Headlight question

I have a 2014 prerunner double cab and the headlights seem to be lackluster. Can I just change the bulbs to LED or do I need to change the whole headlight housing to go LED? Is it worth it to go LED? Should I just buy new OEM halogens? I don’t really want to spend $1000 on fancy led headlights but it would be nice to have some bright headlights.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/why-leds-should-not-be-run-in-halogen-reflectors.454371/

You have options, but you will probably be disappointed with LEDs in a reflector housing.

 

The internet says it's a waste of time and money. The headlights on my 07 Tacoma were mediocre, the ones on the 2014 F150 were absolutely horrible and after we bought a 2020 Explorer for my wife that had LED's I had to try something on the F150. I ordered bulbs for about $70 and installed them. I'd read that sometimes you get flickering, I did not.

The internet says they will blind oncoming drivers. Not if they are adjusted properly. The bulbs I bought projected light in a wide, flat pattern. You can rotate the bulb so that the beam of light is horizontal and it doesn't bother oncoming drivers. If you have them turned so the beam is vertical or at an angle they might.

The ones I bought did not project light any farther down the road than the factory bulbs. They were not as good as the LED's on our Explorer but the light was much brighter and white instead of yellow. They made a HUGE difference in my F150. I couldn't see farther down the road like I can with the Explorer, but I could see much clearer.

With that success I ordered a set for the Tacoma. No problem on the passenger side, but the LED bulbs were longer than factory. With the battery just behind the driver's side headlight housing there wasn't room for the bulbs to fit in the housing.

I gave up and have just used factory bulbs in the Tacoma. While I found them to not be ideal, they were acceptable. Perhaps if I had tried another brand of bulbs they may have fit. I just never did.

The factory bulbs in my F150 were unacceptable and I have no regrets going with LED's in that truck. I could have spent several hundred more for complete housings and they would have been even better. But it was well worth the $70 I spent.

 

Lots of information here on how to improve performance of headlights while retaining stock housing.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...grade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/#post-11031383

 

I went this path with the overlay harness and it was a significant improvement. If your headlights are fogged/oxidized you should go ahead and throw a $20 restoration kit and some elbow grease at it as well

 

HERE YA GO, JUST PUT THESE IN, THEYRE AWESOME AND MODEST

 

I felt the same way about my '12 headlights. I went this route:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/

Headlight harness, better bulbs. 20 minute install can always go back to stock under $200 and a totally noticeable upgrade. For me at least.

 

Sorry I can’t help you. Will say the following, everyone I know that has replaced their oem headlights with whatever hasn’t been happy with the replacements for various reasons.
I honestly don’t get the complaints about stock oem headlights. I have a 2009 bought new, still has stock headlights. They are plenty bright for me. I spend lots of time in the night, early morning on dark country roads and dirt forest roads. The lights light the night just fine. I do have a pair of off road lights i occasionally use off road, but I’m fine without those. Anyway you’ll get good information from the knowledgeable people on this site. Welcome to TW.