LED Headlights- Unexpected “negative”

[Wangle]

We are just passing the one year mark Of ownership. Only had one issue, weird HVAC function with hot, cold, and panel/floor/defrost controls front and rear wigging out. Two trips to dealer, HVAC control board replacement. SOLVED. We love our Expedition, and have very few concerns, but here is one. I was recently driving in freezing rain/slushy snow at night, and noticed my headlights getting dimmer. The LED headlights produce very little heat, and are unable to cope with this condition. This leads to a buildup of ice on the headlights themselves, requiring you to pull over and clear them off. The older style headlights on my previous vehicles got pretty warm and would keep the ice melted. I carry a small spray bottle of winter windshield washer fluid to help me get the ice off. I have run into this a couple of times this year. Just something to be aware of. We still think there are a lot more pluses that minuses for the LED headlights. She still far exceeds our expectations. My daughter suggested that future versions may have a heating element, such as on the rear window defogger, incorporated into the headlights.

 

[armoredsaint]

1st world problems and have your daughter clear it, that’s what I use my 1 and 4 year olds for

 

[Plati]

We are just passing the one year mark Of ownership. Only had one issue, weird HVAC function with hot, cold, and panel/floor/defrost controls front and rear wigging out. Two trips to dealer, HVAC control board replacement. SOLVED. We love our Expedition, and have very few concerns, but here is one. I was recently driving in freezing rain/slushy snow at night, and noticed my headlights getting dimmer. The LED headlights produce very little heat, and are unable to cope with this condition. This leads to a buildup of ice on the headlights themselves, requiring you to pull over and clear them off. The older style headlights on my previous vehicles got pretty warm and would keep the ice melted. I carry a small spray bottle of winter windshield washer fluid to help me get the ice off. I have run into this a couple of times this year. Just something to be aware of. We still think there are a lot more pluses that minuses for the LED headlights. She still far exceeds our expectations. My daughter suggested that future versions may have a heating element, such as on the rear window defogger, incorporated into the headlights.

We had that problem on our snowmobile trail groomer! The old style lights melted the snow but the LED bar didn't (right up where snow is pushed). TFF.

Kudo's to your daughter. Tell her she is an inventor! People who have this knack can keep applying it over and over again and invent all kinds of things! If you hadn't just published this on a Forum (making it publicly disclosed) she might have been able to patent the idea and license it to auto parts supplier and get rich. This is exactly where new inventions come from … what is the problem and what is "a" solution?

https://patents.google.com/patent/U...lights+automotive+disadvantages+melt+ice+snow

 

[Gumby]

If you think your headlights are covered, you should take a gander at your tail lights during a snowstorm as well as your third brake light. Some days mine is covered so thick with snow I could ski down it. This issue has plagued transport trucks for many years now. Often I see their rear tail lights jammed right up with snow making it hard to see them from afar.

I agree, the negative on the LED is little heat dissipation leaves it susceptible to being covered, so I am constantly brushing and dusting the front and back. It's sort of the same idea that is now plaguing almost every vehicle with DRLs and bright dash lights during the day along with auto headlight switches - people cannot understand that during the dark hours you need to switch on your headlights. The manufacturers think its a benefit but in reality causes unintended issues.

 

[scottdm]

The European automakers get around this issue by having washer jets spray heated washer fluid at the headlights. The Expy has sprayers on the front and rear cameras, so it doesn't seem like a stretch to add a sprayer for each headlight.

 

[armoredsaint]

Also went it’s cold and slushy your ACC and pre collision won’t work as it said it’s blocked. Ask me how I know.

 

[Gumby]

Also went it’s cold and slushy your ACC and pre collision won’t work as it said it’s blocked. Ask me how I know.

And the auto hi beam starts to freak out

 

[Flexpedition]

We had our first snow a few weeks ago. Sideways wet snow. And I noticed the new city traffic lights were covered. You could still see the light, but it was obscured. I read where a lot of cities have some kind of heated lenses to counter it.

Maybe some Rain-X type stuff will help out?

 

[Brian Underwood]

Just curious, are there sprayers for the back up camera on the xlt model?

 

[Meeker]

Just curious, are there sprayers for the back up camera on the xlt model?

Yes - activated when you wash the rear window

 

[Brian Underwood]

Thank you!

 

[nobrainer]

I noticed this too last week with the snow, I was always under the impression the LED lights generated more heat so they had to ventilate the housings (why we get condensation on the inside?). Maybe they are just ventilating it too much?

 

[Plati]

I noticed this too last week with the snow, I was always under the impression the LED lights generated more heat so they had to ventilate the housings (why we get condensation on the inside?). Maybe they are just ventilating it too much?

I think its less heat, more light … and the heat generated is in the wrong place
(at the base of light not infrared that melts the snow on the surface)

https://www.quora.com/How-much-heat-is-generated-by-LED-light-bulbs

 

[1alembic]

Jeep LED headlights also ran into this problem. I think there are now some aftermarket jeep headlights with heater elements embedded in the lens/glass. But that doesn't help the Expedition......

 

[new_to_towing]

My suggestion is to move to a warmer climate.

 

[lbv150]

Yes there are heated LED headlights on the market. Snowplows use them at over $600 for the pair. We still run halogen on all our plows for the icing reason and cost and no reason to change to LED as ours are bright enough. BTW I hate LED head lights when they are not aimed properly coming at me....

 

[Deadman]

The stop lights here all get covered anytime we have a real windy snow. Its so stupid.

 

[larryjb]

I noticed this too last week with the snow, I was always under the impression the LED lights generated more heat so they had to ventilate the housings (why we get condensation on the inside?). Maybe they are just ventilating it too much?

Household LED bulbs that operate on 120V need to have a transformer to step the voltage down which produces heat. Yes, household LED do get hot, but there is less heat produced than the old incandescent bulbs.

Presumably, automotive lights are already operating at 12V so there is very little heat produced.

I'm finding that the extreme white coming from the additional blue in the spectrum of LED lighting is very tiring on my eyes. Young people love LED, but I'm now having to wear a blue cut filter at night. I really do notice a different in eye fatigue.

 

[Markg2]

Anyone know if Ford has come up with an LED low beam retrofit for 2018 XLT halogens?

 

[Deadman]

Anyone know if Ford has come up with an LED low beam retrofit for 2018 XLT halogens?

WHY would they do that? They want to sell you a Platinum! lol