Dim 15 Altima Projectors

[JeffKeryk]

I drove my friend's 2015 Altima home from the airport last night.
These headlamps are lousy! Very dim; dangerously dim. I noticed as he rolled up to pick us up...
As I drove home I was pretty much scared at the weak light.

So I did a little Google research and found complaints around the projector reflective coating burning off resulting in dim lighting.
Halogen to LED bulb conversion is a chump change band aid.

Has anyone got any real world experience with these cars?
I would appreciate your guidance.

I hate throwing $$ at parts, but it looks like full headlamp replacement might be necessary.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
I drove my friend's 2015 Altima home from the airport last night.
These headlamps are lousy! Very dim; dangerously dim. I noticed as he rolled up to pick us up...
As I drove home I was pretty much scared at the weak light.

So I did a little Google research and found complaints around the projector reflective coating burning off resulting in dim lighting.
Halogen to LED bulb conversion is a chump change band aid.

Has anyone got any real world experience with these cars?
I would appreciate your guidance.

I hate throwing $$ at parts, but it looks like full headlamp replacement might be necessary.


If you can find a 4000K, HID conversion, that's a great way to convert halogen projectors to HID without infuriating other drivers. The metal cutoff installed inside the projector headlights is very effective with HID conversions. Less so with LED.

 

[mclasser]

Looks like it takes H11 bulbs. Other than replacing the lenses, he can try overdriven H11 offerings from Sylvania & Philips, or do the H9 mod. Not sure how much that'll make up for flawed projectors, though.

 

[JimPghPA]

Look online at "HeadLightDepo.com" they sell the entire assemblies for the headlights of many vehicles with new bulbs installed for very low prices.

OP, I did not look up the vehicle you posted about but I would be very surprise if they did not have what is needed.

 

[JimPghPA]

Look on YouTube for videos of how to change the headlight assembly.

 

[JeffKeryk]

To replace the headlamp assembly, you gotta pull the front bumper. It is not as bad as many, but still...
There are HID conversion kits on Amazon for about $40. I will probably go this way; thanks to Cujet.
You replace bulbs from behind fender liner.

I appreciate your guidance.

 

[CharBaby]

Same car and year, 60,000 miles and no issues so far. I may tweak mine upward just ever so slightly but that's all.

 

[UG_Passat]

My rental Rogue Sport has halogen projectors... it looked dim compared to Bixenons on my Tiguan.

But...my eyes adjusted for the night driving

 

[JeffKeryk]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Same car and year, 60,000 miles and no issues so far. I may tweak mine upward just ever so slightly but that's all.

131K. First 75K were Hertz miles... So far so good.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
To replace the headlamp assembly, you gotta pull the front bumper. It is not as bad as many, but still...
There are HID conversion kits on Amazon for about $40. I will probably go this way; thanks to Cujet.
You replace bulbs from behind fender liner.

I appreciate your guidance.


The $40 ones are hit or miss. Diode Dynamics sells a kit that includes Hylux ballasts, which are often regarded as top tier aftermarket. They're ~$150 for the entire kit, but they're known to play nice with even finicky CANBUS/PWM systems. An Altima probably won't require a wiring harness, which is a plus.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I had the same kind of issue on my Impreza; after a couple rounds of emails with Daniel Stern which included discussing HIDs and aftermarket headlamp assemblies, he said that even the better repops do not maintain the correct angles and coating quality. If polishing the lenses and trying a "hotter" bulb don't work, don't waste your money on aftermarket assemblies.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yup. If the HIDs don't work I will bite the bullet on new headlamps...
Jeez, our 2006 TSX might need a little polishing, but are otherwise are ready for the next 10 years.

9er time!