The Morimoto XB Hybrid 12-15 LED headlight review

I appreciate the information. I’ve never installed something like on any vehicle I’ve owned.

it’s the whole fuse connection part that’s confusing me. The instructions say to connect the fuse to the fuse box in the engine bay but then I’ve read where others install inside the cab fuse box. I don’t understand the difference.

as for the drls coming on sporadically for a few minutes when the truck is off, I assume this doesn’t drain the battery?

 

I have these on my 13 Tacoma and in the installation instructions for the 12-15 shows to use the fuse tap on the inside fuse box on the IG1 NO.2 fuse. Thats where I did mine and they do not sporadically come on at all, they come on bright when I start my truck then dim slightly when I turn the parking lights and headlights on.

 

The efi fuse they tell you to tap occasionally gets power when the truck is off for tests that it runs which is why the lights come on. It won’t kill the battery but that’s why people are wiring it to a different fuse inside that gets key on power.

 

For the 12-15 Tacomas they don’t tell you to tap the efi fuse they specifically tell you to tap the fuse in the pic I posted above. Its right on their website in the installation instructions under the description where you order the headlights.

 

Got it, thanks

 

So is there the ability to tap into the DRL on the turn signal wand? or a fuse some place as far as the DRL that i can turn on and off from inside the truck?

2013 Sport model

 

No thats not how these work. By tapping into the fuse they direct you to use the drl comes on when you start your truck, you cannot shut it off from the turn signal, only by shutting off the ignition. The drl only dims when you turn your parking or headlights on. Our trucks are not wired for them to be able to do anything else the way they are designed.

 

It may be doable. If anyone is near @Puppypunter (Denver) and has these and time to be without their truck, he might be able to design something that I could build for the masses.

 

OK, I am not a 2nd gen guy, but I have made a harness for these. So I am working on the assumption that the 2013 Sport works the same as far as how the DRL's work. And how that would be is basically the same as the 2016+ SR/SR5. The DRL is combined with the turn signal? So if just the DRL is on, the light is bright and then the same bulb blinks with the turn signal? I am hoping @rayban1 is still on here, he is who I made them for. Anyway, I don't recall the specifics (I think @daveeasa will vouch that it is a miracle I even remember building these at all ) Is how I ended up doing it is basically a modified version of the 3rd gen SR to TRD conversion harness I make, but it drove a relay as opposed to driving the DRL direct. There was some concern regarding current pull, so we stuck with a fuse tap. The way I built them though would allow them to work with the stalk switch (so they turned off with the stalk switch, turned on full brightness with DRL and Park, and dimmed with low beams). I think I explored tapping the stalk for the DRL signal, but abandoned that idea as I had no way to test further, I know that on the 3rd gen, the DRL acts different than you would think it does. It remains grounded with the park and low beam selection, so it would need a relay to break the signal when the low beams are selected. I hope this makes sense? I'm sure it doesn't help much though....

 

thanks for the great review!!! im learning so much about headlight design. I did a few years in factory race teams and we threw the book out the window and went full blinding lights lol.

I really hope manufacturers are contacting you for consults or at least taking notes from your review.

 

I just installed mine on my 2013 trd and they are not pre aimed at factory specs I got the vertical adjusted both off one way higher than the other but the horizontal screws have black caps on them I'm assuming come off? I didn't noticed pre install or would have taken them off if they come off ? . Looks like taking inner fender partially off you can access them .

 

That’s pretty annoying.

 

This set definitely seems like the one to beat, for our 2nd gens. Thanks for the write-up!

 

Got any pics!?

 

Just had a similar discussion with my buddy who wanted to replace his OEM Acura TSX headlights with aftermarket ones.
Trying to explain to him how much R&D/money car manufactures spend on headlight tech to give you the best there is.
He isn’t a car guy so it’s not crystal clear to him, I’ll probably just forward him this thread .
I’ve been modding cars for a long time now, I’ve never seen a aftermarket headlight worth a damn. The build quality alone is always enough of a deterrent for me. I’m sure they might exist though….
And the ones on a Singer Porsche don’t count! lol

 

I don't have these headlights, just browsing the OP's review.

 

Horizontal adjustment on these headlights is an absolute PITA. The passenger side is the hardest... the drivers you can get at with extensions and a ratchet if you remove or move the battery. I never fully adjusted my passenger side horizontal because it was just impossible to reach.
Odd though.. my adjusters didn't have those black covers on them like you have... you'll need to remove that unfortunately.
In my opinion the best looking headlights out for a 2nd gen.

 

This thread might be interested in this post. Morimoto never manufactured these headlights, they were manufactured by CoPlus, and now Morimoto has lost the exclusive rights to these headlights as CoPlus moves away from Wheel Pros/Morimoto.

 

I got the plastic covers off and adjusted but the driver's side cut off is annoying I tried my best to show it in this pic but the passenger side is smooth and rounds off to the right and the drivers is flat than angels up and over . I can see it on the road and looks like it should be filled in . It's not a smooth cut off at all almost like I have to passenger side headlights ...

 

Your cutoff looks correct, you just need to raise the driver side a little bit.