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Hi All, I have a 2001 Taurus LX and the headlights don't seem to put out much light. We live a little bit out in the country so it would be nice to be able to see better in those areas where there are no streetlights. I've looked on this site before about this type of problem and the advice was to switch Phillips X-Treme Power 9007XPS. I put those in over the weekend and they don't seem to be much brighter. I cleaned the headlights with the lens polish & it is a little better, but still not as bright as I would like. I know there is another suggestion to add a new ground wire to the headlights that should help, but I'm not sure exactly what is meant by that, or how to do that procedure. Can someone give my an idea on how to add the ground wire & which headlight wire to splice into - I really don't want to buy another (upgraded) wiring harness, nor do I want to buy brand new headlight assembly's. Aprreciate everyone's help.

[Sean T.]

I've heard that Gen 4 headlights are notoriously dim... I have Sylvania Silverstars in my car, I I think they're pretty bright. I've heard GE Nighthawks are the best, but can't find them in stores.

Someone else should be able to help with the wiring questions

[Rusty]

Sean T., on 10 January 2012 - 01:33 AM, said:

I've heard that Gen 4 headlights are notoriously dim...

I have heard that, too, but I have no issues with mine. The lenses are almost perfect, and the only 'upgrade' I did to mine was Cool Blues bulbs 4 or 5 years ago. Same ones are still in it, never burned out, and still I see pretty damn good at night. At least as good as you can see on the dark-as-hell back roads around here.

[bobby]

Mine were pretty dim compared to my wife's 2006 mazda 3, so I put in a HID setup and love them.



edit: found a diagram here:

http://suvlights.tri...-diagrams-1.jpg

substitute your headlights for the "aux lights"

This post has been edited by bobby: 10 January 2012 - 12:22 PM

[Spridget]

Install a heavy duty headlight harness. The stock wiring doesn't deliver enough voltage to the bulbs. Any brand of bulb will be noticeably brighter with the HD harness.

[Roach]

^ That.

My friend had a G4 with the harness, I don't.

We were parked next to each other and I saw a noticeable difference between the light output of the two bulls.

[mwt]

a set of 35 watt 5000K HID's should plug and play. You will only have one set of lights. No high low beam.

Mike

[2005silverse]

i too installed an HID kit a yr or so ago. work great. plug and play system . 8000k ,cost me about 40 bucks visit hidnation.com

[SoNic]

I hate all the "plug and blind people" HID kits. None of the cheap ones is proper designed to avoid glare. None of them are adjusted properly for the new patern, like a factory HID. None of the users that install those illegal devices give a crap about others on the road. It's all good...

PS: Too bad that cops are busy eating donoughts and playing with their radar guns. I seldom see anybody stoped for a traffic violation, except the sure money-maker - speeding.

This post has been edited by SoNic: 14 January 2012 - 09:21 AM

[Vulcanator]

I have sylvania xtra visions and the suvlights.com harness and it's quite bright, just need to polish them next . I used to have silverstars a few years ago but they didn't make a whole lot of difference until I put the harness in.

[SoNic]

My stock wires have 1.4V voltage drop with normal lights on. Due to the non-linear dependence of light output with the voltage, that -10% in voltage translates in some -30% in light.
Yes, a harness makes a difference.

The X-treme Power bulbs from Philips are a cheap way to get better light, staying in the legal area. With enhanced harness, their life is short, but with the voltage drop on stock harness, they last OK (and provide just "normal" light).

This post has been edited by SoNic: 14 January 2012 - 10:55 PM

[mwt]

SoNic, on 14 January 2012 - 09:19 AM, said:

I hate all the "plug and blind people" HID kits. None of the cheap ones is proper designed to avoid glare. None of them are adjusted properly for the new patern, like a factory HID. None of the users that install those illegal devices give a crap about others on the road. It's all good...

PS: Too bad that cops are busy eating donoughts and playing with their radar guns. I seldom see anybody stoped for a traffic violation, except the sure money-maker - speeding.

You are partially correct.

When I say Plug and Play, I mean the electrical part of it.

The lights can and should be adjusted as not to blind people. The Gen IV Taurus headlight is fully adjustable both vertically and horizontally.
As far as the other poster using 8000K, I would not as they are too bright and are blue. a 5000K is a totally acceptable amount of white light in my opinion when adjusted properly.

I disagree that the "cheap" systems are not designed properly.

You seem to have a lot of anger both toward the general public and law enforcement. Just sayin.....

Mike

This post has been edited by mwt: 15 January 2012 - 08:02 PM

[Vash]

I have a 35 watt 4300k HIDs (oem equipment color) and properly aimed lower and they work very well. i have had them for several months and only been flashed one time. this kit is also a bi-xenon setup that has a high and low beam setting, which is actually just an electromagnetic solenoid that changes the bulb position, they are much brighter on hi beam setting than my old halogens ever could be

[mmmfloorpie]

Sean T., on 10 January 2012 - 01:33 AM, said:

I've heard that Gen 4 headlights are notoriously dim... I have Sylvania Silverstars in my car, I I think they're pretty bright. I've heard GE Nighthawks are the best, but can't find them in stores.

Someone else should be able to help with the wiring questions

I'm not really that thrilled with the G3 lights either. The hi beams in particular suck!

[drjkel]

I had a MEASURED 1.4V drop in the stock headlight wiring harness on my G4. Upgraded to an SUV lights wiring harness and GE Nighthawk bulbs. The GE Nighthawks were available from Rockauto. I can now tell my on-coming G4 at night from other cars.

[SoNic]

Wow, GE Nighthawk Platinum have an instant rebate on amazon - buy one get one free... At $40 for two packs of two. Too bad i just replaced the lights on my Explorer (same 9007 as the Sable), it would be a good buy.Maybe I will get some spare H7 for my wife Sonata (can combine the rebate for any Platinums).

This post has been edited by SoNic: 04 February 2012 - 04:59 PM

[Spridget]

drjkel, on 04 February 2012 - 03:08 PM, said:

I had a MEASURED 1.4V drop in the stock headlight wiring harness on my G4. Upgraded to an SUV lights wiring harness and GE Nighthawk bulbs. The GE Nighthawks were available from Rockauto. I can now tell my on-coming G4 at night from other cars.

That's what I measured on my '99 many years ago. That's a very significant drop in voltage. The aftermarket harness does a great job. I live in a rural area and often drive late at night. Lots of critters running around on the roads. The extra light output really helps.