How to Install JDM Headlights
Feb 25, 2004, 04:40 PM
#1
How to Install JDM Headlights
***DISCLAIMER: I hereby denounce all responsibility for any installation attempts with this tutorial. In the tutorial I do not remove the negative terminal from the battery in order to be able to test some wires in the middle of the installation. With the battery still connected, if you cross any wires (power and ground) you cause a short circuit which will blow fuses and possibly damage any electrical components in the car. Please excersize extreme caution when stripping and handling the wires.***
With that said...
Tools:
- Wire Stripper (optional, you can use a razor blade instead)
- Phillips Screw Driver
- Hex Key kit (aka Allen wrenches)
- Electrical Tape
- Extra wiring (multiple colors recommended)
- 8 or 10 mm socket
Material:
- Extra wiring (multiple colors recommended)
- 2x 9005 High Beam Harness
- 2x 9005 High Beam Bulbs
- 2x wedge bulbs (if you're going to stay amber in color 4 if u want a different color)
- 2x H1 bulbs
Procedure:
1) Use the sockets to remove both stock headlight housings from the car. They require a bit of force and intelllect to get them out. Keep changing their angles and tug them out and eventually they will come out. See the bulb shaped metal thing at the end of the headlight housing? It is the silver metal thing that clips onto the car's chassis that holds the side toward the sidemarker in place. You need to unscrew that bulb thing and move it to the new housing (the new housing has a gold one I believe).
***Pre-note for this section... when i say connect means strip the wires and tie them together and electrical tape it so it's secure***
*** Also Be sure to know which harnesses carry which signal before you start clipping off any of the stock harnesses. Start with the easier ones... the parking lights then do the signal light then move on to the headlight. Go to the JDM housing and you will see a triangle shaped harness with 3 wires coming out of the back of it. Black is the ground for both the parking lights and the signal light. The Brown is the power for the signal light and the red is the power for both parking lights. ***
2)Cut all 3 wires out from behind the black harness. Connect the ground of the parking lights to the black wire on the housing (dont wrap it in electrical tape yet since you still have to ground the signal light) and connect the power of the parking lights to the red wire.
3)Clip off the stock signal light harness and connect the ground wire to the black wire on the headlight housing. Connect the power of the signal light to the brown wire.
4) Clip off the stock headlight harness and ground the 9005 harness and a peice of black wire to the ground wire.
5) Turn on the car's headlights and use the other high beam wire to test which of the 2 wires carry the headlight (low beam) power. Once that wire is found, connect the other wire to the high beam (the one that is left from process of elimination).
6) Connect a red peice of wire to the wire that is carrying the power for the low beams and connect it to 1 of the prongs on the H1 socket (doesnt matter which prong). Connect the black wire to the other prong. Be sure to electrical tape the wire around the prong so it's secure.
7) Tuck the wires back into the car and make sure all your bulbs are in. Then proceed to insert the JDM housing into the car. Bolt everything up and close the hood.
8) Have someone sit in ur car and command them to test the lights out (i.e. "Turn on the parking lights.... turn on the headlights.... turn on the high beams.... test the hazard lights). Once you verify that all lights are working... you're done!
Any questions please feel free to contact me.
With that said...
Tools:
- Wire Stripper (optional, you can use a razor blade instead)
- Phillips Screw Driver
- Hex Key kit (aka Allen wrenches)
- Electrical Tape
- Extra wiring (multiple colors recommended)
- 8 or 10 mm socket
Material:
- Extra wiring (multiple colors recommended)
- 2x 9005 High Beam Harness
- 2x 9005 High Beam Bulbs
- 2x wedge bulbs (if you're going to stay amber in color 4 if u want a different color)
- 2x H1 bulbs
Procedure:
1) Use the sockets to remove both stock headlight housings from the car. They require a bit of force and intelllect to get them out. Keep changing their angles and tug them out and eventually they will come out. See the bulb shaped metal thing at the end of the headlight housing? It is the silver metal thing that clips onto the car's chassis that holds the side toward the sidemarker in place. You need to unscrew that bulb thing and move it to the new housing (the new housing has a gold one I believe).
***Pre-note for this section... when i say connect means strip the wires and tie them together and electrical tape it so it's secure***
*** Also Be sure to know which harnesses carry which signal before you start clipping off any of the stock harnesses. Start with the easier ones... the parking lights then do the signal light then move on to the headlight. Go to the JDM housing and you will see a triangle shaped harness with 3 wires coming out of the back of it. Black is the ground for both the parking lights and the signal light. The Brown is the power for the signal light and the red is the power for both parking lights. ***
2)Cut all 3 wires out from behind the black harness. Connect the ground of the parking lights to the black wire on the housing (dont wrap it in electrical tape yet since you still have to ground the signal light) and connect the power of the parking lights to the red wire.
3)Clip off the stock signal light harness and connect the ground wire to the black wire on the headlight housing. Connect the power of the signal light to the brown wire.
4) Clip off the stock headlight harness and ground the 9005 harness and a peice of black wire to the ground wire.
5) Turn on the car's headlights and use the other high beam wire to test which of the 2 wires carry the headlight (low beam) power. Once that wire is found, connect the other wire to the high beam (the one that is left from process of elimination).
6) Connect a red peice of wire to the wire that is carrying the power for the low beams and connect it to 1 of the prongs on the H1 socket (doesnt matter which prong). Connect the black wire to the other prong. Be sure to electrical tape the wire around the prong so it's secure.
7) Tuck the wires back into the car and make sure all your bulbs are in. Then proceed to insert the JDM housing into the car. Bolt everything up and close the hood.
8) Have someone sit in ur car and command them to test the lights out (i.e. "Turn on the parking lights.... turn on the headlights.... turn on the high beams.... test the hazard lights). Once you verify that all lights are working... you're done!
Any questions please feel free to contact me.
Last edited by HobieKopek; Feb 25, 2004 at 04:48 PM.
Feb 25, 2004, 05:00 PM
#2
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Right on man -- ty!!! My HIDs are here.. but i got te wrong kind sent to me so i'm waiting to get my H1s 
... then i just need to order the black housing! .. thanks again
-- Good job!
- rob
... then i just need to order the black housing! .. thanks again -- Good job!
- rob
Feb 26, 2004, 05:47 PM
#4
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Originally posted by RalliartFan
should this go in the how-to section?
should this go in the how-to section?
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May 23, 2004, 12:34 AM
#9
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man it is ez... i did myne with out even using Kareem's thing... i just did it... but it took me longer like an hour on the first side n den 45 mins on the next.
May 23, 2004, 12:37 AM
#10
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mewantboost...you just guess how all the wires went...or a you a super electrician?....cus to test it and all takes more than 20 minutes a side...my first side alone was a good hour the like 30 for the other side....
May 23, 2004, 08:14 AM
#12
Well, the only tricky one was the headlight. The signals and running lights both were obvious since the black wire was clearly ground. As for the headlights, I snipped one wire, then went and turned the car on. If the low beam turned on, I snipped the high beam. again, clearly, the black was ground - so it wasnt too hard. If I had this installation guide before the install, I probably would have done it quicker. It just seemed easier than I thought it would be!
Sep 30, 2004, 07:10 PM
#13
Whats up guys! Just wondering if any of you who have done this install happen to have kept their stock headlight plugs with enough wire on them so i can splice back my stock headlights? I smashed my JDM headlights in an accident so I'm forced to go back to stock.
Oct 1, 2004, 12:29 PM
#14
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^ .. i had them but them i gave my stock headlights to majestic lancer... u can go to any auto parts places and buy the plugs... u wouldnt spend more than 30 - 40 bucks i think
