LED Position Bulb Install

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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

While I was in Japan a little while back, I picked up some LED position bulbs. Position bulbs are often used in Japan as people turn off their low beams when they are stopped at a traffic light to reduce the glare into the eyes of other drivers. Because of this, JDM cars nearly all have dedicated position bulbs and many people customize them with nicer LED bulbs.
I picked up a pair of PIAA LED bulbs to replace the incandescent ones in my Kizashi. The bulbs I got were Made in Japan PIAAs, but they were decently priced as they were the "Value Model". I paid around 1,200 yen ($13 USD). High end, high power LEDs can go as high as 7,800 yen ($84 USD) and there is everything in between at the auto parts store I visited in Japan
I got 6000K bulbs to match my HID low beams (also 6000K).

As many of you know, installation of just about any bulb in the headlight of the Kizashi requires the removal of the bumper and the headlight.

Here's a walk-through on the position bulb replacement.

1) Remove the bumper and headlights.

2) Remove the cover of high beam bulb housing. The position bulb is also accessed via the high beam housing as the position bulb is located directly under the high beam bulb.

3) Disconnect the high beam bulb harness.

4) Unhinge the bulb holder to remove the high beam bulb. The hinge is easily removed by squeezing the wire hinge, pushing forward, and then towards the opening.

5) Once the high beam bulb is removed, you have access to the position bulb housing and holder. Using pliers, carefully pull the plastic holder of the position bulb. It comes out will little effort.

6) Pull off the position bulb.

7) Push in the replacement bulb (LED in my case) into the holder, but NOT into the headlight housing yet.

8) VERY IMPORTANT: Turn on the headlight to the middle (position light) position. Make sure the position bulb lights up. LED bulbs require the correct polarity to illuminate. If the bulb does not illuminate, pull it off and turn the bulb and re-insert so it is in reverse position. It should light up.

9) After the bulb illuminates, turn off the lights and insert the bulb into the headlight housing.

10) Re-install everything.

Photos below.
Attachments
PIAA LED 6000K Bulbs.
PIAA LED 6000K Bulbs.
Remove the bumper and the headlights.
Remove the bumper and the headlights.
The high beam and position bulbs are installed. You must remove the high beam bulb to access the position bulb.
The high beam and position bulbs are installed. You must remove the high beam bulb to access the position bulb.
Position bulb in holder.
Position bulb in holder.
PIAA LED vs. OEM incandescent position bulb.
PIAA LED vs. OEM incandescent position bulb.
Make sure it lights up before placing it in the headlight housing.
Make sure it lights up before placing it in the headlight housing.
Before install.
Before install.
After install.
After install.
LED Position bulb.
LED Position bulb.
Kizashi with position lights only.
Kizashi with position lights only.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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11zukizashi
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 2:03 am

looks a lot better. Can you shine the hids against a wall and post pics of the headlight cutof?
Northernstar
Posts: 590
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:49 am
Location: Surrey Canada

Damn....should've asked you to bring me back from LEDs from Japan :(
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Northernstar wrote:Damn....should've asked you to bring me back from LEDs from Japan :(
These look very similar to the ones I got and are decently priced.

http://www.amazon.com/PIAA-19407-LED-We ... B001GBQ466

If you google, "PIAA Hyper Dimple", then the kind of LED I got comes up. These are the budget friendly ones.
Certain series like the "PIAA Tera Evolution" can go up to 70 to 80 USD (they were about that in Japanese yen too) but offer about 1W of power.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

11zukizashi wrote:looks a lot better. Can you shine the hids against a wall and post pics of the headlight cutof?
Sure. I will do that when I get my HID fogs adjusted. I also have 2500K yellow HIDs for fogs. The car came with them aimed straight into the ground so I need to raise them to usable height.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
Northernstar
Posts: 590
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:49 am
Location: Surrey Canada

KuroNekko wrote:
Northernstar wrote:Damn....should've asked you to bring me back from LEDs from Japan :(
These look very similar to the ones I got and are decently priced.

http://www.amazon.com/PIAA-19407-LED-We ... B001GBQ466

If you google, "PIAA Hyper Dimple", then the kind of LED I got comes up. These are the budget friendly ones.
Certain series like the "PIAA Tera Evolution" can go up to 70 to 80 USD (they were about that in Japanese yen too) but offer about 1W of power.
Thanks, will do!. $20 for a pair of LEDs is freaking expensive lol
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Northernstar wrote:
KuroNekko wrote:
Northernstar wrote:Damn....should've asked you to bring me back from LEDs from Japan :(
These look very similar to the ones I got and are decently priced.

http://www.amazon.com/PIAA-19407-LED-We ... B001GBQ466

If you google, "PIAA Hyper Dimple", then the kind of LED I got comes up. These are the budget friendly ones.
Certain series like the "PIAA Tera Evolution" can go up to 70 to 80 USD (they were about that in Japanese yen too) but offer about 1W of power.
Thanks, will do!. $20 for a pair of LEDs is freaking expensive lol
True, but cheap ones flicker and/or fail and cause headaches, especially if they were in a location that was hard to install like the position bulbs. Real, high quality LEDs should last the life of the car. PIAA is highly reputable and has been making racing grade lights for decades. Pay less than $10 for a pair of LED bulbs and you should be suspicious of the quality. I've learned my lesson and will only bother getting brand name LEDs made in Japan.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
~tc~
Posts: 999
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:33 am
Location: Houston, TX USA

So, are these bulbs on all the time, or only when you're not in "auto" mode, stopped, with the ebrake on?
2011 Sport SLS with nav Black Pearl Metallic
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

~tc~ wrote:So, are these bulbs on all the time, or only when you're not in "auto" mode, stopped, with the ebrake on?
I don't have the auto headlights as I have the GTS, not the SLS.
The positions bulbs are on whenever the low beams or position marker lights are on (basically anytime the headlight switch is in a position other than OFF).

If you drive with the headlights switch in "OFF", then ONLY the DRL (high beam bulbs at low wattage) is on.

If you drive with the midway, position marker light switched on, then BOTH the DRL AND the position bulb illuminate. If you were to pull the handbrake, then the DRL turns off, but the position bulbs remain on (pretty much the point of why they exist. Displayed in the last picture above). This way, you can be parked or idling somewhere with the lights on, but not the low beams.

When the headlight switch is turned on to low beams, BOTH the low beams AND the position bulbs illuminate, but not the DRL (also pictured above in a different photo). This is why some of us like me wanted the white LED position bulbs to match the white HIDs.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

11zukizashi wrote:looks a lot better. Can you shine the hids against a wall and post pics of the headlight cutof?
Sorry it took so long.
The headlights appear much brighter in the photo than in reality in terms of glare. The color is the same whiteness, but with much less glare. Regardless, the photo shows the beam pattern.
Attachments
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033.JPG (194.78 KiB) Viewed 11966 times
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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