2018 Expedition LED headlight conversion
- Thread starter Alex Lou
- Start date
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taaangy234
Well-Known Member
Forgot to mention you guys need to use a good quality Relay Harness as well, which route the HID kit to drawn raw power from the battery. The light switch power will only trigger the relay to turn it on. You'll get better performance and much fewer issues in the long run.
I would suggest get this kit https://www.theretrofitsource.com/h11-morimoto-elite.html?preselect=51812,54422,47309 with 5500k bulbs.
I would suggest get this kit https://www.theretrofitsource.com/h11-morimoto-elite.html?preselect=51812,54422,47309 with 5500k bulbs.
Paul KLeissle
New Member
Has anyone found a better performing bulb change out to the stock headlights?
Lukewang01
Well-Known Member
I had talked to some dealers earlier in the year. None of them had done that, I had one that would order the part and try to put it on. The other one just straight up said they wouldn't do it. And I got a quote about 4000 with all four light assemblies with harnesses.I end up just changing the bulb of the tail light for now and I got the LED for the front turn indicator, but I don't have a very clear instruction yet so I'm not sure do I want to just try to go behind the front wheel well cover. I'm also looking on ebay for used tail lamps they usually goes around 500. They appeared to have the same plug, but don't know if it would work or not.
Any of the high performance bulbs will be an improvement on the low beams(SilverStars, PIAA, etc). The high beams use a H11 bulb which I could not find in a high performance bulb. You can substitute a H8 high performance bulb, but they are only 55W compared to the H11's 65W. Also, LED lamps or an HID conversion seems to be the be the best solution to the stock non-LED headlights.
Gumby
Full Access Members
Are the stock halogens in a projector housing? Or is it a reflector? Please do not refit HID conversion into a non-projector housing. This just makes a crap ton of glare for on coming vehicles. I see it all the time. Personally, I wouldn't even use LED bulbs in the main headlight or fog light housings either since it will not cast enough light. This is the reason, IMO, that you see OEM LED setups as multi lamp housings. One LED bulb in a headlamp housing won't cast enough light.
taaangy234
Well-Known Member
I totally agreed with you, I would only run led in Fog light to color match with main low beam. Expected to decrease light output due to the way the LED is designed can't put out a 360 degree light pattern a halogen bulb or HID would. But putting HID in small fog light housing is just asking for trouble.
Gumby
Full Access Members
Also agree. Personally, if I had a halogen setup (I have a platinum with LED's all around) I would swap my fogs for PIAA Ion Crystal bulbs (they produce yellow light, but shine to oncoming as more white) and PIAA bulbs in my headlamps. I have been 100% satisfied with their performance and durability.
The stock low beam halogens are in a projector housing, while the high beams are reflectors. The stock Philips halogens are terrible. The Silverstars are a big improvement and contrary to some beliefs, the quality LED's perform very well in the Expeditions projector housing. My understanding is that members running HID's are also very satisfied with them. As bad as they are, the Expedition headlights are better than the stock Explorer headlights that use a single projector with a 9005 bulb with a shutter that changes the beam pattern when selecting high beam.
taaangy234
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have an issue with the light switch in any position other than automatic? When exit the vehicle and lock, the light will remains on until your battery drain? Why is this still in 2019 these days?
Gumby
Full Access Members
On the older Explorers, yes. I have the same setup with my Lincoln MKT. HID's in projector housings that use a shutter to toggle between lo and high beams. The newer Exploders have LED headlamps in reflector housings that are also used as DRL's.
If the switch is on headlights the system should shut of after ten minutes, however it will not shut off if the switch is on parking lights.
From the Owners Manual,
Battery Saver
If you leave the courtesy lamps, interior
lamps or headlamps on, the battery saver
shuts them off 10 minutes after you switch
the ignition off.
The parking lamps operate with the ignition
on or off.
taaangy234
Well-Known Member
Hummm… 10min seems a bit long, I though I stopped by the pet store for at least 10mins and walked out to the car still see the headlight on. On my Honda and Legacy auto turn off set to 1~3mins. I need to test again and see if there's an option to change it to like 1~3mins.
Update: After reading the manual, I found this, I don't know why this is not set by default.
HEADLAMP EXIT DELAY After you switch the ignition off, you can switch the headlamps on by pulling the direction indicator lever toward you. You will hear a short tone. The headlamps will switch off automatically after three minutes with any door open or 30 seconds after the last door has been closed. You can cancel this feature by pulling the direction indicator toward you again or switching the ignition on.
Update: After reading the manual, I found this, I don't know why this is not set by default.
HEADLAMP EXIT DELAY After you switch the ignition off, you can switch the headlamps on by pulling the direction indicator lever toward you. You will hear a short tone. The headlamps will switch off automatically after three minutes with any door open or 30 seconds after the last door has been closed. You can cancel this feature by pulling the direction indicator toward you again or switching the ignition on.
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Lukewang01
Well-Known Member
It stays on for a little while then it turns off eventually. I believe it's about 10 mins?
Lukewang01
Well-Known Member
By the way. Does anyone had some luck with changing the front turn signals? I tried from the access flap in the wheel well and the cover from the engine bay and they were both too hard to reach.
taaangy234
Well-Known Member
Front turn signal is a 7443 bulb, you may need to cut trace which wire is the signal and cut it and put a resister in between to prevent hyper flash if you install LED. You can gain access to it from the hood, but you need a helper with small hand.
But! looking at the wire, looks like it only two small wire. I believe that the bulb is feeding low voltage as DRL light and blink at 12-14v when you use your signal. So If you going to use LED the DRL will not be sufficient to turn the LED on, may only works when you trigger signal. In my case I did try install a pair of VLEDS 7444 and it did stay lid as DRL but doesn't blink.
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Lukewang01
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I tried to remove the plastic cover piece on the very front that's directly above the headlight assembly. I saw that gap and then I knew I weren't able to do that. I got Lumen's can-bus compatible ones for both front and back. After switching to the led for the back it worked fine without a resistor on the outside, but it's hyper flashing on the dash.
taaangy234
Well-Known Member
I made a correction: In my case I did try install a pair of VLEDS 7444 and it did stay lid as DRL but doesn't blink.
Lukewang01
Well-Known Member
Thanks, finally put that in after removing the whole plastic cover piece. The Lumen ones I got can output two brightness settings. It can stay lit with low beam and also flash as the turn signal.
Breaker
Well-Known Member
So, are the turn signals 7444 or 7443?
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