Headlight weirdness

[JExpedition07]

Mine is the previous generation not an 18’. Was just posting a reference of a stock headlight setup, halogens don’t usually seem to have that close cutoff described. I had mistakenly assumed you had LED lights. I’m wondering now if yours are aimed down too much.

 

[Markg2]

It's just hard to believe that a month old vehicle has headlights aimed that poorly. Anything's possible and that's another reason for tomorrow's service appointment.

If the problem persists, I'm wondering if a different type of lamp(s) are compatible with the housing. Would the '18 Platinum LED setup be 'plug and play' with the XLT housing?

 

[Dscustoms]

The led housings are not a direct swap. You’ll need both expensive headlight housings, ballasts, and some engine bay wiring harness. If you get them to change it please get the part numbers for the new wiring harness, I can’t figure it out in the part guide.

The factory halogen headlights are unsafe and nowhere near the quality of the rest of the truck. Getting one of these without factory leds was a huge mistake for me, I hope to remedy it sometime. The first thing I did was change my bulbs for leds, which helped somewhat. The cutoff is still very low, but at least the light output is reasonable. I don’t think this is just a mountain road problem. I live in an area with dark flat roads, and curves. Absolutely can’t see a thing without high beams on at night. The auto high beams work pretty well, but as the truck was delivered I felt like you did, that this was dangerous.

 

[Markg2]

Is the cutoff achieved by a physical reflector that sits in front of the bulb and is fixed to the housing?

The dealer is providing a loaner this morning. They say that to adjust the headlights they have to remove the bumper ++ to get at the adjusting screw! Did you have to go through all that to switch out the halogen for an LED?

 

[John Christopher]

I just don't understand how Ford could redesign the Expedition and screw up something like headlights. Then to have to take the bumper and other things off to get to the adjustments is ridiculous. Makes you wonder what else they screwed up on a beautiful new truck.

 

[Randy Schmidt]

I don't get it. Even if our's are aimed wrong, where's your 'sharp, horizontal cutoff line? Yours look perfectly fine. Is your Expedition a 2018?

Looks like this person has a 2007 Expedition.

 

[Markg2]

i shot these images going downhill last night after the headlights were 'adjusted' at the dealer that morning.

 

[John Christopher]

That's somewhat better but nothing to write home about. Did they actually have to take the bumper and other parts off to adjust the lights?

 

[Markg2]

Not only the bumper but... the consecutive, dedicated time that the mechanic spent on this was an hour and forty-five minutes (I was at the dealer for ~2 1/2).

FYI, this is the text of the email I sent to the service manager (dealer) this am:

First, I want to thank you and the service department for taking Connie’s Expedition out of sequence so a loaner and trip back to the shop was avoided.

Second, the mechanic did increase the low beam field of view. I drove the vehicle for short test run around Horseshoe Drive last night.

The attached images represent the view out the windshield ‘going downhill’. A decline represents the most restricted of the restricted visions. Approximately ½ the driving time in Evergreen is downhill—the drive to Denver on I-70 is all downhill. Although the low beam field of view is better than previous to yesterday’s headlight adjustment, I think any reasonable person would agree the field of vision is restricted, unsafe, dangerous and unacceptable.

As before, I maintain that the XLT low beam projector design is a seriously flawed and dangerous design defect. Ford clearly did not consider mountain roads in their design considerations.

The 2018 Expedition is an excellent vehicle throughout with this one glaring exception.

There is at least one fix for this condition. Install the Platinum, LED housing in place of the halogen projector housing. I’ve seen through the windshield images of the LED low beams and they do not exhibit the restricted view of the XLT.

Pending an adequate response, I’m withholding notification of this problem to the NHTSA.

Cordially,

 

[John Christopher]

Not only the bumper but... the consecutive, dedicated time that the mechanic spent on this was an hour and forty-five minutes (I was at the dealer for ~2 1/2).

FYI, this is the text of the email I sent to the service manager (dealer) this am:

First, I want to thank you and the service department for taking Connie’s Expedition out of sequence so a loaner and trip back to the shop was avoided.

Second, the mechanic did increase the low beam field of view. I drove the vehicle for short test run around Horseshoe Drive last night.

The attached images represent the view out the windshield ‘going downhill’. A decline represents the most restricted of the restricted visions. Approximately ½ the driving time in Evergreen is downhill—the drive to Denver on I-70 is all downhill. Although the low beam field of view is better than previous to yesterday’s headlight adjustment, I think any reasonable person would agree the field of vision is restricted, unsafe, dangerous and unacceptable.

As before, I maintain that the XLT low beam projector design is a seriously flawed and dangerous design defect. Ford clearly did not consider mountain roads in their design considerations.

The 2018 Expedition is an excellent vehicle throughout with this one glaring exception.

There is at least one fix for this condition. Install the Platinum, LED housing in place of the halogen projector housing. I’ve seen through the windshield images of the LED low beams and they do not exhibit the restricted view of the XLT.

Pending an adequate response, I’m withholding notification of this problem to the NHTSA.

Cordially,

EXCELLENT RESPONSE !!

Keep the site informed of your progress.