Headlamp headlight replacement

[PRH]

So as my Mav approaches e.o.w. (end of warranty) I've been investigating options. That aside, I'm learning that the headlamps have a non-replaceable bulb? Is this true? Does that mean the whole unit needs replacement (rumoured to be over $500?) What are these threads about people doing aftermarket lights- is it everything BUT headlights? Is there a hack where people are manging to change just the bulb in the headlamp? Got a 22 XLT here non-hybrid. Thanks.

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[Carlitos_92]

The Maverick headlights are fixed/non-serviceable LEDs with lifespans that probably approach 50,000 hours, if not more.
The OEM headlight modules will likely outlive a significant portion of this forum…

 

[Blue_Max]

The Maverick headlights are fixed/non-serviceable LEDs with lifespans that probably approach 50,000 hours, if not more.
The OEM headlight modules will likely outlive a significant portion of this forum…

But how long until the lenses turn so yellow they can no longer be polished?

 

[PRH]

But how long until the lenses turn so yellow they can no longer be polished?

Ha! Lol... good thing they're very bright... it'll be like sunshine!

 

[colinl]

But how long until the lenses turn so yellow they can no longer be polished?

highly dependent on how often it's parked outdoors and how often it goes through car washes with brushes.

 

[710-oil-614]

Correct.

However someone posted some bad ass c clamp projector aftermarket lights from SEMA. I’d be in line for some of those if I still had my 23 tremor.

 

[Master Blaster]

The average person will need to drive with the headlights on for 70 years before they burn out. It makes no sense to change the bulb in that. That's why the bulbs are non-replaceable. Also they have improved the plastics used in the light assembly over the last 20 years, and they don't yellow anymore. Besides, the headlight assembly is incredibly expensive, costing over a grand for the part.

 

[Joe Strummer]

I'll just replace mine with candles...

 

[OleFordGuy]

All I can say is they can publish all kinds of speculative numbers. Spent good but of $ replacing all the light bulbs in my house with the new Name Brand LED bulbs that would last for huge number of years. Already had to replace about 40% of them. I just buy the cheapest I can find now. All their speculative numbers are bull shit imo

 

[AutobahnSHO]

Each headlight is much much more than $500. No need for bulb changes for a long time though.

 

[colinl]

All I can say is they can publish all kinds of speculative numbers. Spent good but of $ replacing all the light bulbs in my house with the new Name Brand Name LED bulbs that would last for huge number of years. Already had to replace about 40% of them. I just buy the cheapest I can find now. All their speculative numbers are bull shit imo

LED light bulbs are not remotely comparable to the quality and heat management you get in automotive applications. (or commercial light fixtures, as another example.)

Everyone who is buying LED bulbs for their house is experiencing dramatically shorter than advertised life; your experience is the same as mine.

I don't expect the lenses to last. I very much doubt they're acrylic or anything similarly tough. They're probably very typical polycarbonate and they will scratch and yellow with time, and especially if subjected to car washes with brushes.

 

[710-oil-614]

All I can say is they can publish all kinds of speculative numbers. Spent good but of $ replacing all the light bulbs in my house with the new Name Brand Name LED bulbs that would last for huge number of years. Already had to replace about 40% of them. I just buy the cheapest I can find now. All their speculative numbers are bull shit imo

Those are not remotely comparable and most led bulbs in homes fail due to surges in the power supply.

 

[Sticks]

LED light bulbs are not remotely comparable to the quality and heat management you get in automotive applications. (or commercial light fixtures, as another example.)

Everyone who is buying LED bulbs for their house is experiencing dramatically shorter than advertised life; your experience is the same as mine.

I don't expect the lenses to last. I very much doubt they're acrylic or anything similarly tough. They're probably very typical polycarbonate and they will scratch and yellow with time, and especially if subjected to car washes with brushes.

His main point is still correct -- theoretical datasheet lifetimes in ideal conditions are nearly meaningless in the real world. The lamps will likely last the lifetime of most vehicles sold, but any claim of 50k hours or 70 years shows a limited understanding of automotive lighting.

There are hundreds of other PCB components that could fail, even for silly reasons like a bad solder joint. SAE J575 testing will catch most failures in the first samples, but it's still not the same as 10+ years on-road with the 100,000th lamp made. Admittedly, most daily-drivers are near end-of-life by then.

For what it's worth, most OEM lenses are using an AMECA-listed PC with an additional UV- and scratch-resistant hardcoat. They're much better than they used to be, and I'd expect these lenses to also outlive most daily-driven Mavericks.

 

[Mavrik23]

I was concerned about the longevity of the headlamps and the exorbitant cost of replacement, too. I wound up replacing the parking lights with switchbacks and changed the DRLs to use those via Forscan. Problem solved.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

But how long until the lenses turn so yellow they can no longer be polished?

And the plastic type that automakers use, might be by design.

I had an F-150 for over 20 years of sitting in the sun. The clear headlight lenses turned to a frosty yellow color (not nearly as bad as Toyotas do, though). I finally bought a replacement set of headlight assemblies for it online. $50 for a pair - including the Halogen bulbs. Someone posted on here that the Maverick's headlight assemblies are over $1K each.

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