LED headlight trend

[2EHA]

The little tail and daytime running strips were cool but it seems nowadays that everybody is ditching halogens and xenons for these bright LED main beams.

Driving by a new Ford pickup, or even worse, an Acura, is just asking for your retina to get cooked. No matter how annoyed you are, please don’t flash, they’ll turn on the death star beam cannon.

 

[MCompact]

I miss kerosene headlights; reliable and simple to maintain.

 

[RooflessVW]

I miss kerosene headlights; reliable and simple to maintain.

Can't believe how bright those newfangled halogens are. And they burn out so quickly!

 

[gfh77665]

The little tail and daytime running strips were cool but it seems nowadays that everybody is ditching halogens and xenons for these bright LED main beams.

Driving by a new Ford pickup, or even worse, an Acura, is just asking for your retina to get cooked. No matter how annoyed you are, please don’t flash, they’ll turn on the death star beam cannon.

I am going to flash them every time just to PO them.

 

[gfh77665]

Can't believe how bright those newfangled halogens are. And they burn out so quickly!

I think its great HID's burn out! I hope they cause as much headache for their owners as possible.

 

[92saturnsl2]

While there are some ridiculously bright OEM solutions, most offenders I see that are truly blinding are retrofit LEDs in halogen reflector housings. I can always tell which is which by the light pattern coming from the vehicle.

People buy these $40k trucks then realize their new truck didn't come with the fancy headlights they thought they all had (Ford / Chrysler reserves those for the premium $50k+ trucks I assume) and you end up with a bunch of people driving around blinding people.

Then there's the hillbillies (around here at least) who put LED lights in old housings in their 25 year old 6" lifted pickup, aimed right at your eyes.

The other thing that annoys me is people that leave auto high beams on all the time, even in a lit up neighborhood, looks like a strobe light driving down the road. I could go on and on but some of this technology is in the hands of the wrong people!

 

[CharBaby]

I drive little at night these days but, I know what you mean. These new headlights are piercing to they eyes since we've gone to HID/Xenon, sparkling whites and brighter blues etc. Now with LED, I feel as though I've just stared at the (((SUN))).

 

[MCompact]

Can't believe how bright those newfangled halogens are. And they burn out so quickly!

It is so much easier to trim the wick and add a bit more kerosene.

 

[admzn]

While there are some ridiculously bright OEM solutions, most offenders I see that are truly blinding are retrofit LEDs in halogen reflector housings. I can always tell which is which by the light pattern coming from the vehicle.

People buy these $40k trucks then realize their new truck didn't come with the fancy headlights they thought they all had (Ford / Chrysler reserves those for the premium $50k+ trucks I assume) and you end up with a bunch of people driving around blinding people.

Then there's the hillbillies (around here at least) who put LED lights in old housings in their 25 year old 6" lifted pickup, aimed right at your eyes.

The other thing that annoys me is people that leave auto high beams on all the time, even in a lit up neighborhood, looks like a strobe light driving down the road. I could go on and on but some of this technology is in the hands of the wrong people!

The idiots with the LED in the old fluted glass housings are the worst. The light scatters everywhere and blinds oncoming drivers. I was in a friends truck who had just done this, and he was complaining how "these new led bulbs suck". I pointed out the problem and he went back to halogen immediately, and felt bad about blinding people lol.

Then there is the honda civic/accord drivers who leave their high beams on all the time. I don't know why it seems to be just those vehicles but 99% of the time it is a honda or acura product.

Slightly off topic, there is also the cars where the instrument cluster is backlit 24/7 so people drive with no lights on a night, only using the daytime running lights to see. And no tail lights.

 

[parimento1]

Factory LEDs are amazing. No need to replace every few months if you drive a lot at night.

 

[RooflessVW]

Factory LEDs are amazing. No need to replace every few months if you drive a lot at night.

I prefer leveling and swiveling HIDs but I agree.

The factory LEDs in my Atlas are great. Audi's Digital Matrix is amazing.

 

[KJSmith]

People buy these $40k trucks then realize their new truck didn't come with the fancy headlights they thought they all had (Ford / Chrysler reserves those for the premium $50k+ trucks I assume) and you end up with a bunch of people driving around blinding people.

You need to get out more.
50k truck is mid-range at best.

 

[BISCUT]

I believe a brighter light can be a positive safety benefit and here is the BUT..... I say this from my own experience with the 15 F150 in my signature. Just 1 sample but I believe it happens often.

The stock (non-LED) headlights on my 15 F150 are not very good for my area. Plenty of unlit back roads and such. I added LED's that are (at least the package says it!) DOT approved. I don't often drive with glasses but nighttime driving in rain and the accompanying glare certainly don't inspire confidence on unlit country roads.

I admit my failure in installation. I received more than a few flashes of bright lights at me. So I knew it was me and I had to fix it. After messing around a bit I could see the new beam pattern was simply to high. Took me a few adjustments but now I have a nice bright beam and I am not blinding anyone.

I've also driven some very bright lights in friends vehicles and the actual benefit to vision down the road is just not realized. So much more to good lighting than raw power.

 

[4WD]

Factory LEDs are amazing. No need to replace every few months if you drive a lot at night.

Yes, it was a costly option on the Jeep … but that made all lights LED - very nice ! And, would like LED lights on the Tahoe for both DRL and low beams … but don’t know how to get it right the first time …
(the DRL LED’s are there … but are only active one model up) …

 

[JTK]

They're great when you're the driver. Terrible for anyone travelling in the opposite direction. Doesn't matter if they're OEM LEDs or aftermarket. They're all rough on the eyes for any on-coming traffic. I have no idea what the solution is for this, but you can guarantee one day it will be an intricate, expensive electronic one.

 

[4WD]

I drive little at night these days but, I know what you mean. These new headlights are piercing to they eyes since we've gone to HID/Xenon, sparkling whites and brighter blues etc. Now with LED, I feel as though I've just stared at the (((SUN))).

I wear Rx glasses and keep amber clips on’s in my vehicles … other than that I just watch the shoulder to hold my lane

 

[JTK]

... I just watch the shoulder to hold my lane

I do a lot of driving in the wee hours of the AM and that's pretty much all I can do too.

Much of my driving is somewhat rural, so deer and other critters jumping out in front of you is all too common. Forced to having to divert your eyes makes the risks worse. This exact scenario played into me smacking a deer with my 2017 Ram 1500.

 

[4WD]

I do a lot of driving in the wee hours of the AM and that's pretty much all I can do too.

Much of my driving is somewhat rural, so deer and other critters jumping out in front of you is all too common. Forced to having to divert your eyes makes the risks worse. This exact scenario played into me smacking a deer with my 2017 Ram 1500.

Soon deer will be a problem … have always trimmed the passenger side light housing towards the shoulder …

 

[IveBeenRued]

If a vehicle’s headlights are properly engineered, they provide ample light for the driver without producing glare for the oncoming traffic. Luckily IIHS tests for glare to oncoming drivers, unfortunately very few new car buyers bother to look at IIHS’ website.

Ford is one of the worst offenders when it comes to headlights. The F150’s halogen beams don’t even reach 100 feet on the driver side while all of the LED options produce excessive glare for the oncoming traffic.
(Source:https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/ford/f-150-extended-cab-pickup/2020#headlights)

There is no excuse and it’s not a “pickup truck problem” as some have suggested on other threads. RAM managed to produce a LED projector setup that provides ample light for the driver without causing glare for the oncoming driver.
(Source: https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/ram/1500-crew-cab-pickup/2020#headlights)

 

[2EHA]

If a vehicle’s headlights are properly engineered, they provide ample light for the driver without producing glare for the oncoming traffic. Luckily IIHS tests for glare to oncoming drivers, unfortunately very few new car buyers bother to look at IIHS’ website.

Ford is one of the worst offenders when it comes to headlights. The F150’s halogen beams don’t even reach 100 feet on the driver side while all of the LED options produce excessive glare for the oncoming traffic.
(Source:https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/ford/f-150-extended-cab-pickup/2020#headlights)

There is no excuse and it’s not a “pickup truck problem” as some have suggested on other threads. RAM managed to produce a LED projector setup that provides ample light for the driver without causing glare for the oncoming driver.
(Source: https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/ram/1500-crew-cab-pickup/2020#headlights)

Your Rav-4 Hybrid Limited also has a big problem unless you spec it with AFHS.

2020 Toyota RAV4 4-door SUV

2020 Toyota RAV4 4-door SUV - small SUV

www.iihs.org