L.E.D. Headlamp performance

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Old 08-26-2014, 10:54 PM
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L.E.D. Headlamp performance

I searched the forums, but didn't find..Can someone please post about how they like the nighttime headlamp output, range, cutoff pros & cons compared to what you were previously driving at night?
Old 08-27-2014, 04:29 AM
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Plenty of pictures in this thread.

https://acurazine.com/forums/5g-tlx-photograph-gallery-419/preludevtec01s-2015-acura-tlx-v6-advance-package-graphite-luster-metallic-916813/
Old 09-02-2014, 05:54 PM
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Headlights are awesome and cast a wider beam than HIDs in my opinion. I've been high beamed a few times by oncoming traffic as well...These things are BRIGHT.
Old 09-02-2014, 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by florissant
I searched the forums, but didn't find..Can someone please post about how they like the nighttime headlamp output, range, cutoff pros & cons compared to what you were previously driving at night?
The LED's are amazing! I previously had a TSX with low beam HID's and normal xenon high beams, and a 2014 mazda 3 with both low and high beam HID's and with both cars on very dark roads I had a bit of trouble seeing very far, though the Mazda was a bit better. However with the TLX LED's its an entirely different story, even on the darkest of dark roads its like daytime in front of me. These headlights are truly amazing and i could never see myself owning another car without LED's after this one. And I've only had my TLX for a week. The only "con" I can come up with is that they are not active, they don't turn with the car to light up curves, however with lights this bright that isn't needed. And thats just me being very picky and overlooking things :tool:
Old 09-02-2014, 06:53 PM
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I was super impressed by them during my test drive.
Old 09-02-2014, 07:26 PM
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I had a 2005 TL with HIDs, and I was a bit skeptical about the LED headlights, but man, these things are brighter than HIDs. I agree with all of the above. Very happy with the performance.
Old 09-02-2014, 07:54 PM
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I have a 4g TL and wife has a new MDX. The light output of those LEDs is unbelievable. Just a nice clean wider brighter and further beam of light. Makes my TL look like Halogens.

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Old 09-02-2014, 09:50 PM
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I believe since each eye is "precision aimed" the wider beam should help with the turns. I like the instant on of the LEDs and the blue tint they give off
Old 09-03-2014, 05:30 AM
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Originally Posted by pdpgps
Headlights are awesome and cast a wider beam than HIDs in my opinion. I've been high beamed a few times by oncoming traffic as well...These things are BRIGHT.
Awesome, can't wait! I know this is douchey but I think it's hilarious when idiots flash their brights at me... it makes me chuckle. lmao.... I wonder if they are as bright and bluish as the MEGA bright MDX lights at night. The MDX lights will singe your eyebrows.

PS I love to flash people back when they flash me... I can only assume that the LED high beams will be ultra bright. Woot. That'll teach them when I fry their eyeballs out. Sorry it's early.
Old 09-03-2014, 10:16 AM
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While they do benefit us, even the glare from them in the rear and side mirrors can be disruptive driving at night. I let my gf drive my TLX behind me one day and it made the drive incredibly distracting. Only the advanced models come with autodimming side view mirrors if we happen to drive in front of another car with jewel eye lights.
Old 09-03-2014, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by pdpgps
While they do benefit us, even the glare from them in the rear and side mirrors can be disruptive driving at night. I let my gf drive my TLX behind me one day and it made the drive incredibly distracting. Only the advanced models come with autodimming side view mirrors if we happen to drive in front of another car with jewel eye lights.
Yikes... I figured they'd be low enough to not be too distracting like the MDX, unless of course you're hitting a hill or bump in the road. Hopefully we don't get pulled over because of them, lol.
Old 09-03-2014, 10:52 AM
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I've never experienced Jewel Eyes behind the wheel yet, BUT I have in traffic and on-coming traffic and they are bright. The MDX/RLX definitely has road presence. Haven't seen the TLX in person yet.
Old 09-03-2014, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by randomRon82
Awesome, can't wait! I know this is douchey but I think it's hilarious when idiots flash their brights at me... it makes me chuckle. lmao.... I wonder if they are as bright and bluish as the MEGA bright MDX lights at night. The MDX lights will singe your eyebrows.

PS I love to flash people back when they flash me... I can only assume that the LED high beams will be ultra bright. Woot. That'll teach them when I fry their eyeballs out. Sorry it's early.
My wifes 4G TL gets flashed CONSTANTLY at night. Its so annoying. People seriously need to get with the times. I will say with the TLX or my previous TSX I never got flashed so its something with the 4G TL's headlights.
Old 09-03-2014, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by scooterb84
My wifes 4G TL gets flashed CONSTANTLY at night. Its so annoying. People seriously need to get with the times. I will say with the TLX or my previous TSX I never got flashed so its something with the 4G TL's headlights.
Lol yes I have a 4G and I get flashed from time to time (and there's nothing wrong with the aim of my lights)... One time, these weird folks in a mini van flashed me, then pulled over to the side because apparently they couldn't handle the HID's. lmao.... I'm just like... okay folks it's 2014, by now you should know about HID's, Xenons, LED's, laser lights... Pretty much all lights these days are super bright (unfortunate for those with sensitive eyes however)

I think the main issue is that Acura doesn't have auto-leveling lights
Old 09-03-2014, 12:31 PM
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Getting flashed at night

Kind of off-topic, but I when I got my 1st TL (2004 3G), I was constantly flashed by high beams from oncoming traffic, opposite cars at stoplights, etc. I would say for the 1st few months it happened nearly every evening that I was driving the car. Now HIDs are pretty much standard on anything over $25K give or take and I cant even recall the last time someone flashed me.


I think we may be seeing some of the same issue in 2014 with the new LEDs from Acura, Audi, etc. I don't have one with LEDs, but I see enough of them in traffic and they are definitely brighter than HIDs.
Old 09-03-2014, 12:34 PM
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With the L.E.D. being so bright, does it effect your night vision as a driver? I can see some folks having slightly reduced night vision glancing into the side/rear windows and/or rear view mirror (especially with tinted windows).

I'm also curious about rain and snow with LEDs? Do the LED cause the "space warp speed" look when driving during snow fall on low beams.
Old 09-03-2014, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by mrgold35
With the L.E.D. being so bright, does it effect your night vision as a driver? I can see some folks having slightly reduced night vision glancing into the side/rear windows and/or rear view mirror (especially with tinted windows).

I'm also curious about rain and snow with LEDs? Do the LED cause the "space warp speed" look when driving during snow fall on low beams.
Everyone's eyes at night will see a little different, but if it's brighter it shouldn't affect your immediate night vision as the light source isn't that close that your pupils to affect dilation. There's also a reason why they try make HIDs and LEDs i think as close to daylight "color" so your eyes don't get overly strained. When you see those super blue or purple HIDs, those drivers are gonna have a crap time seeing in the dark as your eyes don't see those wavelengths well in the dark. I'm not sure if LEDs are brighter than HIDs or because they are aimed better that I have better coverage at night.
Old 09-03-2014, 01:59 PM
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The practice/culture of flashing headlights to suggest that high beams are on goess back decades, and has been continued over the years with little recognition of HID lights. The HID are brighter but when properly aimed should not be a distrction. LED lights will just step this up a notch. Both type have a very defined focus area to cover the road below eye level of oncoming traffic.

The light will appear brighter with possible halos for people wearing contact lenses and older drivers who have had cataract surgery . In both these cases there is more light that enters the eye and thus the perception that high beams are being used.

My conclusion is trying to break the habit of flashing lights is a loosing cause.
Old 09-03-2014, 02:58 PM
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I still get flashed when I travel in the farmland areas of the eastern part of the state to visit my in-laws. Mostly the big 3 from ford/dodge/GM with halogen lights in those areas. I just travel during the day because it gets real annoying getting flashed every couple of miles on a 2 1/2 hour trip.

Do the RLX LEDs perform better with the split lens design or does it looks the same behind the wheel just like the TLX/MDX?

I've heard laser headlights will not be coming to USA because they exceed the light output allowed for our roads. Reducing the laser lights to USA output standards would reduce their performance to around HID/LED levels (why pay more to get the same results). A big advantage to laser lights is it uses very little power.
Old 09-03-2014, 03:18 PM
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Funny to read about people getting flashed.

These days, even cheap and old cars have these DIY super bright lamps from eBay. Those are even more annoying. So I would have thought that drivers have learned to live with them, along with the LED/HIDs.
Old 09-03-2014, 09:28 PM
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Those retrofitted ebay kits really irritate me. They change out the bulb in a reflector that was designed for halogens with HID with no regard to the added light output. The projectors in modern cars that come factor equipped with HIDs are designed to keep the light output below the level of the drivers of other vehicles. In fact, the driver's side light cuts off a little lower than the passenger side light to be even less annoying to oncoming traffic.

That said, the output of the LED headlights seems to vary quite a bit by manufacturer. The LEDs in the newer Audis seem to be quite good and bright, but the ones they put in the new Corollas suck. I've been beside many of them at night and my factory HIDs overpower them every time. All I see on the pavement in front of both vehicles is the output my from my HIDs. The Jewel Eyes on the RDX are pretty impressive. I'm not a huge fan of the look, but you can't argue with the results.
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Old 09-03-2014, 09:45 PM
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Originally Posted by litesout
Those retrofitted ebay kits really irritate me. They change out the bulb in a reflector that was designed for halogens with HID with no regard to the added light output. The projectors in modern cars that come factor equipped with HIDs are designed to keep the light output below the level of the drivers of other vehicles. In fact, the driver's side light cuts off a little lower than the passenger side light to be even less annoying to oncoming traffic.

That said, the output of the LED headlights seems to vary quite a bit by manufacturer. The LEDs in the newer Audis seem to be quite good and bright, but the ones they put in the new Corollas suck. I've been beside many of them at night and my factory HIDs overpower them every time. All I see on the pavement in front of both vehicles is the output my from my HIDs. The Jewel Eyes on the RDX are pretty impressive. I'm not a huge fan of the look, but you can't argue with the results.
Gotta love that someone named "litesout" is posting this commentary... lol.
Old 09-04-2014, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by litesout
HIDs. The Jewel Eyes on the RDX are pretty impressive. I'm not a huge fan of the look, but you can't argue with the results.
you mean MDX...the RDX doesn't have jewel eyes yet.
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