NHTSA Complaint #11378185 — 2020 HONDA CR-V

APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE FRONT WINDSCREEN IS COMPLETELY BLACK AND THE DRIVER CAN ONLY SEE THE ROAD AHEAD THROUGH THE LOWER 20% OF THE FIELD OF VIEW. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT IN SITUATIONS WITH MINIMAL SURROUNDING LIGHTING (EG. NOT IN THE CITY). THE DISTANCE WHICH CAN BE SEEN IS LESS THAN 100 FT. THERE IS A STRAIGHT LINE WITH ABRUPT CHANGE FROM THE LOWER ILLUMINATED REGION TO THE UPPER COMPLETELY BLACK WINDSCREEN THROUGH WHICH HARDLY ANYTHING CAN BE VISUALIZED. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS COMPLETELY BLACK WINDSCREEN IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE HEADLIGHTS WERE AT FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. IT IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS WITH THE LOW BEAMS AND THE ILLUMINATED AREA BECOMES EVEN SMALLER ON INCLINES. VISIBILITY IS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED WITH HIGH BEAMS BUT THE UPPER 2/3RD TO 1/2 OF THE WINDSCREEN REMAINS DARKER. THE IIHS SAFETY TEST CONFIRMS MARGINAL ILLUMINATION ON HONDA CRV EX L MODEL WITH INADEQUATE LIGHTING ON CERTAIN TURNS, SO THE DEFICIENCY OF THE LOW BEAMS IS ALREADY DOCUMENTED HOWEVER TESTING APPARENTLY DID NOT OCCUR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THE BLACK WINDSCREEN CONDITION OCCURS. THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS MODEL A POOR PERFORMANCE/FAILING GRADE. I HAVE FOUND OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND SO I AM SURPRISED THAT A FIX/RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS.