[remorej]

Hello,

I'm thinking of changing my factory halogen head lamps to LED or HID (whichever one is easier to install). Anything white and brighter. I'm wanting a plug and play kind of deal. Has anyone tried this out yet and can suggest some products?? Thank you!!!!

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

Ive done a full HID kit on mine, so I can be of help. I was Lumens products that I got from my local shop.

Lumens High Performance Lighting - Xenon HID Conversion Kits and OE Replacement, LED Lighting

The install is easy enough. Im assuming you have a GX or GS/Sport or Touring? Also, if you are in Canada, you will need a DRL (Daytime running light) relay harness.

First picture are the bulbs and ballasts, 2 of each. Second picture is DRL Harness. Third is stock / HID Comparison (This picture was taken with a 8k purple bulb, using 6k instead now). Fourth and fifth is where I mounted the ballasts (Just under the plastic flap on either side of the engine bay. Sixth is where the harness (Optional, from my knowledge, Americans and elsewhere don't run DRL's) is hooked up to battery. Seventh is the current 6k HID's I run.

If you require step by step instructions for install, I can recall what I did for you best as I can, otherwise you can follow an install guide that Im sure is on the internet somewhere. As for how much better they are, they are differently more clear, brighter, and looks a lot better. Worth the 150ish I payed for the bulbs and ballasts, and 30 for the harness.

Edit - Turns out I cant post more than 5 photos, so Ill post the next few pictures after you reply.

 

[1362]

@MiikkeyyRSRB91 do you remember the part number you ordered?

 

[1362]

I have also been thinking about installing a couple of 2x6 or 2x12 LED light bars inside the bottom part of the Grille. Not sure yet

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

By part number do you mean what kind of bulb? They are h11s 6k, and they weren't ordered, bought them directly at local performance shop. Item # on box says k06h11 if that helps.

 

[remorej]

wow thank you so much!!! Yes I'm from Canada and own the GS model.

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

Then you are the same as me. Youll need the ballast kit that comes with 2 bulbs and 2 ballasts, and you will need the drl harness. When I get on my computer tomorrow I'll post the images I didn't get around to posting that show harness mounting and current bulbs.

 

[remorej]

That would be awesome!! I'll wait for your reply. Thanks a lot!!!

 

[remorej]

Is the light output pretty white??? These are LEDs right?

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

They arent LEDs. My 6k's are a bit more white blue. While 8k's are more blue and I found that they are less brighter than 6k. So in my opinion, 6k for brightness, 8k for looks. 12k is too much. You could also do coloured bulbs in 6 or 8k as well. Like that photo was with purple 8k, and my current ones are just a standard 6k.

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

Ok so to continue from my last post with images, here are a few more.

1st - Harness mounted to battery (Attached to bolts, the top one is visible, bottom one is under plastic cap. 2nd/3rd - Info on boxes (For the first box, I removed the stickers but it was H8/H9/H11 bulb type, 6,000k Color, and BAL1 Ballast type. For 2nd box, it was HDRL checked.) 4th/5th - 6K lights in action (Both were in a decently lit parking garage, the last one is on a different angle, so you can see the lights without the glare or whatever, you know what I mean)

 

[Soraia]

If you want to keep the car easily revertible, and get brighter light, go LED. Not all LED are as bright as they advertise. They also have brighter 7th Gen with different cooler design.
JDM Astar 6th Gen LED H7 2800 LUMENS Review - MX-5 Miata Forum

What's the Halogen bulb for low beam on CX-3? 9005?

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

No, low beam is H11. High beam is 9005.

 

[Soraia]

No, low beam is H11. High beam is 9005.

Thanks. I checked my new CX-3 as well. In this case the 7th Gen (brightest) LED low beams from JDM Astar will fit in perfectly without any modifications.

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

No problem, it'll say for things like this on the bulbs themself.

Also your comment above about HID's not being easily revertible isn't all that true. The installation is simple, and its literally a matter of pulling out the bulbs and taking out the ballasts and whatever extra necessary accessories were needed, and putting the original halogens in, or whatever you decide to switch to. I think it ultimately comes down to pricing and preference whether you want to add Piaa bulbs, HID's, or LED.

 

[EvoKnvl]

The install is easy enough. Im assuming you have a GX or GS/Sport or Touring? Also, if you are in Canada, you will need a DRL (Daytime running light) relay harness.

In the US, we have DRL as well. It should be the highbeam. Does your DRL work correctly? Is the Highbeam at a decreased voltage working correctly? Currently, when the DRLs come on, the HID/Lowbeams are coming on instead of the inner DRL. Is it the DRL relay harness that you're using that makes the difference? Thanks in advance!

 

[TiGrayMSM]

In the US, we have DRL as well. It should be the highbeam. Does your DRL work correctly? Is the Highbeam at a decreased voltage working correctly? Currently, when the DRLs come on, the HID/Lowbeams are coming on instead of the inner DRL. Is it the DRL relay harness that you're using that makes the difference? Thanks in advance!

I would like to know this as well. I am debating between Morimoto 5500k HID and LEDs. Just an FYI, but you can turn of the DRLs in the lighting settings.
Edit: Since the ballasts are plugged into the the H11 wiring harness, I don't understand why that would affect the function of the DRLs. Does it have to do with the difference in resistance of ballasts vs bulbs? If that is the case, a simple canbus harness should do the trick. I look forward to hearing what other people have done.

 

[TiGrayMSM]

As an update to this thread, the DRLs are low powered low beams. If it is like other cars, then I would assume it pulses the current to lower the output of the low beam. This would wreak havoc on the ballasts, so the best option will be to just turn off the DRL function for those of us in the states. I am going to go with this kit:
Industry Best H11 Morimoto Elite HID Kit : HID Systems : The Retrofit Source
If anyone else wants to get this kit, I would recommend getting the capacitor link. This should smooth out the pulses just in case the DRLs are re-activated.

 

[EvoKnvl]

As an update to this thread, the DRLs are low powered low beams. If it is like other cars, then I would assume it pulses the current to lower the output of the low beam. This would wreak havoc on the ballasts, so the best option will be to just turn off the DRL function for those of us in the states. I am going to go with this kit:
Industry Best H11 Morimoto Elite HID Kit : HID Systems : The Retrofit Source
If anyone else wants to get this kit, I would recommend getting the capacitor link. This should smooth out the pulses just in case the DRLs are re-activated.

This makes sense. I thought I read in the manual that it was the HB, but I guess it was the LB. I never got around to putting the regular ones back in to test it.

If you decide to leave the DRLs on, the capacitors will work. They will not flicker, but basically you're going to be running the HID's all the time. In the end, I decided to deactivate the DRLs.

As for deactivating the DRLs, you cannot disable it in the infotainment system if you are in the US. According to the manual, you can only deactivate them through the infotainment in Canada. I checked the settings, and everything is greyed out. You'll have to enter the "code" to deactivate them. To do so, you have to do the following.

- Press Start/Stop 2x WITHOUT holding the brakes. The Power on the car will come on without starting the engine.
- Hold down the Brake pedal
- The next steps require you to execute them very quickly
- Turn the parking lights on/off 5x
- Turn Hazard Lights on/off 5x (So you'll press the button 10x)
- Turn parking lights on/off 5x again
- Keep holding the brake
- The Check Engine Light will start to blink. Once it's done blinking, turn off the car.

At this point, the DRLs should be deactivated. If you want to re-activate them, I believe you're supposed to repeat the procedure.

Did this on the CX-3 and it works. The HIDs work fine when I manually turn them on, but don't come on as DRLs.

 

[Geezer]

I believe that deactivating the DRLs in Canada is illegal. If you are caught with your DRLs deactivated, you could be charged. Just a word of caution!