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Halogen to Xenon Upgrade

5K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  buba_k 
#1 ·
Has anyone been successful with or had any luck with switching their Halogen bulbs/lamps or whole headlight to Xenon/HID?

I currently have a regular '11 9-5 and want to upgrade the headlights to give a brighter light but also want reliability (no china bulbs from ebay).

Was wondering whether it is as simple as just switching out the bulbs or if anything else is needed.

I have heard that to change bulbs you need to remove bumper which has 15 fasteners. Currently downloading WIS for 9-5 model so I will see what it says in there.
 
#2 ·
This is generic info and not specific to a 2011 9-5

Xenon replacements should require little to no changes. You will need to check fuse ratings to verify they are comparable with stock. Xenon lamps burn hotter and may require sockets to accommodate the additional heat.

HID is a totally different set of circumstances. The HID system requires an external ballast to regulate the HID lamp. The fusing and circuit must be adapted to accommodate this system. Sockets will also probably need to be changed. Heat maintenance is always an issue with lighting.

Another consideration are state laws governing usage of these sources in your area.

Unless you do a large percentage of your driving in darkness; I would say these changes would be of marginal advantage.
 
#3 ·
I have put HID upgrades on any car that came with projection headlights and has made a significant difference. I buy mine from DDM tuning and select either 4300K or 5000K. I still have the ballasts from 5 years ago and never had a problem so this time I just bought the replacement bulbs. I know that the 6000K look cooler, but those offer no advantage. If anything, they are less bright.

I just upgraded my fog lights to 5000K since I have the stock HIDs and that made a difference as well.

Again, the key is that they are installed in headlights that have a projector beam, not your "regular" housing.
 
#9 ·
It is possible to retrofit halogens to xenons, BUT you need to modify wiring and add leveling sensors to front and rear axle with wiring looms.
I know, I have done these in my earlier my-02 and my present my-06.
 
#11 ·
So, I found out the connector is indeed the same. If you wanted to go to factory xenon, you would need the xenon assembly, BCM, and leveler computer. Then, get it reprogrammed at the shop. Mechanically/physically it's an easy swap. You just need to find a dealer or service who can update your software.

I went the less expensive route and went to a trusted source for aftermarket xenons. I picked up Morimoto Elite HDs (9005 kit) for $150. It was a very easy swap. The most difficult (which wasn't even tough) was pulling the front bumper to remove the halogen assemblies. I did that so I could install the ballast and other equipment seamlessly underneath/around the halogen assembly.

The result is xenon bulbs that use the halogen projectors. That means the xenon is focused and not scattered, like it is when you use xenons with halogen reflector assemblies.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/
 
#12 ·
I changed the halogen light on the Xenon. This requires pull out the old halogen module and replace it with the xenon module (HELLA 2 Classic). Or you can remove the top "blind" in the original a halogen module, set back in the spotlight, and as written above, buy in http://theretrofitsource.com blocks ignition and xenon lamps for HB3 (9005). I bought Chinese xenon modules (KOITO), but they are not installed in a regular place without changing the mounting xenon module. And another big minus - Halogen lights have a different decorative insert in the spotlight than the original xenon headlights. And when the light xenon light - it is reflected by the insert and begins to shine up blinding oncoming drivers.



 
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