ron.p

Hello. New owner of a 13 RDX AWD w/ tech package, looking forward to a lot of reading and learning. I've searched the threads a bit, probably not good enough (stuck at work), so I thought I'd ask anyway... The low beams are xenon, the high and DL are the ugly yellow incandescent. I assume this is "stock" and not from the previous owner. Can the high beams and fogs be changed over easily or is an HID kit in order, or something else? Thanks in advance.

thoiboi

Yes that is stock. You'll need an HID kit but it's not recommended for high beam applications. because the constant on and off will fry the ballast.

emry

If fogs are already installed then changing them is relatively easy. Otherwise the micro switch (for the beams) needs to be changed too which is more diffuclt although doable.

VR1

If you don't like the day time running lights there is probably a fuse you can pull to keep them off since there's no way to manually turn them off.

Andrewsaintf

I got these on my RDX 2013 as fog light replacements. The 4200k like the stock low beams.
the light from them is totally amazing. No problems in over 18 months.
[img]webkit-fake-url://7d6ea9db-1a8f-494d-8d62-dffa51798d3e/imagejpeg[/img]

Andrewsaintf

I got these on my RDX 2013 as fog light replacements. The 4200k like the stock low beams.
the light from them is totally amazing. No problems in over 18 months.
[img]webkit-fake-url://7d6ea9db-1a8f-494d-8d62-dffa51798d3e/imagejpeg[/img]

mickblu

Hi, your link to the lights is broken [img]webkit-fake-url://7d6ea9db-1a8f-494d-8d62-dffa51798d3e/imagejpeg[/img] . Could you please let me know what bulbs you used to replace the fog lights? If possible I'd appreciate a URL to a vendor. TIA!

ron.p

I bought these for fog repalcements, they've been great, still going a year later. Always on when headlights are on 4000k: https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ed-tower/1278/

mickblu

Thanks! But I assume they're useless as high beams?

ron.p

Sorry... fog replacements, not daytime running lights. DRL's are still old bulbs, lost interest, new "shiny light" to pay attention to (Jeep). I disliked the yellow mixed with the nice bright white xenon lights when driving at night, I like fogs on all the time.

mickblu

Agreed, but as I live in Canada, we have compulsory DRLs, and I have the Tech Pkg with HID low beams, so normal daytime driving only has the high beams on (at a reduced intensity, apparently by rapidly pulsing them on/off at a 50% ratio) and the fogs only come on with the headlamps.

So I hope to find an LED bulb (I also hate the yellowish light) that will produce halogen compatible (at least) high beam light output and also work at reduced intensity for DRLs.

Thoughts?

ron.p

I've read various forum posts for and against doing it as the high beams become useless or far less bright than stock. Online shops sell the 9005 bulbs and resister or decoders so they operate at both intensities and not cause computer problems. Check superbriteled vehicle finder or here:

9005 68-SMD LED Daytime Running Lights For Acura Honda Lexus Subaru, etc

Good luck.

Skidoor

Once again, you might (as I did) find that the DRL light output with LEDs is way too bright and you will annoy other drivers. I have seen vehicles on the other side of the highway that had aftermarket LED lamps installed for DRLs and they hurt my eyes. There was also recently a short piece on the 6 o'clock news recently about how some vehicles have daytime running lights that are too bright and blinding others. I think blinding is an exaggeration, but I do find it hurts to look at them.
I recently tried some LEDs in the DTR housings and returned them as they were too bright. However, I just ordered another set and will be adding a hi-wattage resistor in series with the lamp to reduce the light output. And then when the hi-beams are turned on, the constant DC voltage will energize a small relay I will install in the harness which will bypass the resistor and send a full 13.8 volts to the lamp. In DRL mode, since the voltage to the lamp is a full 13.8 volts BUT is pulsed at approx 20 ON, 80% OFF, 100 times a second, (confirmed with an oscilloscope) this will not activate the relay.
If anyone is interested in having me make up a plug-n-play kit to sell, I will accommodate that once I prove out the contents.
This is the lamp I will be using.

Skidoor

I think I have solved the problem of good LED lamps replacing the halogen lamps in the DTR and hi-beam housing. I purchased a short wire harness (2 wires and the appropriate connectors) to go between the RDX wiring and lamp. I then soldered a power resistor into the wire harness (in series with the lamp) to limit the voltage to the lamp. After a little experimentation, I settled on a 33 ohm resistor.
In DTR mode, the light output is similar to any OEM DTR and does not fry your eyeballs. In High beam mode, the voltage switches to a steady 13.6 volts instead of being pulsed, and the resistor still allows the lamps to illuminate with full intensity or VERY close to it. This is because the LED lamp seems to work at full brightness while only receiving about 10 volts, as long as the voltage is not pulsed as it is in DTR mode..
A 5 watt resistor should suffice if you dont cover it with tape, but if you are going to drive with the hi-beams on for an extended length of time, I'd go with a 10 watt.

Here is the link to the lamps I used. There are a few different lamps on eBay that have this same heat sink and LEDs and while the printing on the heat sink may look different, all these lamps with that heat sink and LEDS are the same.

Here is the link for the extra length of wiring.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...457139205.html

t0md0

I'm in the same boat. Just purchased pre-owned 2013 RDX w/ Tech Package as well. First thing I noticed were the ugly DRL's. I did a quick look see through the housing but wasn't sure.. are the DRL's and high beam bulb the same bulb?? I too am looking for a nice solution to match my HID low beams.

As for the fogs, I will try and check out those lights ron.p suggested on the superbrightled website. I wonder if they have them in bright yellow instead? Initially I thought I wanted them to match the stock HID's but I think functionality-wise, yellow would be good? Thoughts? What color temp would you say our stock HID bulbs are?

Skidoor

yes on the 2013 the DRLs and hi-beam uses one (the same) bulb

Skidoor

I'd say the OEM HID color temp is around 7000K...maybe 7200K at the most

Also, if anyone cares, re: my above post, I had to go down to a 15 ohm resistor and also the hi-beams dont light up at full brightness with a resistor installed, which of course makes sense.
However, I FINALLY have LED DRLs at the proper brightness and a color temp that makes me very happy.

t0md0

[QUOTE=Skidoor;16077725]I'd say the OEM HID color temp is around 7000K...maybe 7200K at the most/QUOTE]

Say what?? That temp sounds way toooo cool if you ask me. I've never heard of stock HID that high. If I'm not mistaken based on my experience when I used to purchase HID kits and install them in my old Mazda, OEM is usually the 4300K range no??

chickdr

[QUOTE=t0md0;16077916]Correct. 7k would be too blue. usually 3800-4300 for HID's. I think the LEDS on the 16+ cars are around 5k.

Skidoor

Hmm...well the OEM HIDs on my 2014 are not white, the light looks ever so slightly blue-ish to me, more so than the 6500K LEDS I just installed as DRLs. I'm probably wrong.

thoiboi

OEM is 4300K to 5000K.. Any bluer seeming huesh may be due to diffraction of the light through the projector lens.


Or if the car was used, it could have been that the Previous Owner replaced bulbs

t0md0

Yup. You took the words out of my mouth. The thing that most people don't realize is that the blue-ish tint they see from factory HID's is exactly that.. It's actually the projector lenses that give off that color when in fact the color itself from the bulb is closer to natural daylight. It kind of creates a prism like effect when seen at certain eye levels.

For example, if you're ever on the road and you notice, say, a stock BMW driving behind you and you see their headlights flicker from going up and down from driving on the road, it'll look white/blue tint reflecting from your rear view mirrors. It's actually the projector lens creating that color. But if you look at the actual light being emitted on the road, you'll see that the color isn't blue at all.

Comfy

Please do not use LED bulbs in the DRL / hi beam whoever the manufacturer is. The reflectors are not designed for that bulb and light pattern will be wildly different and create glare for oncoming vehicles. You will essentially lose the functionality of high beam when you really need it (which is a safety issue in my opinion). If you feel like tinkering with it, please use only superbright halogen bulbs (they have slightly better color but still yellowish - 4300K) and that is the only safe and legal way to do it. If you really wanted LED lights, you should have bought the 2016 refresh. For me the HID is good enough. If you want to change the fog lamps, the proper way to do it is to get a fog lamp replacement from retrofit source (entire assembly - not just the bulb) , or better see if you can find a good deal on the OEM LED bulbs from 2016 models, I believe it should fit the 2013-15 models too.

t0md0

Any suggestions and links to the super bright halogens for the DRL/high beams you're referring to? I'm assuming it'll still serve as a dual purpose light correct (DRL and high beam)? While I'm at it I wouldn't mind finding some super bright yellow 3000k halogens for the fogs too assuming they exisit. But yeah I definitely know about glare and using correct projectors for the correct application.

Comfy

Not referring to a particular brand, but most standard manufacturers such as Osram / Sylvania or Philips offer halogen bulbs in the 4300K range. Just be a little cautious about the blue coated bulbs since they effectively reduce the total lumens of light. You decide between safety and "cool factor". Some bulbs compensate for loss of lumens by offering higher wattage bulbs. Please visit any lighting forums such as "HID planet" for more up to date information.
P.S. After initial frustrations, I decided to keep the OEM bulbs, and found beauty in the "yellowness"...LOL.

t0md0

Has anyone tried using the ones from Super Bright LED's? https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ed-tower/1276/

I'm still new to the light fitments for my 2013 so I'm sorry if I plugged the wrong link. I just put the year, make, and model in and saw these pop up. Do these only serve as a DRL and not high beam? Or both?

JazhielS

Mine is a 2014 tech package. After reading all the post i decided to delete fire hawks leds from my shopping cart at Amazon. I upgraded the stock fog bulbs to yellow leds, they bright awesome combine with the black paint of the car. I dont see any problem on does. I wont be getting leds for high beams dough. Way too complicated for installing kits and stuff. Instead ill do super bright halogens, i dont think its worth all the xtra stuff. High beams are redly used, and when they are, they need to be switch on and off constantly for on coming traffic.

askthiru

I have a 2013 Base RDX and my teenage son is driving it now a lot. The OEM headlights are so dull and yellow. I'm looking to get it converted to LED. I bought these from Amazon and probably going to have my mechanic install these. Amazon says they are compatible. Do I still need a HID kit? Will these cause any issues?