I finally broke down and ordered some LED style replacement headlights for my GT. My night vision has been getting worse over the years and I needed an improvement for comfort and safety. I really had no specific recommendation to go on other than the BTR video posted here but I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars. I found a DOT approved set on eBay at what seemed a reasonable price so I took a chance. I paid $98 delivered for the pair. I installed them today. They fit perfectly. No modification necessary. I just had a nice long night ride on a winding country road and I have to say I am extremely happy with them. The beam is much wider and brighter than my stock halogens. They light up both sides of the road and I can actually see the turn before I have to make the turn. I don't have anything else to compare them to, but I am completely satisfied with the performance.
Looks good! I have a set I ordered a few weeks ago sitting in the box still. I'll have to get some "before" shots for comparison now......
The set I bought (Amazon) look very similar, so I'm hoping for the same results. I rarely drive the Fiero at night, as the lights are terrible, so that might change if these work well.
Thanks for the post and the pics - it's inspired me to get to work!
Had anyone asked, I'd have said Fiero headlights were 5x7. These state 7x6. Interesting. What is the second connector wire?
Well, they are 5x7, but as I understand it the 5x7 and 7x6 terms are interchangeable. Wierd, I know. These lights are listed as 7x6 and H6054.
The loose wire is to power the daytime running lights. These are the two crescent shapes on either side of the horizontal lights. Since no one in Fiero-land runs with their headlights in the up position (by choice) these wires are not used and the crescents light up normally when the lights are on.
... Since no one in Fiero-land runs with their headlights in the up position (by choice) these wires are not used and the crescents light up normally when the lights are on.
Are the lens plastic or glass. Not that it matters in a Fiero but other vehicles without popups. UV hazing problems with some plastics.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Originally posted by Rsvl-Rider: I finally broke down and ordered some LED style replacement headlights for my GT. My night vision has been getting worse over the years and I needed an improvement for comfort and safety. I really had no specific recommendation to go on other than the BTR video posted here but I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars. I found a DOT approved set on eBay at what seemed a reasonable price so I took a chance. I paid $98 delivered for the pair. I installed them today. They fit perfectly. No modification necessary. I just had a nice long night ride on a winding country road and I have to say I am extremely happy with them. The beam is much wider and brighter than my stock halogens. They light up both sides of the road and I can actually see the turn before I have to make the turn. I don't have anything else to compare them to, but I am completely satisfied with the performance.
Sorry but You like Thousands of others got suckered into buying crap HL sold thru Ebay (and Amazon) that are illegal for street use in most or all of the US, Canada and EU. Saying DOT "Ecode" and others in the description is often 100% BS. In your case, is missing nearly all Markings on lenses give them away as crap lights even ignore the extra wire to power the sides pretending to be DRL and/or fog/driving lights. Ebay and Amazon have so many illegal HL you can't begin to list them. Even sell counterfeits w/ only DOT or EU mark on the the lens to fake you into buying.
Unlike Trucklite GE and some other LED units that meet the rules for country they sell in w/ correct markings on lenses and light output can pass inspections etc. The lights they sell is high $ partly because made to meet DOT or ECE rules. Example:
CLICK FOR FULL SIZE
Manufacturer Logos/names are Register w/ USPTO and/or "DOT" so when NHTSA find problems and need to order a recall they know exactly who made them. (While rare, NHTSA can and have order recalls for aftermarket parts.) Year is the bulb/fixture complies to FMVSS 108 rules as of that year. Not the year made. ECE "E code" lights like TruckLite 27490C for UK and 27491C for the rest have similar required markings to meet EU rules (pdf from http://eur-lex.europa.eu ). Go to Trucklite to see more examples.
Output is great? Nope. May look good to you but I see problems like Light output pictures say: They are aimed poorly. Installed crap lights. Or very likely both because of High Beam alone are cross eyed but Low beam cutoff is bad too. Weird vertical pattern on wall above low beam cutoff is likely a part of glare problems to others.
Worse... You like many others compare to old lights, even factory installed 20 to 30+ years ago, that are dying and/or have wiring problems making them dim. Very likely same wiring problems affects HL motors, radiator fan and other parts.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
I do wonder if the light output is brighter than it should be in oncomers eyes, and enough to get one pulled over? I haven't been a fan of that 6000k cool "white" color. To me its too blue.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 03-28-2018).]
Originally posted by 2.5: I do wonder if the light output is brighter than it should be in oncomers eyes, and enough to get one pulled over?
Cops can stop you for any lighting problem. And I do mean Any light problems in most places including F'd Aiming of 100% legal HL. While I and many others hate SilverStar et al, they are legal w/ correct shells but many have crap illegal upgrade and glare out everyone in front of them. Like Most "H4" shells are illegal in most of US regardless Halogen bulb used. Worse many use LED or HID in them and doesn't focus causing more glare and other problems.
Local Cops may ignore these problems but when you go out of your state... Out of state tag plus iffy light(s), tint, and many more may as well paint a target on you. If you get pulled over "just" for HL issues then Cops can easily look and see no DOT markings. What happens next is up to the State laws/rules where you are at that time. "Fix It" warning/ticket to large fines and even Points and that's just for cars and lite trucks. DMV Inspectors can look for DOT markings too and can fail you for any lights w/o them.
If you have a CDL then expect big trouble. Any tickets attach to a CDL could cause license suspension and/or shut down orders for commercial trucks. IOW the cops functionally impound the truck and load w/o towing until the problem is fix on the spot. That can cost Thousands in fines, High Repair cost, and cost for not delivering on time. (Overweight Truck can have same results.) In many cases truck owner can eat the entire load value for delivering too late for any reason or big "fines" in the contract for late delivery because can slow the entire business. Many businesses run very little inventory to operate more then 1-3 hours, some run out of parts in minutes. They call this setup Just In Time (JIT) operation.
Sorry but You like Thousands of others got suckered into buying crap HL
[/QUOTE]
Well Ogre, few would doubt you are the leading authority on all things Fiero here. However, just last night I saw and compared the output and visual quality of these lights to a friend's Formula with recent stock style replacements and these LED's are superior in every way. Particularly the smooth wide width of the beam which was never up to par in these 30 year old cars even when they were new, as you well know. As for blinding oncoming drivers... that happens to be a particular pet peeve of mine, especially sitting in a car as low as ours. I made it a point to walk the large flat parking lot for quite a distance and observed the output. I found them to be free of any excess glare, as I expected, based on the horizontal pattern in the picture I posted. As for the very faint "weird" pattern shown in the picture, that was completely absent from my view and only showed up in the photo, which was taken close to a wall.
You seem to be reaching for any possible criticism to bolster your negative opinion of these lights. The extra wire does indeed power what I think of as "accent lights" of the kind that are so popular in today's new cars, and they certainly add a bit of modern style to the Fiero. They were in no way described as "fog/driving lights" as you claim. As for a 30 year old car with dim light output that might be caused by age, I will leave it to you to replace a functioning wiring system that can be improved by the addition of inexpensive modern technology, and results in a much safer and more comfortable driving experience. It's true the aiming of the lights in my car might need a very slight tweek. I installed them without any adjustment whatsoever and was pleased to find that it was more than adequate for demonstration purposes. Also, I can't begin to understand your assertion that the high beams are cross-eyed (whatever that means) based on a single photo and no direct observation. The high beams obviously display a smooth, consistent and very defined pattern.
As for the legality of these lights I must bow to your superior knowledge. I was unfamiliar with the required markings. I took them at face value. These headlights are offered, and sold by the thousands, on major reputable web sites all over the country and are represented as having been DOT / SAE approved. It frankly did not occur to me that this kind of widespread "counterfeiting" would be so blatantly flaunted on these major web sites without some sort of policing (it's not like we have a shortage of that in this country). All that being said, your otherwise biased assertions of the quality of these lights does not diminish my satisfaction with their performance.
However, I do regret that anyone might have made a purchase decision based on my direct experience with this product, and I do appreciate that you, albeit in your somewhat superior and particularly insulting way, have taken this opportunity to educate those of us who were uninformed.
Problems w/ Ebay Amazon and others are well know issues and they hid behind "Safe Harbor" rules/laws and only take down sales or "vendors" for violating their own rules like no guns or DMCA and similar copyright violations. Many to Most Walbro ACDelco and big name parts sold on Ebay have been counterfeited for years. Amazon is almost as bad now. Even when Ebay et al cancels an account, Many Vendors just create a new "store" to sell same crap. Is still mostly up to Real Names to issue DMCA notice but is Wack-A-Mole on steroids.
Ebay and Amazon doesn't care because they make huge amounts of money for you buying this junk. Ebay has been sued repeatedly for counterfeit problems and still don't care. Since you mention BTR... They sells a mix of legal and crap and don't care if you get a ticket or worse for install the crap. Not just Online stores... AZ Walmart and many others sell Sylvania "Off Road Use Only" LED right next to normal bulbs knowing most buyers are too dumb to understand or simply don't care. Warranty and Return policy won't matter when cops stop you for light problems. Again If you only get a ticket for lights, in some states "Equipment Violations" can get you a fat Fine and even Points. Pray if crap products cause a wreck.
Why? Because Stores have very little risk to sell them to generate Millions of $. NHTSA Recalls go after Manufacturer. Stores just stop sell X crap and replace Y crap if X sold well. Many that sold Pilot LED now sell Sylvania LED instead just because Sylvania is a bigger Brand. Both are sold w/ off road label, Pilot has this in fine print on the back, S has this in easy to see orange/red text on the front, both sells nearly as fast as store get them.
NHTSA and others should stop them but most Govrmnts don't bother. UK MOT and others have much stricter rules for vehicles using crap lights and still have a huge problem w/ HID and now LED "upgrades" alone. Example: This from the UK in 2010 when HID was the current "upgrade" fad...
then this week... https://www.rac.co.uk/press...e-headlights-2458363 I don't think new/modern headlight mean just new cars because most in the survey won't know how old the car just the HL blinded them. If they fail MOT many will switch back to pass then reinstall whatever and hope the cops don't bother.
I just purchased and installed these lights. DOT SAE is all that our inspection cares to see on the light. If this is present that is as far as they go, unless something is quite obviously wrong with the light.
A picture of a light on a wall is not a good judge of the cutoff point of the low beam. In real time the cutoff of these lights is a very sharp line which does not show up well in pictures. The way the light is dispersed from the LED’s makes adjusting these lights much different than the Halogen bulbs. Unlike Halogen lights there is no hotspot from the beam. These lights produce a very even line of light with a very sharp cutoff point. The way I set mine up was 20 feet from the wall and marked the cutoff point of the Halogen lights and the set the LED’s to the same height. I also marked the left and right sides of the beams to do the same with the in and out adjustment. The in and out was much harder than the up and down as neither type bulb has a sharp cutoff side to side.
One of the first things you will notice with the LED lights is that the low beam lights fill in the entire road from the front of the car out to the cutoff point. The High beams put the light out for a very long distance and is VERY bright so never hit oncoming traffic with them. Each of the High beam LED’s has a projector type lens in front of it. The Low beam ones have a much different type of lens.
The Halogen bulbs that these replaced were only 6 months old and the light output is like night and day especially the High beams. It will take some time for me to get used to the color change of the light as it is more like daylight.
Thanks for the link and pics. 
