MyMazdaCX-5
Member
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- CX-5
Hey all, I'm looking to buy Led headlights but not sure what brand or where to buy it can anyone help me?
Led headlights for 2014 mazda cx5
- Thread starter MyMazdaCX-5
- Start date
Please don't.
putting an LED bulb into a halogen bulb designed system is asking for trouble. One, after market LED bulbs are still not up to par for a true LED designed light system. It will not be as bright. Second, because of the placement fo the LED emitters, the light is thrown in ways not designed for, causing glare for other drivers. This goes for adding PnP HID bulbs into non-HID designed systems.
If you want to go the route of making your headlights better (I'm assuming 2014 projector is halogen?) Check out a headlight retro-fitter (PM if you wnat more info)....they will take your headlight, and replace the halogen reflector and put in a OEM HID projector system.
putting an LED bulb into a halogen bulb designed system is asking for trouble. One, after market LED bulbs are still not up to par for a true LED designed light system. It will not be as bright. Second, because of the placement fo the LED emitters, the light is thrown in ways not designed for, causing glare for other drivers. This goes for adding PnP HID bulbs into non-HID designed systems.
If you want to go the route of making your headlights better (I'm assuming 2014 projector is halogen?) Check out a headlight retro-fitter (PM if you wnat more info)....they will take your headlight, and replace the halogen reflector and put in a OEM HID projector system.
Apparently LED headlights are getting better. Not sure what bulb the '14 uses, but you might want to look here:
http://www.xenondepot.com/H11-LED-headlight-kit-p/h11-led-hl.htm
http://www.xenondepot.com/H11-LED-headlight-kit-p/h11-led-hl.htm
Hmm, this bulb looks a lot smaller (thinner) than others I've seen lately. I still cringe. Remember, look at the halogen bulb. One or two filaments that take the nearly 360deg light output, reflects that light out to the lens. LED chips are flat point sources with a small (generally) 120deg spread outwards. I wish I had more details on putting LEDs in halogen projectors, but I already know it's better to just swap the projector out with a HID retro.
The description says each bulb has 2 LED elements, I assume one on each side (though that's not clear from the photos). While that might not match the 360 deg output of a halogen, it might be close enough to get a decent light pattern. I have a '16 with the Tech package and really like the OEM LED's, though this apparently is an integrated unit, and not just an LED bulb in a projector housing. I hope it lasts the life of the vehicle because I'm guessing replacing it would be very pricey.
I don't think the LED head lights I have now are any better than the HID I had on my previous CX-5, although I don't have the automatic main beam to dip function, which I do think would be better, I forget what label it has.
They are. The emitter chip is housed on a glass/ceramic plate, which is bonded to the heatsink (though, I think only heatsink grease) and held on by electrical spring clips. Then the unit is bolted into the housing and sealed. So yeah, if the LED goes, it'll be easier and maybe cheaper for the dealer/Mazda to just replace the entire headlight. Silly, but if you can't pull out each Hi/Low unit by itself, you have to somehow unSEAL the headlight. Which, when retrofitting, has to be done...and it isn't fun. Normally you put the headlight into an oven at 225, and spend 15min prying apart the sealant.
But really, they should last the life of the car.
Should.
But really, they should last the life of the car.
Should.
They aren't. LED headlights haven't come as far as HID in terms of output. Not sure why some are good, and some suck, but everything, on every car, varies from one brand to another. Murano's LED outputs are better than some OEM HID outputs!!! I think Acura's Jewel Eye headlights are the best of the best.
At least for the US. EU has better active matrix systems.
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
I am a newbie to this thread. I have a 2014 CX-5 GT non-Tech version. I too would like to update my DRL/highbeam halogen lights. Here is my issue. I have browsed some similar threads and have yet to figure out from all the posts if in fact a LED update is available for my vehicle that will actually work properly. Some say no, some say yes and others say maybe(with a controller/relay added). Is there a definitive answer to my concern?? If so can you lead me to a brand/supplier. I realize from some comments that distance of the Highbeam(not the DRL brightness or distance) is the main issue of LED replacements. I'd hate to buy a set of LED's from a site that shows a 9005 LED for my situation only to find, like some others, that they don't give me the same distance as my halogens. I also have no intention in changing the reflector or even swapping out the whole light assembly. Help!!
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Back to: LED replacement bulbs can NOT give the light output of the designed halogen bulb. A halogen bulb has nearly 360deg light, while LEDs only shoot light out a side or two (depending on Hi/Low or just one of the two)....so you can't ever ever have what you need. Plus, because of the bad light output it wasn't designed for, now glare will be shooting all over the place, into other people's eyes.
That said, there are a few replacements that are CANBUS compatible. It's the system that tells the car a bulb is out. They have something inside that tells the computer "Hey, I'm lower wattage, but I'm still here and working".
Check out superbrightleds.com, TheRetrofitSource, or even Motimoto HID, if you are hellbent on getting LEDs despite the fact they are going to be WORSE than halogen. Morimoto HID is a great company.
Check out Silverstar replacement bulbs instead. I think there are a type of bulb called daymaker, or nighcutters? I think they are over-wattage halogen replacements.
That said, there are a few replacements that are CANBUS compatible. It's the system that tells the car a bulb is out. They have something inside that tells the computer "Hey, I'm lower wattage, but I'm still here and working".
Check out superbrightleds.com, TheRetrofitSource, or even Motimoto HID, if you are hellbent on getting LEDs despite the fact they are going to be WORSE than halogen. Morimoto HID is a great company.
Check out Silverstar replacement bulbs instead. I think there are a type of bulb called daymaker, or nighcutters? I think they are over-wattage halogen replacements.
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
Frustrated non-Tech owner!!
Yep, workable LED's are either hard to find or non-existent. I have looked at the Superbrights site. The bulb with the fan has only 1 chip. How could this even come close to being sufficient. While the other model with the Tinned Copper braid has 2 LED chips, but, the accompanying video suggests (to me) that the original halogen bulb looks brighter, although not whiter.
Now the Morimoto XB LED has 2 chips, but with a 3000 lumen output you'd think that this would at least match the beam distance of the original halogen. It's $100 price(+25% for us Cannucks) seems a bit high to me, especially if I can't get the beam distance. I'd like some feedback from any CX-5 non-Tech owners who have actually tried this model.
The Morimoto Elite HID I think I would rule out, not just because of their $150+ cost, but because I have heard that HID's should only be used in projector lenses, not in an open reflector as is my highbeam.
I have been to Silverstar's website to preview their bulbs. The oem highbeam bulb in my CX-5 is in fact a low end Silverstar. I asked a local car parts supplier (who carries all their models) which one is brightest and whitest. The ZXE is the one, BUT, reviewers of the Silverstars say that as you go up in price in their model range with more brightness & whiteness you also take a big hit in reliability. Many have reported the top of the line ZXE's, as well as the Ultra's only lasting 3 or 4 months before one their bulbs burns out. I'd get the ZXE's in a heartbeat if I was assured they'd last at least a few years. Why is the reliability of their more expensive models so crappy??!! A reverse case of you get what you pay for!!
So, the jury may still be out for me in my search for the perfect, or almost perfect LED. Please let me know if you come across a REALLY promising LED option.
Yep, workable LED's are either hard to find or non-existent. I have looked at the Superbrights site. The bulb with the fan has only 1 chip. How could this even come close to being sufficient. While the other model with the Tinned Copper braid has 2 LED chips, but, the accompanying video suggests (to me) that the original halogen bulb looks brighter, although not whiter.
Now the Morimoto XB LED has 2 chips, but with a 3000 lumen output you'd think that this would at least match the beam distance of the original halogen. It's $100 price(+25% for us Cannucks) seems a bit high to me, especially if I can't get the beam distance. I'd like some feedback from any CX-5 non-Tech owners who have actually tried this model.
The Morimoto Elite HID I think I would rule out, not just because of their $150+ cost, but because I have heard that HID's should only be used in projector lenses, not in an open reflector as is my highbeam.
I have been to Silverstar's website to preview their bulbs. The oem highbeam bulb in my CX-5 is in fact a low end Silverstar. I asked a local car parts supplier (who carries all their models) which one is brightest and whitest. The ZXE is the one, BUT, reviewers of the Silverstars say that as you go up in price in their model range with more brightness & whiteness you also take a big hit in reliability. Many have reported the top of the line ZXE's, as well as the Ultra's only lasting 3 or 4 months before one their bulbs burns out. I'd get the ZXE's in a heartbeat if I was assured they'd last at least a few years. Why is the reliability of their more expensive models so crappy??!! A reverse case of you get what you pay for!!
So, the jury may still be out for me in my search for the perfect, or almost perfect LED. Please let me know if you come across a REALLY promising LED option.
Your CX5 comes with H11 low beams. A much better and relatively no glare to oncoming driver option would be to upgrade to H9 bulbs.
OEM H11 is 1,350 lumens; the replacement H9 bulb is 2,100 lumens.
Here is more info
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrbdQmck7E
OEM H11 is 1,350 lumens; the replacement H9 bulb is 2,100 lumens.
Here is more info
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrbdQmck7E
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
Inlinev:
Not sure if I read your post correctly but I don't plan to replace my lowbeams at the moment, just my DRL/highbeams. Having said that am I correct is assuming you mean that, instead of HID replacements for my lowbeams I could use H9 halogen bulbs or did you mean H9 LED's?(confused)
I mean H9 halogen bulbs. Why would you want to downgrade to LED high beams? The reflective housing for the high beams on the cx5 were designed specifically for halogen bulbs that offer omnidirectional light. You are suggesting that downgrading to a unidirectional setup will afford you more light? I'm not sure I understand why you want to go with an LED bulb and reduce your high beam output.
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
I wasn't hoping for "more" light, just a whiter light, with the same beam distance. Now how is it that an H9 halogen would give me a whiter light than my current H11 in my low beams? Having said that, I really only want to upgrade my DRL/highbeam(not my lowbeams) to a whiter bulb...even a whiter output halogen would do if I could be assured that it was reliable( and as I previously mentioned Silverstar upgrades are reported to be short-lived).
The main reason I am looking for a DRL/highbeam upgrade is that I upgraded my fog light plastic surrounds to those with the embedded LED's, which in my case are quite white in color. This now makes my DRL's look more yellowish in color. So any suggestions of a suitable DRL/highbeam bulb upgrade would be appreciated. But, I'll keep your H9 lowbeam upgrade in mind for another time.(yes)
I would even, as a last resort consider disabling my DRL's so that they would only come on when I need my highbeams. Any experience in this area??
I have a 2014 GS which I assume has the same light setup as the 2014 GT non tech. I also has the LED DRL fog plastic surround, so I just pull fuse #51 from the fuse box and no more yellow DRL and the high beam still work. My LED fog surround is now the only DRL on and it will dim when the low beam come on. Problem solve.
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
Thanks for the tip. Correct me if I'm wrong but is the DRL fuse 15A and the 4th down from the top left in the fuse box? I'll try that tomorrow. Now, there will be an ongoing issue though. The LED's in my fog light surround stay on even when I turn on my higbeams, but are designed to go slightly dimmer like yours. So, my highbeams will no doubt still seem slightly yellow compared to my LED's. What have you noticed with your setup?
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- Fredericton Canada
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- 2018 CX-5 GT
OK, I figured out what fuse it was, took it out and now, like you, much prefer the look of just my Fog surround LED's serving as my DRL's. I just wish I could find an inexpensive Halogen upgrade for the DRL\Highbeam bulb that would make it whiter than the OEM halogen, when on Highbeam.
