Bumper Removal, Headlight Removal, and HID Kit Installation

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delusional29
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:22 am

Thanks for the great info. I ended up going with these for the replacement fog lamps:
SOCAL-LED H11 H8 Fanless LED Conversion Kit 60W: https://goo.gl/G3H4Ef

As for the DRLs and High beams. Those bulb (top bulbs) are working just fine, so I'm leaving them alone. The ones below (position bulbs) I may swap out. For those, I ordered these: T10 LED Bulbs 1.5W Super Bright 6000K: https://goo.gl/NVpLcb

Thanks again for the tips!

DeL
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delusional29
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:22 am

Ok. So I'm stuck. Everything is mounted but I can't figure out where this plugs into from the HD harness and relays? Anyone?

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

delusional29 wrote:Ok. So I'm stuck. Everything is mounted but I can't figure out where this plugs into from the HD harness and relays? Anyone?

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DeL
As the tag states, that's for the OEM Input meaning the headlight control. It needs an adapter that plugs into one of the car's headlight harnesses that the H7 bulb would otherwise connect to. Because the Morimoto kit uses an HD Relay harness to power the kit, you don't need to connect the ballasts to each of the car's headlight harnesses for power. However, you still need to connect to at least one of the harnesses to control the kit's function (to turn on and off the headlights). There should be only one of those OEM Input harnesses and there should be a separate adapter that connects to it that fits into a female H7 harness inside the headlight. Going back through my many installation photos from my kit, I found a picture of the adapter I'm talking about. You need to plug the labeled adapter (pictured below) into the harness you photographed and then connect the small red and black blades into one of the headlight's female H7 harnesses.
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2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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delusional29
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:22 am

Thanks. I ended up figuring it out but your new photos confirm that I did it right. I actually looked up how to install on YouTube and they all said to connect to only one headlight out put so that the relay can get the signal to activate.
Turned out, I removed the adapter in BOTH grommets. Snip, snip! I misunderstood your instructions that you didn't need that part. Turns out it was only the right side you didn't need.
Luckily when I snipped it I saved the parts so I crimped it back together. (I have the proper tools and connectors so it was easy).

Here's my new quick disconnects I used to fix it:
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Installed:
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Crimped wire on the outside:
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Also, to make things interesting my harness was slightly different than yours. It's actually improved a bit with only one Universal ground which you connect directly to the battery. The ballasts also had different mounting brackets. But I made it work. (In this pic it's hooked up wrong.)

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Last but not least, you only need one relay to fix the flickering issue. I bought two by mistake. LOL. You can see it hooked up incorrectly in that pic above of my updated harness.

Here's a final pic I snapped quickly after install.
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Looks great! Now I'm heading out to align my headlights at my local indoor parking garage.

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

First, congrats on getting it all installed and working.
I have come to realize that there are some points in my old write-up that are a bit confusing. I apologize, but I'm glad you got it resolved with the control input wire. Yes, you need to keep one, but don't need it for the other side. You're also correct about the need for only one capacitor in the kit to stabilize the voltage. I was told this by the folks I ordered it from. However, I was able to connect them to each ballast so I simply used one on each side and it's been working great. My LED DRLs have a capacitor on each side too.
Lastly, you're correct about how the kit is different than mine. Morimoto has since updated the kit so things aren't exactly the same. The ballasts are slightly different in design and the bulbs are offered in different color temps. Regardless, they are similar enough and parts are interchangeable.

If you haven't already, I suggest you remove the horizontal adjustment covers on the headlights so you can fully adjust the headlights.

Let me know how you're liking the new headlight system.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

I wanted to update this thread to state the following:
I have recently passed the 5 year anniversary of installing this kit. The 5 year mark is also the end of the warranty offered by TRS/Morimoto for this 35W kit. Personally, I found the kit quite remarkable given the very generous warranty span that most won't dare come close to and more importantly, the fact that I didn't need to use it. Yup, my Kizashi is still running the same bulbs and ballasts from the original install over 5 years ago. While I've had to install capacitors to stabilize the current to prevent slight flickering at idle (after installing electrical accessories like a dash cam, phone charger, etc.), the original kit has been reliable and offered superior lighting.

As I've stated many times on this forum, an HID kit upgrade is the cure for the halogen bulb headache common with this car. While I think LEDs may work just as well, they are more of a trial-and-error application compared to the generally more powerful and focused light output of HID bulbs in halogen-intended projector headlights.

When my HID kit components do eventually fail, I will install the LED kit I currently have in the high beam/DRLs into the low beam projectors just to test them out however, will likely resort to installing new Morimoto HID components for the low beams.

As for my LED kit for the high beam/DRLs, these too are performing flawlessly. I have since also installed capacitors to counter the flickering from the PWM of the DRL system intended for halogen bulbs. This makes the bulbs operate nearly at full power as DRLs but I don't really see that as a problem anymore, especially given all the brighter OE LED DRL systems found on newer cars. My Kizashi's LED DRLs seem to just blend right in among them on the road. As high beams in the dark, the light is more scattered than halogen bulbs, but the light output is significant and functions decently as high beams to illuminate a wider and further area.

Both the HIDs and LEDs have been significant upgrades over halogen bulbs with far greater longevity which is appreciated in this car given how cumbersome the bulb replacement process is.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

At approximately eight and a half years after the installation of the Morimoto XB35 HID kit, the system has finally failed. An HID ballast on the passenger side stopped working and after swap-testing bulbs, I confirmed it was the ballast that failed. 8.5 years is excellent for a lifespan of an HID system that pumps out at least double the light of halogens. The warranty on the kit was a generous 5 years and I never needed it.

While I could replace the system entirely, I decided to make use of parts that still work and also keep using the newer bulbs I put in to replace the originals. Hence, I decided to replace just the ballasts so I could keep using the HD Relay harness with the accessory capacitors I installed. As for the ballasts themselves, I decided to try Hylux 45W ballasts. Hylux is another reputable brand sold by TRS that apparently now collaborates with Morimoto in designing HID kits. I wanted to try 45 watts to boost output without overdriving the HID bulbs too much like a 55W kit. I figured it was a good compromise and given getting just the ballasts were close to half the price of a new kit, it made sense to me.

I'm choosing to stick with HIDs because I already have other parts for it but it's also a system that has served me well and better than LED kits, which are hit or miss in fitment and performance. While LED kits are now much better than several years ago, I'm still not convinced they are better in projector housings designed for halogen bulbs like that in the Kizashi. I recommend and use them myself for the DRL/high beams but I think they are less important than low beams.

For those who are considering HIDs as a solution to the troublesome short-lived halogen bulbs in the Kizashi, I want to reiterate my recommendation for a quality HID system like Morimoto.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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delusional29
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:22 am

Good to hear that you got a good experience out of the Miramoto kit. For me, mine lasted a little over 2 years, but had intermittent problems with the ballasts throughout the time I had the kit installed. I had to swap ballasts a couple of times and the problems remained where it would work perfectly one day and then not work another.

So I took the system out completely, and ended up going with LED bulbs (no ballasts) and never looked back. It's been over 2 years and not one hiccup with the NEW LEDs in place. These are fantastic! Plus (to my surprise) they look JUST a good as the previous HID lights I had in there. I'm guessing technology on the car LEDs has finally caught up.

Here's a list of what I bought (all on Amazon which is great if you need to return anything, IMHO):

Low Beam LED bulbs - 6000K: $59.99 (10% off at checkout at the time of this writing) They require a slight adjustment to the bulb by loosening an allen screw (it comes with the allen key) to make the bulb output LED face up when installed.
https://amzn.to/3fnbKgc

Fog Lamp LED bulbs - 6000K: $38.50 (it says they don't fit Kizashi, but they are indeed a perfect drop in replacement).
https://amzn.to/3Sd6BWP

Standby lights: $14.99
https://amzn.to/3C76V3O

If I had to do it again, I would use the LED bulbs, however, I probably would have swapped my high beams out as well since I was already in there with the bumper dropped. But I'm not going to take it all apart again just for that...

Del
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KuroNekko
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Location: California, USA

I didn't post on this yet but oddly enough, when I initially installed the new Hylux ballasts, the same side that didn't work with the old Morimoto failed too. I then checked and greased every connection with dielectric grease until it worked. I'm now thinking that maybe my old Morimoto ballast didn't actually fail but instead I had a connection issue I missed. Oh well. The Hylux 45W ballasts are a noticeable performance upgrade in output performance so I can't complain maybe other than now, the HID bulb return wire shadow is more noticeable. I recommend HID kits in the Kizashi to use Type B bulbs that have the return wire on the other side to reduce the shadow in output.

As for LED kits, I agree they have definitely caught up and some are excellent and arguably superior to HIDs. I have LEDs in my Kizashi high beams but the output pattern is not great and I've had more stability issues with them than my HIDs. However, rechecking the connections always remedies the issues so I don't think it's component failure. I also have an LED kit in my Suzuki V-Strom that is absolutely excellent in replicating the halogen output pattern but with a brighter white light that significantly improved road visibility. It was this kit that convinced me some LED kits are now excellent replacements for halogens.

Back to the Kizashi and LEDs, you just have to be more careful about the bulb (with the large heatsink/fan) fitting into the sealed headlight unless you opt to have the cap off. However, this will risk dirt, bugs, and moisture into the headlight. That being said, LED conversion kits are definitely getting better and smaller in design compared to the past.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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SAEED_KIZZY
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Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:31 pm

theoretically, we do not need RELAY and separate power from the battery we can use power from inside of the headlight because the car can drive up to 15A for each headlight. (according to the service manual) still, I think it is better to use separate ground connected to chase and directly connected to Blast to be on the safe side. that's what I did for the past 5 years no problem so far.


finding a good place to mount Blast is challenging for me until I found this bracket in front of the AC radiator.
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