Can I Put LED or HID Bulbs in My Stock Headlights?

How to convert your headlight bulbs to LED or HID. Understanding LED and HID headlight conversion kits.

Last updated: August 2, 2023

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Seeing clearly when driving, especially at night, is arguably one of the most important factors for driving safely.

Many drivers are tired and frustrated with the dull, yellowish light output of halogen bulbs and begin wondering if they can put LED (or HID) headlights in their cars.

The good news is that almost any vehicle with factory halogen headlight bulbs can use an LED conversion with just a few exceptions.

Converting your vehicle's halogen headlights to LED headlights is now a very popular upgrade among car owners due to their improved brightness, energy efficiency, and longer lifespan.

At XenonPro, we specialize in halogen to LED headlight conversions and halogen to HID headlight conversion kits and this article, we’ll dive into this topic in great details so you can become an expert on the subject too.

How to Convert Your Headlights to LED or HID?

So, can you replace halogen bulbs with LED (or HID)? Yes, you can and it's quite easy to do so.

1. Find your headlight bulb size (part #)
2. Buy a LED/HID headlight conversion kit
3. Locate and unplug your halogen bulbs
4. Plug your LED bulbs and secure them inside your assembly
5. Test and enjoy!

LED Headlight Conversion Kits - How Do They Work?

Halogen to LED headlight conversion kits are designed to replace traditional halogen bulbs with LED technology without any modifications, special tools or skills needed.

When drivers hear about "conversion kits" for the first time they assume it's some kind of complex process requiring special tools, rewiring or an expert.

This could not be further from the reality!

What's in an LED Conversion Kit?

The kits typically include bulbs, drivers, and a fan or heat sink.

However, most LED bulbs are fully integrated into one easy Plug N' Play part as pictured below:

As you can see, an LED conversion kit is really just a different-looking bulb with a long plug.

Here's a quick breakdown of each component that halogens don't have:

• LED Bulbs: The primary component of an LED headlight conversion kit is the LED bulb itself. LED bulbs use light-emitting diodes to produce light

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• LED Drivers: LED drivers (the little box in the middle of the cable) are electronic devices that regulate the electrical current and voltage supplied to the bulbs. They ensure that the LEDs receive sufficient power to produce the desired light output

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• Heat Management: LEDs generate some heat during operation, and excessive heat can affect their performance and longevity. To manage this heat, the bulbs are equipped with fans (the black, bottom part of the bulb)

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How Do They Fit?

Most LED headlight conversion kits are designed for plug-and-play installation, meaning they can be directly installed into the existing headlight socket without the need for any modifications to the vehicle's wiring or headlight housing.

The LED bulbs will lock in perfectly to your housing and connect right to your car or truck’s power harness, making the installation process very straightforward.

In case you didn't know, LED conversion kits fit cars, trucks, bikes, snowmobiles, campers, farm vehicles, and much more!

It's really that easy and can take as little as 15 minutes to install. Curious to learn more? Check out this video:

Compatibility

A final consideration before upgrading to LED headlights is compatibility - will LED bulbs fit your car?

LED headlight conversion kits come in various sizes and configurations to fit different vehicle models.

It's crucial to choose a kit that is compatible with your vehicle's make and model to ensure a successful conversion.

To help you determine if your car is compatible, we've put together a great tool called Vehicle Finder, check it out!

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HID Headlight Conversion Kits - How Do They Work?

Halogen to HID headlight conversion kits are designed to replace traditional halogen headlights with HID technology easily and with minimal technical knowledge.

What's in an HID Conversion Kit?

HID kits typically include HID bulbs, ballasts, and ignitors.

Unlike LEDs, however, halogen to HID headlights conversion kits don't come in one fully integrated part as pictured below:

HIDs typically come with 2 to 3 individual components that need to be plugged together prior to installation but don't fret - it's no more complicated than a child's toy.

Here's a quick breakdown of each component that halogens don't have that you'll come across when installing HIDs:

• HID Bulbs: The main component of an HID headlight conversion kit is the HID bulb. HID bulbs use a different lighting technology compared to halogen bulbs

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• Ignitor: ignitors provide the initial high burst of power to light the HID bulbs

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• Ballasts: ballasts regulate voltage and then stabilize the current flowing to the HID bulbs from the vehicle

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How Do They Fit?

HID headlight conversion kits are also designed for plug-and-play installation.

They can be installed directly into the existing headlight socket without the need for any modifications to the vehicle's wiring or headlight housing.

The HID bulbs will lock right into your housing and connect directly to your vehicle's power harness, making the installation process very easy.

In case you didn't know, LED conversion kits fit cars, trucks, bikes, snowmobiles, campers, farm vehicles, and much more!

Although a bit longer than LEDs, HIDs can take as little as 30 minutes to install.

If you want to see the installation process and the final results of HIDs, check out this great video:

HID Colors and Temperatures

When shopping for HID headlight conversion kits you will come across different colors or color temperatures. Before buying, you will need to choose one.

In brief, the color temperature of HID headlights is measured in Kelvin (K), and different HID conversion kits offer various color temperatures to suit personal preferences.

Lower Kelvin ratings result in a warmer, more yellowish light, while higher Kelvin ratings produce a cooler, bluish-white light.

We always recommend getting the whitest light possible (5000k to 6000k) for the brightest output. Learn more about this topic by reading our HID Color Temperature Guide.

Compatibility

A final consideration before upgrading to HID headlight bulbs is compatibility - will HIDs fit your car?

HID conversion kits come in various sizes and configurations to fit different vehicle models.

It's crucial to choose a kit that is compatible with your vehicle's make and model to ensure a successful conversion.

To help you determine if your car is compatible, we've put together a great tool called Vehicle Finder, check it out!

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LED & HID Headlights Conversion Kit Pricing

So now that you know that you can put LED and HID bulbs in your factory halogen headlights and understand how it works on a high level, you are likely wondering how much these kits cost.

As a general rule of thumb, HIDs are more expensive than halogens and LEDs are in turn more expensive than HIDs. Within each bulb type, pricing varies with quality.

LED Headlight Conversion Kits Pricing

Halogen to LED headlight conversion kits start at about $50 per set and can go up to the $200-300 range.

You can find high-quality, reliable kits with a good warranty in the $100-$150 range.

Beware of cheap kits in the $50 to $90 range. They typically:

• Don't last long (6-12 months)
• Very short warranty
• Operate on very high wattage
• Can damage vehicle's electrical system
• Poor light pattern (scattered beam, blind oncoming traffic)
• Short light distance

High-quality bulbs, on the other hand, will operate at the same wattage or lower than stock bulbs, produce a far-reaching beam, last long and come with impressive warranties. Learn more about Finding the Best LED Headlights.

At XenonPro, we offer one of the best and highest-rated LED headlight kits on the market.

All our products are built with the highest quality standard, latest technology, and operate at the same wattage as stock bulbs. Our LED headlight bulbs start at $119.99 and come with an industry-best Lifetime Warranty.

Xenon HID Kits Pricing

HID kits start at around $40 and can go all the way up to around $250, however, you can find a premium kit that is powerful, durable and reliable for around $100.

Be wary of cheap kits under $50. They are often terrible quality, last only a few months and will likely damage your headlight assembly and/or your vehicle’s power supply.

Like LEDs, high-quality HID bulbs will match your car or truck’s power specifications and will produce incredible light output.

At XenonPro, we offer one of the best and best-rated Xenon HID kits on the market.

All our products are built with the highest quality standard, latest technology, and operate at the same wattage as stock bulbs. Our kits start at only $99.99 and come with an industry-best Lifetime Warranty.

Not sure which bulb technology is right for you? Learn about the differences between LED and HID headlights, and which is best for your car and needs.

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HID to LED Headlight Conversion

Many of our readers and customers often ask us about HID to LED conversions. Especially our customers with the terrible Dodge factory HIDs (Durango, Charger, Challenger, etc.).

This can be achieved in one of two ways.

1. HID to LED headlight bulb conversion kits
2. Headlight retrofit

HID to LED Conversion Kits

We strongly advise against conversion kits. Not only are they expensive and complicated to install but they just don't work well.

Almost all factory HID setups are projector and LEDs simply don't work well in projector-type assemblies.

HID Headlight Retrofit

If you want to convert from HID to LED, we recommend a headlight retrofit, which we expand on in the next section.

This means you'll be replacing your factory assemblies with a full new set of aftermarket LED assemblies.

This option will definitely cost more than the HID to LED conversion kit but you'll get the results you expect and be much happier.

Budget Friendly

If you're on a tight budget, look into getting better HID bulbs. They will run you about $60 to $100 for the pair and will be a breeze to install.

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Other Alternatives

When it comes to improving your car or truck’s light output by switching to LED or HIDs, there is another alternative, retrofitting your entire headlight assemblies.

Retrofitting means completely replacing your headlight assemblies with new ones that carry HID or LED bulbs by default. Depending on the quality of the product, the design of the headlight, and other key factors, retrofitting can cost anywhere from $400 to over $2000 (excluding labor costs).

Although more expensive and will likely require the expertise of a mechanic or performance shop, retrofitting your headlight assemblies is a great option. Some assemblies even have neat, modern-looking halo designs.

One caveat of retrofitting is that changing the bulbs when they burn out is tricky, not in terms of changing the bulbs but actually finding the bulb. It won’t be required very often so it’s not a big concern but helpful to know.

Looking for other options to make your headlights brighter? Read our article on 5 Proven Ways to Make Your Headlights Up to 5x Brighter where we discuss headlight restoration kits, premium halogen bulbs and more.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you replace halogen bulbs with LED? Do you need a conversion kit for LED headlights? Will converting my headlight to LED or HID damage my assemblies? How do I find the right conversion kit for my car? Can I convert my HID headlights to LED bulbs? Are LED and halogen bulbs interchangeable? Are Xenon and halogen bulbs interchangeable?

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Sources:

• XenonPro.com Research

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Disclaimer: The information contained on this page is provided free of charge to our visitors. It was prepared to the best of our abilities and with all the information available to us at the time of writing. We reserve the right to change, remove or update any information contained on this page at any time and without notice to improve its accuracy. The most reliable method to determine the bulb size is by pulling your actual bulb(s) and reading the part number indicated directly on the bulb. The information compiled on this page comes with no guarantees or warranties.