2016 - 2018 Explorer Headlight Question

[k9gold]

Have a question for Platinum Owners. Are the headlights low and high beam LED or low beam LED and high beam Halogen? I have seen it written both ways. All the pre-production info said both were LED and what I see on the Ford site shows low beam only LED. Thinking about ordering one but want to know. We live in a rural area. The road is a two lane highway with lots of deer. I have a 2013 Limited with HID's. They light up the road and sides of road and you can spot deer. I personally love the HID's. So if you can give me any info on the Platinum headlights and what you think of them I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Napalm]

I don't have a platnium - but IIRC they are supposed to be projector LED lows, LED highbeams.

however - I do have an XLT with the stock LED low beams. and my other cars have HID.

I know exactly what you mean by the HID pattern, output, and clarity. The Stock 2016 Explorer LED's are rather awesome. not as focused as my other HID's - but the same color and clarity light output. IE there isn't as fine a cut line in the beam.

but good width, clear path, white light. I live off a 2 lane country road also - and with the explorer I don't use the high beams, don't need to.

 

[k9gold]

Thanks Napalm for some info. We have 30 miles of very curvy 2 lane highway. So has some straight stretches and the other is hilly. Use high beams most of the way trying to see in fields and up embankments. Now it has new pavement so even darker. Your just always ready for something to jump out. So headlights are an important part of keeping the vehicle from getting a new hood ornament. Hopefully someone with an Platinum will know exactly what kind they have. With what you said I'm confident in the low beams. Thanks.

 

[alexk]

Just went out and checked a platinum, led low beams and fogs halogen high beams

 

[k9gold]

Thanks Alexk for the info. Wow it surprises me but good to know. Maybe I'll hear from some to see what they think of the high beams. Thank you so much for checking.

 

[alexk]

Ill be honest, I wasn't too impressed with them when I just turned them on. It wasn't the darkest of roads, but still pretty dark. It seemed like it just projected a halogen light further up. The Led with the fog lights did light it up very nicely though to where I'm not sure the high beams would be necessary.

 

[k9gold]

Alexk thanks so much so testing them. It gives me an idea of what to expect and what options I might explore. Thanks again

 

[Napalm]

currently the ford website says all models have the same headlamps - and the pictures look the same. Limited and above have options for auto High beam and options for LED FOG's

but the headlamps appear to be the same. I'd say regardless of your model the basic LED low beams do plenty. I will trade out my fogs and high beams but only to color match.

 

[Nasty]

currently the ford website says all models have the same headlamps - and the pictures look the same. Limited and above have options for auto High beam and options for LED FOG's

but the headlamps appear to be the same. I'd say regardless of your model the basic LED low beams do plenty. I will trade out my fogs and high beams but only to color match.

Agreed and pretty much exactly how I feel about it. I'm interested in the OEM LEDs. I need to see them in person to see if it's an easy swap.

 

[NJExplorerFan]

I'm curious which gives better light output - the 2015 HID's or the 2016 LED's? And what is the Kelvin difference? Is the LED headlight just an LED bulb in reflector housing? And is brighter simply because the LED bulb emits more light vs. a halogen bulb?

 

[Nasty]

I'm curious which gives better light output - the 2015 HID's or the 2016 LED's? And what is the Kelvin difference? Is the LED headlight just an LED bulb in reflector housing? And is brighter simply because the LED bulb emits more light vs. a halogen bulb?

No, it's not just a "LED" bub that you could just pop in and out. It's the thin band on the top and outside edges. The highbeam is located towards the inside corner nearest the grille.

 

[alexk]

Alexk thanks so much so testing them. It gives me an idea of what to expect and what options I might explore. Thanks again

Not a problem at all! I would suggest going to the dealer at night and just picking any Explorer (if they don't have a platinum) and seeing for yourself. Like I said I don't think the high beams are all that necessary due to the led's brightness but everyone's eyes are different.

 

[NJExplorerFan]

No, it's not just a "LED" bub that you could just pop in and out. It's the thin band on the top and outside edges. The highbeam is located towards the inside corner nearest the grille.

I think what you're referring to is the daytime running LED strip around the headlights. I'm asking more the night time actual headlights. I'm curious how that is different from HID's?

 

[Nasty]

I think what you're referring to is the daytime running LED strip around the headlights. I'm asking more the night time actual headlights. I'm curious how that is different from HID's?

Sorry, I don't know how I got that post all jumbled up. I was copying and pasting part of it to be in a different order and apparently never pasted lol. I meant to say that the spot in the outside corner of the headlight is the LED low beam and the thin strip is the DRL which is LED and also runs at night. Definitely know that's not the headlight lol.

You really can't see much from the outside so I'd be curious to see one opened up. The LED is actually at almost a 90 degree angle to the reflector. It doesn't look like the LED is going to be replaceable without just retrofitting the headlights. I think they work awesome though and they look great! The high beam is just a halogen bulb so it's pretty lack luster. If there is a reduction in lighting compared to the HIDs it's minimal at best if anything at all. Hard to say unless we get two side by side. I've been impressed with them and I've got HIDs in my F150.

 

[1995E]

I think what you're referring to is the daytime running LED strip around the headlights. I'm asking more the night time actual headlights. I'm curious how that is different from HID's?

LEDs and HIDs are both better when it comes to power consumption and output than Halogens. The LEDs and HIDs give a nice 4300K - 5000K look (White to blue). Seems to me the Ford Explorer LEDs headlights are more on the blue side which is similar to HIDs. LEDs put out more lumens when done right and will last you the lifetime of the vehicle (Over 50,000 hours) versus you HID 35W 3,000 hours vs your 55W HIDs and Halogens which are 1,000 hour. Also, you don't have to worry about maintaining an arc or flicking them off and on because pulsing LEDs is perfectly fine.

So in terms of reliability and output, LEDs are the best and you would never want an HID ever again.

 

[Napalm]

Agree to disagree slightly.

Without knowing the specifics of the voltage and the current let's say neither system is more effecient than the others. High output LED emitters do indeed seem to be in the 30+ watt range these days.


On the turn on thing - yes LED's light off easier, and quicker than HID's can - which is why they can be used as flashers too. and why you see those LED high beams.

Again the 2016 model low beams are LED emitters - look at nasty's pic - see those vertical dark grey items - those are heat sinks for the LED emitter. they are places about 90 degrees from the reflector - this placement, IMO leads to a future enhancement of moving reflectors for adaptive lighting.


but I digress. LED's like OEM HID are 4300K color. this is common, Japanese companies may again choose to aim for 5000K color but most of the industry OEM implementations are 4300K. This is because it is the most efficient, highest output and least eye strain. Japanese companies aimed for 5000K because most of the road signs in japan had a reflective paint that likes the extra UV punch of a 5000K color - or so I was told when I was over there.

Why the larger reflector and not projected LED's - one common complaint in Auto lighting has been this increase in the small hot round dots of light coming at motorists. you know the guy coming at you has a new bimmers, caddy etc with those hot HID projectors - and those white/ blue/ purple lights are so damn bright they hurt your eyes. So designers have been wanting for a while to spread out the pattern and the source. HID is rather focused like - it comes from an arc lamp. LED emitters can be spread out a bit - and in a reflector housing can be cheaper to produce.

Another side benefit - HID's make little to no heat - at the end of the projector. Note how Ford's placed those heat sinks in the housing - in winter when on they might provide enough heat to the plastic to keep some ice forming. I'm guessing at this point but it seem rather logical. Hid's have a problem with this.

 

[sxepride]

2016 sport headlight hi beams

On my new 2016 sport the highbeams do not match the low beam they are yellow has anyone done any swaps so the lights match? I was not sure if you have to buy an LED or HID kit to change it or simply a bulb to match. When driving the lows are white light and turn on the highs and it's yellowish. I am sure theirs a reason but don't care for it

 

[peterk9]

On my new 2016 sport the highbeams do not match the low beam they are yellow has anyone done any swaps so the lights match? I was not sure if you have to buy an LED or HID kit to change it or simply a bulb to match. When driving the lows are white light and turn on the highs and it's yellowish. I am sure theirs a reason but don't care for it

I have merged your thread with this existing one. As mentioned in previous posts here, the low beams are LED and the high beams are halogen. That is why you will see a colour difference. Many 2016 members have mentioned that the LED low beams do such a good job that they don't use high beams. You can't simply drop in an LED bulb in place of the halogen one. The halogen internal projector lens is designed for halogen bulbs only.

Peter

 

[4FordFamily]

I have aftermarket HIDs in my headlights and fog lights for my other three fords ('12 f150, '13 fusion, '08 explorer) and the factory LED in the explorer low beams are fantastic. It looks like it has protectors almost like the '13 fusion the way that the light cuts off. Upon closer inspection, it doesn't - pretty neat.

I am a huge light guy, I've had HIDs on every single car I've owned for ten years. From 1995 explorers and 1998 Taurus to my 2000 Durango, 2003 explorer, 2000 Cadillac Deville, 2003 ranger tremor, and all of the cars in between. I am quite happy with the LEDs. So much so that I would replace my hids with them until I inspected the headlight and now I am curious about how Ford got the light so accurately distributed on the road - I question whether a simple LED bulb would do the trick.

Being OCD and **** about my lighting, I plan to replace the highs with a similar LED bulb at some point but again have my doubts about the light spread - it just has a simple reflector for the high beam. HIDs make poor high beams because of the 10-60 second full charging needed for them to illuminate fully and it is not good to flash HID bulbs on and off because of the high power draw during initial fire up.

 

[k9gold]

I have changed my high beams to LED. It is an amazing difference on our 2 lane rural highway. The halogens were useless for trying to see deer and what's up ahead on the road. The LED's are very good don't know if they have quite the distance of my previous HID's but it is real close.