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LED's not hot enough to melt snow while driving!!??

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NavyVet1959

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Real jeeps are
Time to glue on some glass bowls over the headlights so the snow blows right past
0025-0584_HiRes_ZakDesigns.jpg
Real Jeeps are BUILT, not bought. :)
 

Erik Latranyi

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With glass, it's possible to heat it with wires either embedded in it or on the surface (like with the rest window defroster on many cars). I'm not so certain that plastic will be as conducive to that approach though. For one thing, plastic is not as good of a conductor of heat as glass.

Maybe another glass cover that for flush with the light opening in the grill to keep snow from accumulating would work? Maybe even have the capability to heat that?
There are clear plastics that you can boil water inside. I do not think we need 212 degree headlights.

This is a design flaw that FCA must have seen while cold weather testing.....whatever testing they did.....but should have been corrected and included in the cold weather equipment group
 

musicaldoc

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We should ASAP send pics and letter to NTSB officially from the forum.

I'm sure NTSB will send out a safety notice to FCA leading to a recall, that's a serious safety issue!!!
 

SkiTheGoodStuff

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I've had this icing problem on my set of round, aftermarket LED driving lights (no cupped external bezel) since they were new several years ago. This problem happens under the same winter conditions that ice up wiper blades. The ice layer quickly becomes so thick and hard that it is almost impossible to try to "scrape" it off without risking damage to the light or assembly. The Plexus product is worth a try, but nowhere on the can does it claim to prevent ice/snow build up. Can anyone confirm first-hand that Plexus actually helps in this regard?
 

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w1ndshear

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Well damn. Got my JL while I still had plans to stay here in LA but now we might be relocating to Upstate NY. Guess I need to have a chat with my dealer to see if I can get the cold weather group retrofitted and an LED fix at the same time.
 

Dan S

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OP,

Yes, to your original question. I was driving two weeks ago and was hit by a freakishly heavy snowstorm for 15-20 minutes. When I got off the highway I thought my lights had malfunctioned. When I finally got to pull over I saw my headlights and fogs were packed full of snow. I was grateful that was the issue, but it is a problem to be looked at. I'm going to give Plexus a shot, can't be any worse.
 

Biscuit

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...fail is not on me or anybody else who got leds. Leds are an UPGRADE not cheap halogen lights for people to (sic) cheap to pay for leds.
You paid your $900 and took your chances, so it is on you. Meanwhile, those of us who were "too cheap to pay for LEDs" don't have snowballs on our headlights. :giggle:
 

Chinarider

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That pretty much sucks about the headlights. I know it’s a common issue with LEDs in general. It’s just too bad FCA didn’t address it. FWIW, I’ve got the LEDs on my JLUR, too, though mine will only see snow when I drive up to the mountains.

One simple hack to try is just waxing the headlights. I’m not saying it’s a cure, but the wax (coupled with the minimal heat that the LEDs put out) should at least help shed some of the snow & give your little more time between cleanings. Hey - it’s pretty much no cost, immediate & worth a shot, right?

Another (more involved) idea might be to look into a headlight washer setup. I had this on my Mini & it was very effective. BMWs come like this from the factory & the headlight washers activate with every third pull of the windshield washers (though no reason it can’t be on a separate circuit) Added benefit would be ability clean dirt & mud off headlights when off-roading, etc.

I no longer live in a cold climate, but I grew up in New England & had a CJ7 back then. Under certain conditions (often, actually), it’s windshield would ice up something fierce & no amount of defrost or washer fluid would do a damn thing. Only solution was to keep pulling over & scraping the thing. Ah, how times have changed...

Anyway, please keep us posted.
 

Boatbuilder88

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For a $900 LED upgrade, heating elements could have been built in (like Trucklites). Especially since these are newly designed units and not the old JK LEDs.
 

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Sell them fast, before the market is saturated with OEM LED headlights.

Incoming this spring...a shit storm of OEM LED headlights for sale in snow prone areas.

If you live in snow prone areas, seriously sell them, get either better halogens, or HID projectors.
or wait until someone comes out with overpriced heated LEDS if you have more money than brains

ohh, this is not FCAs fault btw, nor will the NHST be issuing a recall of LED headlights because people that live in the snow didn't use their brain.



 
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Titan2727

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Sell them fast, before the market is saturated with OEM LED headlights.

Incoming this spring...a shit storm of OEM LED headlights for sale in snow prone areas.

If you live in snow prone areas, seriously sell them, get either better halogens, or HID projectors.
or wait until someone comes out with overpriced heated LEDS if you have more money than brains

ohh, this is not FCAs fault btw, nor will the NHST be issuing a recall of LED headlights because people that live in the snow didn't use their brain.


No that's not accurate to say...its not really the LEDS, it's the deep dish design of the headlights of the wrangler.

This forum truly is a love hate relationship
 
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Titan2727

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You paid your $900 and took your chances, so it is on you. Meanwhile, those of us who were "too cheap to pay for LEDs" don't have snowballs on our headlights. :giggle:
It's not really the LEDs that's the problem it's the deep dish design.

So your saying ANYONE who owns a jeep and lives in snowy cold weather shouldn't get LEDs??? Your arguments are completely ridiculous. Jeep should have designed the headlights to accommodate the upgrade it's actually very simple. But you keep going on and on about utter nonsense.
 

richaudet

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Well that's great glad for you, however, for those of us who really are not all that concerned about cost it means nothing.

But, thank you
I was thinking about quoting all of your messages together in this response, but I'll leave it to this one because it unquestionably says the most about you. You bought the first model year of a new vehicle and expected perfection but you're insulting others for saving money on Halogen lights. Maybe it is a design flaw, but it's also your problem for having a) unrealistic expectations and b) for not thinking through the impact of high efficiency LEDs. Since you 'don't care about the costs' as you so claim, go out to a shop and have them add in heating elements around your bezels. Custom work seems just about right for someone with your bottomless pockets. People who didn't opt for LEDs are not cheap - they all just shelled out big money for a brand new car that is still 5 years behind on technology. For you to judge anyone on their lighting preference is ignorant. At least those people can see in the snow without getting out to clean their headlights every 15 minutes, I guess.

And before you question what my Jeep looks like, I have an 06 LJ, 99 XJ, 89 MJ, 16 KL, and 16 Colorado Duramax sitting in my driveway. My 19 JLUR with the LEDs is sitting in JB purgatory in Toledo. Thanks for pointing out that snow on my headlights might be an issue, I'll have to figure something out or deal with it rather than lighting Jeep and every one else with a different POV up.
 

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Summer tires on cars are an upgrade, but they still suck in the winter.
You picked the wrong option for your climate. You know LEDs don't get hot and it's pretty rare for an LED to come artificially heated unless it was otherwise stated. That's your fail not Jeep's.
Every option has it's downsides.
I gotta say, there's no need to be confrontational. The same thing happened to me as well. The lack of heat produced by LED lights is not something that would occur to most people purchasing the option. I think that if there is a gap that is as obvious you you are pointing out above, it would stand to reason that the manufacturer call it out...consider all the other warnings Jeep provides in their vehicles...you think that they think knowing the snow won't melt because I selected LED headlights is my fault...call it what it is...a design flaw that they never thought about.
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