Accord 2005 hybrid headlights

Discussion in 'Accord' started by Art, Aug 23, 2006.

  1. Art

    Art Guest

    This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
    90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any success
    improving the headlights on their accord?
     
    Art, Aug 23, 2006
    #1
  2. Art

    Dick Guest

    Are those different from the headlamps on the standard Accord? I ask
    because the headlamps on our 2003 Accord EX V-6 are the best of any
    car I have ever owned. I haven't counted lately, but I'm sure I have
    owned more than 30 cars and pickups.

    Dick
     
    Dick, Aug 23, 2006
    #2
  3. Art

    pj Guest

    I agree with Dick, the headlights on my 2004 Accord LX (4-banger) are by far
    the best headlights I've ever had. Are you sure they are aimed properly
    (and working properly). Heck, I frequently don't even bother to use
    high-beams in areas I could because the low-beams are so good.
    ....lightyears (pun intended) better than my former car a @&#*$$$$!!! Dodge
    Intrepid (BY FAR the most unreliable hunk of junk I've ever owned and that
    includes an Austin Healey Sprite, a Jaguar E-type, 2 Fiats, a Peugeot a
    couple of VW's, and a Corvair ragtop, even though the Dodge was the first
    car I ever bought new.)
     
    pj, Aug 23, 2006
    #3
  4. Art is known for bitching about petty issues. Hell, he ditched a 2001
    Toyota Avalon for a variety of reasons, including a crooked dashboard. This
    is a guy who thinks that Crapsler makes high quality cars.
     
    High Tech Misfit, Aug 23, 2006
    #4
  5. Art

    TeGGeR® Guest


    "Worse" in what way? Too dim? Try GE Nighthawks.

    You can (if you want to spend the money) try investigating the replacement
    of your US-spec lamps with ECE (European) ones. I understand the ECE lamps
    are far superior to US-market units.
     
    TeGGeR®, Aug 23, 2006
    #5
  6. Art

    Art Guest

    They are not bright and they are not wide and they have very fast drop off.
    They seem to be focused right based on how they look when I turn them on
    facing the closed garage door. My 2006 Odyssey has much better lights. So
    did my 1999 300M and my 2001 Avalon. My 94 LHS had lousy lights, typical of
    the time.
     
    Art, Aug 24, 2006
    #6
  7. Art

    ACAR Guest

    Yeah, the Low beam pattern is more European, designed not to blind
    on-coming traffic. Very different than usual USA practice. Better bulbs
    will help a little, but that sharp cut off has nothing to do with bulb
    output, that's designed into the reflector. However, I do not agree
    that the light isn't as bright as other OEM headlights, I think they're
    about the same.

    Use high beams when you can. Maybe add auxilary lighting designed to
    supplement low beams if you care to spend some money towards solving
    your problem. While my vision is good enough to pass the test without
    glasses I find wearing glasses at night helps a lot.
     
    ACAR, Aug 24, 2006
    #7
  8. Art

    Art Guest

    Consumer Reports just started rating headlights when they test cars a couple
    of years ago. As I said in my original post they gave the Accord 2005 just
    a fair rating for headlights. I guess next time I won't buy a car that has
    anything less than a CR rating of good for headlights. The lenses and
    internal reflector sure look pretty.
     
    Art, Aug 24, 2006
    #8
  9. Art

    Casey Guest

    Dick said
    I'll have to agree ... the leadlights on my 2003 Accord EX V-6 are
    excellent as well.



    Casey
     
    Casey, Aug 25, 2006
    #9
  10. Art

    ACAR Guest

    If you like the car, adding auxiliary lighting is the way to go. For
    example, the Hella FF75 fog light kit sells for under $100. For another
    $100 you should be able to get your shop to install them.

    Look for HID headlights next time you are car shopping.
     
    ACAR, Aug 25, 2006
    #10
  11. Art

    Art Guest

    I wouldn't be surprised if they are different. Headlights and tail lights
    are the things car makers usually play with to differentiate year to year
    model changes.
     
    Art, Aug 25, 2006
    #11
  12. Art

    Art Guest

    Was it a 97 or earlier Intrepid? They indeed had pathetic headlights. My
    94 LHS had very poor headlights too.
     
    Art, Aug 25, 2006
    #12
  13. Art

    Art Guest

    And I was right about the deterioration of Toyota quality:

    http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/25/news/international/bc.autos.japan.toyota.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes


    I had 4 Toyota's and the 2001 Avalon was crap compared to the other 3. It
    was crap compare to my 99 300M too.
     
    Art, Aug 25, 2006
    #13
  14. Art

    Art Guest

    Looking at the 2006 hybrid brochure it has halogen multi reflector
    headlights which I guess describes most models these days.
     
    Art, Aug 25, 2006
    #14
  15. Art

    Art Guest

    Just noticed that Honda offers fog lights for the hybrid. I need to check
    to see whether the car has them. (It is my wife's car. I drive the
    Odyssey. She is gone with the hybrid for the day.) If not, does anyone
    here have the Honda foglights installed on their car? Are they any help?
     
    Art, Aug 25, 2006
    #15
  16. Read Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor.
     
    Elmo P. Shagnasty, Aug 25, 2006
    #16
  17. Please don't feed the trolls.
     
    High Tech Misfit, Aug 25, 2006
    #17
  18. Art

    ACAR Guest

    In hybrid models the Prius offers HIDs in an option package. (I didn't
    say you had to stick with Honda.)

    However, spending a few hundred bucks to add auxiliary (halogen)
    lighting to a car you like is a good investment, IMHO.
     
    ACAR, Aug 25, 2006
    #18
  19. It sounds like they take quality very seriously. If GM or Ford ever
    delayed a launch because of quality concerns, you know that the
    problem must have been catastrophic. The Detroit companies can only
    dream about achieving the quality levels which Toyota has deemed
    unsatisfactory.
     
    Gordon McGrew, Aug 25, 2006
    #19
  20. I'd say they're average.

    My 05 HAH has suffered from endless defects. The build quality isn't
    bad but the engineering quality resembles a cheap American car. It's
    likely that your headlights are defective or a software bug is producing
    a low voltage on the 12V system.
     
    Kevin McMurtrie, Aug 27, 2006
    #20
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