3rd Gen Honda CR-V lighting

Random Guy

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We're looking at acquiring a 2007-2011 Honda CR-V to replace my mother's current Mazda Tribute. I was trying to find out how good the headlights are, and if there are any viable LED replacements for the brake lights. It takes 9003 lamps for the headlights, so the easy upgrade there is the Philips Xtreme Vison or the GE Nighthawk Platinum. Is there any point in putting a relay harness in the car? I know some modern cars have a sufficiently complicated headlamp circuit that it's not really possible. Thanks!
 

-Virgil-

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We're looking at acquiring a 2007-2011 Honda CR-V to replace my mother's current Mazda Tribute. I was trying to find out how good the headlights are

They're not great, but not terrible. They're reasonably acceptable when they have good bulbs and are aimed correctly. It's probably best not to fool with the headlamp circuit (relays, etc), which would likely cause more problems than you want to deal with, without bringing much real benefit.

if there are any viable LED replacements for the brake lights

Probably not. You can try the new-type Sylvania Zevo (the one that looks like this, not the one that looks like this!), but you'll have to proceed very carefully. "Try" means do a careful comparison as described here, and you'll also have to make sure they don't cause any error codes or other problems (cruise control issues, etc). None of the others on the market are worth fooling around with in that size.
 

StarHalo

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Very pleased with my '07's headlights, the massive housing means they were engineered to work well, which they do. The taillights are very tall and very visible. Never worried about altering anything about the lighting setup on this car.
 

idleprocess

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Girlfriend has a 2014. Headlamps are one of the dual-filament types - not what I would prefer. They need to be properly aimed and would likely benefit from better bulbs such as Philips Extreme Vision. Short of ridiculous voltage drop at the bulbs I wouldn't mess with a relay harness.
 

Alaric Darconville

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Girlfriend has a 2014. Headlamps are one of the dual-filament types - not what I would prefer.
While I can see where you're coming from, to a certain extent, it's not necessarily true that composite headlamps using a single compartment for a high/low beam are always better than those that use separate compartments for the high/low functions, at least from a photometric standpoint. It is true that there are some compromises involved in a single-compartment high/low headlamps-- but good headlamps are good, and bad headlamps are bad. Practically speaking, it's easier to make a good dual-compartment high/low lamp. It still doesn't mean that every dual-compartment lamp is better.

They need to be properly aimed
True of all headlamps.

and would likely benefit from better bulbs such as Philips Extreme Vision.
Photometrically speaking, any lamp benefits from better bulbs when those better bulbs exist.

Short of ridiculous voltage drop at the bulbs I wouldn't mess with a relay harness.
And it could just be that a huge voltage drop is accidental, not the result of poor design. It may just be that there's a bad ground or feed somewhere that is easily correctible, and not necessarily requiring a relay kit.
 

idleprocess

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While I can see where you're coming from, to a certain extent, it's not necessarily true that composite headlamps using a single compartment for a high/low beam are always better than those that use separate compartments for the high/low functions, at least from a photometric standpoint. It is true that there are some compromises involved in a single-compartment high/low headlamps-- but good headlamps are good, and bad headlamps are bad. Practically speaking, it's easier to make a good dual-compartment high/low lamp. It still doesn't mean that every dual-compartment lamp is better.
All other things being equal, using minor variations on a single approach to please two masters with different goals will struggle to equal using two distinctly separate approaches to please those same masters.

I'm sure there are excellent multi-filament/single chamber headlamps out there - just as I'm aware that poor single-filament/multiple chamber designs abound. I'm also aware that one must ultimately assess each example of such on its merits; however I suspect that in aggregate the multi-filament approach tends towards worse performance. My personal experience with dual-filament reflector fixtures has been one of mediocrity and satisficement. I do not miss their steady extinction from the market.
 
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