HID Headlights

[BrianT1077]

Hello all! I have a 2015 Explorer Sport and I would like to install HID headlights on it. Wish it was at least an option from the factory because I would have ordered it that way. I don't understand why it is not available from Ford on the Sport. What does everyone recommend? Thanks!

 

[BrianT1077]

Anyone?

 

[RobbyAz]

Hey BrianT, sorry no ones getting back to you on this. From what I understand, Ford didn't offer the HID's in the sport because the HID bulbs don't handle a lot of vibration well, such as an off road environment. But if you don't do a lot of off road driving, then I would look at daytimebrightlites.com. I got a set of super puddle (approach) lights from them for my '15 Limited and they are great. I have also heard a number of other members mention them and have had a positive experience with them. They do offer a HID conversion kit. Hope that helps.

 

[Elfiero]

I remember waayyy back when I had HID’s in my ‘13 f150. I thought they were the best lights I ever had- until I got these LED’s in this exploder. The little woman has HID’s in her Mustang, and they seem dim by comparison.

 

[RobbyAz]

Yeah, I have HID's on the EX and LEDs (factory) on the F-150. I think the LED's are a little better, not extreme though, not like the difference from going from Halogens to HID's. Boy, I know I had a rental Explorer with halogens and on the few times I drove it at night, I kept checking to see if the headlights where actually on... lol! Our company truck is a '16 EX with the LED's and I have driven it a few times at night in comparison to my EX with the HIDs and I haven't notice a lot of difference myself. The original OP may want to look into LED replacements, I don't have any experience with LED's in projector housings to offer though

 

[Droid66]

I have a diode dynamics HID kit in my 15. It has the same beam pattern and cut off as the stock halogens. I also ordered their relay kit just to be safe.

 

[karlos2]

Try stage3motorsports. They offer HID kits for our Explorers.

 

[peterk9]

Hello all! I have a 2015 Explorer Sport and I would like to install HID headlights on it. Wish it was at least an option from the factory because I would have ordered it that way. I don't understand why it is not available from Ford on the Sport. What does everyone recommend? Thanks!

The only correct way to go with HID is to do a complete retrofit. That has been mentioned here many time by different members. A simple plug and play will give you better lighting but it will be impossible to properly focus the beam since the housing was not designed for HID bulbs. See page 2 of this thread; LED Headlights Also, so-called HID kits are not DOT approved for on-road use and in many cases it is illegal to install HID in a non HID housing. The following was taken from a post in that same thread inthe Performance Lighting Forum; "The thing really worth noting is that it is against the law to put on an HID kit and stick HID bulbs into a housing that is designed for halogen bulbs."
I even contact one of the suppliers that members here have bought "kits" from and they admitted that the conversion kits were not DOT approved.

Peter

 

[RobbyAz]

The only correct way to go with HID is to do a complete retrofit. That has been mentioned here many time by different members. A simple plug and play will give you better lighting but it will be impossible to properly focus the beam since the housing was not designed for HID bulbs. See page 2 of this thread; LED Headlights Also, so-called HID kits are not DOT approved for on-road use and in many cases it is illegal to install HID in a non HID housing. The following was taken from a post in that same thread in the Performance Lighting Forum; "The thing really worth noting is that it is against the law to put on an HID kit and stick HID bulbs into a housing that is designed for halogen bulbs."
I even contact one of the suppliers that members here have bought "kits" from and they admitted that the conversion kits were not DOT approved.

Peter

Hey Peter, I definitely agree that putting HID bulbs in housings designed for halogens is not a good thing to do. I read the thread about LED headlights that you referenced, and it mostly refers to reflector style housings on the earlier Explorers and only briefly mentioned projector style headlights that are on the 2011-2015 Explorers . I know I did considerable research on this subject before I got my Explorer. I wanted to upgrade my '94 Ford Ranger headlights, and read a lot about housing designs and light output. As a result, I never did the upgrade and then ended up buying my Explorer. During my research, I did come across a couple of articles that talked considerably about the difference between reflector style housings and projector style housings, and most of them indicated that with factory projector housings, upgrading to factory style HID bulbs would work without causing the glare issue with doing the same with a reflector housings, mostly because projector style headlights are design with a very specific cut off to prevent light glaring into the eyes of on coming traffic. I would suggest to the OP that he check to see if ford did in-fact use different housing for their halogen vs. HIDs, and then make a decision from there. Those housing may very well have different lenses and that would definitely change the optics of the light. So the OP may want to swap out housings as well as bulbs. I can say, having driven a '15 Explorer with Halogen's (a rental) vs. one with HID's (my personal vehicle), the halogens were terrible. I, too, would want to upgrade.

 

[Halwg]

Hello all! I have a 2015 Explorer Sport and I would like to install HID headlights on it. Wish it was at least an option from the factory because I would have ordered it that way. I don't understand why it is not available from Ford on the Sport. What does everyone recommend? Thanks!

Get LEDs.

 

[Brad C]

I put the HID's in my 2015 Sport. My new 2019 Sport has LED's from the factory. I find it funny I NEVER received a "hey idiot, your high beams are on" flash on the 2015 with the HID's...my 2019, with FACTORY ALIGNMENT has constant "hey idiot, your high beams are on" flashes since I picked it up the first of October. Yes, I have checked the alignment of the 2019 and they are aimed properly.

Get the LED's. They are a HUGE improvement.

 

[jhu8]

Hey BrianT, sorry no ones getting back to you on this. From what I understand, Ford didn't offer the HID's in the sport because the HID bulbs don't handle a lot of vibration well, such as an off road environment. But if you don't do a lot of off road driving, then I would look at daytimebrightlites.com. I got a set of super puddle (approach) lights from them for my '15 Limited and they are great. I have also heard a number of other members mention them and have had a positive experience with them. They do offer a HID conversion kit. Hope that helps.

I've seen plenty of pre 2016 explorers with factory HID headlights.

 

[peterk9]

I've seen plenty of pre 2016 explorers with factory HID headlights.

They were an option on the Limited . Standard on the Limited in Canada.

Peter

 

[BrianT1077]

Thank you everybody for the feedback, I saw some said LED's and complete HID conversion. What LED's and HID conversions would you recommend? Are they really worth it? I believe there has to be a better alternative than the stock headlights. They are terrible. Thank you again!

 

[Adrian Gitch]

Did a search and couldn't find anything related so I'll ask here. I'm still trying to choose between the HID kit and LED kit. I have the 2015 limited with halogen bulbs and projector. It's the internal setup. The HID kit comes with the necessary rubber cap that adapts to the current rubber cap on the back of the headlight assy. On the LED kit, it looks like I'll have to stuff the led wiring, including the little anti-flicker harness inside the housing behind the stock rubber cap. Has anyone done this? Is there enough room in there? thanks

 

[peterk9]

Thank you everybody for the feedback, I saw some said LED's and complete HID conversion. What LED's and HID conversions would you recommend? Are they really worth it? I believe there has to be a better alternative than the stock headlights. They are terrible. Thank you again!

Hi Brian. To do a proper and legal change you would have to do a retrofit and replace the current housings to ones designed for HID. Factory headlight housings are designed for the type of OEM bulb that they were meant to be used with. To do a proper changeover will cost more money than a simple plug and play conversion. Here are some posts of a proper one. HID Install +Pics - Step by Step

Peter

 

[RobbyAz]

They were an option on the Limited . Standard on the Limited in Canada.

Peter

From what I remember when buying my '15, HID's came as an upgrade with the 302a option group on the limited. The base limited and the 301a option group did not include the HID's here in the States, although I suppose someone could have special ordered an explorer with HID's that didn't have the 302a option group. I don't think the HID's were available on the XLT at all (from the factory), but I could be wrong about that. I'm pretty sure the 2014 Explorers where pretty much the same as I did a few build and price mock ups on the Ford website before the 2015's came out. I don't have any knowledge about the 2011 - 2013 option groups or what they offered, but I would imagine they are relatively similar???

 

[peterk9]

You are correct. HID was only available on the Limited as part of an option package for al those model years.

 

[sheltonfilms]

It was only on the 302a Limited. There was a member on here that I helped retro OEM HID housings in his 2014 sport. Just had to swap a couple of wires and add a ground for them to work with the factory harness.

HELP - Explorer 2015 OEM Limited HID headlights for 2014 Sport