Help! QX4 Headlights Are Dangerous! Need Brighter Headlights

[bradesp]

Hi all,

I have a 2001 QX4 I purchased in 2006 with 60K miles.. I now have 100K miles and have ambitions to drive this beautiful truck for another 100K miles...

Here's the problem... the headlights are HORRIBLE! I have replaced the bulbs with modern high temperature bulbs.. but the light output is HORRIBLE. The lights are well aligned, so that's not the problem.

How should I proceed? Shoudl I look for aftermarket? OEM? Other?

Thanks!

Bradesp

[Innovazn]

Hi all,

I have a 2001 QX4 I purchased in 2006 with 60K miles.. I now have 100K miles and have ambitions to drive this beautiful truck for another 100K miles...

Here's the problem... the headlights are HORRIBLE! I have replaced the bulbs with modern high temperature bulbs.. but the light output is HORRIBLE. The lights are well aligned, so that's not the problem.

How should I proceed? Shoudl I look for aftermarket? OEM? Other?

Thanks!

Bradesp

HIDs is your friend.

6000K headlights (H4 size) with 3000K Fog lights (H3 size). its costly (200+ for both depending on what type of kit you buy)

[Towncivilian]

Don't QX4s come with HIDs from the factory?

[Innovazn]

^^ thats what i thought but he may have got shafted on the bulbs.

[bradesp]

Guys, just to clarify, the headlight output was slightly worse before I replaced the bulbs. I have also had the headlights adjusted.

I have NOT taken it yet to the Infiniti dealer because I've never left there without an estimate for repairs the size of a mortgage payment!

Is it possible my HID's are simply not getting sufficient power from the HID power pack?

[ARKQX33V6]

Bingo, that's what you need to check out before spending any money. Spend the time to verify the output is correct by testing the input and output voltages, cleanliness of the plugs, lamp holders, light reflectors and glass surround.

After that?!

[fueler]

Don't QX4s come with HIDs from the factory?

some do, some don't.

i made mine much brighter by installing the OEM HID's off the japanese version of QX4.

[carnal_c30]

hmmm my 2001 QX4 puts out great light output from the factory HIDs, maybe not reaching out as far as I like (probably to reduce glare to other drivers)

switching to higher temperature bulbs is exactly what you SHOULDN'T do, the light output is less than stock and you get that fruity blue or purple light which sucks.

switch back to stock and go from there, if you buy bulbs in the future stick with 4300k, 5000k, or mayyybe 6000k.

[bradesp]

Again, let me reiterate, the 5K bulbs I put in (non OEM) are brighter by 25% than the original, however both the new bulbs and the old bulbs leave me with unsafe visibility at high speed. When I drive my wifes factory Toyota Sienna van, I feel like I'm literally driving in the middle of the day, it's that clear. When I drive my QX4, I'm literally concentrating to see down the road, because visbility is so "short"...

[miamiheat3332]

if your paying anywhere close to $200 for 2 hid kits thats a huge rip off. Buy your hids off hidextra.com

The ones in my foglights are fine still after 2+ years. The headlights , one of the bulbs burned out after 1.75 years and they gave me another one so the new bulbs would match together. Fog lights in my sonata also burned out one after about 8 months, got the replacement bulb within a week. They have good quality and good warranty replacement. They run about $50 a kit, ive seen them let them go as low as $30 on black friday and new years.

[carnal_c30]

Ok, I drive my qx last night and I cant complain about the headlights
Here's what I would suggest (providing you have factory HIDs)

1. Polish up the headlight lenses if they are yellowed
2. Double check the aiming, what setting is the headlight level switch on?
3. Consider testing another ballast with your new bulbs (usually HID ballasts either work or don't work, not too common having dimming problems)
If you test an after market ballast with your bulb without installing it I may be able to help you with the cables and adapters needed to just test it out
4. If possible post a picture of your headlights on the road at night from the drivers seat, I'll do the same- I'm pretty happy with the QX4 HIDs


Hidextra is pretty hit or miss, they have a horrible reputation for quality and warranty, that's why their kits are so cheap.

[asnorton44]

I have great light output on my 2001 QX4 using OEM Philips D2R bulbs. I remember when one of lights was at out one point and even with only one headlight it lit up the whole road.

[bradesp]

Carnal,

1. Polish up the headlight lenses if they are yellowed -

My Lens are crystal clear

2. Double check the aiming, what setting is the headlight level switch on?

Interestingly, I've played with the headlight level switch, and when I toggle the switch between the three settings I see ZERO change in the light pattern or output of the headlights. What is normal? Do you see a major shift in the light pattern when you dial from 1 to 3?

3. Consider testing another ballast with your new bulbs (usually HID ballasts either work or don't work, not too common having dimming problems) If you test an after market ballast with your bulb without installing it I may be able to help you with the cables and adapters needed to just test it out.

> This may be beyond my DIY skills :-)

4. If possible post a picture of your headlights on the road at night from the drivers seat, I'll do the same- I'm pretty happy with the QX4 HIDs

>I'll do it tonight!

Thanks for the sogo's!

[bradesp]

Here are my pictures showing my low and high beams and the distance my low and high beams throw in front of my QX4.

I'm hoping the rest of you have much better light than this!

Low Beam



High Beam

[fueler]

wow - those are pointing straight at the ground! No wonder you can't see!

your low beams should definitely light up the mailbox (with the light beam cutoff at the same height as your headlights), and your high beams even higher than that. My highbeams barely hit the ground!

You said that your autoleveling is not working - neither does mine, so I just adjusted my lights manually (there is a manual beam adjuster on your headlight assembly, you need a phillips screwdriver.)

Heres what i have mine (low beams) adjusted to. If that same mailbox was in front of me, it would be lit up.

[bradesp]

Fueler,

Is this adjustment in the manual? if not, can I find instructions somewhere online that shows me how to make this adjustment?

Thanks,

bradesp

[asnorton44]

1. Turn on low beam
2. Tighten the adjusting screw all the way and then make adjustment by loosening the screw

[AZhitman]

4300k or so is the whitest and brightest, and is the color temperature with the most useful output.

[bradesp]

OK Guys, here's the update... I've used the instructions to locate the adjustment screws... Now I'm stumped... I've turn both screws to "tighten" all the way before adjusting... here's the weird thing... neither screw tightens in any way... they just rotate in their place, not appears to go up or down at all. You can push on them and they appear to have a spring underneath them... perhaps whatever they're bolted to have stripped? I'm wondering if this is the issue?

[fueler]

the screws don't/won't move up or down, they just twist, and as you twist the screw, the light beam will move up or down. (make sure you are doing the low beam screw and not the high beam screw)

yes, it is possible that someone could have stripped them but you'd really have to be a moron to pull that off....

If it were me, i wouldn't go by the long procedure outlined in the manual - i would skip the tightening part, just park your qx4 facing a wall or garage and adjust the light beam - in your case, it needs to go up.

It's gonna take a lot of twisting. The headlight beam will barely move as you twist the screw so that's why I like the brick wall or garage method - it's easier to see the beam being adjusted with some reference points. PS - Who the heck adjusted your headlights before???

by the time you're done, it should look something like this:

[bradesp]

Fueler, I only see one screw available to adjust... it's accessed through a round hole and is located in the upper right quadrant of the headlight area when looking straight down a the light.

Regarding adjustments, which direction do I turn the screw to move the light pattern upward? Clockwise? Counterclockwise?

Thanks!

[donald]

the screws don't/won't move up or down, they just twist, and as you twist the screw, the light beam will move up or down. (make sure you are doing the low beam screw and not the high beam screw)

yes, it is possible that someone could have stripped them but you'd really have to be a moron to pull that off....

If it were me, i wouldn't go by the long procedure outlined in the manual - i would skip the tightening part, just park your qx4 facing a wall or garage and adjust the light beam - in your case, it needs to go up.

It's gonna take a lot of twisting. The headlight beam will barely move as you twist the screw so that's why I like the brick wall or garage method - it's easier to see the beam being adjusted with some reference points. PS - Who the heck adjusted your headlights before???

by the time you're done, it should look something like this:

Hm... that's a pretty clean cutoff on your HID headlights... are those OEM from USA?

[fueler]

thanks dude, they are OEM from Japan !! Probably my favorite modification.

that pic on the garage isn't mine, but the pic with the fire hydrant is. Cutoff is sharp as hell and the light output is incredible.