Swapping HID Headlights onto a non-HID Car

[SamirD]

After dealing with the crazy ridiculousness that replacing the driver's side bulb is on the Kizashi, I'm after the ultimate now--Factory HIDs.

These are standard on the cars that our friends down under have, as well as overseas in most markets. I can only assume that they couldn't get DOT approval for the housings for the US market, and that's why they weren't even an option for us.

After looking at KuroNekko's great instructions on how to get to the housing, there was one thing that I think may make a swap a bolt-on affiar--a separate wiring harness for the headlights.

If we can confirm if there is a harness like this on the HID versions of the headlights, and that that connector is the same as the USDM models, then just purchasing a set of HID headlights and this connector is all you would need to simply swap headlights and be done with it.

I have access to purchasing the HID headlights in India, but I need to know about the wiring harness. Also, if our friends down there in Australia can find me some used headlights, that's also an option, even if I have to buy the harness wire separately.

I'm willing to be the guinea pig for this as I don't want to take off my bumper except once.

[~tc~]

All those lights are going to be RHD pattern and worthless.

Why not just put in HIDs in the stock projectors?

[murcod]

Some thoughts I've had that might be relevant for you SamirD.

The factory HID head lights will have some sort of auto leveling system built into them. The service manual is still up (yay!) and it indicates the wiring for the auto leveling and bulbs uses the same plugs E178 and E179. So, perhaps those wires/pins relevant to the leveling, are just unpopulated in the plugs for halogen head lights? The drawings seem to show identical plugs for both.

Edit: KuroNekko's post reminded me! Without the drive circuit to the auto leveling you'll end up with the mechanism flopping around all over the place. (That's what the mechanism did on a HID equipped vehicle I did some work on - in that vehicle the leveling system had broken.) Check the service manual too, the auto leveling system is very complex.

[KuroNekko]

I see you created a new thread on the topic, so I'll mention it here too:
The replacement OEM HID harness (headlight to firewall) will need to include leveling control and probably headlight washer control.
Without getting this wiring plus the control buttons, you may run into issues. Many OEM HID headlights have auto-tilt that tilts the bulb down when the car is turned off and tilts them up when the car is started. You need to make sure the car will do this with a headlight swap so the headlight is not aimed incorrectly when driven.

Getting the proper drive pattern shouldn't be an issue if you get the headlight from a LHD market like Germany or other European countries other than the UK. However, India, Australia, and Japan all are RHD. Regardless, headlight beam patterns appear to be more for reducing glare to oncoming traffic than anything.

I agree with ~tc~ that going with an aftermarket HID kit is much better. It will be cheaper and easier to deal with not to mention it will have warranty coverage and an abundance of upgrade/replacement parts.
~tc~ and I both have Morimoto kits from theretrofitsource.com and we both like our kits. He has 4300K bulbs and I have 5000K. They come with a 5 year warranty on the entire kit. That's hard to beat when getting factory HIDs from a foreign market will probably cost you at least 3 times what the kit cost us and have no warranty coverage.

[bootymac]

I have access to purchasing the HID headlights in India, but I need to know about the wiring harness.

Out of curiosity, how much will it cost?

[IshaanIan]

Here in India, the Kizashi comes only in one spec with an option for either the Manual or the CVT. Neither of which come with HIDs just the usual halogens with a low beam projector.

Roads are very poorly lit here so I desperately need a better lighting solution. To me, it seems like the cut off in the Kzashi, is way too low. Perhaps it is because the Indian car has a ground clearance of a 155mm and the headlamps haven't been leveled properly or something like that? Essentially, I want a long list of changes to the car- HIDs for both the low and the high beams, and projectors for both (either a bi-xenon type setup or twin projectors) which I would like to give me an even spread of brighter light that also illuminates the road farther. Is there anyway to do this? Unfortunately I'm a proper noob when it comes to this sort of stuff (hope my requirements even made sense) so help would be really appreciated.


Thanks

[murcod]

Best thing to start with would be to check the adjustment of your headlights. Go out in the dark and find a deserted straight long flat piece of road. If you can, unplug one headlight at a time - only having the single beam on makes aiming a lot easier! With high beam on, adjust the headlight so the beam lights the maximum distance (ie. too high and you won't light the road, too low and it will reduce distance.) Then swap headlights and do the same thing again. There's a left and right adjustment as well as up and down. The beams should overlap in the middle of the road.

The Kizashi has the separate low and high beam bulbs, but there is only one set of L-R and U-D adjusters for each headlight. Once you adjust high beam the low beam will be in the correct position. (If you try adjusting low beam up for better lighting your high beam will be out of wack and useless.)

head light adjusters.jpg (35.04 KiB) Viewed 6898 times

[bootymac]

Here in India, the Kizashi comes only in one spec with an option for either the Manual or the CVT. Neither of which come with HIDs just the usual halogens with a low beam projector.

Roads are very poorly lit here so I desperately need a better lighting solution. To me, it seems like the cut off in the Kzashi, is way too low. Perhaps it is because the Indian car has a ground clearance of a 155mm and the headlamps haven't been leveled properly or something like that? Essentially, I want a long list of changes to the car- HIDs for both the low and the high beams, and projectors for both (either a bi-xenon type setup or twin projectors) which I would like to give me an even spread of brighter light that also illuminates the road farther. Is there anyway to do this? Unfortunately I'm a proper noob when it comes to this sort of stuff (hope my requirements even made sense) so help would be really appreciated.


Thanks

Since the low beam already has a projector you can simply use a drop in H7 HID kit. A temperature of 4300K would be brightest. With HIDs, you can expect 3000-3500 lumens compared to a halogen bulb's 1500.

HIDs aren't advised for high beams since they don't have a projector but it's doable if you need the light in certain situations. Another drop in H7 kit will work

If you have fog lights you can run brighter H9 bulbs (2100 lumens vs 1350) after simple modifications to the bulb. Fogs won't work while the high beams are on though.

And as already stated, adjusting your aim can make a big difference.

[KuroNekko]

Here in India, the Kizashi comes only in one spec with an option for either the Manual or the CVT. Neither of which come with HIDs just the usual halogens with a low beam projector.
Roads are very poorly lit here so I desperately need a better lighting solution. To me, it seems like the cut off in the Kzashi, is way too low. Perhaps it is because the Indian car has a ground clearance of a 155mm and the headlamps haven't been leveled properly or something like that? Essentially, I want a long list of changes to the car- HIDs for both the low and the high beams, and projectors for both (either a bi-xenon type setup or twin projectors) which I would like to give me an even spread of brighter light that also illuminates the road farther. Is there anyway to do this? Unfortunately I'm a proper noob when it comes to this sort of stuff (hope my requirements even made sense) so help would be really appreciated.
Thanks

I agree with murcod and bootymac. Check the aim first and make sure they are optimally aimed.

I also suggest getting an aftermarket HID kit for the low beams. Get a high quality kit and don't get a color temp higher than 5000K. 4300K is actually the best for road illumination.
I installed a kit and did a write-up. After the write up, I posted on-the-road photos to give you a sense of how well they work. Keep in mind I took the photos in a pitch black area of the countryside on a moon-less night. It could not have been any darker when I took the photos that night.
Check them out here:
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... =32&t=2861

I advise using high quality halogens for high beams. I believe the Indian-spec models don't have Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) however, HID bulbs don't hold up well unless they are used continuously like low beams. If you are adventurous, you can try LED high beams like I have. I actually love their high beam performance in the darkness.

I also advise upgrading the fog lights if you have them. If not, get them. Fog lights illuminate the road directly in front of the car and are also great for casting light to the front sides of the car.

If you upgrade all of the bulbs (low, high, and fog), you will be just fine with the factory headlight. My headlight is OEM, but all my bulbs are aftermarket set-ups. My car's lights are like howitzers to the darkness.

[murcod]

Fogs won't work while the high beams are on though.

Really? Is that some USA/ Canada law, or a Kizashi thing?

I haven't got them on my Kizashi but other vehicles I've owned with factory fogs they'd work with parkers, low and high beam.