2019 SR5 Dim Headlamp Solution

So…I know there are several threads here about the abysmal headlamps (low beam) on the Gen-3 SR5…but I’m too lazy to read all of them

Can you guys give me some grace, and tell me what the best plug & play solution is? I’ve spent over $1000 on my truck since I got it, and I’m pretty tapped…so the best bang-for-the-buck solution would be great!

Thanks!

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/

See post #2 for summaries.

 

How are the lens? Are they clouded? You can polish them and it will help (assuming it is a problem).

 

Try H9s bulbs

 

Only $1000? Amateur! We have guys on this site who have refinanced their homes so they could upgrade their Tacomas. You better step your game up if you wanna hang with us!

 

This is the first I’ve heard that my headlamps suck. First my engine, then my transmission, then my fuel pump, my leaf spring hangers, the brake and accelerator pedals are too far apart, and my inclinometer only goes to 30 degrees. I’m burning my truck and buying a Prius.

On the serious side, there are a ton of threads on lights on the forum. Use your favorite internet search engine. The built-in site search leaves a lot to be desired.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...AQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp&safari_group=7

 

Well, you’re not wrong

 

This. I put these in my 2019 SR5:

$11 Philips 12361B1 H9 Standard Halogen Replacement Headlight Bulb, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003YMPN3A?ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

The bulbs fit into the headlights themselves no problem, but the wire connector that plugs into the bulb requires a plastic tab on the bulb to be trimmed away (at least it did on my truck). I used a sharp chisel, but a utility knife or an exacto would do the trick just as well.

H9’s are a noticeable improvement over the stock H11’s for less than $25.

 

The H9 or high performance H11 bulb upgrades are great, but none will help unless your lights are properly aimed. Look up Daniel Stern's site for guidance on that, but don't ever rely on a dealer to aim your lights as they will not know how to do it properly.

 

Thanks! Just ordered a pair.

 

Just pop the green plastic and stash in the glove box, no bulb base mod needed.

or buy H9 connectors from me and de-pin / re-pin. Or just swap to yellow center plastic. But it’s cosmetic rather than functional.

They won’t blow you away. Nor will aiming. Gotta drop $1500 to be actually impressed.

 

I do have the same but different issue. before I changed my car to 21 sr5 I had a car with LED headlights and it seems like my eyes got adapt to it.
My problem is the yellowish color on the sr5 I was wondering if there is an option where the color of the light is white and good and performance as well, with the change of a bulb.
I had the car less than a month and with the bed cover, front bumper and skid plate I am scared that my wife will kill me if I spend another 1k+ on a headlight...

 

Hella's are supposedly slightly whiter:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ector-headlights.589465/page-78#post-21708326

Tungsram +130's might be the whitest compatible bulb and I liked them, but they don't match 5000k and definitely not 6000k.

Keep an eye out for deals on OEM LED as we approach the holidays, it's been 2 years since they debuted so pricing might start to loosen up.

 

Thank you I will read on to the Thread.

 

Your eyes will automatically do chromatic adaptation to the 3200-3400 Kelvin halogens, particularly if you're on a dark road at night. Your brain will perceive them as being white or at least white-ish and will perceive LED lights in other vehicles to be blue-ish by comparison. What really matters is your ability to actually see. I can still remember the first set of Cibié H4/H1 halogens I put in my Datsun 510 somewhere around 1976 and we all thought those were super white. And they were, compared to the old sealed beam tungsten bulbs which were likely around 2500-2700 Kelvin. Of course, the factory LED's are in another league, performance wise and they do measure more like 6500-6800 Kelvin. When I first installed the factory LEDs almost three years ago - January 1st 2020, they measured just over 6800 Kelvin and today the low beams are hovering around 6500K and the high beams measured this morning around 6200 Kelvin.

 

safe answer
i spend my time and read that thread and decided to not deal with testing countless of LED-headlights or paying up to $150 on an LED light-bulb set. and went with and HID kit from Amazon. each kit was 31bucks came with ballast bulbs and plug and play wiring. the only problem with that is that you have to find a spot to bolt the ballast and since i did the fog-lights i had to do it twice.
i spend 2 hours doing this. but the results are great with the HID looks brighter and has the same or more throw than the stock and the LEDs i had in my sonata.

 

Thank you for the input, I don't really have hard time seeing at night But, some Signs were hard to read compare to LEDs. I am going to get the OEM LEDs Later on but I wanted something cheaper option for me to use until my wife cools down a bit or tax season. I have decided to order Tungsgram and try them out for the time being.

 

The least expensive and most effective upgrade to the stock projectors is to do the H9 conversion. The bulbs are under ten bucks and the performance will be as good as you can get with a halogen in those headlamps. You will have to do a very slight mod to the connector. The H9 is the high beam bulb as well.

 

They really should have put more than one projector in the housing in early 3rd models and a better quality projector
I have 2012 toyota with 2 halogen projectors running h11 and the light is white compare to original yellowish sr5.

 

The projector itself has nothing at all to do with the color of the output. It's all about the bulbs. The OEM bulbs are typically Long Life bulbs with lower Kelvin and lower output as well. Without knowing the exact bulbs you're running in your 2012, if they appear significantly whiter, it's very possible that you have blue tinted bulbs, which will appear whiter but really be less bright. For a non coated H11 or H9 bulb, the range of color temperature is not very great - from about 3100Kelvin to almost 3400Kelvin - not a huge difference in the scheme of light.