How to tell .. HID's or not?

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Aug 11, 2010 | 06:39 PM
  #1  
she recently bought a 2005 maxima when she got the car both headlights were out. The question is how or is there anyway to tell if she has the xenon bulbs without taking them out and do you have to go thru the fender well to take the head lights out?????????? I have searched and searched but could find anything any help would be appreciated Thanks......
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Aug 11, 2010 | 07:12 PM
  #2  
Take out the air-box and the windshield-washer fluid spout to get at the bulbs. Unscrew the box and pop it out, and unscrew the fluid spout. That will be your quickest way to get at the bulbs to detemrin if they are regular bulbs or HIDs.

That being said, check your fuse-box to make sure it is not a blown fuse issue.
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Aug 11, 2010 | 11:04 PM
  #3  
Just wanted to chime in that if it is an SL model it has HIDs by default.
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Aug 12, 2010 | 06:40 AM
  #4  
Oh, not sure.
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Aug 12, 2010 | 07:41 AM
  #5  
Quote: Just wanted to chime in that if it is an SL model it has HIDs by default.
Not necessarily. I have an SL without HIDs
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Aug 12, 2010 | 05:19 PM
  #6  
Quote: Not necessarily. I have an SL without HIDs
Was it a no cost option to have them removed? Everywhere I have read has the SL models with leather and HIDs standard.
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Aug 13, 2010 | 11:09 PM
  #7  
Call the dealership give them VIN# and they will tell you if u have hids
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Aug 14, 2010 | 05:12 AM
  #8  
I got HID on mine...I noticed it like 2 weeks after I bought the car lol. Was about to buy a HID kit :P
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Aug 14, 2010 | 05:56 AM
  #9  
You should be able to tell by simply looking at the headlights. If it is a reflector bulb, you will see the bulb and the reflective housing back behind it...if it is an HID, you will only see a glass lens.

Here is the HID:



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Aug 15, 2010 | 11:52 PM
  #10  
What bulb is that for the white led turn light?
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Aug 16, 2010 | 04:38 PM
  #11  
Quote: Was it a no cost option to have them removed? Everywhere I have read has the SL models with leather and HIDs standard.
HIDs are part of the driver's preferred package. I assume most SL's have it. Mine doesn't
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Aug 16, 2010 | 04:57 PM
  #12  
Quote: What bulb is that for the white led turn light?

Here you go!

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/B...-p4835728.html
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Aug 16, 2010 | 05:07 PM
  #13  
Quote: You should be able to tell by simply looking at the headlights. If it is a reflector bulb, you will see the bulb and the reflective housing back behind it...if it is an HID, you will only see a glass lens.

Here is the HID:



All 6thgens have the glass lens. 5.5 gens have reflective housings, but most have hids (D2R instead of D2S)
Best test for a car without working bulbs is to get the vin and ask dealer, or pull out the bulb and read the bulb. Or easier yet, is to get a look at the underside of the headlight housing and see if there is a gray box attached, approx. 4x4"s. This would be a ballast, then you'll need to purchase some D2S hid bulbs if it is not a fuse problem.
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Aug 16, 2010 | 06:01 PM
  #14  
Quote: All 6thgens have the glass lens. 5.5 gens have reflective housings, but most have hids (D2R instead of D2S)
Best test for a car without working bulbs is to get the vin and ask dealer, or pull out the bulb and read the bulb. Or easier yet, is to get a look at the underside of the headlight housing and see if there is a gray box attached, approx. 4x4"s. This would be a ballast, then you'll need to purchase some D2S hid bulbs if it is not a fuse problem.
I never knew that...how do they use the halogen bulb in the glass lens? Is there a reflector housing inside the lens?
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Aug 16, 2010 | 06:13 PM
  #15  
Quote: I never knew that...how do they use the halogen bulb in the glass lens? Is there a reflector housing inside the lens?
They're called projector lights. There's a reflector and a shield that shields the light at a certain height, and that's how you get the sharp line.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4690697...ghts-work.html
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Aug 16, 2010 | 07:49 PM
  #16  
Here's the problem all her light went out at the same time high and low beam gave the dealer the VIN and they said it was non hid. so what should we try before buying new bulbs becuase the only place i've found to buy them was the dealership........
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Aug 16, 2010 | 08:04 PM
  #17  
Quote: Here's the problem all her light went out at the same time high and low beam gave the dealer the VIN and they said it was non hid. so what should we try before buying new bulbs becuase the only place i've found to buy them was the dealership........
Check the voltages with a multimeter.

candlepowershopping.com carries the bulbs for like half the price of the dealership, if you don't mind waiting a few days for them to come in the mail. You'll be wanting the Philips HIR2
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Aug 16, 2010 | 08:39 PM
  #18  
Quote: Here's the problem all her light went out at the same time high and low beam gave the dealer the VIN and they said it was non hid. so what should we try before buying new bulbs becuase the only place i've found to buy them was the dealership........
Non hids will take 9006 halogen. However, check the fuse box on the passenger side for a blown fuse. Located under the long plastic cover next to the windsheild washer fluid. There are 5 different headlamp fuses in there to test.
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Aug 16, 2010 | 08:44 PM
  #19  
5 different?? are u sure for that?
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Aug 16, 2010 | 09:10 PM
  #20  
Quote: Non hids will take 9006 halogen. However, check the fuse box on the passenger side for a blown fuse. Located under the long plastic cover next to the windsheild washer fluid. There are 5 different headlamp fuses in there to test.
They will fit a 9006 halogen in an emergency. They are not 9006 headlights. A 9006 bulb is only half as bright as the original equipment HIR2 bulbs.
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Aug 17, 2010 | 01:30 AM
  #21  
You can pick up the bulbs at kragen or Auto zone. I believe the silver stars are the best ones.
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Aug 17, 2010 | 09:52 AM
  #22  
Quote: You can pick up the bulbs at kragen or Auto zone. I believe the silver stars are the best ones.
Silverstars are not the best ones.

Silverstars are not available in HIR2.

There are two HIR2 bulbs available - the Toshiba, which is stock equipment, is discontinued but many places still have old stock of it. Then there's the Philips, which is better, and is currently being produced. Either one will work fine.

If you like being able to see where you are going at night, get HIR2 bulbs. If you like having dim headlights that you can't see a thing with, get 9006 Silverstars.
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Nov 9, 2010 | 01:20 PM
  #23  
Quote: All 6thgens have the glass lens. 5.5 gens have reflective housings, but most have hids (D2R instead of D2S)
Best test for a car without working bulbs is to get the vin and ask dealer, or pull out the bulb and read the bulb. Or easier yet, is to get a look at the underside of the headlight housing and see if there is a gray box attached, approx. 4x4"s.

I need to check to see if my 6th Gen has stock HID's, I want to change the bulb color to 6000K to mach the DDM kit in my Titan.
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