One bulb is out, so i thought i would put in normal blubs, for the simple reason i don't need bifocals. So can still see with normal lights. But don't know how long that will last with all the cars around nowadays with blinding bulbs, guess that people are loosing their eyesight much earlier than previously?
One bulb went out on a 2004 i had about 10 years ago. So i just got one at the local parts store not asking for any specific bulb and that is why i know its possible, because that one new bulb was normal and the old bulb was super bright. I looked online and searched halogen(i assume halogen is the only other bulb thats not xenon or but only see exon or whatever and hid

 

HID bulbs, specifically D2S, have different shape and there is no halogen bulb that would fit in TL projector without modification. H7 is probably close but light output will be all over the place. Not recommended.

Why about just buying two good quality D2S bulbs and enjoying having good headlights and actually seeing where you going at night? It's not that expensive.

 

Like i said maybe one day when i need bifocals i will appreciate the super bright beams. I like the stock hids performance although i dont feel its right to blind other drivers, even though the tl has done a good job in directing these laser beams below eye level when the vehicle is on level ground, what about when not on level ground? Also you should be able to tell where that lack of concern has lead to, now the ltx has an absurd amount of laser beams launched above eye level. Maybe they are trying to compete with their own brand, 2020 honda accord is insanely bright, i would assume that design was originally intended for someone with bifocals that doesn't want to crash?!
Anyway, i suppose my question would be how did i get a bulb in a 2004 that shined same as my 1998 4 runner? I assume the 4 runner has glass headlights housing with halogen bulbs?

 

uhhh, it's physically impossible to do.
unless you change out a whole bunch of parts, it would be cheaper and more beneficial just to buy a set of HID D2S bulbs....


to be really frank and blunt; you dont really have an idea or the concept of headlights, none of them have laser beams.
the newer cars use jewel eye's to focus LED's.
your car uses a projector to focus the bi-xenon beam.

b-xenon meaning it uses ONE bulb for the highs and lows. there's a solenoid (a flap) in the headlight that moves when you engage the high beams. when high beams are not engaged the flap sits in place.
so, to get rid of the use of the bi-xenon bulb, you would need to completely redo the whole headlight. costing you thousands of dollars.
when you could just buy a pair of HID bulbs for $100 or so.

 

we can't help you, what you want to do hasn't been done before because no one is silly enough to mod their headlights to a more inferior product.

 

I don't doubt your story but maybe the replacement you bought was defective and that is why it wasn't so bright.

Could you look at the dim replacement bulb and get a manufacturing number which you could use to search?

I replaced my headlights two years ago with the following Philips bulbs. They are cheap enough ($42) to try out. If they are too bright, don't use them.

 

Always hesitant to buy bulbs on Amazon due to the countless counterfeit bulbs out there on the site.. I'd recommend if you were on a budget to buy something like this: https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2...D2S?quantity=1

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2...126?quantity=1 are the same bulbs as above but sold in a pair ($85) and guaranteed to be authentic Phillips bulbs.

 

Seriously OP, you would be going backwards with what you want to do. As others have said, you can get a very good bulb for $100 or less for the pair. And unless you ride in front of your car while attempting to drive, who are you blinding? I know it took some time after modifications to the lense to set the bulbs correctly, it wasn’t more than a half hour. And I do fine with seeing, at night. No need to bring bi focals into the equation. (I don’t even wear glasses!) lol

 

I admit that I don't kmow much about bulbs in so much as i didnt know maybe what i was asking could have possibly been a lower 'k' setting? what ever that means?! I found one set at 3500k, i assume the laser beams i am referring to os a higher 'k' setting

So am i the only one who knows so little about new bulbs that cause eye damage and is also dangerous to on coming drivers? Maybe just a tad of common sense not sure, but i did a search, judge for yourself

 

1. "K" refers to the color temperature


You want ~4000-5000K for max light output, up to 6500K for good light. Go higher into blue or purple and you lose brightness.
Actual amount of light output is measured in lumens, but method of measurements vary. I might be wrong but I don't think there is standardized test that all manufactures follow.

2. When doing research check the sources. Typing phrase into google and posting first 3 articles is no research.
Do authors of those articles actually did some research or are they also basing their views on "common knowledge"?
Additionally "Experts say that..." articles are usually click-baits (just like "You won't believe that....").

3. Nothing good will come from $12 HID bulbs. Others gave you options and use those or you will be buying another set of bulbs very soon.

4. If you really want shitty lights, just glue H7 bulb to the projector and call it a day or adjust your headlight so they shine straight down.

 

Thanks for the cool diagram looks like i would appreciate the 3.5k sunset (halogen?) color like i was seeing on that one side of my old 2004 tl, only one side though lol

Might be just me but i am 44 and been driving since 16 with the old school lights and haven't crashed yet so until the bifocals are prescribed maybe i am good to go. Literally!

Seen bunch of research in those articles, wasn't trying to make my opinion a proven fact or anything the point was to see that i am not the only concered these days about the lumens (aka laser beams) 😂

 

the one side color shift, meant that one bulb was going out.
From the Factory, Acura puts in a 4500K bulb.
you are free to put whatever Kelvin bulb you want to, but are seriously affecting light output.

I wouldnt go lower than the factory, and I wouldnt go higher than the factory.

The TL's projector setup is cool because the drivers side has a step to it, meaning it wont blind oncoming drivers....the light beam looks like this ____/ (driver side is lower than passenger side.)

also to be really frank; as we age, our vision tends to get worse at night. wouldnt you want the best lighting possible? yes, when you were younger you could have gotten away with poor lighting, but as technology progresses, why not take advantage?
we also tend to hold onto the past. we aint getting any younger. time to let it go.

 

I get the point the OP makes about blinding light....I absolutely despise seeing a modern Acura heading towards me on a non flat road because I know those f'ing jewel lights will blind the piss outta me the moment that car noses up just a bit.

Now for the most part, properly aligned and non-modified headlights will not get you constantly. The TL lights, while bright, aren't that bright, have a good cut-off and I generally have never been blinded by one heading towards me. Of course there are plenty of people out there that put in crappy bulbs, or slap HIDs or LEDs into fixtures that were not designed for it, and the glare is insane. It may look good from the their perspective, but for oncoming traffic...it is absolutely blinding due to the glare.

 

Even the brake lights on some vehicles are way too bright at night! Maybe has to do with 'the brighter the better' idea or 'the next brightest thing' ? Off topic, maybe not.

Well thanks for the input guys been interesting and learned a few things

Ended up getting oem 4300k bulbs after all