Need Bulb Suggestions for 2005 Honda CR-V

I recently purchased a 2005 Honda CR-V. I just had my passenger side low beam go out on my way home from work this evening. It's super cold out (very low single digits with wind chill in the negative double digits), so I haven't yet taken a look to see what bulbs came installed in the vehicle.

I've been unimpressed with the low beams from the get go. They just don't seem bright enough at all. That being said, I'm not looking for some super-ultra-mega-bright-bluish-tint type garbage either. I just want the best performing bulb out there. I've done a bit of research and am leaning toward the Philips X-treme Vision H1 bulbs.

I figured as long as I'm swapping out the low beam bulbs, I might as well go for a clean slate and replace the high beam bulbs, too. It's my understanding that both low and high beams on the '05 CR-V are H1's. Any different bulb recommendations for the high beams (other than the x-treme visions)? And am I leaning in the right direction in general with the x-treme visions?

You should first check out, if swiching to different bulps is legal where you are.. It was rather expenseive for me to get a permit for changing the lights on my honda X-11 (even more expensive than the akrapovic exhaust..):shakehead . but while i was at it, i not only change the bulps but went from single light to double. if now a bulp dies, i'll still see. :devil: oh, and LED turn signals are much better to see!

bukowski said:

I've been unimpressed with the low beams from the get go. They just don't seem bright enough at all.

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Make sure the lenses are absolutely optically clear. Also, be sure the aim is correct (have it set at a shop with an optical beamsetter) and check that there's no voltage loss. (You can check for voltage loss yourself by following the instructions in the linked article.

I've done a bit of research and am leaning toward the Philips X-treme Vision H1 bulbs.

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That's what I would recommend.

Alaric Darconville said:

Make sure the lenses are absolutely optically clear.

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The last time I replaced my sister's 1996 Camry headlight bulbs (Sylvania Xtravision) I noticed how hazed and dull the OE headlights were. For $60 I picked up a set of new headlights on Amazon.

JMSinMD said:

For $60 I picked up a set of new headlights on Amazon.

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You almost certainly did not get genuine Toyota parts, or they were "remanufactured"/"refurbished" (and poorly, at that). If it was branded DEPO or TYC (or pretty much just not genuinely branded Koito (or possibly NAL)), then they are junk which will not last long at all, and probably will not provide a compliant beam.

Alaric Darconville said:

You almost certainly did not get genuine Toyota parts, or they were "remanufactured"/"refurbished" (and poorly, at that). If it was branded DEPO or TYC (or pretty much just not genuinely branded Koito (or possibly NAL)), then they are junk which will not last long at all, and probably will not provide a compliant beam.

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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008G2KXII/?tag=cpf0b6-20

JMSinMD said:

1996+Toyota+Camry+headlight+assembly

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High-quality, brand NEW aftermarket replacement part (Aftermarket, not OEM)
Meets or exceeds OEM standards (if it were OEM, the meeting of OEM standards would be inherent)

Unless the photo was retouched, the lenses are missing not only the regulatory compliance markings, but the branding.

Genuine OEM headlamps for the '96 Camry will run you about $240-$250 each.

Yes, the Philips Xtreme H1s are the best ones on the market (and they are fully legal -- I'm not sure where that bizarre stuff about needing a permit comes from).

Also yes, aftermarket headlamps are junk and should not be used (and the claims of OEM-equivalence are utterly false).

I appreciate the prompt feedback. Thank you, gentlemen! (and ladies?)

I recently just helped my sister to acquire an '05 CR-V

I have no Idea what bulbs are in there but I found the low beams to be rather impressive. Perhaps some sort of blue tinted bulb as the light is a bit whiter than regular halogen. The Lenses are not cloudy too which I am sure helps greatly.

I never flashed the High beams, no idea how those perform

wrcsixeight said:

I have no Idea what bulbs are in there but I found the low beams to be rather impressive.

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Unfortunately, impressive is a subjective evaluation-- and can often result from misaimed headlamps or gimmick bulbs.

Perhaps some sort of blue tinted bulb as the light is a bit whiter than regular halogen.

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White light is white. All legal headlamp bulbs emit light within the broadly-defined colorspace for white light. Technically, the light coming out of a blue-tinted bulb does not have more blue, but has less yellow. The filtration removes a substantial amount of the red-to-yellow component of the light. (If the bulb is overly-tinted, then it can be outside of the definition of white, and not a "real" headlamp bulb.)

The Lenses are not cloudy too which I am sure helps greatly.

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When you can *see* the clouding, the light output has been greatly diminished. Hopefully, the clouding is still only at the "just visible" stage, and perhaps only on the top edge of the lens. (It's unrealistic, of course, to expect perfection on a nine-or-ten-year-old vehicle, or expect people to replace their headlamps so frequently.)

Points taken Alaric.

My personal vehicle has GE Nighthawk 6054's, and are seeing voltages within 0.2V of the alternator voltage, and when at pole position next to a more modern vehicle, appear to be throwing more light where needed, again, subjective.

My Sister's '05 CRV lights are more impressive to me, than my sealed beam GE 6054's being fed 14.2v, if that gives any basis for comparison. No real hotspot like the GE 6054, just a wider brighter beam with a sharper cutoff.

Wish I could afford Cibie's, but the new 12awg harness I made, and replacing the Sylvania bulbs with GE's was a VAST improvement. There was almost 2.5 volts loss over the original 21 year old harness.