New Member - 3 Gen owner with headlight issues

Evening everyone...

I'm a new Gen 3 owner, and I love it. My only gripe is the headlights--they are super dim. So I read through the posts on headlights (it won't let me post over there), and I went with the H9 replacement method. I used the Philips H9 route, removed the tab, and the install was super easy.

But I hate to say that I see nearly no difference with the stock bulbs. Right now I have one side replaced with the H9, the other stock. My son and I took it out after it got dark enough tonight, and we had a debate about which side was brighter. Seems counter to all the info here. I was expecting a big bump.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome!

I didn't go the H9 route...I replaced my headlights with OEM LEDs & Dave Easa's Harness. I saw a dramatic difference!

I shoulda got them as a Dealer Install for $480. Instead I paid about $1300, after-the-fact. Live and learn/pay once, cry once.

 

It’s not a dramatic difference. The headlights are rated Poor by IIHS. The bulb swap still has them underperforming stock bulbs on a 2nd Gen IIRC. Halogen projectors are all about form over function. I don’t like them in my Odyssey either.

The OEM LED’s will be noticeably better but come with a big price tag and won’t melt snow. But one of the big differences in my opinion is the color / wavelength. I believe Tacoma OEM LED is 6000k vs 5000 for the 4Runner. Crashnburn80 really likes 4000 and Halogen is around 3000 ish. I like the Tacoma LED headlights but if a 5000k emitter option was available, I’d want to try it out.

The best thing you can do with your halogen headlights is make sure they are aimed properly. Follow the instructions on Daniel Stern’s website for headlight aiming, cutoff down 3” at 25’ and 4” lower for your fog lights (may as well do them at the same time). Do this with normal driving load and half to 3/4 tank of gas, whatever matches your most typical driving setup. The hardest part is finding flat ground with a wall and no curb.

I need to do mine again since I’ve added a shell and swapped suspension. It takes me well over an hour to do.

TLDR, for $6 a bulb, you get numeric improvement but nothing dramatic to the naked eye. This is why crappy LED H11 bulbs sell so well, they blast foreground light and together with the color temp, trick buyers into thinking they are a worthwhile upgrade.

 

Replace both sides with the Philips H9 and see how that improves over the stock.