Retrofitting LED headlights into 2014 leaf S?

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NasGoreList

Well-known member
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
140
Location
Falls Chruch, VA
Got the car little over two weeks ago and I am really enjoying it, however halogen headlight leave a lot to be desired in terms of night time visibility. I almost felt like i was driving old car with worn out headlights.

So my question is following: if i get used LED headlights from ebay will they be plug and play in my model S or is there additional hardware required to make them work?
 
They don't seem to have auto-leveling like HID so it would seem to me they should work with minimal swapping. Did you get the whole housings? You will need those. Other than that I would think it is just mating up the wires.
 
MikeinDenver said:
They don't seem to have auto-leveling like HID so it would seem to me they should work with minimal swapping. Did you get the whole housings? You will need those. Other than that I would think it is just mating up the wires.

if you have LEDs on yours can you please do me a favor and check to see are there any additional ballasts outside the headlight assembly.

or should I go with LED conversion kit like this one from Amazon that Phatcat73 installed on his Leaf?
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=16569#p366240

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...-20&/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

71CSzYBa8gL._SL1500_.jpg
 
I can check tonite or tomorrow. On initial inspection before I didn't see any but I wasn't really looking for them. Personally I would go with the whole housing as just like HID bulbs in halogen housings I don't think they will have the proper beam pattern. Looking at mine the housing is specifically made for the output of the LEDs.
 
So I looked around and I can't see any ballasts. It is hard to tell exactly where they plug in but here is a picture where you can see the actual LEDs are down in the light and the housing is different from a halogen housing.

I will try to keep looking.

20140516_203959_zps50f1slyx.jpg
 
I took a closer look at the led headlights listed on ebay, looks like ballast is mounted on the bottom of the headlight.

So this really boils down to confirming that the headlight connections are the same for halogen and LED headlights. I should just stop by dealer and take a peak to see what the headlight connectors look like for each.
 
I thought about this for awhile and weighed the option of buying used ebay slightly broken for $500 and installing them myself. Ended up buying the H13 LED units on ebay for $80. Got them in 3 days and installed. Low beam is very bright. Cannot tell about high beam yet. Everything seems good at the moment. My experience with chinese Bike LEDs is very positive, so I am optimistic that they will last. I used phatcat3 procedure and it went smoothly. Only difference was that I was able to dig up some thin plastic washers to fill in rather than using 2 silicone washers.
 
so you are second adopter of aftermarket LED kit, also with positive feedback.

this kit is fraction of the cost to replace headlights with OEM LED ones, only downside could be their longevity/reliability

I also found this LED kit that has somewhat more advanced bulb design and produces higher light output, but also costs twice as much.

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http://www.automotivelightstore.com/ORACLEH13LEDHeadlightReplacementBulbs.aspx
Hyper Luminance
These LED bulbs are designed to outperform standard halogen bulbs, and match the brightness
and kelvin color of 6000K HID bulbs. Each bulb emits 2,200 lumens rivaling the top of the line HID bulbs.

Heat Dissipation
The unique construction and design of each bulb allows for efficient heat dissipation. A slim fan is built into each bulb
making it cool to the touch even after hours of continuous use, unlike HID bulbs which can reach melting temperatures.

Light Pattern
Each bulb is designed specifically to allow a more fluid light pattern, further light visibility, and anti-glare against
oncoming traffic. Each bulb also has both high beam and low beam functions.

Waterproof and Dustproof
The ORACLE Hl3 LED Headlight Bulbs are rated at an IP65 Waterproof rating, and are also
dustproof and shockproof, removing the hassle of changing bulbs due to shattering.

Product Specs:
Lumens: 2,200 lm (per bulb)
Lifetime: 40,000 hrs
Wattage: 56 W total (28 W per bulb)
Technology: 2x14 W CREE LED (per bulb)
Input Voltage: 9VDC-32VDC
100% Plug & Play: H13 Connector
Flicker-Free
Shockproof,Dustproof and Waterproof.
2 Year Manufacturer Warranty.

Product Contents:
2 x ORACLE H13 LED Headlight Replacement Bulbs
2 x H13 Compact LED Drivers
 
I looked at something similar to those on ebay. They look like maybe nicer product for not much more money. Harder to find from US shippers and procedure for install of the others was already out there.
 
sulfate125 said:
I looked at something similar to those on ebay. They look like maybe nicer product for not much more money. Harder to find from US shippers and procedure for install of the others was already out there.

how does your bulb look like?

T2T1AVXD0XXXXXXXXX_!!46766931.jpg
 
they should make a less f-ugly headlight while they are at it. why does the leaft headlights sit up 3" above the body? worst styling faux pas ive ever seen. if they made a flush headlight, the front end (at least) would look acceptable.
 
Aerodynamics. It's been discussed in detail here before...

a2t said:
they should make a less f-ugly headlight while they are at it. why does the leaft headlights sit up 3" above the body? worst styling faux pas ive ever seen. if they made a flush headlight, the front end (at least) would look acceptable.
 
As also seen on the Juke... :roll:

Those weren't added for aerodynamics but rather so that Juke owners can feel they're driving a unique car. Unique is a good word for it. A polite word.
 
They're fugly somebody needs to release normal looking lights. Flush to body nothing is under there plenty of room.
 
a2t said:
They're fugly somebody needs to release normal looking lights. Flush to body nothing is under there plenty of room.

I had seen elsewhere that the flare in the headlights was to deflect just enough air so that the side mirrors did not make excessive buffeting sounds at highway speeds. And I suppose the lack of buffeting sounds implies overall improved aerodynamics as well.
 
a2t said:
they should make a less f-ugly headlight while they are at it. why does the leaft headlights sit up 3" above the body? worst styling faux pas ive ever seen. if they made a flush headlight, the front end (at least) would look acceptable.

Thanks to the electric drive the vehicle is very quiet. By removing the motor noise, other noises that were normally unnoticeable, became annoying. Among those, iirc, were the windshield wiper-motors and turbulence around the side mirrors. A special windshield-wiper motor was developed instead of using an off-the-shelf part. For the side mirror noise, the headlight profile was altered so as to split the airflow around the mirror:

LEAF_headlight_mirror_airflow_4623330019_2a751d5498_o.jpg


I like form to follow function and so I have no problems with the headlight design. In fact I quite like it. From an aesthetic standpoint I find them attractive and somewhat sensual. Try closing your eyes next time you're washing the car. :lol:
 
Back on the LED headlight bulbs: what is the wattage of these? The Amazon site mentions 50W, which is the same as typical halogen bulbs, so there would not be any energy savings.

What I am hoping for is a 15-20W LED bulb, that is better and somewhat brighter. Jumping from ~1400 lumens all the way to 3600 seems like they cannot be legal, or at least you will gain the ire of other drivers.

Edit: here are some 24W / 28W H4 LED bulbs that are 2200 / 2500 lumens:

http://www.amazon.com/Generic-2500L..._2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1414980237&sr=1-2
 
When you try to use a plug-in replacement LED in place of a bulb with a filament, you get a giant crock of crap.

Headlamp reflectors and lenses are Engineered to direct light from a specific source location, in a well defined way to
a well delineated target.

LED replacements NEVER provide light from the same place or in the same way.
If you don't care.. use a kerosene lantern and walk in front of your car ringing a gong.
Neither of which will deplete your battery, and wont be much worse, functionally.. and safer for other drivers ! :mrgreen: :twisted: :roll:

Fail Guaranteed.

Either get the Nissan Parts in their entirety... or leave well enough alone.

You will save somebody's neck...
 
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