Can anyone tell me what the best PnP HID system is for the Highlander? I know this has been beaten to death on here but I have yet to see someone stand behind their kit. Thanks
The Retrofit Source. They stand behind their products more than any other HID company I've seen. It would be hard to find a company that beats their customer service. That is assuming you ever have issues. After 1.5-2 years, their parts are still working like new (same can't be said for DDM stuff in the past)
On impulse I did and severely regret it. They said they offered a PNP kit for the 2012, they said they offered free returns if not satisfied, and yes they said they offer free lifetime warranty on the kit. Well..... Bull feathers....to all of that.
Kit is not PNP, there's no connection to the headlight to ballast other than the ole "stick two pins in the adapter" connection and tape it up comments from them. They said they would send proper male h11 connectors, ha, was almost two weeks ago, and still nothing As of today,.
Tried getting a hold of them many times, many ways and its useless. Be warned......
Listen to the guys here who have successfully done it, buy and from a reputable source! Its just not worth the headache dealing with these cut rate companies.
As I follow up....had to buy a connector kit (after they promised to send out weeks ago) to the H11 lights to make a good connection possible. Installed today. And am not pleased to say the least. The lights have a little quiver to them that I find unacceptable and assume would bother other drivers and is a condition I did not see on my Acura or BMW. They will likely be removed tomorrow.
If I buy kit for "The Retrofit Source" which I should have done in the first place, will I experience the same problem? Does anyone know?
I have the 6000K from LightWerkz in my 2013 and love the color. Had them for 3 weeks and no problems, not 1 car flashing back at me or my wife either...
Sounds good, Do you still have "Auto light on" function, or is it disabled with the Morimoto kit?
Cheers
You still have the autolight function, but what I hate about that is when I am in my garage, I stick in the key and the HID comes on because of the darkness, then I start the engine and the HID flickers.
Color of the bulbs are remarkable, purple color output is that of the old Audi S4s and AMG cars...I'll try to get picts.
Quivering....you mean the output is kinda flickering or just not in the same spot consistently?
I've had cheap HID's do that, and no my TRS equipment does not.
And since the HID bulb is on the low beam and the DRL is on the high beam, this will have zero effect on your auto headlights.
Nah... its was just sort of quivering on both bulbs! Was Intermittent, but noticeable so I removed everything. Your right, the ballasts are likely Pieces of crap and would bother others and probably fail soon.
On another note, have tried the H11- H9 conversion this morning. Like you, I was concerned about the extra heat and longevity of the housing.
Making the 12 dollar bulbs fit was a piece of cake. I installed them and the output IS noticeably better, even in daylight! Those extra Lumens really do matter don't they.
I then took my trusty laser temperature gun to compare temps and here is what I found after 10 minutes with HL on full current running in the garage;
H11 Maxed out at 210-212 degrees right at the very back of the bulb. Just off that it was a more reasonable 150-160 degrees and down to 106 on the rubber insulator.
H9 Maxed out at about 225 degrees right at the same location as the H11. and about the same 150-165 degrees and down to 106 on the rubber insulator.
The front lens felt a little warmer on the H9 but not too bad at all. What do you think about this? Difficult to determine what the temps are inside the projector. Does anyone know how much space for temperature Dispersal there is in there? Will it be okay? Has anyone done this already on the projectors in the 2011 or 2012. I think if it survives, it would do me very nicely, lights are now very bright and something I could live with if they don't destroy the housing or would I be better getting a kit from TRS?
And since the HID bulb is on the low beam and the DRL is on the high beam, this will have zero effect on your auto headlights.
I've installed the Morimoto on my 2009 (in Canada with DRL), these units were the bi-xenon type and overall am pleased with the output. One question though, the DRL on my HL seem to be running on the low beam (no difference in output from daytime to night time). I did expect them to be using the high beam at a reduced output for the DRL, but this doesn't seem to be the case for me. Could I possible wired them incorrectly?
Chris...
Last edited by sweeneyp; 11-24-2012 at 02:34 PM.
Reason: fixed quote notation
I then took my trusty laser temperature gun to compare temps and here is what I found after 10 minutes with HL on full current running in the garage;
H11 Maxed out at 210-212 degrees right at the very back of the bulb. Just off that it was a more reasonable 150-160 degrees and down to 106 on the rubber insulator.
H9 Maxed out at about 225 degrees right at the same location as the H11. and about the same 150-165 degrees and down to 106 on the rubber insulator.
The front lens felt a little warmer on the H9 but not too bad at all. What do you think about this? Difficult to determine what the temps are inside the projector. Does anyone know how much space for temperature Dispersal there is in there? Will it be okay? Has anyone done this already on the projectors in the 2011 or 2012. I think if it survives, it would do me very nicely, lights are now very bright and something I could live with if they don't destroy the housing or would I be better getting a kit from TRS?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Cheers
Take this with a grain of salt, as I haven't tested heat on the H11 projector, but I have on the 08-10's reflectors. Since the bowl of the projector is metal, it should be able to handle heat a tad better than the plastic bowl of the 08-10....
I had tested an h4 bulb, running both the high beam filament and low beam filament at the same time. Thats ~115 watts of lighting + the ridiculous amounts of heat it puts out. I got these measurements using a thermal probe on a digital multimeter. After an hour sitting, the rear of the bulb (metal portion) was 330F and the front lens of the headlight was 180F. With the bulb being 330F, I had zero damage to the housings, so I wouldn't be concerned with those temps you recorded at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chirsz
I've installed the Morimoto on my 2009 (in Canada with DRL), these units were the bi-xenon type and overall am pleased with the output. One question though, the DRL on my HL seem to be running on the low beam (no difference in output from daytime to night time). I did expect them to be using the high beam at a reduced output for the DRL, but this doesn't seem to be the case for me. Could I possible wired them incorrectly?
Chris...
No, you wired them right. What I was saying in your quote was referring to a 2011+ highlander. Our 2008-1010's use bixenon and the DRL is on the low beam. That is why if people install PnP on the 08-10, I usually suggest they get the DRL disabled at the dealer (Obviously can't do that in Canada) or divert them somewhere (using a relay, I did it to the fogs). It prevents the hids from being run at 100% 24/7.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
Don't buy Crap (even if its scottish)!
Linear Mode
