LexusGuy

Hey all!

I stole a 2003 Acura TL to use a grocery getter for the lady. The car was purchased with a bad HID and I was going to replace them both. I wanted to get some opinions from you all about LED lighting for these. Is that a better option? Is it easily done? If not, I'll stick with HID and just hit the eBay route. Secondly, the fog lights. What type of bulb comes from the factory? Any brighter alternatives for good money? Also, I want to do LED taillights if possible as they just look so much better. Anyone used these or something similar? http://www.ebay.com/itm/FAST-SHIP-2002-2003-Acura-TL-Type-S-DEPO-Red-Clear-Euro-LED-Rear-Tail-Lights-NEW-/301669335794?fits=Year%3A2003%7CMake%3AAcura%7CModel%3ATL&hash=item463ce4c2f2&vxp=mtr
I've only owned Toyota Lexus products and this is my first Honda/Acura purchase. Just wanting to make an already pretty car much more appealing and up with the times. It's silver on black and I'm truly happy with the car thus far. Thanks for any input on the lighting for her grocery fetching machine.

01tl4tl

LED in our lows are not good- reflector in housing is not made to work with LED and you cant see anything on the road!

Best option is a `kit` to replace all the HID parts, they are old and deserve the upgrade that modern parts provide.
Easy DIY with many threads on the subject and choice of sellers: hidextra and morimoto are among the more popular units

Light Color- stock was 4300K (kelvin scale) hard to find those bulbs at a good price,
so many kits offer 5000k which has good amount of blue with excellent white on ground to see and avoid objects with.
6000k and higher don't put much light on the road,,all show and not good for go!

LexusGuy

Awesome response. Good information on the LED option. Was thinking someone made an aftermarket assembly for this car, but I didn't see one in my research. HID it is! I purchased a pair of 8K for the car but have yet to install. Going on your post, those are not a good option? Really don't care about the look and would prefer maximum ground light.

I'll search for the threads you're referencing for the kits as I just bought bulbs thinking they would work out.

A side note. Shame on Honda for making it so damn difficult to replace these bulbs, ha! Obviously, I wouldn't remove the bumper to do it, but still have to remove the battery and the washer fluid jug to change them out.

Anyone switched out the rear lights?

01tl4tl

when you decide it actually needs a HID kit with new ballast- igniters and bulbs!!
order the KIT with 35 watt ballast, the 5000K bulbs and DIY install
Removing the bumper COVER is not that bad, then its just some bolts to remove the entire light housing- strip off the old dead HID parts and install the new ones
Torx #20 security tip to remove screw on rear cover, or dremel it into a flat screwdriver fitting~ dont even have to install that screw when done.

install light housing on car and install bumper cover
the bumper itself is not involved- just its plastics
ck HIDeXtra | HID, LED, Xenon Vehicle Headlight Kits & Bulbs and there are 2 other suppliers that are pop up ads on here for morimoto and hid something

The FOG lights can be converted to HID from plain old bulbs, see same websites-
they list all the kits
For real fog use get 3000k bulbs, otherwise use 5000 to match the low beams
35 watt ballast for that system too.

01tl4tl

Its not going to be just a bulb or the last owner would have fixed it!
They were probably told $400 ballast, $125 each bulb and 200 for igniter

NOTE!! is there moisture inside the headlight lens?? that's a problem that leads to bulb and ballast failure

Do not waste money and time on used ebay parts of the same design and age!
Just get a kit from your preferred seller and fix the problem - one time
Do you really want to install a bulb only to find out that wasn't the problem!!

01tl4tl

back in the day- Honda thought making it difficult to steal the HID bulbs from the housings- which at the time and still are- outrageously overpriced at the dealer- would cut down on them being stolen!
Not So! Thieves realized a crowbar against the edge of hood would release the entire light housing, breaking a few of the housing mounting tabs...
but getting them ALL the parts they needed to convert some ricer racer Honda to good headlights for late night fun runs

Lordiv

Try the code FORD30 at hidextra. I got 30% off with it a couple of weeks ago. Easy install, great light output for 35w 5k kit.

01tl4tl

the bulbs get even better with use- it takes about 50 hours for them to get fully `burned in` to max brightness and full color.
Drive with the lights on all the time to get those hours on them.
Score on the code!

Skirmich

I will bet those housing LEDs are so cheap they will look even dimmer than the stock halogen bulb which defeats the purpose of using LEDs in the first place.


Weren't the DEPO Stock Tail Light housing pair just shy of 180-190 bucks? So there are 9 bucks worth of LEDs right there.




Further down the line: ""* Please be aware that you might receive brake light error after install and is unavoidable."" It is avoidable! not so with your kit it seems even with 6 resistors.

01tl4tl

the only rear light swap I ever heard of being done on here:
was 99-01 gets 02-03 tail lights, those do bolt in and have a slightly different look