to low beams only despite reduced visibility at distance, avoiding night driving when possible, altering travel schedules, and even considering aftermarket replacement bulbs at their own expense. Multiple owners mention this is a widely documented problem on internet forums.
Same Honda CR-V lighting reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Inadequate low-beam illumination
Low-beam headlights provide insufficient visibility for safe night driving, with restricted range and poor coverage of near-field distances. Owners report the lighting is inadequate on unlit or rural roads and requires supplemental fog lights to achieve usable visibility.
When: Present from early ownership; complaints cite 400 miles, 1,200 miles, 5,000 miles, and within first few weeks; affects vehicles within first 18 months of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Low beams too dim for safe visibility at night; Limited range of illumination directly in front of vehicle; Poor visibility on unlit and rural roads; Defined cut-off line restricts field of vision; Inadequate distance visibility compared to older vehicles
Repairs/costs cited: Bulb replacement attempted by at least one owner without improvement; dealer states this is normal design performance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer indicated this is a design issue; suggested aftermarket bulb replacements as Honda does not offer improved headlights; regional customer service directed owner to dealer without resolution
High-beam light beam pattern deficiency
When high beams are selected, near-field illumination diminishes or disappears entirely, leaving the immediate area in front of the vehicle dark while far-field lighting extends 300+ feet ahead. Fog lights automatically deactivate when high beams are engaged, eliminating supplemental illumination.
When: Present during ownership; reported at various mileages including early ownership periods
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of near-field visibility when high beams engaged; Minimal to no visibility 50 feet in front of vehicle on high beam; Far-field visibility good at 300+ feet; Fog lights automatically disable when high beams activated; Behavior reversed from conventional headlight design
Repairs/costs cited: Owner adjusts driving patterns to avoid high-beam use due to danger; alters travel times and routes
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer confirmed this is normal performance for the vehicle; no fix offered
Headlight adjustment or aim problem
Some owners report inability to find proper headlight aim position where low beams illuminate the road adequately and high beams provide useful far-field visibility. The lighting cannot be adjusted to create balanced near and far-field illumination.
When: Reported within first few years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights either too high or too low regardless of adjustment; Cannot achieve middle ground between adequate road coverage and far visibility; Poor field of vision on low beam with upward tilt in trees on high beam
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle uses single bulb design for both low and high beams rather than separate bulbs
Headlight bulb failure requiring repeated replacement
At least one owner reports headlight bulbs failed and required replacement four times within one year, with no mechanical cause identified by independent mechanic.
When: Multiple failures within one year; specific mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights failed to function; No warning lights illuminated before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Replaced four times within one year; independent mechanic found no identifiable cause
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had lighting trouble with your 2014 Honda CR-V?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2014 Honda CR-V?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 19 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, lighting issues most often appear around 15,380 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Honda/CR-V.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.