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LED vs HID headlights

10K views 37 replies 13 participants last post by  jysong7 
#1 ·
So I have done some reading, and everything is always conflicting. I read people love their LED headlights, while others swear that they are not good in projector headlights like we have.

I currently have a brand new set of LEDs waiting to go in. I was wondering if I should just put them in and see how it looks, or just get a pair of HIDs and put the LEDs in the high beams.

Also, what kind of stretches do you guys do to get to your headlights? lol. I was having a hard time getting the dust cover off and gave up. Granted it was a lot colder out and didnt want to stand outside for too long.
 
#2 ·
I only have experience with HID, but I highly recommend that if you're doing either, you do a proper projector retrofit so you get the most out of the new lighting system period. LED or HID, neither belong in factory halogen projector headlight assemblies at all. It won't look all that great, and you'll have light bleed (glare for incoming drivers) whenever they're on.

Dust cover just twists off (counterclockwise).
 
#15 ·
I only have experience with HID, but I highly recommend that if you're doing either, you do a proper projector retrofit so you get the most out of the new lighting system period. LED or HID, neither belong in factory halogen projector headlight assemblies at all. It won't look all that great, and you'll have light bleed (glare for incoming drivers) whenever they're on.
Dust cover just twists off (counterclockwise).
I have 2018 hyundai sonata 2.4L sport? From this discussion if LEDs are bad, what size do I look for HID? Im a newbie, do I have to change each bulb for low and high beam bulb? According to the user manual. I dont like the halogens.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Depending on your trim, you may have halogen projectors or HID projectors. Both are designated for what they're designed for, not a substitute. LEDs belong in LED projectors not in halogen projectors, same for HID and halogen. Sport has halogen projectors, I know for sure. I think Limited has HID from factory and there's a trim that has LED but Im not sure which.

And it's not "refractors"... it's "reflectors"; I'm 100.9% sure that's what you mean. These are used for old school halogen-powered headlamp systems... and waaaaay old factory D1R/D2R setups... first-gen Acura RLs have them and I think some older Benzes.
 
#7 ·
Either way, there are getting one or the other.

Then again, they might get neither since I cant seem to take the dust caps off since robot 209 tightened the things to the moon, and I am not Dhalsim from Street Fighter and cant yoga stretch my arms into those tight places. lol.
 
#8 ·
Either way, there are getting one or the other.

Then again, they might get neither since I cant seem to take the dust caps off since robot 209 tightened the things to the moon, and I am not Dhalsim from Street Fighter and cant yoga stretch my arms into those tight places. lol.
lmao! ya either way, good luck. just remember what you're actually doing lol :wink:
 
#9 ·
Don't get LEDs. I don't know why everyone gets hyped up over aftermarket LEDs because they suck. They have good color, but it causes so much glare for oncoming drivers even if they are in projector headlights. All these "9000 lumen" LEDs aren't actually 9000 lumen too. They have a short throw and seems brighter than stock lights because they light up a lot of the foreground. I have done projector retrofits and can tell you that HIDs are the way to go. The aftermarket LED's are not up to competition right now.
 
#17 ·
It's because probably because LEDs are such an easy upgrade and cheaper.....Plug N Play. Meanwhile with HiD you need the whole conversion kit done, and done properly. No doubt they are much better but I'm not driving down country roads that often, and when I do I'll put my High Beams on usually, which I keep stock. But for a slight upgrade in brightness and looks, LEDs are the bees knees.
 
#10 ·
Thats what Ive read elsewhere as well. I got them for christmas, and thought about just putting them in the high beams since they are REFLECTORS. LOL. I still cant get the dust caps off either side of either bulb though. Ive had other people try as well. Maybe gotta shoot some PBblast or something? Ive watched vids of 15-17 Sonatas and people pop those covers off like they are pringles. Meanwhile Im trying to get the preachers daughter to show me her ankle.
 
#12 ·
i have led's in our reflector housings, been well over a year, and i have NEVER been flashed at night. i also had a retired hiway patrol stand in the street while i drove by, and he said he could tell the lights were brighter, but no real increased glare. from inside the car, the led is amazing. we have a lot of unlit back roads here, and i used to drive with the fogs on, and frequently used hi beams. no longer, the led are so good, fogs are not needed. the biggest improvement i can see, is that all the reflectors really shine back. stuff like the reflectors in the center of the road(where available), driveway and mailbox markers, telephone pole markers, anything reflective really stands out. lhd lights are fluted to cast more light to the right side, and the led's do this way better than the halogens. led are instant on, cost WAY less than hid, and use way less power. lifespan is really long, they will outlast the car. led is plug and play, i did not re-aim. no ballast, resistors, extra wiring. however, the problem with hi beam led, is that our drl uses hi beams, but on reduced power. most led will not work, and if they do, then on full power, they are less bright than halogen. the newer led bulbs seem to have solved this problem, but i could not get them to fit. i think that those who THINK hid is better, have not tried the newest led bulbs. i read several posters who said they had hid on other cars, and led was better.
 
#19 ·
Lemme guess. Another "you have to do retrofits period" guy? Ive ran into more than one of those guys on many of forums. While I get what you are saying, Im not retrofitting when an easy adjustment is going to be fine. FWIW, I got flashed in my 13 Elantra with stock headlights. Maybe I should have done a retrofit. LOL.

I have 2018 hyundai sonata 2.4L sport? From this discussion if LEDs are bad, what size do I look for HID? Im a newbie, do I have to change each bulb for low and high beam bulb? According to the user manual. I dont like the halogens.
For the 18s, its still 9005.

Not that I know 100%. Still cant get the god **** dust covers off. I really dont want to drop the front bumper for headlights, but Im starting to not have a choice here.
 
#20 ·
facepalm facepalm facepalm
Lemme guess. Another "you have to do retrofits period" guy? Ive ran into more than one of those guys on many of forums. While I get what you are saying, Im not retrofitting when an easy adjustment is going to be fine. FWIW, I got flashed in my 13 Elantra with stock headlights. Maybe I should have done a retrofit. LOL.
I'd be lying to you if I said you were wrong.
11th and 12gen Corollas with factory LED also get flashed because they weren't aimed properly during manufacture. I'm just saying, you're gonna miss out on a lot by not doing a retrofit. I've had HIDs in halogen reflectors and projectors, and its not good at all. You may be better off with HIDS and trimming the bulb tabs...

Try using some scissors or pliers to pop those dust covers off though.
 
#18 ·
I have tried both HIDs and LEDs aftermarket kits in my Santa Fe Sport and what I can tell from my experience is LEDs throws a lot of light up front however it does not go the distance as HID's down the road. My experience with them is extensive night time driving to and from the Rockies in winter here in Alberta Canada. In the end I put the LED's into my fogs and only use them outside of the city on the highways.
 
#21 ·
I've used both aftermarket HID's and LED's. I have LED's in both the Elantra and Tucson projectors. I have no issue with distance, I have light throw at least as far as the factory halogens. They are properly aimed and glare is also not an issue. And no, these are not 9000LM LED's.....lol
 
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