[AJ52]

I picked up the CRV from a family member in December and all lights were working. Now both hi beams are out as is the blue dash light. I know that the bulbs are fine (I swapped leads from the low beams to test), relays and fuses in the main panel are good, and I checked all the connectors on the light switch and couldn't see any issues.

according to the wiring diagram I found on the Autozone site, the left high beam shares a red/yellow wire with the low beam - I checked to ensure continuity there so I'm relatively confident that the issue is that the red/blue wires that are shared between both high beams and the indicator light have a break somewhere in the circuit. The wiring diagram I have is a little fuzzy, but it looks like there are two red/blue wires from the under-dash fuse/relay box, and one from the headlight switch to the under dash box. To me, the simplest explanation is usually best, so I'm assuming one fault rather than multiples, which indicates a bad switch or a break in the wire between the switch and fuse/relay box. The switch is easy to replace but I hate to throw parts at a problem unless I'm sure, and I haven't managed to find a way to access the wire between the switch and fuse box. Any suggestions?

 

[Buffalo4]

Do you have daytime running lights.
In the Service Manual 97-2000, I know it is not for your yr, each beam has it's own fuse (10Amp)
One for the rt low beam, one for the rt high beam and one for the left low beam and one for the right low beam.

I hate to say it but it could sure be the headlight dimmer switch itself.

If I could find a decent wiring diagram for your year CRV, it would help.
I just looked at the fuse layout in your CRV and now they have a 20Amp fuse for the right headlight and a 20Amp fuse for the Left headlight so if it was a fuse neither the high or low beam would work on that side.
Well, that was a lot of looking and not really finding much, but since I typed it, I will post it.
Sounds like you know your way around low voltage circuits and relays.
Buffalo4

 

[AJ52]

thanks for taking a look. yes, there is one fuse and one relay for each side. I can trace circuits pretty well, but I think I'm going to have to track down a manual to get a good diagram. There are only a couple of failure points as far as I can tell. If I had a neighbor with a CRV I could narrow it down in a hurry. We also have a 2006 Pilot with 238,000 miles on it and a neighbor with the same year/model so that makes things easier.

 

[Buffalo4]

2006 Honda Cr V Headlight Wiring

2006 Honda Cr V Headlight Wiring

pool.winch.ny10306.com

I haven't tried this site but perhaps it will show you a good clear wiring diagram.

Also, this came up in a search:

headlight wiring diagram for a 2006 honda crv - Google Search

www.google.com

Buffalo4

 

[Buffalo4]

It is strange that when you put the hot wire from the low beam to the high beam, the high beam worked.
According to one diagram I looked at it showed one wire coming from the relay to feed both the high and low beam bulbs. Then, the ground changes from low to high depending on the dimmer switch.
So, it almost appears that somewhere between the relay and the junction where the wires split to go to each beam, there is an open.
Gotta run to Walmart.
Buffalo4
PS: If it actually was the dimmer switch then just putting a hot wire on the high beam would make no difference, BUT, if you actually put the ground wire from the low beam to the high beam and it worked, then it would indicated a faulty dimmer switch because the dimmer switch is keeping the low beam wire gounded.

 

[Carbuff2]

Before you go nuts, remember that the high beams light when you PUSH the lever forward.

Many cars actuate high beams if you PULL the switch.

 

[AJ52]

2006 Honda Cr V Headlight Wiring

2006 Honda Cr V Headlight Wiring

pool.winch.ny10306.com

I haven't tried this site but perhaps it will show you a good clear wiring diagram.

Also, this came up in a search:

headlight wiring diagram for a 2006 honda crv - Google Search

www.google.com

Buffalo4

Thanks, I saw that site but I'm not crazy about giving them credit card info for a free site. The good news is that I have ruled out the switch now and have narrowed the search.

 

[AJ52]

It is strange that when you put the hot wire from the low beam to the high beam, the high beam worked.
According to one diagram I looked at it showed one wire coming from the relay to feed both the high and low beam bulbs. Then, the ground changes from low to high depending on the dimmer switch.
So, it almost appears that somewhere between the relay and the junction where the wires split to go to each beam, there is an open.
Gotta run to Walmart.
Buffalo4
PS: If it actually was the dimmer switch then just putting a hot wire on the high beam would make no difference, BUT, if you actually put the ground wire from the low beam to the high beam and it worked, then it would indicated a faulty dimmer switch because the dimmer switch is keeping the low beam wire gounded.

I actually just moved the low beam socket in the harness to the high beams since they use the same bulbs. I took the switch out and found where the black/ground lead enters and where the red/blue wire exits. As the high beam circuit from the switch is a ground wire, I connected my multimeter to those two terminals on the switch and demonstrated that resistance drops to zero when the stalk is pulled back and when it is pushed forward while the light switch is in the headlight on position. Now it has to be between the switch and the relays otherwise only one would be out. That's a problem for another day.

Thanks again.

 

[AJ52]

Before you go nuts, remember that the high beams light when you PUSH the lever forward.

Many cars actuate high beams if you PULL the switch.

Way too late for "before you go nuts" - my usual garage project is a '76 MG Midget. Yes, I pulled the switch so that I could get access to the pins that go into the wiring harness socket and tested the black to red/blue wire circuit while pulling and pushing the lever. That works, so it's on to the wires between the switch and the relays. But not tonight, cold garage syndrome here.

Thanks for the thought - this is my first time on the forum and I'm happy to see the activity as I plan to keep this CRV for awhile (my wife has a 2017).

 

[Tigris99]

From reading a bit seems like relays are being ignored. They open or connect a circuit based on the switch position.

Do NOT TRUST autozone online wiring diagrams. They are worse than alldata for Imports.

Start at the switch, make sure you have power and ground at the relay, then make sure outputs from the relay are switching correctly.

May also have a problem.with the multiplex under the dash which will be a nightmare if so.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[AJ52]

Thanks, I'm concerned about the multiplex - hoping to rule that out tomorrow. I've never had to deal with one of those. I'm not ignoring the relays, but on the '06 there is one relay for each side. The left hi/low share one and the right hi/low share one. The same terminal feeds power to both high and low so the relays must be good, otherwise I wouldn't have low beams. That puts the problem between the relays and the switch, including the multiplex.

 

[Buffalo4]

Thanks, I'm concerned about the multiplex - hoping to rule that out tomorrow. I've never had to deal with one of those. I'm not ignoring the relays, but on the '06 there is one relay for each side. The left hi/low share one and the right hi/low share one. The same terminal feeds power to both high and low so the relays must be good, otherwise I wouldn't have low beams. That puts the problem between the relays and the switch, including the multiplex.

You understand it well. Nice.
I didn't quite follow what you did testing the switch to determine if it was actually switching the ground.
Yes, it does appear that the relay supplies power to both the high and low at the same time through the same wire, so the relay can't be the problem basically. So power goes to the bulb and the dimmer switch grounds the bulb which is selected. So, does the low beam go out when you used the dimmer to switch to high beam?
I will get back tomorrow and look again. Already had several beers.
Buffalo4

 

[AJ52]

When the switch is in either of the high beam positions (pulled back or forward when the light switch is on) the circuit between the black ground wire and the red/blue wire is completed. I checked it with the switch out of the car and ohmmeter leads connected to those two terminals.

When the low beams are turned on at the switch, they stay on when the lever is pushed or pulled into the high beam positions. When the switch is off, the low beams do come on when the lever is pulled back.

 

[AJ52]

Oh great. I ordered the Clymer manual from Haynes last night and it came with a 2 week trial of the online Haynes manual which is supposed to cover the CRV from 2002-2011. However, the headlight wiring diagrams for the CRV start at 2007, which is completely different from my 2006.

 

[Buffalo4]

I need to find a real wiring diagram for your model and yr CRV.
Read these responses for that problem. May or may not help, but well worthwhile.

Recurring Lowbeam Headlight Issues - 2006 Honda CR-V

There is no recall or even technical service bulletin regarding a problem. Does one or both light bulb blow? Could it be water or moisture entering...

repairpal.com

Buffalo4

 

[AJ52]

I need to find a real wiring diagram for your model and yr CRV.
Read these responses for that problem. May or may not help, but well worthwhile.

Recurring Lowbeam Headlight Issues - 2006 Honda CR-V

There is no recall or even technical service bulletin regarding a problem. Does one or both light bulb blow? Could it be water or moisture entering...

repairpal.com

Buffalo4

I saw that issue, thanks. I checked all the connections on the steering column. I am hoping that the Chilton's manual has a good wiring diagram. The Autozone diagram is pretty bad, as another member posted. I'm still not clear about the "multiplex control unit"which doesn't appear as a discrete component in the Honda parts list for this vehicle. It is shown within the under-dash fuse/relay box and the relevant inputs are the red/blue wire and the blue/red wire from the switch. The blue/red is the ground for the relays - as the relays are functional we know that the blue/red wire is ok. The red/blue is the ground for the high beams and indicator. From the diagram, it looks like the red/blue from the light switch enters the fuse box and goes directly to the two red/blue wires leaving the fuse box and feeding the lights and indicator light. To me, it looks like there is a break in the red/blue circuit between the switch and the under-dash fuse box. If I don't get a better diagram by the weekend I guess my next step will be to find the connector with that wire as it enters the fuse box and test for connectivity from the switch, then if that looks good find the connector with the red/blue wires leaving the fuse box and test those. Sorry for "thinking out loud" here as I work through my logic - I'm always open to suggestions and corrections.

The diagram also shows connections to the red/blue wire from the Multiplex control unit coming from "Dimmer Hi" and from "H/L Hi". This is the part I don't understand - the diagram makes it look like the Multiplex can override the switch, which doesn't make sense to me.

BTW - my fall back position if I can't find the fault this way is to tap the red/blue wire as it leaves the light switch and run a jumper wire to the red/blue wire in the harness after the under dash fuse box. I'm hoping to just fix it instead of performing this bypass procedure.

 

[Dave J]

if grounding the blue/red wire turns on the high beams, it should be a bad combination switch ,here's
some info PDF below

 

[AJ52]

Thanks, Dave! The description says that in the high beam position the switch interrupts the ground path for the low beams. I didn't get that from the diagram as it looked like the low beams were always grounded. I haven't had the car very long and didn't consider that the low beams would turn off through the switch when the high beams turned on. Now I see the Ground 201/301 but it doesn't look like those go through the switch. I need to get back to my "day job" for a few hours and ponder this tonight - the diagrams and description will help.

 

[tglenn]

I picked up the CRV from a family member in December and all lights were working. Now both hi beams are out as is the blue dash light. I know that the bulbs are fine (I swapped leads from the low beams to test), relays and fuses in the main panel are good, and I checked all the connectors on the light switch and couldn't see any issues.

according to the wiring diagram I found on the Autozone site, the left high beam shares a red/yellow wire with the low beam - I checked to ensure continuity there so I'm relatively confident that the issue is that the red/blue wires that are shared between both high beams and the indicator light have a break somewhere in the circuit. The wiring diagram I have is a little fuzzy, but it looks like there are two red/blue wires from the under-dash fuse/relay box, and one from the headlight switch to the under dash box. To me, the simplest explanation is usually best, so I'm assuming one fault rather than multiples, which indicates a bad switch or a break in the wire between the switch and fuse/relay box. The switch is easy to replace but I hate to throw parts at a problem unless I'm sure, and I haven't managed to find a way to access the wire between the switch and fuse box. Any suggestions?

Try swapping the relay with one of your other relays as a test

 

[BigMo]

@AJ52

I'll admit I haven't read all the responses in the post, but I have some basic questions:

Do the high beams and high beam indicator "glow very dimly" with headlights ON and low beams selected?

If YES, you have a power supply issue to one of the bulbs. Let us know and we'll troubleshoot that problem.

Assuming they DO NOT glow dimly with low beams selected, does operating the "Fash to pass" cause the high beams to work?

YES - Replace the combination switch.
NO - Ground the circuit in the order I have listed to isolate the open in the ground path for the high beams.