(Part 3) Best automotive headlight bulbs according to redditors

Nothing LED, for starters, as they only create the illusion of better lighting.

So, if you want an actual improvement over stock, and not an illusion, I would buy some new 9012 "+30" bulbs. The "+30" means they put out 30% more light in the beam pattern. The 2017 RAV4 came stock with 9012LL bulbs, which are long-life 9012 bulbs. Long-life means they put out the bare minimum amount of light so they can last past the warranty period.

Here are the only good 9012+30 bulbs. You can also find these in your local parts store.

There is another option, a 9012+120 bulb, which means the beam has 120% more light. These don't last very long, though, but fortunately, changing the bulb on a 2017 RAV4 is pretty easy, unlike other cars which require bumper removal and sacrificing your first child. I would just get the 9012+30s and you'll probably like them enough not to worry about anything else.

https://www.amazon.com/SEALIGHT-Headlight-Bulbs-Conversion-Approved/dp/B075QJB2JF

Put these in my 15' base that I picked up last summer. They work great for the price. The stock halogens were not bright enough.

I got these low beam bulbs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTJPF90?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

and these high beams
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719MH6XG?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

they’re really bright and maintain the focus/light distribution of the factory lense

I run JDM ASTAR LEDs in my work car with projector housing. They’re fantastic. Pretty sure they’re much brighter than the HIDs in my 14 R/T. Should be plug and play replacement.

I've not gotten any compliments or honked horns at me... so I'm not sure if they are blinding..

Turn signal lights

Alla Lighting Brightest CANBUS... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVT4F2C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Reverse lights

AUXITO 912 921 LED Backup Light... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0728DYR9H?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Inside lights

SEALIGHT 194 LED Bulb Error Free,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G4VJP5N?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
And
NAKOBO 2835 Chipsets （More... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7F2169?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hope that helps!

Or even cheaper on Amazon -- here's a set of two for $26.99: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GRTEJQ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Replacing the HID lights can be difficult, especially if you don't have tiny hands. There are many tutorials online, such as http://priusdiy.com/tutorials/lighting/headlightreplacement.html .

It could take you an hour or more to figure out how replace the bulbs the first time you try.

If you're prepared to replace them every year or so:

Philips RacingVision +150% H4 Headlight Bulb 12342RVS2, Twin Pack https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYNVQBC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GDJzDb8Z6331D

These make a huge difference

https://imgur.com/a/DysCwFw

These will cover your dome light and map lights and give you 3 spares.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LL37F12?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title&th=1

These cover your trunk and license plate lights

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07HVKJZDM?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

And finally these will cover your vanity lights

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07K7F2169?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

$25 total if you have amazon prime it’s at your door a day later.

Do you have a GT? If you look at the embossed plastic just above the rim of the bulb recess, you can see the type: "D2S". That's the kind for HID low-beams. It's also mentioned on page 10-6 of my 2006 owner's manual.

> This is an ‘09 Toyota Prius with the HID headlight upgrade from the factory. To get an OEM bulb that will last you any time at all, you’re looking at well over $100 per bulb.

Why in the fuck would you buy replacement bulbs from the factory? You just claimed to have been trained as a mechanic, so I can't believe you are this naive.

$27 for a pack of two.

Sure, $13.50 each is more than the $10 I had guessed, but I think you can afford it.

If you really are concerned about the bulb life, here is the OEM Phillips brand, two for $80 or one for $46. You can still afford that.

And AutoZone sells Sylvanias for $16 each.

>You’re going to come in here and give me a hard time for what? So you can feel powerful? You think that you could possibly be the judge of whether or not whats going on in my life is a valid reason to let a couple minor things slide? Get real dude, you aren’t as powerful as you think you are.

You are the one who is literally bragging about how lucky you got by getting away without a citation for all these violations. Someone made the very reasonable observation that you should take it as a wake up call and use the opportunity to get them fixed, and that sent you into a self-righteous temper tantrum. Dude, grow up and fix your shit. The fact that you were "trained as a mechanic" only makes it worse, because these violations are all trivial to fix and inexpensive, you are just too fucking lazy to do them.

I'll link you the H11 LEDs I used for my '14 SE low beams and my fogs. The headlights are awesome, Fogs look nicer but not much noticably brighter than the incandescents that came stock. Year and trim difference don't matter since the bulbs are the same, at least for low beams. I have LED backups too, not really sure how they compare because I put them in after tint filming my rear light housings.


JDM ASTAR G2 8000 Lumens Extremely Bright CSP Chips H11 H9 H8 All-in-One LED Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kit, Xenon White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYC0RTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6K-JDbCKBWHC6

^ low beam H11 bulbs.^


JDM ASTAR Extremely Bright 2400 Lumens CSP Chipsets H11 H8 LED Fog Light Bulbs for DRL or Fog Lights, Xenon White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IMVQWDM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-M-JDbS24SK0K

^ fogs, I believe they were also H11 sockets.^

*I didn't look up the headlights you are talking about in original post, but I'll bet they're several times more expensive than replacing the bulb with an entirely new housing. It was like driving a new car when I put them in, they may do the job for you.

I swapped these and a couple relays into my 240Z in place of those awful sealed beams and the difference was night and day. Highly recommend it.

Were HID's optional on 8th gen Civic and do you have a projector style housing? It's probably not kosher perse to sell a 9006 LED bulb. But if you have a projector style housing, I'd think about shopping online for an LED bulb equivalent given you do your homework and won't be "that guy" blinding everyone w/ stock housing.

Here's the link to the headlights I bought off Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MTJPF90/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

9005/HB3 LED High Beam Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kit, DOT Approved, SEALIGHT X1 Series 9145/H10 Fog Light Bulbs - Xenon White 6000K https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075QJB2JF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_b4GNYSuEin8Zk

2018 no issues fit behind dust cap

thank you, thank you!

the headlights are:

Aukee 9005 LED Hi-Beam

Sealight 9006 LED Lo-Beam


Sealight 9145 LED Fog Lights

Sylvania ZEVO LED 4114 Daytime Running Lights

and here's the Fleece Performance ALO Module


here is the Lo-Beams on a dark road

and here is the Lo-Beams, Hi-Beams, and Fog Lights together with the ALO Module

I had to return a few pairs of LEDs because of clearance, but these are what i am using now

I have the: Truck-Lite 27450C 5" x 7" LED Headlamp (High - Low Beam), Single Headlamp so much better!

That's very close but not exactly what I put on mine. I picked up the DOT-approved-whatevers:

http://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395301-Halogen-Conversion-Headlamp/dp/B0002M9QK6

Been running them about a year-and-a-half. Came with bulbs IIRC. Huge difference.

Do you live in a city or rural area? If city, I would only upgrade fogs and highbeams, leave the low beams halogen. Philips makes the best halogen bulbs.

LED bulbs don't play as nice with headlights compared to halogen or hid bulbs. They tend to have a less focused beam, resulting in more glare, and equal or less beam distance.

The 2014 Civic has 9005 high beam, 9006 low beam, and h11 fogs.

You can upgrade your highbeam to led, and get that new white led drl, along with a brighter, more floody highbeam.

I have this bulb in my 2006 Civic high beams, and love it. It has a fan, but it's only noticeable when you're stopped, and the radio isn't playing. Plus, it's only on with the high beams. About 2x brighter than stock highbeams, and a little more distance.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHUYQ34/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_2RibAbBDNMV56


For fog lights, he's a kit off Amazon. I'd recommend yellow fog light lenses, as the lower color tempature helps with rainy roads. Reflects better off wet surfaces. Also looks cool. You will have to do some diy wiring with this kit though. An independent shop should be able to install the kit within a few hours.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01015EF9U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510247318&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=2014%2Bcivic%2Bfog%2Blight%2Bkit&dpPl=1&dpID=51fJLrEIC4L&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1


For led bulbs, I have these in my car also. Not super bright, but definitely a little brighter compared to halogens. No fan to fail, and are more reliable than halogen bulbs.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074GX852M/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1510247478&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=h11+led&dpPl=1&dpID=51zNCZD1E%2BL&ref=plSrch

And finally, just get these for low beams. Brighter, slightly whiter, and a bit more beam distance:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U1OLM1Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_b1ibAbA2RJ29F

Old post but I finally found this subreddit. I have a 2016. Was having regular bulb issues but I found a long term fix. The whole headlight design is horrible.

​

Buy these $10 bulbs on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071938L48/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

then replace the bulbs as normal but here is the important part. Get some Duck Tape and apply a stip of tape on the back of the black bulb clip so it overlaps onto each side. Your basically taping the whole bulb assembly in place.

​

This stops the bulb from falling out or vibrating which is the reason for the low bulb life. The $10 bulbs on Amazon are bright and this setup should last a long time. I get about 6 months of use with the lights running 3-4 hours 7 days a week.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WJCNK22/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481947170&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=d2s+hid+bulbs&dpPl=1&dpID=41mqYMrIl1L&ref=plSrch

I have had these in my 2008 gti for 2 years now no problems

These? OPT7 Fluxbeam Choice LED Headlight Kit w/Clear Arc-Beam Bulbs - 9006 - 110w 9,000Lm 6K Cool White CREE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VNBDVOC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_19FSDb1BVB06Z

I recommend: https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395301-Halogen-Conversion-Headlamp/dp/B0002M9QK6

Bright and wont break the bank.

I got these ones

I got these one for a 9th gen, 2013 civic: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071XV8PZQ

The only issue was that, for me, the passenger side bulb was a little difficult to install but otherwise, they are beautifully coloured, reach quite a distance away, and are exceptionally bright. This one should fit the 2010 model as well.

>https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071938L48/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o01\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for this. Going to give it a try. 2017 159 High Roof with less than 60k highway miles on it and have gone through 8 sets of lightbulbs so far...

Much easier: https://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27450C-LED-Headlamp-High/dp/B013FX3OEC/

I found a pair on Amazon for $35 and it looks like they'll fit my '16 Fusion. They too have the fan on the back and just a male plug that connects to the car. Is this similar to what you bought? If so, was there anything else you had to buy? I know the head light replacement in Fusions can be a little tricky.

Here's the ones I found: JDM ASTAR T1 10000 Lumens Extremely Bright High Power H11 H9 H8 All-in-One LED Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kit, Xenon White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D3HM8BZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yroQDbE718HC7

Very kind of you. I’m replacing the stock ones in a 2008 Toyota Highlander. They have always been very yellow and not bright at all, which is why I was intrigued by LED but outside from all these fit issues I have noticed that they do not spread the light evenly or all that well.

My other car is a 2008 Prius with these Xenon HID bulbs and they are outstanding. They have totally spoiled me when I drive my wife’s car.

The size I am looking for is H4(9003). These are the halogens I had been considering before I rolled the dice on these LEDs.

I believe that these are the Phillips XVs that you were recommending elsewhere in the thread, correct? $22 is a pretty sweet deal.

I’m just looking for whatever will get me the closest to the HID experience I have on my Prius without having to change out the assembly and ballasts or spend $150-200 on bulbs.

I appreciate all your help.

I bought these. They are super bright but the distance is garbage and everyone thinks the brights are on all the time. These have much better visibility than the led bulbs and also these fit in the mount better too.

https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-XtraVision-Halogen-Contains-Bulbs/dp/B079ZCRVH6/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B079ZCRVH6&pd_rd_r=f2ec74e0-b69e-440d-b859-4f9de679b710&pd_rd_w=yFk1I&pd_rd_wg=oe8Ay&pf_rd_i=B00D4NP8XE&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=a6d018ad-f20b-46c9-8920-433972c7d9b7&pf_rd_r=TMRRFWW0RRDWRFX82680&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=1601&qid=1565578583&s=automotive&vehicle=2014-47-16220-20--18-6-5-18697-3128-1-1-3622--2&vehicleId=2&vehicleName=2014+Chevrolet+Volt

HID-Warehouse One Pair (2) D2C D2R D2S 6000K Xenon HID Diamond-White Bulbs 35W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WJCNK22/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_iOLSDb798P77Y

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N01QE3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_H-HCCbX4C6X6Y


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079DPN3J1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_y.HCCbK3WF1KC

There you go!

Can't speak to longevity yet but I'm happy with the output from one if these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071R3KTBB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gI5BCb7GGASBC

There not necessarily nice, just needed an upgrade and thought these would do me fine. I ordered on my computer and remember a lot more reviews but I’m not seeing them on mobile:/

These fit my Panigale with NO alteration.

Just plug & play, and they put out a crazy amount of light. I've had them in for a year now with zero issues. The space on my bike is even tighter than the 848, so it should be a perfect fit. Also, $25 bucks cannot be beat!

These are what I got and they work beautifully here in NC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071R3KTBB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eqqNDbT4627AS