Halogen & LED Headlight Bulb Upgrades

Fiosguy05 · April 2, 2014

one morning on my way to work , about a week after installing mine i noticed my passenger light was flickering like every minute it would dim for like two seconds and then back to full brightness, it did the whole time i was driving, when i got to work i turned the lights off with the switch and turned it back on and hte flickering stopped hasnt been back. what i did notice is they dont work as drls when is bright outside they come one when shifting to drive but turn off like a minute later.

It was the passenger side one on mine as well that was most noticeable. I'm sure it isn't a coincidence and is interference like MotoMedic described. I wonder if the Oracle brand would be any better since they are described as "flicker free". They are 2200lm compared to the 2000lm for the ones I got. Definitely pricy though, found them for $165 but I'm going to keep looking to see if I can find them cheaper?!?

Edited April 2, 2014 by Fiosguy05

Isriam · April 3, 2014

just installed the putco 9012 bulbs and the color is great but no difference in light output. i didn't realize how bad the stock lights were until i swapped them out, hated the putco, put back in stock and realized there was no difference. here is a pic

Edited April 3, 2014 by Isriam

2014blacksinglecab · April 3, 2014

Those look good what color temperature are the putco?

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Mike1220 · April 3, 2014

one morning on my way to work , about a week after installing mine i noticed my passenger light was flickering like every minute it would dim for like two seconds and then back to full brightness, it did the whole time i was driving, when i got to work i turned the lights off with the switch and turned it back on and hte flickering stopped hasnt been back. what i did notice is they dont work as drls when is bright outside they come one when shifting to drive but turn off like a minute later.

It was the passenger side one on mine as well that was most noticeable. I'm sure it isn't a coincidence and is interference like MotoMedic described. I wonder if the Oracle brand would be any better since they are described as "flicker free". They are 2200lm compared to the 2000lm for the ones I got. Definitely pricy though, found them for $165 but I'm going to keep looking to see if I can find them cheaper?!?

If you find them cheaper or decide to purchase a set pls let us know how they turn out! I was looking at them but am first trying a projector retrofit for the fog lights. If I can achieve that then I'll be going HIDs in both fog and headlight. If it doesn't work out, and the oracle bulbs work well for someone, then I'll go LEDs

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Isriam · April 3, 2014

4000K putco

sasksierra · April 5, 2014

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra and the headlights are terrible. I had the dealership adjust them 3 time and they just make them worse. It is dangerous to drive with these lights. My 2007 LTZ headlights were awesome. What do I do? The last time I had them set the dealer said if his doesnt work then you'll have to find an aftermarket light..... welll whats with that??? I had better headlights on my 1936 Plymouth. I am really pissed at this truck and Gm. I have had nothing but problems with this truck from day one..... heater core, heater motor, seat belts, pulling to the left, hard steering and of course the call back for catching on fire

2014blacksinglecab · April 5, 2014

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra and the headlights are terrible. I had the dealership adjust them 3 time and they just make them worse. It is dangerous to drive with these lights. My 2007 LTZ headlights were awesome. What do I do? The last time I had them set the dealer said if his doesnt work then you'll have to find an aftermarket light..... welll whats with that??? I had better headlights on my 1936 Plymouth. I am really pissed at this truck and Gm. I have had nothing but problems with this truck from day one..... heater core, heater motor, seat belts, pulling to the left, hard steering and of course the call back for catching on fire

go with HIDs, im guessing you have the projectors?

Aaron1085 · April 5, 2014

just installed the putco 9012 bulbs and the color is great but no difference in light output. i didn't realize how bad the stock lights were until i swapped them out, hated the putco, put back in stock and realized there was no difference. here is a pic

So....same amount of light output AND whiter? I wonder if 5000k would be slightly better. What'd the Putco's cost?

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Fiosguy05 · April 6, 2014

FYI for LED Headlight Bulb Users:

The LED's use "constant current drivers" similar to HID ballasts, so it's likely y'all are encountering the same issues these trucks have with HID's: pulse width modulation (electronic noise in signal). You should definitely be running the LED headlights off a relay harness or have capacitors between the drivers and stock wiring.

If issues still persist after using one of the above, it means you need both the relay harness & capacitors.

Congrats on being the LED headlight guinea pigs! I was the HID headlight guinea pig last summer and it was annoying at best! haha

Any recommendations on what relay and or capacitors to use with the led bulbs? Before I return the bulbs I have or order the Oracle ones I'm willing to give this a try as part of the "guinea pig" process .

Fiosguy05 · April 6, 2014

one morning on my way to work , about a week after installing mine i noticed my passenger light was flickering like every minute it would dim for like two seconds and then back to full brightness, it did the whole time i was driving, when i got to work i turned the lights off with the switch and turned it back on and hte flickering stopped hasnt been back. what i did notice is they dont work as drls when is bright outside they come one when shifting to drive but turn off like a minute later.

I know a few on here have asked about disabling the drl's so maybe this could be one option for them? I am considering putting the Putco G2 dayliners on, which I think would look better if the drl's weren't on with them. I'm just not 100% convinced they will look as good as I think. There is a thread about them on here but I would love to see them in person first. Maybe I'll just have to order them and see?

2014blacksinglecab · April 6, 2014

The LEDs been working for me I'm sure It needs a relay and or resistor to work properly as DRLs and to fix the flickering.

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Fiosguy05 · April 6, 2014

The LEDs been working for me I'm sure It needs a relay and or resistor to work properly as DRLs and to fix the flickering. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you had any more flickering other than the one time?

I really like the drl looks on the new gmc suv's, audi's etc and wish there was some way to duplicate it. I even like the looks of the Oracle halo's but there is no way I am dismantling a $600 or whatever they cost headlight to put them in.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Fiosguy05

2014blacksinglecab · April 6, 2014

The other day I was messing with it flashing my high beams and after that it flickered again so I turned them off and on and it stopped. what I've been doing is I turn them off during the day as soon as I put it in drive and if I really want them on i turn them on with the switch, at night they work fine in auto

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MotoMedic · April 6, 2014

Any recommendations on what relay and or capacitors to use with the led bulbs? Before I return the bulbs I have or order the Oracle ones I'm willing to give this a try as part of the "guinea pig" process .

Honestly, they're all about 99% identical. You can make your own with a few parts from Autozone & Radioshack or just order them complete off Amazon / eBay. The DIY capacitor instructions and the wiring diagrams for installing everything are in the pinned HID topic.

If you're determined to have the 'best possible' relay harness & capacitors, probably Morimoto would be the only guys I could say have a better quality rep than the others... but they'll cost you $60 + S&H!

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/morimoto-9006-low-beam-relay-wire-harness.html#.U0FwAflr7ZF

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/morimoto-standalone-canbus-wire-harness-48642.html#.U0Fv-vlr7ZF

Aaron1085 · April 6, 2014

Yeah plug and play and I was able to tuck all wires inside the light and the cap went back on without any problems. ill try to post a pic tomorrow how everything fits inside

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Aren't those around $130?