واتساب
As a LED headlight manufacturer with over 20 years of industry experience, we hear questions from customers almost every day when they are considering a headlight upgrade.
Many drivers and buyers are unsure about brightness levels, bulb types, heat dissipation, compatibility, and whether LED headlights are safe for their vehicles. These concerns are completely understandable, especially with so many products on the market.
In this blog, we’ve summarized the most common questions we receive and provided clear, straightforward answers.
1. Questions Related to Projector Lenses
Projector headlight lenses are a major concern for many car owners and remain one of the most frequently discussed topics in our conversations.
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: My vehicle has projector lenses for low beam / high beam. Can I replace halogen bulbs with LED bulbs directly?
Q2: Do I need to upgrade the whole headlight setup with LED headlight projector lens?
Q3: Will the LED bulb physically fit into the housing?
Q4: After installation, will the beam pattern still be correct?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Yes. If you car is equipped with projector lenses, LED headlight bulbs can usually be installed as a direct replacement.
A2: No need to replace the entire headlight assembly, just swap the bulb.
A3: Yes, as long as the LED bulb is designed with a similar size and mounting base as the original halogen bulb.
A4: Yes, provided the LED bulb has a properly beam pattern and is installed in the correct orientation.
If you want to understand the reasoning behind this, read on for a detailed explanation
As the image shown above, the low beam has a projector lens and the high beam comes with reflector bowl. This is the most common combination for headlight assemblies.
Why isn’t the high beam equipped with a projector lens?
This is due to a cutoff shield inside the low-beam projector that eliminates stray light. As a result, the beam pattern produced by a low beam projector has a very clear cutoff line, directing the light onto the road surface and preventing glare to oncoming drivers (as shown in the image below).
High beams, on the other hand, are designed to concentrate light for long-distance illumination. Since they do not require part of the light to be blocked, a projector lens is not strictly necessary for high-beam applications.
As shown in the image above, there is no light above the low-beam cutoff line, the cutoff shield blocks all the upper light.
You may notice that the key factor responsible for creating this sharp low-beam cutoff is the projector lens itself, not the bulb. Therefore:
A: If your car is originally equipped with a projector lens, the bulb can be replaced directly.
Choose LED headlight bulb from a trusted manufacturer can ensure a good lighting performance. For example, NAOEVO makes their لمبات المصابيح الأمامية LED almost 1:1 lighting position as OEM halogen. This ensures both easy installation and clear cutoff beam pattern.
If your car is equipped with projector lenses, you can confidently replace your dim halogen bulbs with LED headlight bulbs.
📌 Still wondering whether LED bulbs work well in projector headlights? Click to read our blog: Are LED Bulbs Good for Projector Headlights?
B. Not equipped with projector lenses? Choose LED headlight bulb with a good light beam pattern.
If your vehicle uses reflector-style headlights instead of projector lenses, it’s important to choose high-quality LED headlight bulbs with a well-controlled beam pattern.
Reflector housings rely on precise light focus to direct the beam forward. If the LED bulb’s light source position or beam pattern is poorly designed, the light will scatter, causing glare for oncoming drivers and reducing your own visibility.
That’s why not all LED bulbs work well in reflector headlights—a proper beam pattern is far more important than high lumen or wattage claims. Choosing an LED bulb designed specifically for reflector housings helps ensure better road illumination, safer driving, and minimal glare.
2. Questions Related to Reflector Bowl
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: My vehicle does not have projector lenses and uses the original reflector housing. Will LED bulbs cause the light to scatter?
Q2: If both the low beam and high beam use reflector housings, can I directly replace the bulbs with LEDs?
Q3: If both low and high beams use reflector housings, do I need to upgrade to a complete headlight assembly with projector lenses for both?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Yes. If you car is equipped with projector lenses, LED headlight bulbs can usually be installed as a direct replacement.
A2: No need to replace the entire headlight assembly, just swap the bulb.
A3: Yes, as long as the LED bulb is designed with a similar size and mounting base as the original halogen bulb.
A4: Yes, provided the LED bulb has a properly beam pattern and is installed in the correct orientation.
Many vehicles on the road are not equipped with projector lenses—especially models in the Volkswagen lineup, such as Sagitar, Bora, Lavida, Lavida Variant, and Lamando.
In addition, the Nissan Sylphy Classic also uses reflector housings for both low and high beams.
In fact, the answer to this question is the same as in Section 1: if the vehicle is not equipped with projector lenses, the low beam requires an LED bulb with a built-in cutoff, while the high beam should use a bulb with strong focus.
3. Questions Related to Types of Headlight Bulb
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: I want to upgrade my car’s low beam to an LED bulb and the high beam to an HID bulb. Is that okay? I’ve heard that HID can be very glaring, perfect for dealing with those drivers who always use high beams!
Q2: LED vs. HID headlight bulbs, which is brighter?
Q3: Halogen vs. HID vs. LED, which lasts longer?
Q4: When upgrading headlights, which type of bulb do most drivers choose?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Use halogen or LED for high beams instead. HID is not recommended because it produces strong glare and isn’t suitable for regular driving.
A2: LEDs. While HID may have higher peak lumens, LEDs deliver more usable light where it counts
A3: LED bulbs have the longest lifespan, followed by HID, and then halogen.
A4: LEDs. Because it balances brightness, longevity, and easy installation.
Currently, there are three main types of car headlight bulbs on the market: halogen, HID, and LED bulbs.
Now, let’s take a brief look at these three types of headlight bulbs, comparing their working principles, light efficiency, performance, advantages, and disadvantages. For a more detailed discussion, you can check out our previous blog:
🟡 Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs produce light by heating a tungsten filament until it glows. Electrical energy is first converted into heat, then into light, resulting in low luminous efficiency—around 15 lm/W.
الإيجابيات: Simple structure, easy to manufacture, low cost.
السلبيات: High heat generation, relatively short lifespan, low brightness.
🔵 HID (Xenon) Bulbs
HID bulbs use a ballast to increase the vehicle’s voltage to over 23,000V, ionizing xenon gas and creating an electric arc between two electrodes that emits light. Luminous efficiency is higher than halogen, about 70–80 lm/W.
الإيجابيات: Higher brightness and longer lifespan compared to halogen.
السلبيات: Very high power consumption at startup, putting stress on the battery; slow to reach full brightness with noticeable delay; high operating temperature (up to 360°C, measured by thermal imaging); performance can be unstable.
⚪ لمبات المصابيح الأمامية LED
LEDs produce light directly through electroluminescence, converting electrical energy straight into light, with very high luminous efficiency about 100 – 130 lm/W.
الإيجابيات: Energy-saving, environmentally friendly, high brightness, low heat generation, instant startup, long lifespan.
السلبيات: More complex manufacturing process and higher cost.
Based on the analysis above, it’s easy to see that:
● شعاع منخفض can use halogen, LED, or HID bulbs. Since low beams are usually on continuously at night, the startup delay of HID bulbs is not a major concern.
● High beam can use halogen or LED bulbs, but HID bulbs are strongly not recommended. In most driving situations (highways excepted), low beams stay on while high beams are used only occasionally.
For example, when you’re driving with low beams on and encounter an oncoming driver using high beams, you may want to flash your high beam to signal them. If your high beam uses HID, the startup delay means it takes time to reach full brightness—making it impossible to achieve an effective “flash.”
Moreover, high-beam flashing involves frequent on-off switching. HID bulbs would constantly restart, remaining in a half-lit state and failing to deliver the intended effect.
In contrast, LED high beams perform extremely well in this scenario. With instant startup and no delay, LEDs deliver immediate full brightness—making high-beam flashing highly effective. In real-world use, this forces oncoming high-beam drivers to switch back to low beam more than 90% of the time.
4. Questions Related to CANBUS Decoding
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: I’ve tried replacing my car headlights before, but the warning light on the dashboard turns on. What should I do?
Q2: What should I do if the lights flicker after installation?
Q3: What if the headlights interfere with radio reception after installation?
Q4: What if the lights appear dimmer than halogen bulbs after installation?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
All these problems are due to the fact that your car requires كانبوس decoding, and the LED headlight bulbs do not have a built-in decoding function.
Explanation of CANBUS Decoding
In some vehicle models, the original headlight control circuit is managed by the vehicle’s onboard computer. Since LED and HID bulbs have lower power consumption and operating current than original halogen bulbs, they may fall outside the parameters set by the vehicle’s system.
As a result, the onboard computer may fail to detect the correct feedback signal from the LED or HID bulb, or interpret the signal as abnormal. The system then mistakenly assumes a headlight malfunction and cuts off power to the lights.
This is why a CANBUS decoder is required. A decoder can effectively resolve issues caused by headlight upgrades, such as error warnings, flickering, or lights shutting off after installation.
At present, only a small number of vehicles, such as some European, German, and Korean models—require CANBUS decoding when installing LED headlights.
Most vehicles do not. If you’d like to understand why decoding issues occur with LED headlight upgrades and how to solve them, you can refer to our previous article: LED Headlight Bulb Decoding Problems: Why They Occur and How to Fix Them.
For vehicles that require CANBUS decoding, many manufacturers have developed vehicle-specific LED headlights. For example, NAOEVO offers its D-Series LED headlight bulbs, designed specifically for models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Jaguar, Ford, and Lexus.
In summary, for vehicles that require CANBUS decoding, there are two solutions: installing vehicle-specific LED headlight bulb, or choosing LED headlight bulb with a CANBUS decoder.
5. Questions Related to Brightness
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: Why does the LED headlight upgrade still appear dim?
Q2: How far should low beams and high beams illuminate?
Q3: How can I choose a reliable LED headlight bulb?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Perhaps the light bulbs you bought have low luminous efficiency. Lower-quality or lower-performance chips will produce less light, making the upgrade appear dim even if the bulb is new.
A2: Low beams: 50–70m. High beams: 100–150m.
A3: Pick reputable brands with good beam design, stable heat management, and verified specs.
When it comes to the brightness of LED headlight bulb, we first need to understand LED chips. The main types of LED headlight chips include COB, flip-chip, ZES, and Cree chips.
Main Characteristics of Different LED Chips:
COB Chips:
COB (Chip-on-Board) LEDs have many light-emitting points, providing uniform illumination. However, their penetration and focusing ability are relatively weak. They are low-cost and easier to manufacture. While they may appear very bright, from the driver’s seat you’ll notice that they don’t illuminate very far.
Flip-Chip and ZES Chips:
Both have small light-emitting points, resulting in concentrated light, high brightness, strong focus, and good penetration. However, they require more precise manufacturing and are more expensive.
Cree Chips:
Usually referring to Cree’s XHP50 chip, this is a single high-power LED. Heat dissipation is more challenging, so the power and brightness are generally lower. The light is concentrated, with a narrow spread, making it less suitable for low beams.
Different LED headlight chip types offer different lighting performance. To learn more, check out our blog: 5 Common LED Chips for Automotive Headlights – Which One Is Best?
LED headlight bulbs are vital for driving safety, so don’t go for cheap options. Choosing around 30W – 60W LED headlight bulbs with flip-chip technology is generally a reliable choice!
6. Questions Related To Installation
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: Can I install LED headlights on my car? Is it easy to install, and do I need to remove the bumper or the entire headlight assembly?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Yes, most cars can be upgraded to LED headlights. Installation is usually straightforward—often plug-and-play—without removing the bumper or the entire headlight assembly.
In fact, you can usually judge how easy or difficult installation will be just by opening the hood and checking the available space around the headlights.
Nowadays, LED headlight bulbs are very compact. For example, the NAOEVO V02 series is roughly the same size as the original halogen bulb, making it highly versatile. For most car owners, space is rarely an issue during installation.
7. Questions Related To Beam Pattern
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: Why do my headlights cause glare after installing LED bulbs?
Q2: If my headlights don’t have projector lenses, should I choose LED projector lens?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Glare happens if the LED isn’t aligned or the housing isn’t designed for it.
A2: If your headlights don’t have projector lenses, choose LED projector bulbs only if you want a precise beam pattern. If you’re on a budget, LED bulbs with a cut-off line are also a good option.
Simply speaking, the beam pattern of an LED headlight bulb is determined by three key factors:
● LED Headlight Bulb Chip Type: As mentioned above, flip-chip and ZES chips produce more focused light than COB chips.
● Lighting-Emitting Space: A thinner light-emitting surface results in a more concentrated and accurate beam pattern.
● LED Chip Layout: Chip arrangements that closely mimic the shape and position of a halogen filament produce a cleaner beam pattern and less glare.
📌 For a more in-depth explanation, we’ve covered the key elements in our previous article: what makes a good beam pattern of LED headlight bulb.
Moreover, a new types of LED headlight bulbs has recently developed on the market that features a built-in reflector. With the concave design itself, the light is more tightly focused.
8. Price Consideration
Pricing is a major concern for many car owners. Headlight upgrades generally involve two parts: the cost of replacing headlight assembly and the bulbs.
Headlight assemblies can be divided into used OEM (salvage) units and aftermarket units. Used OEM units can be found in auto salvage markets, but they are not always easy to source. Aftermarket assemblies are more widely available online, though quality varies significantly.
Below, we mainly focus on the cost of replacing car headlight bulbs:
1. LED Headlight Bulb Cost
If you upgrade at an authorized dealership, the cost typically ranges from 150$-200$ or even higher. At independent car modification or detailing shops, the price is usually around 50$-130$, Buying bulbs online generally costs 30$-50$.
2. Installation or Labor Cost
Dealerships charge labor based on work hours, which are usually quite expensive. Most independent modification or detailing shops charge per pair, typically $40-$100.
For vehicles that are easy to install—such as many Toyota, Honda, and Nissan models—car owners with basic hands-on skills can install the bulbs themselves and avoid labor costs altogether.
📌 If you want to learn more about the cost of replacing car headlight, you can check our previous article: How Much To Replace a Car Headlight [Money Saving Tips]
9. Compliance & Legality
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: Is it legal to use LED headlight bulbs?
Q2: Will installing LED headlights on a new car affect the dealership warranty?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: Only factory-installed LED headlights are fully legal; most aftermarket LED conversions are not.
A2: Installing LED bulbs usually doesn’t void your warranty, but check your dealership’s rules to be sure.
I’m sure many drivers are very concerned about these two questions. Regarding the legality of installing LED headlights, this topic involves laws and regulations and is too sensitive to discuss in detail here.
📌 If you’re interested, you can check out our previous article: LED Headlight Bulbs: Are They Legal to Use on the Road?
As for whether upgrading affects the dealership warranty, here’s the answer:
New cars generally come with a three-year warranty. Electrical upgrades—such as reversing cameras, navigation systems, or headlights—do not affect the warranty as long as they don’t cut or modify the original wiring. In other words, plug-and-play installations that don’t alter the car’s circuits are safe.
Today’s LED headlight bulbs are all designed for non-destructive installation. You simply remove the original halogen bulbs and replace them with LEDs—there’s no need to drill holes in dust covers or modify the housing as is sometimes required for HID installations. Therefore, installing LED headlights won’t affect your dealership warranty.
10. About Heat Dissipation
🔍Common questions include:
Q1: will LED headlight bulb overheat and harm my car?
💡 Here is the quick answer:
A1: LED headlight bulb runs cooler than halogen and HID, that’s owning to their different working principle.
Halogen works by heating a tungsten filament until it glows. Most of the energy is converted into heat. HIDs produce light by creating an electric arc through xenon gas. While more efficient than halogen, a significant amount of energy still becomes heat.
LEDs are semiconductors that emit light directly through electroluminescence. Most of the electrical energy is converted into light, not heat. Only a small fraction (typically 10–20%) becomes heat, which can be managed with heat sinks or fans.
📌 Our previous blog clearly compares the temperatures of LED, HID, and halogen bulbs. Click here to read: هل يمكن لمبات المصابيح الأمامية LED أن ترتفع درجة حرارتها وتؤذي سيارتك؟
11. How To Choose a Right Bulb?
Once you’re familiar with the 10 points above, you’ll have a solid understanding of your car headlights. You can then follow these steps to choose the right bulbs:
Step 1. Check Your Bulb Model
Confirm the correct bulb type for your car, such as H4, H7, H11, 9005, or 9006. You can find this information in:
- Your vehicle owner’s manual
- Label on the original bulb
- Online bulb finder tools, such as sylvania bulb finder, Philips Automotive Bulb Finder
If you want to learn more about headlight bulb socket types, you can check: LED headlight bulb socket types
Step 2. Choose The Right Technology
Halogen – affordable, but low brightness and short lifespan
HID (Xenon) – brighter than halogen, but slower startup, complex installation
LED – high brightness, energy-efficient, and instant on, but expensive.
Step 3. Consider Your Driving Needs
City Driving – choose LED headlight bulb with a good beam pattern
Highway Driving – Choose LED headlight bulb with a long lighting range
Off-road use – Choose high-power LED headlight bulb
WHY TRUST NAOEVO
NAOEVO is a 20-year manufacturer specializing in automotive LED headlight solutions, dedicated to serving global wholesalers, distributors, and automotive aftermarket brands. With a strong focus on product reliability, consistent quality, and scalable supply, we help our partners compete more effectively in their local markets.
Backed by 100,000 square meter factory, strict quality control, and experienced R&D teams, our LED headlight bulbs take a good balance of performance, durability and cost efficiency. From stable mass production to customized specifications, packaging, and branding, we support OEM and ODM cooperation to meet diverse market demands.
Today, NAOEVO has over 50 distributors worldwide, our partners are across Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. We don’t just sell LED headlights, we build reliable partnerships for sustainable growth.
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