Hello,

This is my first post. I recently purchased a new 09 Accord EX. I like the car but am finding that I need to make some slight modifications. I live in an area that has no street lights and gets very dark. I have found that the low beam headlights barely light up the road. Where the high beam lights are awesome at lighting up the road. I took a ride in a friend's accord and found his car to have the same "issue." So there is not a build issue with my vehicle. What are my options that would make the low beams brighter? I do not think that I am up for spending lots of cash or installing some type of kit like HID lights (unless it was super easy). So what are my options in increase the low beam light output? Is replacing the stock headlights with something brighter an option? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

There are brighter bulbs, some legal some not. Frequently they have shorter lifespans.

Sometimes a change in color (less yellow) can improve visibility without increasing wattage. OTOH some ricer headlights are just too strongly colored to improve things.

Finally, most important, are they AIMED correctly?

 

They actually seem like they point down a bit. If this is the issue how do I correct it. However I would still like something a bit brighter. The current lights are 51 watts but there is a cone shaped piece on the bulb which I think lessens the light output. should I just go with something with higher wattage? what is involved in going to HID lights (price and complexity to install) or is there other alternatives. Thanks for any further suggestions!

 

I agree 100%! First time I drove my wife's 08' EX-L I thought they needed to be adjusted. Turns out w/ the fog lights on it gives the sense that they are not reaching out far enough, but w/ the fog lights off in normal driving conditions, all is well. The lights also "cut off" w/ a line where the light stops, causing them to look shorter. Let me know if you find other bulbs that help your problem, meanwhile, I just leave the fog lights off.

 

No fog lights on mine so this is not the issue. The high beams (60 watts) are simply awesome as they are super bright. Problem is that I obviously cannot use high beams when another car is approaching. If something happens to get in front of my car with the low beams (like a deer) I don't know how I am going to stop with the current lights...

 

The cone thing covering the bulb is there to prevent scattering above the cut-off line. It reflects light back towards the reflector, so ALL light is supposed to come from the reflector. None directly from the bulb.

The difference between 51w & 60w isn't that much, the difference really comes from the beam pattern & the aiming. You can't fix the beam pattern, only the aiming.

I couldn't find a good picture of the adjusters, but they're like toothed wheels on the backside of each lamp housing.

 

So try the adjusters first or get a brighter lamp? Where do I get the adjusters?

 

anyone else?

 

Aim the headlights first, that's what I meant by "adjusters". Look on the backside of the headlamp housings for a disk about 3/4" diameter with teeth curving in towards the housing. Turn that one way or the other to aim up & down.