NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE11-017: Low Beam Headlights Stop Working

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE11-017 on April 29, 2011 and closed it on September 23, 2011. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002–2004 Honda CR-V for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE11-017 (also written PE11017)
Investigation type: Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status: Closed September 23, 2011
Opened: April 29, 2011
Closed: September 23, 2011
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Components: Electrical System — Wiring — Interior/Under Dash; Exterior Lighting — Headlights; Exterior Lighting — Headlights — High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch; Exterior Lighting — Headlights — Switch
Vehicles and equipment: 2002–2004 Honda CR-V

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-017.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 12 reports from consumers alleging the low beam headlights stopped working simultaneously.

Several of the complainants reported that the headlight switch and/or its wiring harness connector required replacement to repair the low beam headlight circuit, and also reported that the switch and/or the wire harness connector were damaged from overheating.

Based on information provided by Honda in response to ODI's Preliminary Evaluation information request, ODI is upgrading the investigation to EA11-012.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-017. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Honda

Honda CR-V
- 2002, 2003, 2004

All Honda recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Honda VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE11-017

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.