Headlight weirdness

[18XLT]

Just a bump for this thread 8-9 months later to see if anybody has updated experiences to share with prior LED choices or what dealers have been saying to you?
We hate our 2018 XLT lights at night and the car is leased. I wish I had seen this thread before.
It’s downright sad for such an expensive car.
On a work trip I recently had a rental Toyota Corolla with great factory LEDs.

 

[mikeyanxu]

Thank you all for the great information.
I have a 2019 XLT max with halogen low beam.
Considering to install Hikari Ulatra LED HB3. Actually, I had this brand but a different type on my Jetta. Very bright and good pattern with the OEM housing.
Question: To the ones installed the Hikari Ulatra LED-HB3, does the ford light bulb rubber cover seals up the LED bulb inside of the headlight housing or or?
Anyone can share a source of Youtube or image of what the back of the light housing look like?

My Jetta didn't seal the LED inside of the housing so dust is drawn inside of the light housing over time.

Thank you!

 

[O5111]

Question: To the ones installed the Hikari Ultra LED-HB3, does the ford light bulb rubber cover seals up the LED bulb inside of the headlight housing or or?
Anyone can share a source of Youtube or image of what the back of the light housing look like?

My Jetta didn't seal the LED inside of the housing so dust is drawn inside of the light housing over time.

Thank you!

The factory covers went back on just like stock in my 2018. Dust shouldn’t be any more of an issue than stick with these bulbs.

 

[18XLT]

I just filed a written safety concern with the NHTSA, and have a case number regarding the headlights on my 2018 Expedition XLT . . .

I did the same. I hope more people that care enough for change might consider taking a few minutes to do so too!

 

[RyanM]

Does anyone have a link to where they filed the complaint, our 2019 XLT lighting is the worst i have seen on any vehicle ever. It's scary unsafe and I have 2 young daughters that my wife drives with.

 

[taaangy234]

The halogen projector should have a squirrel finder and higher step on the right to allow you to see license plate and street signs and spot deer and others animals that could cause a collision. While this car headlight failed on both giving us a straight pattern light and a horrible output. We should all start filing complains.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Unfortunately, the practice of putting the "good" headlights only on higher trim levels is not unique to Ford (see link below).

https://jalopnik.com/headlight-ratings-continue-to-show-how-automakers-price-1835849787

The LEDs on the Expi are amazing, but I am disappointed to hear all the complaints from the XLT and Limited-without-LED owners on here.

 

[Deadman]

My LED's are amazing! I refused to buy one without them!

 

[Artie]

My LED's are amazing! I refused to buy one without them!

Agreed. I can never go back lol

 

[Breaker]

After reading all through these 11 pages, I feel like I should have spent the extra $10k and got the limited with LEDs.
Will be attempting to improve the headlights after the Expy goes in for some warranty stuff.

 

[taaangy234]

After reading all through these 11 pages, I feel like I should have spent the extra $10k and got the limited with LEDs.
Will be attempting to improve the headlights after the Expy goes in for some warranty stuff.

Retrofit is a better option and best performance for your $$$ than spending additional 10k for all those extra functions you don't need which why most of us are settled for an XLT. TX is a great growing state, you can check https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/ see if there's any professional retrofitter in your areas. I had done a bi-xenon RX-350 + STI-R Clear Lens pair with Osram CBI then went with Morimoto XB35 retrofit on my Subaru with great result. They are crazy bright, wide and stunning cutoff blinker. If you can do it yourself, you could be spending less than $500 sorting the parts on sales date. But if you were to get a retrofitter do it for you it's still cheaper than buying a pair of LED headlight still not the best performer against retrofitting.

 

[star-art]

Perhaps I missed the earlier discussion, but why can't folks get some factory LED headlamps from a wrecked '18 Limited or Platinum and bolt those in? Is that a complicated swap? I have a 2017 XLT with halogen reflectors and it's really easy to swap those for factory projector lamps that are standard in 2017 Limited models. That's something I plan to do when I have time (and of course I have to acquire the parts).

 

[taaangy234]

Not an easy swap, since the wiring plugs are different and not standard. You'll need to trace and slicing wires to make it works.

LED Headlight


XLT Halogen Headlight:

 

[star-art]

Gotcha. To me, wiring is usually the easy part (as long as you can get a "pigtail" to go with the new component, if not then a custom connector may have to be fabricated but I've done that before as well). As long as the new part can physically bolt in without major modifications, that should make it a straightforward swap. Things get really complicated though when you need a new module and/or reprogramming of the truck. Hopefully that's not the case here?

 

[Breaker]

Apparently, even if you do get a pair of the oem led headlights, you still have to take the truck in and have Ford reprogram your computer. That is what everyone has been saying anyways.

 

[star-art]

Figures!! These days even the most basic upgrade is always somehow tied to a computer module and/or software. LOL

 

[Breaker]

And not to mention, expensive!! I looked up from Ford how much the led headlights are, atleast here at our local dealers, $1600 each, with an $80 core charge. Aint ever doing that!

 

[taaangy234]

I had tried installed HID with Relay hardness and now running LED. Both option the automatic headlight doesn't work, when I had my HID in automatic mode, and as the sunset and darken my light would not turn on. During daylight I experiencing it flickers my HID, so I had to manage the light manually before it kill my HID system. I switched it to LED now, no flickering but it just stays on during daylight.

 

[chrismcdowell85]

I had tried installed HID with Relay hardness and now running LED. Both option the automatic headlight doesn't work, when I had my HID in automatic mode, and as the sunset and darken my light would not turn on. During daylight I experiencing it flickers my HID, so I had to manage the light manually before it kill my HID system. I switched it to LED now, no flickering but it just stays on during daylight.

What HID kit did you use? I'm looking at the Morimoto system. Talked to a sales rep and he said all the stock functions would work just fine with their system. I'm hoping that's true.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Breaker]

I didn't think a Morimoto setup was out yet for our Expeditions? Or are you talking about just Bulbs?