2013 Rogue HIDs not bright enough- need advice

[brokesmoke]

Hello,
I have a friend i am trying to help out and am seeking assistance. She has a 2013 Rogue SL with the OEM HIDs. The headlights are to dim for her for night driving and she cannot see well enough to feel safe. I have tried adjusting the headlights up just a tad, but to no avail. I am thinking about trying to change over to a aftermarket 55W PnP HID kit to help with some of the brightness issues as she does a lot of night driving. I am familiar with HIDs and how hey work as i have them on my personal vehicle. Just looking from input from someone that has done it already if there are any hiccups or what exactly i need to buy to make it work or if i need to bypass the OEM system. I did not see anything after a search through the forum that pertains.

Thanks again!

[ImStricken06]

so she has stock hid's? you do realize there is a small knob on her dash that raises and lowers the headlights?

[brokesmoke]

I did not actually. I'll look at that. I was just trying to find something to increase the overall brightness and figured bypassing the factory OEM hids with an after market 55w hid kit would be the quickest and easiest solution.

[ImStricken06]

I did not actually. I'll look at that. I was just trying to find something to increase the overall brightness and figured bypassing the factory OEM hids with an after market 55w hid kit would be the quickest and easiest solution.

yes there is a knob just above the left knee, on the dash. it will be a wheel going vertical with numbers 1, 2, 3, and i think 4? that will raise and lower the headlights internally. most people dont read their manuals and have no idea what that is. they clean their car, use a rag to wipe down the area, and end up dropping the headlights down.

anyway, your theory that aftermarket kits are somehow brighter is wrong. HID kits come in 35watts or some come in 55watts. the stock bulbs are somewhere near 4300k-5000k. that is the purest white light you can get. bluer, only means less light output. so in fact if you replaced the stock hid kit, with say 4300k - 6000k - you wouldn't be actually upgrading. also most aftermarket HID kit bulbs are not sized appropriately length wise for the reflector bowl; giving large hot spots or simply sending the light upwards.

-believe me, aftermarket HID kits are not superior to OEM hid systems.

[brokesmoke]

I agree 100% that the OEM solution is of better overall quality. They problem that we are having is simply overall light output. The factory system is a 35w system and i was just looking to install a 55w system as there is usually around a 30% or so increase in light intensity. Granted the focus may be different, etc. I just wanted to know simply can i just unplug the factory system and try out an aftermarket system to test to see if there is an increased light output. I understand the kelvin range and will be ordering a 4300 or 5000 kelvin kit.

[ImStricken06]

I agree 100% that the OEM solution is of better overall quality. They problem that we are having is simply overall light output. The factory system is a 35w system and i was just looking to install a 55w system as there is usually around a 30% or so increase in light intensity. Granted the focus may be different, etc. I just wanted to know simply can i just unplug the factory system and try out an aftermarket system to test to see if there is an increased light output. I understand the kelvin range and will be ordering a 4300 or 5000 kelvin kit.

i think there is more more to this story. you are the only one who stated the light output isnt good enough. make sure the lights are angled right. make sure the front clip of the car wasnt welded from a donor vehicle due to a major accident, etc.

the wiring for the stock system is internal inside the headlight. you'd need to get a oem hid harness connecter that leads into aftermarket styled wiring.