2023 JLU Halogen to LED Headlight Replacement

[aldo98229]

I have to counter and say that this is not the case if someone purchases a quality set of aftermarket LED headlights specifically designed to replaced the factory halogens. Oracle and other manufacturers make LED headlights that are nearly plug and play, aside from having to wire the halos. No flash is required for these to work. I have the Oracles and the entire install took no more than 15 minutes. I paid less than $600 for the pair at the time. I'd say that's a fairly decent savings.

Keep in mind the $1,200 factory LED group includes the headlamps, fender DRLs (on Rubicon, Sahara and High Altitude), fog lamps, tail lights and even the third brake light.

At $600, you already ate up half that amount for one-quarter the number of lights you need to replace.

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[aldo98229]

BTW, my 2018 Sahara came with halogen lights in the front. They were absolutely terrible.

I got the Mopar LED headlamps for $900, plus $280 to lay down the wiring for the halos, plus $330 for the Tazer to activate the halos.

But then the DRLs and fog lamps looked yellow next to LED headlights. I got a pair of used DRLs for $250 from a fellow forum member who chopped off his fenders; that was half the price of new.

Finally, the LED fog lamps came included with the Mopar steel bumper, so they were sort of “free” —albeit, the bumper itself was $900. A pair of new Mopar LED fogs would have been another $500.

Thankfully, my JL came from the factory with the Safety Group, so it already had the LED tail lights and third brake light.

There are lots of posts from 2021+ JL owners getting error codes after they swap their DRLs to LEDs.

 

[jludave]

even the third brake light.

3rd brake light is LED on all JL models.

 

[rcadden]

I went halogen on my order, cause I don't do much night driving, and the idea of adding $1,200 to an already $55K+ high-trim vehicle just to get LED headlights is ridiculous.

I got the safety package, so my rear is covered, and the OEM steel front bumper I added came with LED fogs, so I'm good there, too.

Doing more night driving lately, so starting to research DRLs and headlights, as those are my last two steps.

One thing also holding me back is that I really despise the "robot" look of most of the LED headlights. OEM isn't bad, but the Oracles that look like eyeballs just really turn me off.

 

[jludave]

One thing also holding me back is that I really despise the "robot" look of most of the LED headlights. OEM isn't bad, but the Oracles that look like eyeballs just really turn me off.

The DV8s are essentially clones of the OEMs. Have a look at those.

 

[Chugiakguy]

I must admit that I do not understand this obsession with having EVERY single light on the Jeep be LEDs. The headlights, yes, because those are your primary source of road illumination. But aside from the reverse lights when used at night, all the others are just signaling lights, not illumination, so does it really matter if your running lights or turn signal lights or brake lights are LED or halogen? It certainly doesn't to me.

PS: I do have (aftermarket) LED headlights, and reverse lights, and all the others are halogen. And I am not bothered by the 'mismatch' there one iota.

 

[jludave]

so does it really matter if your running lights or turn signal lights or brake lights are LED or halogen?

I can 100% answer yes it does matter. Regardless of what the light is for, LEDs run cooler and last longer. Also, quality LEDs are much brighter than halogen, and to me that is what is most important. I want other drivers to see me and the brighter the lighting on my vehicle, the easier that becomes.

 

[Jtaugner]

Keep in mind the $1,200 factory LED group includes the headlamps, fender DRLs (on Rubicon, Sahara and High Altitude), fog lamps, tail lights and even the third brake light.

At $600, you already ate up half that amount for one-quarter the number of lights you need to replace.

The LED Package on Rubicons is $1,600.. Not $1,200..

I saved $600 doing the LED's myself. Could of saved more if I bought from other forum members..

 

[Chugiakguy]

I can 100% answer yes it does matter. Regardless of what the light is for, LEDs run cooler and last longer. Also, quality LEDs are much brighter than halogen, and to me that is what is most important. I want other drivers to see me and the brighter the lighting on my vehicle, the easier that becomes.

Well, I guess I will have to agree to disagree here. I see utterly no need for super-bright turn signal lights or brake lights, when they are not functioning as illumination but just as signals.

It is rarely, if ever, that I could not clearly and obviously see somebody's lit turn signals or brake lights or running lights. The obsession to have ALL of them LEDs, especially when trying to force the issue when all of them were halogen in the factory vehicle, smacks of OCD to me.

 

[Rustynail11]

I must admit that I do not understand this obsession with having EVERY single light on the Jeep be LEDs. The headlights, yes, because those are your primary source of road illumination. But aside from the reverse lights when used at night, all the others are just signaling lights, not illumination, so does it really matter if your running lights or turn signal lights or brake lights are LED or halogen? It certainly doesn't to me.

PS: I do have (aftermarket) LED headlights, and reverse lights, and all the others are halogen. And I am not bothered by the 'mismatch' there one iota.

Once you change the headlights to LED the halogens look worse than they did to begin with. You will have bright white headlights and yellow looking fogs etc. IMHO it just looks like crap unless they match. It is such a big difference that if you have any level of OCD you end up changing them all.

I switched out all front end lighting to LED for $400. Fogs and DRL/Fender lights are OEM take offs I purchased on the forum, $100 for each set. I went with Rough Country LED Headlights for $200 off their eBay site. I already had a Tazer for other things so I didn't need to pay the dealer to flash

If I could go back and do it all over again I would have gone with the OEM package when buying

 

[Rustynail11]

Well, I guess I will have to agree to disagree here. I see utterly no need for super-bright turn signal lights or brake lights, when they are not functioning as illumination but just as signals.

It is rarely, if ever, that I could not clearly and obviously see somebody's lit turn signals or brake lights or running lights. The obsession to have ALL of them LEDs, especially when trying to force the issue when all of them were halogen in the factory vehicle, smacks of OCD to me.

Yup for me it is OCD and more importantly I think the stock halogens look like total crap, they are horrible

BTW-the only reason they come from the factory as halogens is so Jeep can make more $$ off you by selling the LED package

 

[rcadden]

I must admit that I do not understand this obsession with having EVERY single light on the Jeep be LEDs. The headlights, yes, because those are your primary source of road illumination. But aside from the reverse lights when used at night, all the others are just signaling lights, not illumination, so does it really matter if your running lights or turn signal lights or brake lights are LED or halogen? It certainly doesn't to me.

PS: I do have (aftermarket) LED headlights, and reverse lights, and all the others are halogen. And I am not bothered by the 'mismatch' there one iota.

TBH, I felt the same (which is why getting LED rears from the factory and the rest halogen didn't bother me). HOWEVER, having LED fogs really highlighted two things:

1. The stock halogens *really* suck. They're so dim in comparison to the fogs it's actually pretty ridiculous.
2. When I run my fogs at night, I get flashes *constantly* from other drivers, even with my brights off. I've had two people recently flash their light bars at me. The LED fogs are OEM, and installed in a factory steel bumper - low and off-set.

My guess is that while normally, the LED fogs wouldn't be so bad, having them up against my halogen headlights, the offset between the two is so drastic that people think I have my brights on them or something.

I'm less concerned about the DRL/turn signals, but from what I can tell, they're pretty cheap to satisfy my OCD. More concerned about the headlights.

 

[LuvHydro]

BTW-the only reason they come from the factory as halogens is so Jeep can make more $$ off you by selling the LED package

We are talking about a company that charges for paint.... paint!!!

While I applaud the marketing ingenuity, it also makes me want to punch someone.

I can see it for the limited time, specialty colors, but for red and blue?

 

[jludave]

We are talking about a company that charges for paint.... paint!!!

I don't want to get off topic here, but Stellantis is not the only company that charges for paint.

This should come as a surprise to no one.

 

[Chugiakguy]

TBH, I felt the same (which is why getting LED rears from the factory and the rest halogen didn't bother me). HOWEVER, having LED fogs really highlighted two things:

1. The stock halogens *really* suck. They're so dim in comparison to the fogs it's actually pretty ridiculous.
2. When I run my fogs at night, I get flashes *constantly* from other drivers, even with my brights off. I've had two people recently flash their light bars at me. The LED fogs are OEM, and installed in a factory steel bumper - low and off-set.

My guess is that while normally, the LED fogs wouldn't be so bad, having them up against my halogen headlights, the offset between the two is so drastic that people think I have my brights on them or something.

I'm less concerned about the DRL/turn signals, but from what I can tell, they're pretty cheap to satisfy my OCD. More concerned about the headlights.

To be honest, rcadden, I really haven't used my stock (halogen) fog lights yet, except to try them out once, briefly, at night, and admittedly they did not seem to make much difference. But I wasn't in fog at the time, LOL.

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