The truth/rant about OEM and Aftermarket headlights.

previous thread here
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ts-colorado-still-worse.457586/#post-13518449

first of all I will start with the rules:

Only expensive photometric testing, of a specific light assembly, while installed on
the actual vehicle, can be used as a platform to start tests and complete the photometric
requirements.

The only legal headlight assembly on your vehicle is the OEM one from the factory.
This is the only one which is photometrically tested and certified to pass and meet
Federal requirements for that model vehicle.

NO aftermarket or home made versions meet or pass federal requirements, and
DOT certified or stupid stickers and labels do not mean anything. They may actually be
fine assemblies and could pass testing (rare but some might), but they don't
because the specific tests and certifications would bankrupt that aftermarket light maker.
They'd have to test for everything and only the big makers can actually afford all this.

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Now having said that, there is a big problem with Toyota, the federal testing standards,
and what you end up buying and driving.

The current federal laws allow testing in a lab only, no actual road driving. And it turns out
Toyota is getting bad at making lights that meet photometrics and actually light up the road.

The assemblies are legal, but real world driving results, is making end users want to install
illegal assemblies just to get decent light output.

And that is incredibly bad on both Toyota and the Fed. In europe they test ON THE ROAD
as well as in the lab. In US, lab only is fine.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/deskt...-headlight-ratings-show-most-need-improvement

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/ratings-info/headlight-evaluation


Anyhow, the 2017 Tacoma is rated poor.


I am on the legal side of things and will rant at you if you do your own mods and use
technically illegal assemblies of any type.

But I am gonna have to just keep silent, and it surely seems Toyota is screwing it up and there needs to be some
real change made in US Laws to force Toyota and others to step up and not just meet photometrics, but also just make a decent light for craps sake.

Holy balls I have a 2010 Yaris that has the best headlights I have ever seen, it lights up
the whole planet but no oncoming glare whatsoever. They are awesome.

My 1999 4runner, OK lights.

My 2013 tacoma, OK lights.

I just test drove a 2016 Tacoma, not as good as my 2013.

and now these IIHS tests confirm it.


What to do ? I cannot comment anymore. Yes only OEM is legal... but if OEM means
you have crappy actual driving results and poor illumination, how can I hate on you
if you are trying to improved the crud Toyota supplied ?

Owners of 2016+ who do not like the lights please write and send letters to Toyota
about this BS.

 

I'm pleased with my 16's lights.
Yes, the projector style low beams result in an "all or nothing" lighting break point, but the high beams more than make up for that.

 

I have HIDS in my factory projector housings.

Happy.

 

I was actually fine with the OEM lights

I upgraded just because I like hids and wanted a little more output, sharp cutoff lines and a better projector. Plus HIDs just look better compared to yellow halogens

 

3rd gen projectors are far better than any 2nd gen lights.

 

And... I have LEDs in my factory projectors AND replaced the fogs with FACTORY LED fogs from .... wait for it.... .Toyota = VERY happy.

 

My 3rd gen lights are better than my 2nd gen lights... I can't even recall my 1st gen lights.

I don't get the headlight-whine.

SB

 

I have went through numerous retrofits on my first gen, my last pair I made were using fxr 3.0's. So with that being said I've been driving with hid projectors for years so I'm used to certain light output.
Going from that to my 2016 has been very, very disappointing. I'm scared to even drive at night around here. I didn't want to do any mods for awhile but looks like a retrofit just shot up in priority.

 

Of course there will always be justifiable reasons for giving someone shit for going an LED/HID route when the housing is one that will not be able to adequately provide enough glare reduction to not blind other drivers. However, every housing is different and on my last vehicle, I received a ton of the same tired, generic arguments about how HIDs in a halogen housings are crap...and with regards to a true retrofit, I'm not going to argue that at all. However, that's not to say that they are going to always create an appreciable safety concern for other drivers.

On that vehicle, the Halogens were just horrible. I couldn't made out hardly anything that was outside of field of view of their focused light pattern which was directly ahead of the vehicle. I upgraded to HID, ignoring the arguments. I was extremely pleased with the results and never once had anyone flash me and had frequent encounters with my wife and neighbors and no one commented about the lights being bright until they rode with me...then all of a sudden they couldn't believe how great the visibility was, even compared to some of their stock HID setups.

The legal argument is a bit silly IMO. The laws are in place for safety reasons but if you're responsibly going around the law and not causing a safety concern for other drivers, it's just a nanny state argument. Plenty of us throw on tint darker than legal and break traffic laws daily whether we know it or not...so unless you're the patron saint of public roadways, let's not be douches about it.

 

I'm just trying to figure out what "photometric" means...

 

Measure of light intensity/brightness/etc.

 

Such an easy fix my man. The projector housings themselves are great. Only issue is Toyota put very weak halogens in there.

Put some quality HID bulbs in there and all is well.

 

Try asking the Google.

 

My womans Rav4 has projectors and they are a very focused bright pattern. Needing to retrofit my 2nd gen because honestly the headlights aint worth a dime lol

 

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/most-pickup-trucks-have-poor-headlights-iihs-tests-show

Here is the truck headlight review. Only the ridgeline got the good rating. I've always had luck with HIDs but after seeing some people with issues makes me want to stay away.

 

photometric: of or relating to photometry or the photometer


all new model vehicles
must pass lab tests with OEM rated stance, load weight, tire pressure and then
have all external lighting extensively measured for glare, side-vis, retroflective...etc....

specific square inches of light and reflective surface, specific amounts of red in the correct spectrum,
white of the correct spectrum...a few dozen different things,
glare from very specific and calculated angles.

entire engineering careers are in automotive lighting specs and testing.

one reason why your depo lights and other fleabay assemblies are not certified for crap, because
to certify them it takes far more than the meaningless DOT blabber
(which means absolutely nothing DOT doesn't certify anything)

To pass FMVSS it takes that specific revision vehicle model,
with the specific light installed, and tested with a specific bulb...takes a day or two to set up and test this.
and it has to be tested for each and every model, which is expensive as hell.

guaranteed your aftermarket guy with the injection mold does not have the funds to do this for every
vehicle.

anyhow Toyota is starting to worry more about fuel economy and style than throwing
light down the road so you can avoid critters it seems, on some models anyway.
passes photometrics yes ...but at bare minimum the IIHS is finding out

 

Projector Retrofit is the ONLY way to go IMO.

 

All of you that are ordering the brightest LED/Halogen lights humanly possible on your trucks, keep in mind that you are quite possibly being a huge dick to everyone you pass at night, because your low beams are way too bright. I have not run into a situation where my factory Gen3 lights weren't bright enough to safely see the road. I will eventually install the hidden led bar in the grill, so I can turn it on and off depending on the situation. This way I get to see into the next county if I want, but I'm not blinding everyone I pass. It's a free country, and no one can stop you from making your lights so bright that there is a supernova occurring in your headlights, but those of us that have to pass you are having a hard time seeing the road. Not to mention the older people that have a hard time seeing anyway.

I'm talking about the Bro's that get the most powerful lights available, usually in combination with a lift kit that levels out the lights, not the guy that just goes up a notch to see a little better. I get that.

 

I agree. That's the whole point of getting a quality projector and properly adjusting it. With a sharp cut-off line and a correct LHD step beam patten.. it shouldn't be blinding anyone.

 

You guys do realize the stock projectors have a very clean defined cutoff and most if not all Tacoma's come with properly adjusted headlights...they are more than capable of holding very bright lights without disturbing on-coming drivers. That is the entire point of a projector.

Post lift is a valid point however. The headlights will need to be adjusted for obvious reasons...the cutoff has been moved up and over most oncoming traffic.