Can I replace my old headlights with LED?
Many drivers are tired and frustrated with the dull, yellowish light output from halogen headlight bulbs and as a result, we frequently get asked: “Can I put LED or HID bulbs in my stock halogen headlight?”. The good news is that, yes, you can.
Can I install LED headlights in my car? You can, but you'll need to make sure they aren't too bright for other drivers. There are some significant benefits to choosing LED bulbs — they last much longer than traditional bulbs and they use a lot less energy, so many drivers want to take advantage of those benefits.
Yes, just about every bulb in your car can be changed over to LED. Both Digi-Tails and United Pacific, as well as sites such as Summit Racing, offer direct replacement LED units and any parts needed to make them work.
Changing a halogen bulb is very easy. In order to save on your energy costs, you can replace a halogen bulb directly with an LED bulb. In addition, LED lights last on average around 25 times longer than a halogen bulb. There are various LED lamps that are suitable for replacing halogen lighting.
While LED headlights are typically more compact than HID headlights, you'll need to purchase a conversion kit before installing either option if you're switching from halogen bulbs.
Therefore, LED and HID lights are legal with a few stipulations: They are an OEM feature on a vehicle. In other words, they came standard with a vehicle and are not aftermarket parts.
The Cons of LED Headlights
The glare associated with LED headlights is one of the biggest disadvantages of this technology. The glare can get so bad that it could affect other people on the road. Experts also worry that it can cause long-term retina damage. Also, LED headlights are more expensive than halogen lights.
The verdict – make the switch to an LED headlight kit
Compared to halogen bulbs, LED headlights are brighter, last longer and use less energy. But, for most consumers, the biggest draw is that they look much better than traditional bulbs.
Replacing halogen with LED: Save money and the environment
For one, LED lamps consume around 75% less electricity than regular halogen lamps. A switch from halogen to LED will therefore lower the energy costs for households, and make electricity bills a lot more manageable.
Technology: LED lights use electricity while HID uses gas (typically xenon). Energy use: Both have high energy use compared to halogen, but LEDs are slightly more energy-efficient. Life span: LED lights might last up to 45,000 hours while HIDs have a life span of around 15,000 hours.
How much is it to get LED headlights?
LED conversion kits for halogen headlights run just $100–$300 for a set.
We recommend the use of LED bulbs with a fan cooling system if you experience persistent condensation in your headlights. The fan cooling LED bulbs run on higher temperature and the fan blow the air inside the headlamp housing and boost and evaporation of condensation.

The bottom line is, if you're making the change from outdated, under performing Halogen bulbs to newer, brighter HID or LED bulbs, you'll need a conversion kit to ensure the new bulbs fit correctly.
An LED (light-emitting diode) is a durable, very bright, energy-efficient light. While xenon headlights have been around in cars for much longer than LEDs, light-emitting-diode lights have quickly become a favorite among car drivers and manufacturers.
LEDs Need Additional Equipment
Unlike standard xenon or halogen bulbs that can be used on a plug-and-play basis (meaning you can unscrew the old bulb and replace it with a new one), LEDs require additional components such as a relay or heat sink under the hood.
The reason why vehicles that have had replacement LED bulbs retrofitted are not technically road legal is because this is considered an aftermarket modification that cannot be regulated.
Whether or not you consider LED bulbs better than regular headlights depends how you judge them. LED headlights produce a brighter, whiter light. They tend to put out around 2,000-4,000 lumens. So, LED lights illuminate more area and show things in that area more clearly.
Check the fuse box on your vehicle to ensure thet a fuse has not blown. Install the LED on another vehicle to see if it works there. Alternatively use another 12V power source to test the LED.
The kit typically includes LED bulbs, ballasts, and wiring harnesses that allow easy installation and compatibility with the vehicle's existing headlight system.
Yet another perk of using LED headlight bulbs is how versatile, compatible, and easy to install they are for your vehicle. Give your car or truck an instant upgrade with “plug and play” installation, meaning that virtually anyone can have your bulbs switched out and ready to shine brightly in as little as ten minutes.
What are 2 disadvantages of LED lights?
- High initial price: LEDs are currently more expensive (price per lumen) on an initial capital cost basis, than most conventional lighting technologies. ...
- Temperature dependence: LED performance largely depends on the ambient temperature of the operating environment – or "thermal management" properties.
Disadvantages of LED Bulbs
Most white LED bulbs emit a cooler, blue-tinted light — rather than the “warmer” glow that is associated with incandescent bulbs. Some people prefer “daylight” or “natural light” LED options. Some LED fixtures may create sharp shadows that may not be desirable in certain places in the home.
Unlike incandescent light bulbs, LEDs don't produce light using heat. This is part of what makes them so energy efficient. The downside is that their components can be sensitive to overheating, which can cause them to burn out prematurely.
Early studies showed that yellow light was less dazzling to other drivers, making it a safer colour for headlights. Yellow light also cuts through rain, snow and fog better than white or blue light.
In general weather conditions, LED lights easily beat halogen bulbs in terms of Lux. So much so, that the cool light of LED's can deliver up to 4500 Lux. While traditional yellow lights barely manage to get up to 2800 Lux.
- Fahren H11/H9/H8 LED Headlight Bulbs.
- HONCS H11/H8/H9 LED Headlight Bulbs.
- Aukee LED Headlight Bulbs.
- BEAMTECH H13 LED Bulb.
Xenon Headlights
The current passes through xenon gas in these headlights to create an arc between two electrodes and generate intense white or bluish light. Usually, it is much brighter than LEDs.
Our top recommendation for LED headlights is the Fahren LED headlight bulbs. They produce 14,000.0 lumens (Lm), making them more than 300 percent brighter than most halogen bulbs.
They're Very Energy Efficient
A major benefit of LED headlights is their energy-sipping qualities, using as much as 80 percent less power to generate the same brightness of light as a halogen bulb. And that means you end up saving more fuel and have a longer-running battery.
No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or "plug-and-play" LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.
How can I upgrade my headlights to brighter?
The simplest headlight upgrade is to replace your factory headlight capsules with direct replacements that are designed to be brighter. These replacement capsules are the exact same size and shape as the original headlight bulbs, and they also use the same basic halogen lighting technology.
- GTR Lighting Ultra Series 2 Low beam – 2590 Max Lux. F3 Low beam – 2070 Max Lux S-V4 Low beam – 1920 Max Lux. ...
- S-V.4 LED Headlight Bulb Low beam – 1,920 Max Lux. SNGL SH55U2 Low beam – 1710 Max Lux. ...
- Diode Dynamics SL1 Low beam – 1590 Max Lux. Auxbeam T1 Low beam – 880 Max Lux. ...
- GTR Lighting CSP Mini Low beam – 1120 Max Lux.
Car Lightings | Min Price | Max Price |
---|---|---|
Light Bulbs & HID | ₹67 | ₹11750 |
Headlight | ₹111 | ₹12897 |
Tail Light | ₹219 | ₹8525 |
LED Projection Lights | ₹160 | ₹7671 |
If the heat generated on the LEDs is not removed with the appropriate heatsink design, it may cause the LEDs to malfunction. On the other hand, when the car is started while the headlights and taillights are on, the LEDs are exposed to high current. This causes the LEDs to fail in a short time.
That's why LED bulbs have to be positioned correctly according to the different optical design of the headlamps. For single filament bulbs, the diodes (LED chips) should always be in a side to side orientation, meaning, you should have one set of LED's facing at 3 o'clock and the other set facing at 9 o'clock.
Incidentally: LED and xenon headlamps can also fog up from the inside. This is for exactly the same reasons as for other types of headlamps.
An LED lamp and driver is another option to upgrade your HID lighting. In this scenario, you remove the ballast, replace it with an LED driver, and add a light array (or bulb).
Changing headlight bulbs in pairs assures that the road ahead will be properly illuminated and that drivers will get the full safety benefit of the vehicle's headlights, just as the carmaker intended. Replacing parts in pairs can ensure vehicles are properly balanced and functioning safely.
Fortunately, it's often easy to change a headlight. Most of today's halogen high-intensity-discharge (HID) or light-emitting-diode (LED) bulbs are simple to replace. They are held in place by thin wire clips or rotating bayonet-style retainers.
OK so let's recap, higher wattage bulbs are not road legal. They will also last a lot less time than a 55W bulb. Therefore you should not be using them for normal driving. However for off road situations, they can be very useful.
What are demon headlights?
Demon Eyes are small, bright, LED lights that attach at the top of your projectors to reflect inside the projector lense in order to create a colored headlight that flashes in different colors. RGBW LED. These demon eyes provide full RGBW color functionality.
Halogen headlights are far cheaper than LED lights, but they only have a life span between 1,000 and 6,000 hours. LED lights can give you 25,000 to 30,000 hours of uninterrupted vehicle lighting. The long life of the LED bulb is a serious plus for people who: Own multiple vehicles.
Yes, LED headlights are legal. LED lighting is now standard in new cars, but LED headlights cannot be brighter than 3,000 lumens.
Yes, and it's a great idea since old-school headlights are just awful compared to their modern cousins. LED and halogen options are easy-to-install upgrades that often plug right in.
LED conversion kits for halogen headlights run just $100–$300 for a set. If you don't know how to install and adjust them yourself, it's a safer bet to have a professional do the work.
LED and HID bulbs give the best coverage in comparison to standard bulbs, and they also extend the distance of vision at night, especially in dimly lit areas or off-road where there is no lighting available.
If you are wondering if it's possible to switch from halogen downlights to LED downlights then the answer is yes. Fortunately, upgrading Halogen MR16 light bulbs to LED is usually an easy job, as most LED light bulbs are now designed to retrofit existing light fittings.
Many drivers are tired and frustrated with the dull, yellowish light output from halogen headlight bulbs and as a result, we frequently get asked: “Can I put LED or HID bulbs in my stock halogen headlight?”. The good news is that, yes, you can.
AutoZone can help you replace a burnt-out headlight bulb, but only if you've purchased the new bulb from their company, and only if the replacement doesn't require any vehicle disassembly. Experienced AutoZone employees can help you with a simple replacement—but AutoZone isn't a stand-in for a professional mechanic.
Replacing headlight bulbs is a pretty easy fix – just stop by one of our stores and grab a pair of headlight bulbs. We'll be happy to change them for you or you can give it a try yourself.
How much does it cost to get LED lights installed?
The cost for an electrician to install recessed can or can less LED lights will generally be between $200 and $250 per fixture. Professionals charge at a rate of $85 to $105 per hour and each installation takes approximately two to three hours.
Brightness: LED lights can have a brightness of 9,000-10,000 lumens while HID might have 8,000 lumens. Both, however, are brighter than traditional halogen lights. Technology: LED lights use electricity while HID uses gas (typically xenon).
LED lights have a far superior lifespan than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs last about a thousand hours, while LED lights can last about fifty thousand hours depending on how you use them; that is about forty times the lifespan of incandescent bulbs.