Wanting to Downgrade from Factory LEDs to Halogens

Terrible downgrade imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIitjokEJwg

How about $485 considering you bought them as a factory option that came with led fogs as opposed to the $1200-$1500 that everyone else is shelling out to buy them over the counter plus another $100 give or take for a conversion harness? Oh, and the $485 is msrp. Better knock off an additional 10%.

 

respect for not caring about everyone elses opinion and doing what u wanted to with your truck.

 

Why don’t I just throw them in the garbage?

 

Ugh, because halogens are garbage in comparison.

 

That amber strip is nice!!
Halogen projectors with 4600k DDM ultra HID kits are perfect for me.

 

Unpopular opinion: The tacoma halogen headlights are not bad at all compared with halogen headlights on other trucks.

 

The 3rd gen *halogen* Tacoma headlights are poor performing in general and particularly poor when compared to the OEM LED option as well as the impressive performance of OEM 2nd gen Tacoma halogen reflectors. They earned a P in 2016 and only earn an M today, I believe due to the auto headlight option and how IIHS rates for tech.

All of this is well documented in @crashnburn80's independent independent testing where he compares stock halogen bulbs, various bulb upgrades, and the OEM LED headlight side-by-side.

Many of us would prefer a 5000k or even better, 4000k option. Many of us run halogen headlights in other vehicles. In this instance, it seems pretty clear which headlight choice is the best performing option. Cost is significant, though, so I fully understand anyone deciding that it's not an important upgrade to justify the expense. But the downgrade, going from LED to Halogen, it looks like this:

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/toyota/tacoma-crew-cab-pickup/2023#headlights

LED:


Halogen:


So, that's a significant and noticeable tradeoff for different cosmetics.

 

Correct on the Poor to Marginal test improvement. Last line notes that the auto high beam compensates for the inadequate low beam.

 

Facts and figure doesn't matter to some who wants yellow-piss color headlights.
This is still America, and it is your truck, do what you want with it.

Hey, anyone knows a good peni$ reduction surgeon, I think my packer is too long. I need a downgrade.

 

Warmer colored halogen headlights have performance advantages in poor weather conditions. Some may prefer that over the higher color temp of LED, even if that means sacrificing some output intensity.

 

I held off an buying my new tacoma until I found the one I wanted that had LED headlights. Seems odd to me that someone would want to downgrade, but to each his own I guess.

 

you can switch out the L DRL for amber, diode dynamics has it for sale but you need to open up the headlight.

 

Don’t listen to the LED fan boys, just put good H9’s (edited) in your low beams after snipping off the tab- works very well. Spend the money you save instead of a LED upgrade on something else…

 

Confusing advice. OEM low beam is H11. Perhaps you meant H9's? No tab base trimming is needed there, just pop out green center plastic. Metal tab trimming as needed for insertion (I trim on my Odyssey, many better people than me can get them in without trimming).

Fully agreed on the upgrade costs. However, the benefits are pretty clear, hence why some (many) question anyone choosing to downgrade from OEM LED to Halogen.

Upgrading is entirely a different matter, cost/benefit tradeoffs, ability to melt snow, amount of time spent driving in darker conditions, sensitivity to 6000k vs 2700k, etc.

 

Oops- corrected! Thanks!
Yeah- I was thinking of going to LEDs also but then used crashnburn’s suggestion of just trimming the tab off a H9 with a diagonal cutter and putting it in the H11 low beam socket, works great!

 

I upgraded my tacoma from the halogen housing to the led ones, I like them but the high beams in my opinion are lack luster.

 

where did you find this chart?

 

The green center plastic pops out quickly and easily. I also sell H9 OEM grade connectors for those who desire yellow center plastic for low beams. Saves the 10s to trim the bulb base tab, fewer shards of plastic and less knife work, also easier to swap on the road with one less thing to deal with.

IIHS:

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/toyota/tacoma-crew-cab-pickup/2023#headlights

FWIW, the Toshiba 9011 HIR high beams in my wife's Odyssey are far more impressive than OEM LED in my Tacoma (speaking only of the high beams). The T4R, with a 9005 high beam bulb, has the option of HIR 9011 for high beam and I'd like to see what the driving experience is there. One upside, for high beams specifically, aux driving lights can be employed (SS5's seem to be beasts).

But, in general, I hear you and don't disagree on the "they don't blow me away". However, I don't get to use high beams often, as I'm sandwiched in semi-urban residential world. Maybe someday I can get a cabin in the woods and be a hermit so I can play more with high beams