Do you recommend installing HIDs ?

[abdo1234]

Hello ...
I've adjusted my headlight height , but the light still BAD !
in the dark , i really can't see anything , and high beam is worst ..... so , i'm thinking of installing HIDs with 4300k color temperature , are they bright enough to light the road in the dark ? ...... do you recommend it ?

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

100% i would recommend for sure, love mine and big difference for sure.

 

[1995E]

Hello ...
I've adjusted my headlight height , but the light still BAD !
in the dark , i really can't see anything , and high beam is worst ..... so , i'm thinking of installing HIDs with 4300k color temperature , are they bright enough to light the road in the dark ? ...... do you recommend it ?

I highly recommend you do so. 4300K will be the best color option as well. An HID retrofit is pretty easy. The only cutting you have to do is with the rubber grommets for the headlights.

 

[abdo1234]

thank you cwescapexlt4x4 and 1995E for your response ....
only one more little question ... I've heard that there is two types of HIDs , 55w and 35w ...
can you tell me which one is better ?

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

I have 35W and plenty bright, the 55W would be brighter with shorter life and possible more irritation to oncoming drivers.

 

[1995E]

I honestly bought a 20 dollar 55W Ebay HID kit and the bulbs have been perfect for me so far. 1 year and counting. However, the ballasts suck but you can find some good ones for 10 bucks. The ballasts will determine the 55W vs 35W. I personally run 55W so I will only get 1000 hours out of my HIDs, just like a normal halogen bulb vs the 3000 hours a 35W would have.

The 55W is really bright.

Only one of the ballasts kept failing and it was on the passenger side mounted near the coolant reservoir. I had the right ballasts died twice due to this when I took them on a road trip to Florida twice. This to it being exposed to more heat because when the cooling fans blow, the heat travels down the right and left side towards the fenders. Make sure you mount the ballasts towards the front of the car. The one I mounted near the airbox has had no problems. The passenger side ballast is now mounted to the front with some 3M tape and has had no problems so far.

I have spent only 30 dollars total on my HIDs lol.

 

[NJExplorerFan]

I would absolutely recommend it. I went with a Diode Dynamics 5000K kit and what a difference from the pathetic factory halogen bulbs. The 5K is just a pinch whiter than the 4300K. It is downright dangerous to drive with the 2011-2015 factory lighting. Definitely do it only with a quality vendor like Diode Dynamics or even The Retro Fit Source (heard good things about them too). Don't cheap out with eBay knock-offs. Your safety is of utmost importance. For $150, you're worth it.

 

[Nasty]

Just make sure you aim them.

DDM and VVME are good sources for that kind of HID kit.

 

[Napalm]

I recommend either the sylvania/philips kits from KBcarstuff, or morimoto HID kits.

both are OEM suppliers and their ballasts controlers work correctly with veichle voltages and tollerate momentary drops. IE you don't need battery relays with them - they will power right through the headlamp harness directly without any additions or changes.

Things to remember - HID bulbs are meant for projection housings - so if you don't have projector housing it won't really work as it's meant to. beam hot spot vs focal distance etc.

OEM HID's and most HID bulbs are meant for 35W use - 55W hid ballasts over amp 35 W bulbs. A 55 W HID bulb would be rather larger, no OE uses them for good reason.

they aren't necessary.

I've got 2 cars with HID retrofits and one of them is currently working on its 8th year. I've never replaced a ballast and I might not replace a bulb.

 

[Napalm]

Just make sure you aim them.

Huge +1 to this - any bulb replacement and adjustment, re-aiming is necessary.

or well should be done to verify.

 

[abdo1234]

thank you guys for you response , now i will defiantly install HIDs .....

 

[lsrobby]

Won't installing hid kit in headlamps cause issue with BCM (Body Control Module)? I have attempted H.I.D install in 14 Escape with no success as BCM shuts down and lose all headlights. I installed hids in fogs in my 14 Explorer with no issue but have not installed headlight kit as I was afraid to damage BCM. Any input? Thanks guys

 

[peterk9]

thank you guys for you response , now i will defiantly install HIDs .....

I know this will illicit some responses from those using kits, but to do a proper conversion you should also change the projectors inside the headlamp housing since the HID and Halogen use ones specifically designed for the type of OEM bulb that is used. Without that change you will surely notice more light output but 100% focus cannot be achieved.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

I know this will illicit some responses from those using kits, but to do a proper conversion you should also change the projectors inside the headlamp housing since the HID and Halogen use ones specifically designed for the type of OEM bulb that is used. Without that change you will surely notice more light output but 100% focus cannot be achieved.

Peter

So my minor disagreement. Most (and this is why I say minor) - OEM headlamps that are projector with halogen - accept HID bulbs with proper focal length for the HID hot spot.

there are 2 reasons for this - Halogen bulbs have a broad enough space to accommodate - and because most of them spec a HID bulb that has it's hot spot aligned to the same zone.

While there are exceptions to the rule - I've yet to come across a OE projector housing that didn't light correctly with HID's.


Meanwhile - I don't recommend HID's for reflector basic housings - way, too hot.

 

[peterk9]

So my minor disagreement. Most (and this is why I say minor) - OEM headlamps that are projector with halogen - accept HID bulbs with proper focal length for the HID hot spot.

there are 2 reasons for this - Halogen bulbs have a broad enough space to accommodate - and because most of them spec a HID bulb that has it's hot spot aligned to the same zone.

While there are exceptions to the rule - I've yet to come across a OE projector housing that didn't light correctly with HID's.


Meanwhile - I don't recommend HID's for reflector basic housings - way, too hot.

Can't really comment on that but a member has taken the housing apart and confirmed that the projectors are different.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

Can't really comment on that but a member has taken the housing apart and confirmed that the projectors are different.

Peter

that's why I say most - not all. how were they different, I'm curious.


On a different issue - the bit about the BCM shutting down. it's feasible you miswired something.

on some kits - they are general enough that the plugs to the OE headlamp cord are reversible. because halogen lights don't care so much about current direction - it's possible for the OE to have the + and - flipflops on one connector than the other.

Thus what was + and - on one side, could be backwards on the other. usually the ballasts check for this and go into protection mode (sylvania and morimoto ones seem to) but its feasible a cheaper circuit might feedback to the relay or leave the circuit open.

This might make the computer see something wrong electrically and shut down for protection. since 55W, as a 12 volt system is 4+amps and can be a safety issue.


depends entirely on how they are wired - some modern cars have 3+ wires to the headlamps, others still only use 2.

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

So here are mine in traffic against a flat trailer, pretty flat with the OEM units and HID conversion (taken this AM).