Domestic Violence

so, after much anxious anticipation, a headlight bulb finally went out on my car. its an 04 with 44K miles, non-HID. i went to Pep Boys to get the 9012's and didnt realize that theyre not sold in that type of auto parts stores... so, i went with Sylvania Silverstar 9006's with hesitation.

i started on the passenger side, which was the side that was out. i tried to get the bulb out through the wheel well without succcess... so i unfastened the bumper cover enough to be able to get to all 5 bolts that secure the headlight housing. once it was out, the 9006 fit perfectly.

being the **** person that i am, i "had" to replace the drivers side to ensure they matched. however, before i began the drivers side, i went to the dealer and bought all new fasteners that secures the wheel well plastic, engine cover and bumper cover. i buttoned the passenger side up and started the drivers side.

instead of dropping the bumper, i decided to make an attempt at replacing it 'up top'. i removed the plastic intake/airbox and swung the intake snorkel out of the way. i removed the grey cup, unplugged everything and twisted the bulb out. however, i broke the grey retaining ring. i went back to the dealer and tried to get a ring- "we dont stock that". i got the part number and called another dealer- they had it... $11. so, i drove over there and picked it up. back to the house to reinstall everything and the FVCKING CLIP BROKE AGAIN . No dealers had the clip, especially at 4pm.

today, i found 2 clips in stock over in Cherry Hill NJ. 40 minute ride and i picked them up. came back home and popped it back on- replaced the bulb, plugged it all back in and am back in action.

so- if it wasnt for me breaking the clip- i wouldve taken me about 2 hours. the drivers side is very easy to do from the top.

- 9006's fit without trimming
- you do not need to drop the bumper
- be careful when removing the retaining clips, they break EASILY

nalc

iTrader: (11)

9012 are discontinued. Philips is rolling out new 9012s in the next few months which should be excellent bulbs. Until then, the best replacement is 9011, which is somewhat brighter, and requires a bit of trimming on the bulb tabs.

hirheadlights.com or store.candlepower.com both sell 9011 for $22

For the record
9006 = 1000 lumens
9005 = 1700 lumens
9012 = 1700 lumens
9011 = 2300 lumens

IMO, you're better off with getting a 9005 and trimming the bulb tabs than getting a 9006. 9011 is still the best, but it's more expensive and you need to wait for them to ship.

Albert

Is it true that the brighter the bulbs the shorter the life span?
Within 4 yrs, I had to replace three 9012. I was careful not to touch the bulb with my hands. I'm going with 9006 next time around.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

9006 - 55W, 1000 lm, 3100K, 1000 hour life
9012 - 55W , 1875 lm, 3600K, 800 hour life
9005 - 65W , 1700 lm, 3250K, 225 hour life
9011 - 65W , 2500 lm, 3600K, 300 hour life

That's not really true. It has to do with filament design and other factors. As far as high performance bulbs go, HIR2s have a pretty long lifespan. 800 hours is a lot.

9006 are fine for a temporary solution, but I wouldn't recommend them in the long run. You're replacing a 1875 lm bulb with a 1000 lm bulb. Toshiba discontinued the 9012, but some places still have the 9011, and Philips has a new-and-improved 9012 in the pipeline.

Domestic Violence

the Silverstars are rated at 4100K, plenty bright and a bit whiter than the 9012's

KCMAXX

iTrader: (22)

Should've splurged on an HID kit.

Halogen FTL, especially Silverstars.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

Silverstars FTL, but Halogen FTW. What it lacks in raw output, it makes up for in the fact that it's a more natural light source that is easier on the eyes.

The stock 6th gen projectors should take decently well to a HID kit, but IMO the best choice is to replace it with another 9011 or 9012 bulb.

chuckf

Needing to change the driver's side bulb prompted me to join this forum to begin with after discovering the dealer wanted $215 to change the bulb. They said they changed the bulb by dropping the bumper (which I thought was a bit too work intensive) sending me to this forum. I realize others on this forum believe the bumper method works well but thanks to those that suggested and gave directions to pull the wheel and fender liner, I was able to get the job done and back together in an hour. Had to bite the bullet though and spend the $80 for a dealer supplied 9012 because I couldn't wait the week or two for a mailorder delivery from the west coast. I was fortunate in not breaking any of the plastic pins and would feel comfortable in changing the other bulb in the future if need be. I have an 07 SE so I didn't any real measureable difference between the old and new bulbs.

Domestic Violence

didnt want the hassle of wiring up ballasts or anything else.

i am VERY happy with the Silverstars. the light is crisp, much whiter than the 9012, but far less than an HID. (i had the HID's in my Acura TL)

we had weather forecasted (20"s of snow) and wanted to get the bulbs done without too much of a problem... other than the broken clips, it was quite simple. last night was the first i was able to drive with the new bulbs in and, along with the Hella fog light bulbs i installed a few weeks ago, everything is great. much improved over stock.

po8pimp

I am confused with a couple of your statements. You said you did not have to do anything the make the 9006 bulbs fit. I had to trim the tabs for mine to fit in my 04 SE. The tabs where way to big to fit the holes. The other thing you said is you had a hard time accessing the bulbs from the wheel wells. I did this in like 10 minutes with no problems. Wait I did break one plastic wheel well retainer clip, but not an issue.

For the person who mentioned replacing bulbs 3 times in a year, I suggest getting PlasmaGlow bulbs which come with a 10 year full replacement. That's what I am running and they look great and fit nicely.

Domestic Violence

i attempted to R/R the passenger side through the wheel well, but wasnt able to get the main retaining disc off. i had to remove the headlight to get that done.

the drivers side? i did that from inside the engine bay by removing the intake plastics.

the 9006's fit with no trimming. dont know whats confusing about that... they fit.

KCMAXX

iTrader: (22)

Remove the two 10mm screws and pull the coolant resevour aside, then turn the washer fluid neck counter clockwise and pull it up.

Domestic Violence

I know how to get the reservoir off- and had it moved out of the way- no go

Talon05

The dealer wanted 125 to replace the driver side bulb. I couldnt find the bulb anywhere so I had to buy it from the dealer for 64 bucks. I took 35 hard mins to replace the bulb, because I had to remove the air intake. However, I broke the gray circle piece because it was very brittle from the heat in the Engine bay. Someone on here said they gray piece may break and boy was he right. So if you are gonna do it yourself, then do it and be ready with the glue or duct tape for repair of the clip. The dealer here in Florida dont carry the gray piece.

Domestic Violence

the retaining clip didnt break due to heat, cold or anything other than it being a piece of shlt design!

not only did i break the one that was on there, but i broke a replacement- right from the dealer!

i located two more and bought them- with the expectation of breaking another one.

glueing/taping/JB welding will not work- you will need a NEW clip.

one of which i have in my garage if anyone needs it. $15/shipped

mgp429

I had to take my max to the dealership this morning because I had a bulb out. I went to a couple places first to look for the 9012, but no dice. The dealership told me that the bulb alone was $68 and they didn't use the 9012 any longer.

Anyway, bulb and labor together is going to cost me $175, and they told me that they HAD to drop the bumber to do it.

Am I getting hosed here, or is this reasonable?

Thanks,

nalc

iTrader: (11)

The new 3rd generation 9012s have hit the market. They're much better than the 2nd generation 9012s that have been discontinued but are kept around as New Old Stock at the dealerships for replacements.

http://store.candlepower.com/ph3rdge90h.html

This is the best bulb you can put in the 6th gen headlights.

po8pimp

you are getting hosed. I would do it in less than 30 minutes and charge you nothing. Also don't get those 9012's get 9006's the best they have around. They are just as bright if not brighter and cost about $50 for 2. I am going to do a writeup on this as soon as I get a chance. I allready have the pics, just need to put the crap together. Through the bumper is the fastest way IMO and I didn't break any clips doing it. I didn't remove the bumper nor anything in the engine bay.

Domestic Violence

im very satisfied with the 9006 Silverstar's. coupled with the Hella fog bulbs i installed, it looks great and visibility is excellent.

i would recommend them to anyone.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

This is incorrect. 9012s are some 75% brighter than 9006. It's not subjective. It's not my opinion. It's a fact. You can say 9006s are "as bright or brighter" than 9012, but that doesn't mean they are. They certainly work in the 6th gen headlights, and you can probably see with them, but they aren't as bright. You might not notice a huge improvement, since everyone's eyes are different, but claiming 9006 is brighter than 9012 is blatantly incorrect.

This website has a table pulled directly from FMVSS 108, the federal guidelines for automotive lighting
http://fmvss108.tripod.com/light_source_list.htm

po8pimp

You are correct. with 9012s being brighter than 9006. However the lumens are 1875 for the 9012s and the Silverstar ultras are 1200 lumens. Seems like a huge difference, however is not that big of a difference low beam which is what most people drive with. High beam there is a bit of difference. Not enough for me to stay with the 9012s. the life of the bulb is quite a big difference given which brand you go with. couple hundred hours. Both bulbs are made by OSRAM/Sylvania so you know you are getting a decent product. I will stick with my Plasmaglows and the 10year warrenty/full replacement. As for the 9011's as a temp replacement for the 9012's, might not work concidering they are a replacement for the 9005's. I guess if you really want it to work you would be able to find a way.

nyc10034

Po8pimp, I'm really looking forward to your pictures. The first and last time I attempted to replace my bulbs, I dropped the front bumper and it took me a couple of hours. I'm really interested in saving time and money. If you want, I can provide an email to send the pictures. Thanks.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

Actually, Sylvania 9006 Silverstars are rated for a 200 hour life, and 1000 lm +/- 15%
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...r/ProductLine/

Toshiba Gen 2 9012 (OEM bulbs) are rated for a 800 hour life, and 1875 lm +/-15%
http://hirheadlights.com/stats.htm

Philips Gen 3 9012 (the new replacements) are rated for a 1400 hour life, and 11875 lm +/-15%
http://store.candlepower.com/ph3rdge90h.html

So, on average, you'd replace the Silverstars four times in the time you would replace the OEM Toshiba 9012s once, and you'd replace the Silverstars seven times in the time you would replace the new Philips 9012 once. The 9012s are also nearly twice as bright as the Silverstars. I have provided links that should head-off any claims that my information is false.

If you're planning on keeping your 6th gen for more than another year or so, it makes the most sense to spend a little extra and wait a week for shipping so that you can get the proper bulbs which are the correct brightness and which will go far longer without needing replacement than the Silverstars.

Now, of course, it must be mentioned that the life ratings are an average from a large sample of bulbs, and your mileage may vary, especially depending on how often you drive at night, how often you flash the bulbs, how bumpy your roads are, etc. So, yeah, you might find someone who burned out their HIRs in one year because they drive on bumpy roads and work a night shift and flash-to-pass during the day, or someone whose silverstars lasted for five years because they don't drive at night that often or just got lucky. But these numbers have been tested from a large sample of bulbs, and are therefore much more credible than hearsay "My cousin Jimbo has Silverstars and they've lasted for five years" or other personal anecdotes. You will end up replacing Silverstars far more often than you would replace 9012s.

jdigeorgio

I have had my 07 SE about 2 1/2 years now and about the only thing that I am really unhappy about is the headlights. I feel blind at night in this vehicle. When I bought it - I had read about the HIR bulbs and based on the specs I thought it was a good compromise between the regular halogens and the HIDs - but I feel like my other cars with regular halogens are so much better at night than the Max. I also have a TL with HIDs and I didn't expect the Max to be that bright - but not worse than the 04 Jetta and 01 Millenia with only upgraded halogens (one has Silverstars and the other has one of the ultra-type bulbs from GE or Philips - I don't recall the exact name). The Max is especially bad on a rainy night when traveling on black asphalt with low levels of street lighting. I hope the next gen HIRs are better - I am anxious to try them.

harrygill

hello there,comments seems helpfull however i ned a suggestion, i have maxima 04 se ,fog lights are on the headkit along with headlights and both the fog lights gaveup one after other , i just want to know which fog light to replace it with now i need whiter and better dan the one which it came with.thanks

nalc

iTrader: (11)

stock fog bulb is a H3. Best and brightest H3 on the market is the Osram Nightbreaker +90%. It's on www.powerbulbs.com

Domestic Violence

i installed Hella H3's in my fogs after a set of cheap ebay bulbs blew within a month.

Redstone

Hi folks this is exactly what I was looking for. Have an 06 SE and just blew a bulb on the passenger side earlier this week. I knew getting to the bulb was going to be tricky, but I didn't know you couldn't find it in the local auto parts stores. Called the dealerlership and they said $65 a piece. Not going to spend that much. I was very happy to see the link to store.candlepower.com. I think I am going to order the new Philips HIR2 9012 and give it a try. I know it is fairly new, but I would be curious to hear some feedback from anyone who has already tried the new Philips HIR2.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

Well, apparently it is the greatest light bulb ever created.

But, seriously, they kept the wattage and output the same, improved filament luminance and beam focus, AND nearly doubled the lifespan? Philips ain't messin' around.

They literally just came on the market 1-2 weeks ago, so please post your impressions once they arrive.

harrygill

hey finally i got the new fog lights and one break light buld replaced as well,i bought h3 silverstar,everything including the fog bulbs and the one break light bulb along with installation of all 3 costed me 60$,i guess its the best deal i got ,got it done from pep boys,now iam just waiting for my trunk strut rods as there is no pressure left in them and trunk is heavy,any suggestion for that anyone ?

rawdeal2082

I have a 2006 Maxima SL and the driver side xenon headlight is on its way out. Dealer wants $115 for replacement light and $175 for labor - pretty sure this is a little inflated. I have read all of everyones posts and just want to know two things:

1. Suggestions for brand and rating (4500K, 6000K, 8000K) of replacement D2S
2. Is replacing the xenon the same process for replacing non-xenon that I have been reading about?

I would really appreciate help with saving at least the $175 in labor.

nalc

iTrader: (11)

Philips 85122 or Philips 85122+

Both are 4300k. The + stays 4300k, the regular colorshifts to about 5000k over ~100 hours.

Replace both bulbs. You need to take the bumper off anyway, so it's not double the work. Unlike halogen (which are at almost full brightness until the filament breaks), HID get dimmer over time usually, until they go out.

If you replace just one of the bulbs, you WILL have headlights that are a slightly different color, and the new bulb will be brighter than the other side.

Look on ebay. You can find brand new in box 85122 for like $75 for a pair.

Avoid aftermarket bulbs. You got 4-5 years from your originals. You'll be lucky to get 1-2 years from a Chinese aftermarket bulb. They are dimmer, produce more heat, and have very poor quality control. In addition, colors like 6000k and 8000k increase glare while reducing the usable light output. A lose-lose combination.

Here is a link to a new pair of Philips 85122
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pair-...Q5fAccessories

rawdeal2082

nalc,
Thank you for the great information....just bought a pair on ebay for considerably less than dealer wanted for one. Now onto dropping the bumper and figuring that mess out.

phil2577

pretty sure 9006 has no high beam is that worth it no high beam

nalc

iTrader: (11)

The car will have a high beam with a 9006.

The way the 6th gen high beam works is a movable metal shield inside the projector. For low beams, it blocks part of the light, and it opens up for high beams.

No matter whether you have the correct 9012 bulbs, the brighter 9011 bulbs, 9006 bulbs (which are dim and a terrible idea), or a HID kit (which is an okay idea), a candle stuck in the back of the headlight, no matter what you will always have a functional highbeam in a 6th gen.

Now, a 9006 is bad for reasons I've already mentioned (It is only half as bright as a 9012), but it won't affect the high beam at all.