LED Headlights and Wipers in snow?

[Levi8than]

I did a follow up call and this has been changed to another, maybe higher case manager and they asked me for another day to answer my case. At least they are looking. Maybe they would not have otherwise. Or maybe I’m just ignorant in thinking so.

Awesome! I don't know why the trolls are trying to deflect this as something other than what is is. We don't want to profit from this, we want a reliable solution. The snow walls can get up to 12 feet high and sometimes the road gets very narrow when the snow falls faster than they can clear it. When that happens during a whiteout there may not be a place for me to pull over and risk my life wiping off the snow while the car behind me rams my vehicle from behind because they did not see me.

I'll be really glad to see a proposed solution that works, even if it costs me out of pocket. I just don't like any of the aftermarket options I've seen yet, and I'm not ready to be the guinea pig and try them.

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[Troybilt]

Awesome! I don't know why the trolls are trying to deflect this as something other than what is is. We don't want to profit from this, we want a reliable solution. The snow walls can get up to 12 feet high and sometimes the road gets very narrow when the snow falls faster than they can clear it. When that happens during a whiteout there may not be a place for me to pull over and risk my life wiping off the snow while the car behind me rams my vehicle from behind because they did not see me.

I'll be really glad to see a proposed solution that works, even if it costs me out of pocket. I just don't like any of the aftermarket options I've seen yet, and I'm not ready to be the guinea pig and try them.

There is nothing guinea pig about heated LED's. They have been out for a long time. It is not new technology.

I hope you are not referring to me as a troll. I don't take kindly to being referred to as a troll

Maybe I should just keep o my side of the block over at the JT forum but I did enjoy my banter with DanW

 

[DanW]

There is nothing guinea pig about heated LED's. They have been out for a long time. It is not new technology.

I hope you are not referring to me as a troll. I don't take kindly to being referred to as a troll

Maybe I should just keep o my side of the block over at the JT forum but I did enjoy my banter with DanW

Lol, if you are a troll, than that makes me an ogre!

 

[Troybilt]

Lol, if you are a troll, than that makes me an ogre!

Are you saying that you are better than me

 

[KnG818]

FCA knows that LED's do not produce much heat. If they wanted to they could of put heated LED's in the JK's, JL's and JT's but they did not. The fix will be either a heated LED headlight in the MOPAR catalogue or a choice to pay even more when you order your Jeep. Regular lights come standard LED's $900+ (cant remember the price) Heated LED's $1,800.

Either way if you get the non heated LED's it is your choice. If you drive in cold climates and you bought non heated LED's that is your mistake.

 

[Levi8than]

There is nothing guinea pig about heated LED's. They have been out for a long time. It is not new technology.

That doesn't mean every option on the market is a quality product I'd like to install in my vehicle. From what I've read, they are all 7" lights with adapter plates to fit the JL. Not new lights designed for the JL.

But this is all second hand. I haven't seen any photos or heard first hand.

 

[00Sebby]

10 years ago my JK's standard headlights, weak as they were, would melt right through it. I never had incandescent lights freeze over. Getting out and clearing them off is something new that came with LED's. Lol!

You weren't trying hard enough. My JK with halogens required constant cleaning if snow was significant.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Just from my little knothole. I don't have as much experience in the snow as many of you, since I live in beautiful sunny southern California, where it's about 70 degrees in the winter. But I digress here. In nearly 50 years of driving, being a skier and hunter, I've been in a few snow storms. Virtually all of them were in vehicles with either old incandescent sealed beams, or halogen removable bulb type headlights. If the snow was heavy enough, all the lights would get obscured. If it wasn't heavy enough, but you were behind enough other vehicles, they got muddy/sandy/salty enough to obscure the light.

If I lived where it was a regular issue for me, I'd probably put in a heated washer fluid system that sprayed the headlights and windshield. Maybe even a separate heater and tank for the headlights/fogs/driving lights. I had a 08 truck with a heated windshield washer system. It worked really good in bad conditions.

 

[00Sebby]

I'm kind of amazed as I read through this thread. Sure in Tennessee we don't get a lot of snow, but because I like snow I seek it out. And my job requires me to fly/drive to all sorts of nice places in the winter like Chicago, Milwaukee, Massachusetts, etc. so I get plenty of exposure and get to experience snow in lots of different vehicles. In my experience, with lots of snow falling many vehicles have this problem regardless of headlight type. Just digging through my pics I found examples of headlights getting blocked with snow or filmed over with ice. Here are a few. My old XJ with glass halogen bulbs, my Mini with a layer of ice over the HIDs because the washers were frozen shut, and my JK with halogens (orange JK in previous post). All required intervention at some point to clean them. Yes, the JK was the worst because of the headlight buckets and the JL is similar in that regard.

I drove the JL up in the mountains recently when we had some heavier snow. I had to clean them out once or twice because the LED light was scattering way too much, illuminating the falling snow and making it hard to see in the dark. I remember the Mini doing the same thing with the HIDs. Maybe the reason this issue is so much more noticeable is because on the JL the LEDs are really good at lighting up the road, and when they're blocked, it's a really big difference. With the older halogens, they were so bad that being blocked really didn't make much of a difference.

 

[BillG]

They are recessed pretty deep, so you basically have two big buckets out front. its not an issue for me, but would that heated tape that you can get for water pipes placed somewhere around the headlights or buckets and run off an inverter somewhere make any difference?
Also they make the stuff for like an add on rear defroster. Could a tiny bit of that stuff be implemented, or does it get to hot for plastic?

 

[cosine]

i had the ice/snow from this past storm and it didnt cause much problems with my lights. everytime i am out of my jeep, i simply wipe the snow and ice off. not a huge deal. its not just jeep with this issue. its not led vs halogen issues. its an issue with any vehicles and lighting setup (beside the heated option one). so its something that most of us had to deal with. not trying to spark anything. but thats the way of life when you live in a area with snow and ice. if thats something anyone cant deal with, then move somewhere where there's no snow or just dont drive in it at all.

 

[golden809]

i had the ice/snow from this past storm and it didnt cause much problems with my lights. everytime i am out of my jeep, i simply wipe the snow and ice off. not a huge deal. its not just jeep with this issue. its not led vs halogen issues. its an issue with any vehicles and lighting setup (beside the heated option one). so its something that most of us had to deal with. not trying to spark anything. but thats the way of life when you live in a area with snow and ice. if thats something anyone cant deal with, then move somewhere where there's no snow or just dont drive in it at all.

Well if I was as smart as you I guess I could move where there isn’t any snow. In the meantime I’m just checking my options to see if things can be improved, that’s all. Wasn’t really putting myself out there to be spoken to like I’m some kind of dumbass, but I’m sure you’ve got an answer for just about everything. Thanks much!

 

[cosine]

Well if I was as smart as you I guess I could move where there isn’t any snow. In the meantime I’m just checking my options to see if things can be improved, that’s all. Wasn’t really putting myself out there to be spoken to like I’m some kind of dumbass, but I’m sure you’ve got an answer for just about everything. Thanks much!

wasnt talking or directing my last post to you. its a general response to the topic. which there are 2 sides of the topic.

 

[tts42572]

Does this Plexus stuff Really help with keeping snow and ice building up on the lights in the winter?

I was debating giving this a try. Or my other option was going to be just spreading some Turtle Ice on the headlamps. Or I've seen Rain X mentioned also.

I realize nothing probably solves the problem but if I can help it a little, I'd be happy.

I would not use cooking spray or WD-40 on plastic or plastic coated lenses. You might damage them. I would use Plexus. I have used it for 20 plus years and never had any issues. Plexus is specifically designed for plastic. I use it on paint protection films, lights, anything plastic. It is GREAT for cleaning the plastic windows of the soft tops, the anti static helps repel dust too. Motorcycle, watercraft, aviation stores usually carry Plexus.

https://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/about.html
http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/auto.html

 

[roaniecowpony]

http://www.alphathermusa.com/heated-wash-AT-38OD.html

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