How-To on replacing Headlights?
11-21-2008, 09:35 AM
#1
How-To on replacing Headlights?
My friend just got an 09 and he just picked up HID's to install and it seems that there is a lot of work involved in getting behind the headlamps. Has anyone done this yet?
Thanks!
Thanks!
11-24-2008, 10:51 AM
#4
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11-24-2008, 01:27 PM
#5
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I believe to get to the headlights, you need to remove the front wheels and the fender liner. At least that's what I did to get to the headlights on my G37. I will try to change the high beam bulbs on my wife's Maxima this week and let you know if it's the same.
On a different note, has anyone changed their rear turn signals bulbs? I wanted to replace the stock bulbs with some Silvervisions to get rid of the egg yolk effect, , but the entire tail light assembly needs to be removed to change a single turn signal bulb. I think that is a very poor design. You should not have to go to the dealer to change a tail light bulb. In any case, I decided to hold off until I get some instructions before I attempt again. Has anyone replaced the tail light bulbs on the new Maxima?
On a different note, has anyone changed their rear turn signals bulbs? I wanted to replace the stock bulbs with some Silvervisions to get rid of the egg yolk effect, , but the entire tail light assembly needs to be removed to change a single turn signal bulb. I think that is a very poor design. You should not have to go to the dealer to change a tail light bulb. In any case, I decided to hold off until I get some instructions before I attempt again. Has anyone replaced the tail light bulbs on the new Maxima?
12-04-2008, 03:10 PM
#8
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The Fog Bulbs are not the same as the 2007 Maxima. The Fog Bulbs on the 2009 Maxima are H11 type bulbs, I believe.
They are listed in the Owner's Manual and are a piece of cake to install, just remove the plastic cover under the front bumper and they are right there. It took me less than 10 minutes to replace.
The High Beams are a different story. For those, you need to remove the wheels and the front wheel well covers. Once the covers are removed you have a straight shot to the High beam bulbs (more/or less).
I replaced my fog lights and high beams with PIAA Extreme White bulbs and they match the Xenons much better than the stock bulbs.
They are listed in the Owner's Manual and are a piece of cake to install, just remove the plastic cover under the front bumper and they are right there. It took me less than 10 minutes to replace.
The High Beams are a different story. For those, you need to remove the wheels and the front wheel well covers. Once the covers are removed you have a straight shot to the High beam bulbs (more/or less).
I replaced my fog lights and high beams with PIAA Extreme White bulbs and they match the Xenons much better than the stock bulbs.
12-05-2008, 12:43 AM
#9
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The Fog Bulbs are not the same as the 2007 Maxima. The Fog Bulbs on the 2009 Maxima are H11 type bulbs, I believe.
They are listed in the Owner's Manual and are a piece of cake to install, just remove the plastic cover under the front bumper and they are right there. It took me less than 10 minutes to replace.
The High Beams are a different story. For those, you need to remove the wheels and the front wheel well covers. Once the covers are removed you have a straight shot to the High beam bulbs (more/or less).
I replaced my fog lights and high beams with PIAA Extreme White bulbs and they match the Xenons much better than the stock bulbs.
They are listed in the Owner's Manual and are a piece of cake to install, just remove the plastic cover under the front bumper and they are right there. It took me less than 10 minutes to replace.
The High Beams are a different story. For those, you need to remove the wheels and the front wheel well covers. Once the covers are removed you have a straight shot to the High beam bulbs (more/or less).
I replaced my fog lights and high beams with PIAA Extreme White bulbs and they match the Xenons much better than the stock bulbs.
12-07-2008, 07:55 PM
#10
I looked it up in the Manual and it does read H11 as the type of bulb in the Fog Light section and that it is a 55 Watt bulb and that is it, nothing really specific.
I can't seem to understand why Nissan would give you the option of having Xenon Headlights but only the Low Beam lights are HID. I won't be changing my high beams anytime soon but I do run my fog lights all the time so I am definitely going to change those out to an aftermarket H11 version of the Fog Light Bulb to give it a uniformed look.
I did find this on the internet but it is for the 2008 Maxima Fog Light, let me know what you guys think if this might work or if I am way off base:
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
I can't seem to understand why Nissan would give you the option of having Xenon Headlights but only the Low Beam lights are HID. I won't be changing my high beams anytime soon but I do run my fog lights all the time so I am definitely going to change those out to an aftermarket H11 version of the Fog Light Bulb to give it a uniformed look.
I did find this on the internet but it is for the 2008 Maxima Fog Light, let me know what you guys think if this might work or if I am way off base:
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
12-09-2008, 12:02 PM
#11
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
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since, high beam light is not used often, so just changing fog light would be good enough. just a question.. would this modification cause any problem for leasing car?
should i ask my dealer about this change? and i also would like to switch rear plate light to xenon too. if anybody has done this, could you share some info? thanks in advance.
should i ask my dealer about this change? and i also would like to switch rear plate light to xenon too. if anybody has done this, could you share some info? thanks in advance.
12-09-2008, 12:10 PM
#12
I don't see why this would be an issue if you leased a vehicle. If you plan on turning in your vehicle after your lease is up then just keep the stock items that you take off and replaced with aftermarket items and put them back on when it's time to turn it in. Or you can just turn the vehicle in as is with upgrades and then they have more of a pricing chip when they decide to turn it around sale back out to the public.
I just turned in a lease on a Dodge Ram Hemi and I still had an aftermarket Hood with scoop and insert and also a remote start viper alarm system installed on it and I had absolutely no problem with the turn in process, in fact they were excited that the truck was in such good shape and had a few modifications to it that could help them sell it easier.
With my MAX I intend on keeping it after the lease expires or until they come out with something faster and cooler in this category so I am not worried about the mods. But with all the mods I am having done with the exception of the alarm system I will be able to pul them all out and go back to stock with a turn of a wrench no problem.....that's if I decide to get rid of her in the end, as of now I don't see that happening.......I love this car!!!!
I just turned in a lease on a Dodge Ram Hemi and I still had an aftermarket Hood with scoop and insert and also a remote start viper alarm system installed on it and I had absolutely no problem with the turn in process, in fact they were excited that the truck was in such good shape and had a few modifications to it that could help them sell it easier.
With my MAX I intend on keeping it after the lease expires or until they come out with something faster and cooler in this category so I am not worried about the mods. But with all the mods I am having done with the exception of the alarm system I will be able to pul them all out and go back to stock with a turn of a wrench no problem.....that's if I decide to get rid of her in the end, as of now I don't see that happening.......I love this car!!!!
12-09-2008, 10:16 PM
#16
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Location: Bronx, NY
Posts: 33
i'm also tryna figure out where i could get some....ebay has sum super white PIAA fogs h11 but not sure if i should get those or better ones....Any1 know a good plate to buy some fogs?
12-09-2008, 11:00 PM
#18
Did anyone else try the link I posted to see if these are an option to fit in the 09 max???
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
I found this and I am not sure if this will work in the 09 MAX???
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
I found this and I am not sure if this will work in the 09 MAX???
12-09-2008, 11:49 PM
#19
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Bronx, NY
Posts: 33
Did anyone else try the link I posted to see if these are an option to fit in the 09 max???
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
I found this and I am not sure if this will work in the 09 MAX???
http://www.statracing.com/oem-replac...Fog+Light+Bulb
I found this and I am not sure if this will work in the 09 MAX???
12-10-2008, 12:28 PM
#20
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Location: A T L
Posts: 264
ok, well I'm gonna take the leap for the team and purchase some H11 Xenon HIDs from eBay and I'll let you guys know it goes.
But does anybody know the exact color temperature that we have for our headlights? is it pure white or light blue? or what 'K' (color temperature) is it? I want to closest match possible. I have the Xenon HIDs for my headlights.
Last edited by michaelle8885; 12-10-2008 at 02:52 PM.
12-12-2008, 05:26 PM
#23
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
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by the way, so i know it's H11. should i get
H11 size xenon HID bulb, then replace it by self?
i hope michelle8885 get this work done soon. he seems really good at
lights.
12-12-2008, 05:30 PM
#24
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12-12-2008, 08:10 PM
#25
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12-13-2008, 12:45 AM
#26
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yea those will work, I haven't played around with the fog lights yet but the dude said they're easy and you just move the plastic covering from the bottom of the bumper and it's right there, again I'm gonna try it out but I'm just curious as to what the exact color temperature (4k, 5k, 7k, 9k?) our Xenon HID headlights are, I want thme to be as close as possible...
12-13-2008, 12:49 AM
#27
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yea those will work, I haven't played around with the fog lights yet but the dude said they're easy and you just move the plastic covering from the bottom of the bumper and it's right there, again I'm gonna try it out but I'm just curious as to what the exact color temperature (4k, 5k, 7k, 9k?) our Xenon HID headlights are, I want thme to be as close as possible...
Still waiting on people to be guinea pigs first before I change out the stocks (Fogs) for either Silverstars or PIAAs....
...IMO it just sounds like a PIS to change out the Highs, they should ahve just done projectors to get both the highs and lows with the hids.......
Last edited by JHOVAMAX; 12-13-2008 at 01:05 AM.
12-13-2008, 10:18 AM
#28
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I know with my Previous FX35 the HIDS were ~4.3K I beleive, these look very similar to them.....At least to me 6K is too far in the "blue" spectrum for the stocks....
Still waiting on people to be guinea pigs first before I change out the stocks (Fogs) for either Silverstars or PIAAs.......IMO it just sounds like a PIS to change out the Highs, they should ahve just done projectors to get both the highs and lows with the hids.......
Still waiting on people to be guinea pigs first before I change out the stocks (Fogs) for either Silverstars or PIAAs....
...IMO it just sounds like a PIS to change out the Highs, they should ahve just done projectors to get both the highs and lows with the hids.......
12-13-2008, 11:57 AM
#29
yea I think 5k is the whitest before it begins to hit blue, I just purchased some 4.5k Xenon HIDs off eBay so I'll let you guys know how that goes, and I'll try to do another guide on how-to for the foggies. I'm not too worried about the hb's becuase I rarely use them.
12-17-2008, 11:34 AM
#31
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so I purchased these Xenon 4500k super white HIDs off eBay, and I won't be able to tell till at night but as of the day time they definately are more white but I just can't tell if they match the headlights yet since it's daytime. So far they are not a perfect match 
I'll take some pictures at night.
also the installation is very easy, just refer to my guid for the interior LEDs and it's the same process as the trunk lights, the plastic covering under the front bumper removes like the covering in the trunk, so when you take the fog lights out you turn it then pull out, then to put back in it's the same process, lock it back in place.
I'll take some pictures at night.also the installation is very easy, just refer to my guid for the interior LEDs and it's the same process as the trunk lights, the plastic covering under the front bumper removes like the covering in the trunk, so when you take the fog lights out you turn it then pull out, then to put back in it's the same process, lock it back in place.
12-17-2008, 06:31 PM
#33
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Is anyone a bit unhappy with the HID's on the new '09? Mine seem to be a lot dimmer than my previous HID headlamps on my '05 and don't seem to project nearly as far. I had the dealer check them out and they said the HID's were fine.
12-27-2008, 12:09 AM
#34
so I purchased these Xenon 4500k super white HIDs off eBay, and I won't be able to tell till at night but as of the day time they definately are more white but I just can't tell if they match the headlights yet since it's daytime. So far they are not a perfect match I'll take some pictures at night.
also the installation is very easy, just refer to my guid for the interior LEDs and it's the same process as the trunk lights, the plastic covering under the front bumper removes like the covering in the trunk, so when you take the fog lights out you turn it then pull out, then to put back in it's the same process, lock it back in place.
I'll take some pictures at night.also the installation is very easy, just refer to my guid for the interior LEDs and it's the same process as the trunk lights, the plastic covering under the front bumper removes like the covering in the trunk, so when you take the fog lights out you turn it then pull out, then to put back in it's the same process, lock it back in place.
Hey michaelle8885,
I was waiting for your pictures with your modification on your HID fog lights. Did you ever get a chance to take pictures at night on your new lights???
12-27-2008, 05:04 PM
#35
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hey bro, yea the day i installed the foggies I went out of town, I wont be back until the 3rd and I will definately post the pic of what it looks like. Im still curious as to how it will look at night. Ill get back to you guys asap.
01-03-2009, 09:30 PM
#36
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so I just got back home and tested out my new fog lights at night, although they are significantly better and whiter than the stock bulbs it still does not match the headlights, which are more HID white looking. The fog bulbs I purchased were 4500k and they do not match.
01-03-2009, 09:35 PM
#37
so I just got back home and tested out my new fog lights at night, although they are significantly better and whiter than the stock bulbs it still does not match the headlights, which are more HID white looking. The fog bulbs I purchased were 4500k and they do not match.
Thanks for the update michaelle8885, still standing by for the pics......I want to replace my fog lights but I want to match it as closely as possible...
If you had to guess which set since 4500K does not match would you say might work instead?
01-14-2009, 12:22 AM
#38
I did it!!! I purchased a set of H11 HID XENON 6000K replacement bulbs I can't wait to get them in I am pretty excited.......I think they might be the closest match. I will post pics as soon as I get them installed!!!
01-18-2009, 06:08 AM
#39
I got good news and I got bad news........I always hated when a conversation started off that way! But I got home late last night after the UFC Fight and found a small box had been delivered to my home!!!! So at 1:30 am I am all excited to open the box marked H11 HID 6000K bulb!!! I open it up and tada! It's the wrong damn bulb......it turns out to be a H11 HID Conversion 6000K 35W bulb..... So to make sure I am not crazy I go ahead and remove my fog light just to make sure and YUP it's the wrong friggin bulb.....Man!!!
So I immediately go back and check my reciept online from Ebay and realize that I did in fact order the wrong set :-( so now I am going to have to try and return them..... Good news is that I immediately ordered a new set last night and made sure I got the right ones this time.....and the saga continues!!!!!
So I immediately go back and check my reciept online from Ebay and realize that I did in fact order the wrong set :-( so now I am going to have to try and return them..... Good news is that I immediately ordered a new set last night and made sure I got the right ones this time.....and the saga continues!!!!!
01-18-2009, 08:13 AM
#40
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Choice89 I'm a little confused, so what did you get, was it not an H11 or was it something else. When purchasing the lights in HID do you have to make sure its not conversion kit? Are you just purchasing the h11 bulb or are you trying to purchase an HID Bulb? Let us know