OEM LED Headlight conversion (not to be confused with any kind of kits)

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jonkop
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Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:21 am

Post by jonkop »

J.P.
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Joined 7 days ago
1 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 • a moment ago
Hello to everybody as I am a new member.
I have imported US LX PHEV to EU and want(and most probably should) change the crappy halogen OEM headlights.
In EU there are plenty of second hand OEM LED headlights for Niro (please don't discuss any kind of conversion kits in this topic, there are plenty of others in the forum) and I am thinking of buying one of these.

I am wondering whether somebody already done this, has he resolved the problem with the coding - I have pictures of the pins of the OEM halogens and the OEM LEDs and the LED's are 2 more, so obviously additional wiring will be required.
Is anyone familiar with the wiring diagrams for those 2 kinds of OEM headlights.

Thank you for any shared thoughts!
J.P.

davethesteam
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:11 pm

Post by davethesteam »

I have spoken to customer services at KIA UK and my local agent. No LED conversions are available warranted by KIA.
I have come to the conclusion the only way to improve the headlamp output is fit replacement Halogen bulbs
I have looked at the Hb3 Night Breaker Laser Next Gen 150 2st OSRAM W5w Ultralife which would appear to do the job.
However these are listed as HB3 / 9005
The car handbook states HB3 HL+ - I am not sure what the difference is - can anyone help please?
jonkop
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:21 am

Post by jonkop »

HB3 is equal to 9005! So either of these stamped on the box will fit!

But I will not give up on the OEM LEDs cause I already don't have any warranty from KIA - it is not transferable and although my USA KIA is covered, it is only in North America.
So I am still thinking of buying the OEM LEDs, they are way beyond any conversion with any kind of HB3/9005 bulb.....
AlanW55
Posts: 253
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:31 pm

Post by AlanW55 »

My First Edition has OEM bi-xenon headlights which are presumably an upgrade on the halogen. These are more than adequate for my (leisurely) driving at night. Is this option available to you, and presumably they would be fitted correctly aligned for UK left-hand driving. Good luck otherwise!
UK 2021 Mark 1 HEV 4 in silky silver, standard spec.
previously UK 2017 First Edition HEV in pearlescent white, standard spec.
davethesteam
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:11 pm

Post by davethesteam »

I have since heard from Osram re the HB3 / 9005 - it is NOT a direct replacement and will not do the job as it is high beam only. So for the time being, looks as if we are stuck with the KIA OEM supply - herewith their nresponse:
Dear David,

Thank you for your request. Please find the detailed answer from our product specialist below.

Yes, the HB3 and HB3 HL+ are interchangeable. The HL+ is a "tuned up" version that is optimized for Performance and Life. This is quite important for the vehicle in this case, as it is using a bi-halogen application. In other words, there is a projector module on each side, and one halogen bulb (HB3 HL+ in this case) is functioning as both the Low Beam and High Beam. When the Low Beam is on, a shutter is used to block some of the light to ensure glare-free light distribution. When the High Beam is switched on, the shutter opens up, allowing all of the light through. So a bi-halogen application needs a Halogen bulb that is bright enough to meet High Beam requirements but still with the Lifetime expected for a Low Beam.

The HB3 Night Breaker Laser is optimized specifically for Performance. The HB3 is typically a High Beam-only bulb, in which case Lifetime is not so critical since the bulb is not on much of the time. If the customer were to install the HB3 Night Breaker Laser, it is likely that he would have to replace them within the next 6 months to a year. We have also found that the Night Breaker performance benefit is not always so compatible with projector modules like the one in the Kia Nero PHEV, and therefore I would not recommend that he make this switch. As it is, the HB3 HL+ is in fact the best technical fit for this particular case.

We are currently developing an LED retrofit for the HB3. Such a lamp could be a very interesting alternative for this bi-halogen application. We have to be clear that this would not be a street-legal solution. However, the UK is one of the countries where we are able to sell them as "Offroad Only" options. If this is something of interestr, please let me know, and we can notify him of availability, which is expected to be within ~ 6-7 months.

Best regards

Daniela
OSRAM Automotive Lighting Team
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