I didn't care for the noticably yellowish light from the rear license plate bulb of my 2011 SE. My white paint color makes the yellowness stand out even more. Therefore, I decided to replace the stock incandescent (filament) bulb with an LED bulb as found in higher-end vehicles, like Lexus...LED's emit light which is brighter and whiter than filament bulbs.
This mod applies to the 2007-2011 CR-V; don't know about the other years. I bought the bulb from V-LEDS since I had good results with their bulbs before (LED interior map/dome light mod). I went with this 2-LED bulb (Part ID: 194_2_HPF_W_5K) at $9/pair. For the 2007-2011 CR-V, you only need one bulb, but they only sell them in a pack of two.
Stock (type 194) vs LED bulb...
Install is very easy (NO tools required) and can be done in less than a minute. Here is a post I made describing how to access the license plate bulb for replacement...
REPLACING LICENSE PLATE BULB ON A 2007-2011 CR-V
When plugging in LED bulb, install with the LED's (yellow dots) facing down...
Comparison of stock vs LED...
The LED bulb is a little brighter and much whiter than the stock bulb. Notice that the ground behind and below the bumper is better lit as well with the LED bulb.
I think this mod really improves the look of the rear of the car for not too much money. My CR-V actually looks Taffeta White at night now instead of a pale yellow. If you want a more drastic effect, V-LEDS sells a 4-LED bulb. I actually tried that one out but felt that it was a little TOO bright.
This mod applies to the 2007-2011 CR-V; don't know about the other years. I bought the bulb from V-LEDS since I had good results with their bulbs before (LED interior map/dome light mod). I went with this 2-LED bulb (Part ID: 194_2_HPF_W_5K) at $9/pair. For the 2007-2011 CR-V, you only need one bulb, but they only sell them in a pack of two.
Stock (type 194) vs LED bulb...
Install is very easy (NO tools required) and can be done in less than a minute. Here is a post I made describing how to access the license plate bulb for replacement...
REPLACING LICENSE PLATE BULB ON A 2007-2011 CR-V
When plugging in LED bulb, install with the LED's (yellow dots) facing down...
Comparison of stock vs LED...
The LED bulb is a little brighter and much whiter than the stock bulb. Notice that the ground behind and below the bumper is better lit as well with the LED bulb.
I think this mod really improves the look of the rear of the car for not too much money. My CR-V actually looks Taffeta White at night now instead of a pale yellow. If you want a more drastic effect, V-LEDS sells a 4-LED bulb. I actually tried that one out but felt that it was a little TOO bright.