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2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Old Dec 4, 2020
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2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

My parents have a 2004 Honda Civic with cloudy headlights. They have tried polishing them but the haze returns too quickly. I started looking into aftermarket replacements hoping to find some LED based housings. If there is one, I haven't found it yet. CarID shows options from Spec-D, Anzo and CG but they are all some combination of H1/H3 projector. So far I haven't found any beam pattern comparisons to stock with any of these brands. Are any of them better than stock? Or is there any other simple way to improve the headlight output on their Civic?
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

New housings and LED bulbs, you "should" use proper projector housings. I didn't, never got flashed
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Which LED bulbs did you use? I've been staying away from that solution because LEDs never seem to be designed quite right for housings meant for Halogen bulbs.

Last edited by Yardstick; Dec 4, 2020 at 04:03 PM.
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

most aftermarket projector headlights suck at light output.
My old Amzo's were among them.

HID conversion - requires manual work
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/2...1-install.html

04 is still not projectors, so would not recommend led bulbs. They would blind other drivers, likely

about leds, not sure how true, but interesting watch here:
the part that the chips need to match filament position/size sounds quite true
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

I actually watched that video earlier before posting. I've always heard and even experienced the limitations of alternate type emitters needing to match the position/focus/size of the halogen emitter. I have tried HID and LED retrofit bulbs in motorcycle housings for off-road use to get better lighting. It's kind of an improvement in those, but the scatter and blinding others is less of a concern there. It sounds like LED bulb retrofits are improving, but there are so many out there that it's difficult to know which one to choose. I'm leaning toward suggesting OEM housings with brighter halogen bulbs.
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

one thing that works is a proper clear coat over the lights to keep them from hazing - mine were poorly coated (my own fault, i guess, but lasted longer than without) - i suck at body/paint/electrical work
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Originally Posted by Yardstick
with brighter halogen bulbs.
check out HIR bulbs. 9011 and 9012 can replace the. stock bulbs 9005 and 9006, i think just one slight mod to do it
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Old Dec 4, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Originally Posted by Yardstick
Which LED bulbs did you use? I've been staying away from that solution because LEDs never seem to be designed quite right for housings meant for Halogen bulbs.
Hakari, they threw way more light than stock.


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Old Dec 5, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Originally Posted by Colin42
Hakari, they threw way more light than stock.
Do you happen to have (or could you get) a picture of how they illuminate a road?
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Old Dec 5, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Nope car was written off last October. At least 30% farther and wider compared to stock. I did both the high and low beams
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Old Dec 6, 2020
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Re: 2004 Civic Headlight Output Improvement Question

Originally Posted by Colin42
Nope car was written off last October. At least 30% farther and wider compared to stock. I did both the high and low beams
That's a bummer. I'll suggest they try those LEDs. Thanks!
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