Led Headlights

[Andrew Joiner]

I'd like to help my aging eyes for night driving. Anyone here happy with replacing old bulbs with LEDs? Any down side?
thanks

[Frank Pratt]

I haven't replaced any with LEDs, but my Honda came with LED headlights & they are easily the best I've ever driven with. The low beams are LED & the high beams are halogen. With night time highway driving I hardly ever use the brights because there's not any real improvement of the LED low beams.

i haven't bought anything from these guys, but their youtube channel has some good, informative videos on the subject. This market is still like the wild west, so be careful what you buy.

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks Frank. My car is a 2006 and it takes hi/low bulbs like these https://www.amazon.com/AUXITO-Headlight-9000Lumens-Extremely-Conversion/dp/B07DGTTTKN/ref=pd_sbs_263_t_1/132-7264947-0589619?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07DGTTTKN&pd_rd_r=abe609cb-d0db-41f0-8cac-9e6bf1e84bc5&pd_rd_w=6zVly&pd_

[Myk Rian]

Oncoming traffic with LEDs blind me. Especially in rain.

[ChrisA Edwards]

My concern, if your vehicle is either Tungsten or Halogen, the replacement LEB bulb might not shine the light against the headlight reflector properly. You may get more and better light, but it may not be directed properly and so, on low beams, may blind oncoming drivers.

On the actual light, I have a pair of LED spotlights on one of my motorcycles, when I turn them on it's like someone just turned day light one, them are amazing, I can cruise at 90mph at night and comfortably see far enough down the road.

[Roger Feeley]

This reminds me of a story from about 30 years ago. We were visiting friends in Wichita, KS where all the aircraft manufacturers were (some still are). A friend of theirs got tired of people flashing their brights at him so he mounted some landing lights from a corporate jet on top of his truck. When they lit him up, he lit up half the county. I can think of all sorts of reasons not to do something that stupid but back then it was funny.

[Jim Koepke]

he mounted some landing lights from a corporate jet on top of his truck. When they lit him up, he lit up half the county. I can think of all sorts of reasons not to do something that stupid but back then it was funny.

That has been one of my fantisies for ages.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

My concern, if your vehicle is either Tungsten or Halogen, the replacement LEB bulb might not shine the light against the headlight reflector properly. You may get more and better light, but it may not be directed properly and so, on low beams, may blind oncoming drivers.

This is a valid concern...you need to shop carefully on this as your vehicle may or may not perform well with LED depending on the design of the headlamps.

That said, my Ascent has LED headlamps (including pointing them in the direction of a turn) and they are absolutely dynomite, especially for the windy back road driving that's not uncommon here. But I really love them on the Interstate, too. The HID projectors that were on my Grand Cherokee were really good, but these LED lamps are definitely a step above.

[Brian Elfert]

Oncoming traffic with LEDs blind me. Especially in rain.

I wonder how you know they are LED and not HID or other white light technology?

I retrofitted my motorhome with real HID modules from Hella ($500 each, not the Chinese $50 stuff that is horrid) properly aimed and nobody has flashed me yet. My father has a 2017 car with HID headlights and he gets flashed all the time on low beams. I suggested he have the aim checked.

[Bruce Wrenn]

This reminds me of a story from about 30 years ago. We were visiting friends in Wichita, KS where all the aircraft manufacturers were (some still are). A friend of theirs got tired of people flashing their brights at him so he mounted some landing lights from a corporate jet on top of his truck. When they lit him up, he lit up half the county. I can think of all sorts of reasons not to do something that stupid but back then it was funny.


Back in the seventies, every other weekend, I made two round trips from Raleigh to Virginia Beach to get and return my son. Trips usually started around 3:30 PM (after work on Fridays,) and same on Sundays, as he had to be back by 8:30 PM. Drove a 73 AMC Gremlin, with a single driving light mounted front and center on bumper. It was controlled by brights thru switchable relay. Coming out of Norfolk, often I would be the only car on the road for miles, especially on the back roads between Franklin VA and Weldon NC. Switch that bad boy on and suddenly it was like driving during daylight hours. Now the newer cars, with their brighter lights blind me, especially if it's raining, or they are cresting a hill. Once worked a job remodeling a hotel. One car there had a driving light mounted on rear deck where brake lights are now mounted. Owner said if someone came up behind him with brights on, and didn't dim theirs, he would turn his light on. Today, that would get you shot. When cars had four headlights, landing lights would often be used to replace the high beams. A landing light cost a heck of a lot more than a sealed beam.

[Jeff Body]

I've installed LED headlights in my 2002 pathfinder.
I use to run HIDs in the headlights (halogen housings) but I got tired of constantly replacing bulbs and ballast all the time. So I switched to LED. I have to say the cut off on them is MUCH better than HIDs. The way the LED bulbs are designed they shine shielded light on the top half of the reflector housing and it's reflected downward. When I switch to high beams the LED shines around the whole housing.

Here's my huge warning!!!!!!!
My LED bulbs produce some really bad radio interference. Whenever my headlights come on the radio station becomes really staticy. I've tried adding ferrite coils and it hasn't helped. I normally have to switch to listening to pandora from my phone.

[Myk Rian]

My LED bulbs produce some really bad radio interference. Whenever my headlights come on the radio station becomes really staticy. I've tried adding ferrite coils and it hasn't helped. I normally have to switch to listening to pandora from my phone.
Is that AM, FM, or both?

[Rick Potter]

An odd thing happened to me today. A new car was ahead of me in traffic, and after sitting behind him at a light, he turned away, and I had after images of his tail lights for at least a minute, with my eyes open. I assume they were LED's because they were a bunch of individual spots, shaped just like his lights.

I tried looking in different directions, but the images stayed in the same area of my vision, wherever I looked.

Weird.

[Rob Luter]

This reminds me of a story from about 30 years ago. We were visiting friends in Wichita, KS where all the aircraft manufacturers were (some still are). A friend of theirs got tired of people flashing their brights at him so he mounted some landing lights from a corporate jet on top of his truck. When they lit him up, he lit up half the county. I can think of all sorts of reasons not to do something that stupid but back then it was funny.

I did that in the late 1970's. At the time I was working in a NAPA store. We had access to the entire GE catalog of lighting products. I noted that the aircraft landing light bulbs were the exact frame size of the GE 4001 high beams in my 1967 Pontiac Firebird. The difference was they had a clear flat lens with no diffusion and were double the wattage of the normal high beams. They'd reach out a half mile down the road.

[William Chain]

I just installed a set of LED bulbs as a kit in a 2013 Ford Explorer. Much nicer than OEM, crisp cutoff, no issues blinding other drivers. The bulbs have the OEM alignment base, so no issues with aim, etc. I’d recommend the kit (LASFIT 9005/HB3 LED Headlight Bulbs 72W 7600LM LED Headlight Conversion Kits Internal Driver Xenon White 6000K High Beam (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EYQ86A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hT-rEbP4A8Y07). A few months on these with no problems.

[Curt Harms]

What's the condition of your lenses? I had the original lights in my Ford Ranger. They got 'foggy' for want of a better term which diffused the light too much. I polished them and it cleared the lens - for a few months. I replaced them with head light assemblies from Amazon and left the lamps that came with the assembly. They're a substantial improvement. I imagine if I replaced the lamps with LEDs they'd be better yet. To check aim I just parked about 10 feet from the garage door and outlined the brightest spots with masking tape. Installed the new assembly and checked aim by centering the brightest spot in the center of the taped area. Worked well.

[Ole Anderson]

Looking at these for my 2002 class A Winnegabo MH. https://www.amazon.com/Headlights-Rectangular-Replacement-Freightinger-Oldsmobile/dp/B0748DPYD6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8. Mixed reviews, but at $110 for four 4x6 rectangular replacements, I might try them.

[William Chain]

lenses look as good as new.


What's the condition of your lenses? I had the original lights in my Ford Ranger. They got 'foggy' for want of a better term which diffused the light too much. I polished them and it cleared the lens - for a few months. I replaced them with head light assemblies from Amazon and left the lamps that came with the assembly. They're a substantial improvement. I imagine if I replaced the lamps with LEDs they'd be better yet. To check aim I just parked about 10 feet from the garage door and outlined the brightest spots with masking tape. Installed the new assembly and checked aim by centering the brightest spot in the center of the taped area. Worked well.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I installed the OEM LED headlight in my Harley about 6 years ago, since I do a huge amount of riding at night in the summer.
Huge difference, and all to the better.
I consider that better lighting to be safety equipment.
My old Mazda B3000 is going to get LED “fog” lights this summer.

[Bruce Wrenn]

What's the condition of your lenses? I had the original lights in my Ford Ranger. They got 'foggy' for want of a better term which diffused the light too much. I polished them and it cleared the lens - for a few months. Did you spray them with clear UV resistant coating, or add UV covers? Absolute worst cars for "foggy lenses," Dodge Neons, and the one with the "Peace Symbol" on the hood. Cheap, either way, as they didn't bother to buy UV resistant head lamp assemblies.

[Erik Loza]

An odd thing happened to me today. A new car was ahead of me in traffic, and after sitting behind him at a light, he turned away, and I had after images of his tail lights for at least a minute, with my eyes open. I assume they were LED's because they were a bunch of individual spots, shaped just like his lights.

I tried looking in different directions, but the images stayed in the same area of my vision, wherever I looked.

Weird.

Since I got Lasik in 2008, the “flare” of red LED car taillights looks like a tiny but distinct grid pattern. I just assumed that was from the surface the laser leaves on your cornea.

Erik

[Brian Elfert]

I would visit this forum before installing LED bulbs to replace a halogen bulb: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?87-Automotive-Motorcycles-Included

[Andrew Joiner]

I just installed a set of LED bulbs as a kit in a 2013 Ford Explorer. Much nicer than OEM, crisp cutoff, no issues blinding other drivers. The bulbs have the OEM alignment base, so no issues with aim, etc. I’d recommend the kit (LASFIT 9005/HB3 LED Headlight Bulbs 72W 7600LM LED Headlight Conversion Kits Internal Driver Xenon White 6000K High Beam (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EYQ86A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hT-rEbP4A8Y07). A few months on these with no problems.
Thanks William. Any radio problems?

[Kev Williams]

Did you spray them with clear UV resistant coating, or add UV covers? Absolute worst cars for "foggy lenses," Dodge Neons, and the one with the "Peace Symbol" on the hood. Cheap, either way, as they didn't bother to buy UV resistant head lamp assemblies. I'll see you're Neons and raise you '94 to mid '96 Lincoln MarkVIII's and this ridiculous '04 Chevy venture van we have. For 4 years the turn signals have been brighter, then a couple months ago my granddaughter's sig-other drove it into a cop car, which took out the left headlight assy and bent the hood. Weirdly enough the headlight 'pocket' was unscathed, so I ordered 2 new assemblies, which required 2 new bulbs. Once installed I was expecting big changes...
Nope. http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/thumbdown.gif

It was an improvement, the high beams are now almost in the right position enough and bright enough to be 'adequate' low beams, but the left side shines too far left to leave on all the time. Low beams, the right light is almost adequate, but the left side only shines ahead about 20' before it fades away. Could be the bucket got tweaked, but the next problem: there's 2 adjustment rods, one for up-down, the other for side-side. The side adjustments on both new buckets moves the light slightly up/down, the height adjustments have more adjustment, but wont get high enough. Total improvement, high beams 50% maybe, but overall only 30% or so. Most of the improvement was likely because of the new not-foggy lenses...

The Lincoln's problem was the heat of the 55w halogen lamp would burn the 'mirrors' so bad there was nothing to reflect the light forwards. They switched over to HID lights mid '96, mine was an early model..

My wife's '13 Mustang GT has thee best headlight setup I've ever seen. Don't know if they're HID or LED but they're extremely bright, fully light MY lane, and the high beams are wonderful-- the low beams don't change at all, instead, there's a second just-as-bright pair of beams, aimed right above the low beams, they reach out much farther, and wider.... :)

[Jim Koepke]

Since I got Lasik in 2008, the “flare” of red LED car taillights looks like a tiny but distinct grid pattern. I just assumed that was from the surface the laser leaves on your cornea.

Erik

Many of the LED taillights are actually blinking at a high rate (multiplexing). When moving my eyes from side to side they leave trails.

Often the way they get brighter for braking is to go full on without the blinking.

jtk

[Curt Harms]

I'll see you're Neons and raise you '94 to mid '96 Lincoln MarkVIII's and this ridiculous '04 Chevy venture van we have. For 4 years the turn signals have been brighter, then a couple months ago my granddaughter's sig-other drove it into a cop car, which took out the left headlight assy and bent the hood.

Drove into a cop car?:eek: That might not be #1 on the list of dumbest things somebody could do but it's a certainly in the top 5.

[Brian Elfert]

I'll see you're Neons and raise you '94 to mid '96 Lincoln MarkVIII's and this ridiculous '04 Chevy venture van we have. For 4 years the turn signals have been brighter, then a couple months ago my granddaughter's sig-other drove it into a cop car, which took out the left headlight assy and bent the hood. Weirdly enough the headlight 'pocket' was unscathed, so I ordered 2 new assemblies, which required 2 new bulbs. Once installed I was expecting big changes...
Nope. http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/thumbdown.gif

It was an improvement, the high beams are now almost in the right position enough and bright enough to be 'adequate' low beams, but the left side shines too far left to leave on all the time. Low beams, the right light is almost adequate, but the left side only shines ahead about 20' before it fades away. Could be the bucket got tweaked, but the next problem: there's 2 adjustment rods, one for up-down, the other for side-side. The side adjustments on both new buckets moves the light slightly up/down, the height adjustments have more adjustment, but wont get high enough. Total improvement, high beams 50% maybe, but overall only 30% or so. Most of the improvement was likely because of the new not-foggy lenses...


Did you buy aftermarket headlight assemblies? I have seen plenty of recommendations to only buy headlight assemblies from the original manufacturer of the car. Now, that isn't always possible on older vehicles.

[Jim Koepke]

Did you buy aftermarket headlight assemblies? I have seen plenty of recommendations to only buy headlight assemblies from the original manufacturer of the car. Now, that isn't always possible on older vehicles.

Isn't that a good reason to go junk yard shopping?

jtk

[Brian Elfert]

Isn't that a good reason to go junk yard shopping?


The recommendation was to only buy new assemblies as most used assemblies are not likely to be all that good. If you can find good ones at a junk yard I would buy them. If your car is old enough to use sealed beam this doesn't apply to you.

Both of the taillight assemblies on my Grand Caravan got broken in a rear end collision. I went to a local used auto parts supplier and asked for the parts. The first left taillight the lady brought out was all broken. The lense on the right one was pretty bad too, but the I can swap the good lense from mine. It appears the place just throws the parts on a shelf or in a bin and lets them get scratched and damaged. A little more care would mean less of them going in the trash and more profit.

I ordered a used left tailight in mint condition from Ebay. The problem is poor packaging caused it to break in shipping. I found the pieces in the box so it was likely good when it was packed. Ebay pictures were not broken.

[Jim Koepke]

I ordered a used left tailight in mint condition from Ebay. The problem is poor packaging caused it to break in shipping. I found the pieces in the box so it was likely good when it was packed. Ebay pictures were not broken.

Some of the ebay sellers have no idea how to pack an item or how rough of a ride their packages receive in transit.

One of my heavy spokeshaves came in a paper envelope. It was fortunate it ended up in my mailbox since half of it was outside the envelope.

My wife bought something once that was tossed in a box sealed with one piece of tape. All that arrived was the empty box.

jtk

[Kev Williams]

Drove into a cop car?:eek:
Yeah, but the judge ruled them both at fault. Snowing, snowy roads, cop cars were parked half into the right lane on a slow right curve, they were helping someone who slid off the road- it was dark, and so were the cop cars, no lights at all were on. By the time the BF saw them, he couldn't stop and slid into one of them...

And yes I bought aftermarket lights. I need to figure out why none of the adjustment rods (or long bolts) will move the lights sideways?

[Curt Harms]

Some of the ebay sellers have no idea how to pack an item or how rough of a ride their packages receive in transit.

One of my heavy spokeshaves came in a paper envelope. It was fortunate it ended up in my mailbox since half of it was outside the envelope.

My wife bought something once that was tossed in a box sealed with one piece of tape. All that arrived was the empty box.

jtk

SWMBO collects 'art pottery' so heavy and fragile. You should see some of the packing jobs she has gotten, she's developed a high level of proficiency at taking pictures and requesting refunds.

[Andrew Joiner]

I polished my lenses for now to see if that helps. Thanks for the responses.

[Curt Harms]

Did you spray them with clear UV resistant coating, or add UV covers? Absolute worst cars for "foggy lenses," Dodge Neons, and the one with the "Peace Symbol" on the hood. Cheap, either way, as they didn't bother to buy UV resistant head lamp assemblies.

You might try this suggestion from Bruce Wrenn. I didn't and mine fogged up again within a couple months.