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2012 Focus HID

52K views 119 replies 44 participants last post by  wemm92 
#1 ·
HELP!!! How do you get pass the Dipped Bulb B.S with after market HID's? I tried the cancellers and they worked for a day? Also does anyone know if the fog light are connected to a dipped beam sensor? I bought 35w slim ballast 5000k HID H11's if that helps
 
#2 ·
I really have no idea what a "dipped" bulb, "canceler" or "dipped beam sensor" is, but since I've also ordered a 5000K 35 watt DDM slim ballast kit, I'm interested to know more. Now I'm a little afraid as to what I've gotten myself into. Is there more than meets the eye? I assumed it would be a fairly easy install.

Tony
 
#6 ·
I'm assuming by the whole "dipped bulb" lingo you are referring to the dashboard lamps that indicate you have a bulb-out due to the lower power usage of an HID once the ballast kicks it on.

Unless Ford has something similar to the VAGCOM like a VW has where you can install software on your laptop, plug the laptop into the car via USB -> OBD connector and go into the coding and remove, change, alter; your up a creek. Or you can always add a resistor to your headlamp wiring, pull the bulb out from the indicator in the dash, or cover it with tape.

On a side note HID's do nothing more than give non HID headlamps color since they are not designed for "arc lighting" which creates hot spots (not temperature hot, light output hot) in a lens built for a halogen bulb that outputs light from a filament. There are two different types of bulbs D2S and D2R, one built for projectors that have sharp cutoffs built into them to prevent the beam from scattering causing glare. The other is built for reflector type lenses (think early Acura TL's), but came with a bulb shield that allowed for a similar cutoff to work in-hand with the headlamp lens.

By glare I am not only pointing towards other drivers, you can do a simple test yourself. Go out with halogens and drive around on a rainy night, then switch and drive with the HID in the stock housing. The amount of road glare makes seeing the sides of the road, signs, pretty much everything that much more of a hassle. I had HIDs aftermarket in my Matrix for a few months before I ditched them. They looked great, but offered no benefits, and despite claims actually cause a loss of lumens (how light output is measure).
 
#7 ·
Thanks, but if it were only a light on the dash I wouldn't mind. It cuts power to my headlights when it goes into dipped beam fault.. As far as HID in a stock housing I appreciate the advice but I've had HID is my F150 for 5 years and never had any discoloring or night time glare.
 
#12 ·
My only additional comment would be that owning an F-150 and being a lot higher off the ground means your US DOT stock lamps are definitely not meant to perform with HIDs.

US lamp regulations do not require cars to have their lamps aimed at any particular degree up or down depending on the height of the vehicle. Therefore my Matrix and your F-150 utilize the same plane for aiming the lamps whereas in European standards, a taller vehicle would be required to have proper aiming so the beam points slightly downward relative to the lamps distance from the ground.

It's the same reason a lot of the luxury cars with projector HIDs in the US have auto-level as an option or standard equip. It's standard to have in Europe. So adding an HID to something that is already taller than a standard car means a lot more scattered light gets tossed around to other people.

I could go on for paragraphs about lighting as I've spent a lot of time/money/effort in applications and research on the topic and my own trial/errors with cars.
 
#8 ·
It's not the discoloring to you. It's everyone else to has to look into the sun as you pass by. There's a Suburban with HIDs in reflector housing that lives next door to me and I pass him all the time. Each time it pisses me off so much I wanna take a baseball bat to his headlights!
 
#9 ·
Lol, +1. [thumb]

No point in arguing with those who buy the sub $100 crappy HIDs and stick them in stock reflectors. They'll say whatever to prove their point, and don't really care about anyone else on the road. [facepalm]

Anything we say only fuels their fire, and vice-versa...

Although, wait until someone blinds another driver into an accident, and a family is hurt or something....I just heard about a guy on the news who stole some light bulbs from Wal-Mart. He probably thought it wasn't that big of a deal, but while he was being chased by employees out of the store, the elderly greeter was knocked down, and died. He'll now be charged with her death....all for lightbulbs....
 
#11 ·
It's your car's way of telling you to go jump off the tallest cliff you can find.

I'll reinforce it, if you're putting drop-in HIDs onto stock reflector housings, jump off a cliff. Or get a car meant for them, like a mid 90's crapbox Civic with a fart can and a wing.

The 2012's have very headlights. If you're still having trouble seeing the road, you shouldn't be allowed on the road in the first place.

Don't drag the rep of the new Focus into the mud ALREADY...
 
#18 ·
Just an FYI (not being a tool) but there is a neat little button called "multi-quote" that you can just click below each person post that you want to reply to and when you click on "post reply" they all come up automatically in one reply for you to add your thoughts too.

Aside from that, aftermarket HIDs are to each their own. I just would never use them again unless I did a retrofit with a set of Audi or Acura projectors. But for the cost of doing a proper retrofit on most cars, it's not worth my time.
 
#22 ·
FYI dipped beam, is basically low beam, and for the haters on HIDs in reflectors I had HIDs in my cavalier for like 4 years till I got projectors.. It's called adjusting your lights as Tony said.. Only reason I got the projectors was for the halos and LEDs.. I've had HIDs on my R6 for around 4 years also.. No blinding unless the high beams are on...

But if anyone finds out how to run them I'm desperate for getting my low beams and fog lights done the car would look drop dead sexy. It's gunna be awhile before we can purchase projectors for them from Europe and ST doesn't come out for awhile also. Not to mention once you go HIDs it's hard to go back, and Yes they are brighter and to me make your vision hi definition I don't know what your smoking if you think otherwise but pass it this way.
 
#23 ·
OK, this whole HID thing has been beaten to death, but I am going to add this.

First, as I have posted before, HID's in reflectors are illegal, plain and simple. You can argue all you want, but ask anyone in law enforcement, they are illegal. Doesn't mean that you will get pulled over for it, but just to let you know.

Second, changing the aiming on your reflectors so that you don't blind other drivers is nice, but completely defeats the purpose of HID's in the first place.
HID's need projectors to give a cut off of the beam at the top (to stop from blinding people). Aiming the HID's down so that they don't blind people only limits the distance your headlights actually work to, thus defeating the purpose of having true HID's. Now you are simply doing it for the look, and not the benefits (which can be fine, but it is still illegal).

Either way, they don't really belong in a car without projectors.
 
#26 ·
There's only a few cars I can think of that use reflectors with HID's in the states...

2nd Generation Acura TL
Most recent Toyota Avalon
Last Generation Mercury Montego/Sable

At any rate, those reflectors were designed with HIDs in mind, so they're effective. Our headlamps were designed for Halogens, so HIDs in the '12 Focus housing is a no-no.

Just do what I plan on doing, wait for the stock projectors to hit the market and do it right. Otherwise, you're just pissin' off drivers.
 
#31 ·
^^The last paragraph is a common theme with HID in stock housing haters. I also bring up the point that I am blinded by more BMWs and TLs then anything. Many will blind you for miles.
I have run everything from stock housing, ebay projectors, to my current MACH HID headlights and have only gotten flashed using the MACHs which have crappy output comparably.
 
#33 ·
Tony407

First, I have been one of those in the past who did put HID's in stock reflectors. I took them out after about one month. I now have HID's in projectors. There is a difference in having them work properly (to give maximum illumination) and not cast light in all directions.

However, I am not going to continue this argument as it is obvious that those who want to put them in are just going to, and this argument is pointless.

Also, considering you claim to be ex-law enforcement, I am surprised that you are willing to put something illegal in your car. Most cops will never pull anyone over for that, but that doesn't make it legal.

Just like MysticblueBMW, I will no longer be commenting on this point as it falls on deaf (and stubborn) ears.
 
#36 ·
Also, considering you claim to be ex-law enforcement, I am surprised that you are willing to put something illegal in your car. Most cops will never pull anyone over for that, but that doesn't make it legal.
Please cite. Remember there's 49 other states besides yours, and they all have different laws. I just searched the Michigan compiled laws and found no mention of the use of HID lights, or the legality of installing them. All that is covered is where the lights must be aimed, and what must be illuminated. Unless that is covered in federal law, which I HIGHLY doubt.
 
#39 ·
>>>>The European Focus non-ST has OEM HID headlights... and the USA version does not so it's never a given.

Kinda my concern. We bought the Focus kind of as a joke waiting for Catena to get the new E-Series Cabriolet in. We'd turned in the CLK and there was a 6 month gap between the CLK and arrival of the new E-Cabs. I needed something to drive in the interim and called the folks we buy all of our trucks from and told them "cheap and tomorrow" and they delivered a 2010 Focus.

I laughed at first and then drove the thing. Not only did the car cost less new than the option packages on the MB, it's gosh darn fun to drive. I do production test riding of motorcycles and had to drive to a meeting about 1,500 miles away and the darn thing got something like 37.4 MPG.

So . . . the Focus has become a "keeper" and the 2010 (it's only really sore spot is the crummy lights) will get swapped for a 2012 ST (if they have bi-xenon option) and will be kept at the house as a spare.

Fun stuff.
 
#40 · (Edited by Moderator)
lol

all I can do is laugh at all the ones talking shit about HID in a reflector headlight.. My buddy got flashed more times in one week in his 2011 Range Rover with FACTORY HID then I did in 5 years of HID in NON projector headlights. Which I aimed down and still covered more distance of the road then any halogen will come close to. Also like the ones who said they made cars with factory HID in a reflective light are right, 2004 body style Escalade.. what kind of lights r in those? hid 4300k in a reflective light..

Also I asked for HELP, not for lip of people about there opinion.. This forum is to help people, so if you cant help then mind your business and keep to yourself..

FYI only car/truck in my family that doesnt have HIDs is my 2010 Fusion with projectors and none of my trucks EVER get flashed.. even when I drove from FL to Nashville with a lifted F350 with 6000k hid never once got flashed or had a problem.. So learn ur facts on adjusting ur lights safely before you commenting on your neighbors pos tahoe
 
#42 · (Edited by Moderator)
all I can do is laugh at all the ones talking shit about HID in a reflector headlight.. My buddy got flashed more times in one week in his 2011 Range Rover with FACTORY HID then I did in 5 years of HID in NON projector headlights. Which I aimed down and still covered more distance of the road then any halogen will come close to. Also like the ones who said they made cars with factory HID in a reflective light are right, 2004 body style Escalade.. what kind of lights r in those? hid 4300k in a reflective light..

Also I asked for HELP, not for lip of people about there opinion.. This forum is to help people, so if you cant help then mind your business and keep to yourself..

FYI only car/truck in my family that doesnt have HIDs is my 2010 Fusion with projectors and none of my trucks EVER get flashed.. even when I drove from FL to Nashville with a lifted F350 with 6000k hid never once got flashed or had a problem.. So learn ur facts on adjusting ur lights safely before you commenting on your neighbors pos tahoe
 
#43 ·
For those of you thinking that your comments are falling on deaf and stubborn ears, I would like to point out that you guys are the ones being prejudiced and calling names. And in my opinion, this is a discussion not an argument.

Bottom line is that you can say all you want about halogen housings with aftermarket HID bulbs, but I feel very confident mine aren't bothering anyone. Everyone seems to keep sidestepping the pains I have taken to make sure this is a reality. Basically, this is the bottom line for me whether the lights are legal or not. I haven't been a cop in 3 years, but as of 2008 aftermarket HID lights were not illegal in Washington State.

I'm sorry you can't have a discussion with someone that doesn't share your opinion without resorting to name-calling and then plugging your ears when presented with information that doesn't correlate with your beliefs.

Tony
 
#47 ·
my .02 just cause i feel this will get locked soon lol

when it comes to HID kits the proper way of installing them is in a projector housing, I say this because I've had em installed in various cars.. Ford Excursion (with a baby lift), Mitsubishi Galant, Focus, Lincoln Aviator and a dodge nitro. In the S500 they came stock.

Now from MY OWN EXPERIENCE. the best were of course in the S500 (THEY CAME STOCK), and the worse in the dodge nitro.

When the car had stock housings most of the time there was way too much glare and it was blinding to oncoming traffic notice i said MOST of the time. On the galant (stock housing) no glare whatsoever. But each car is different.

I guess my point is, since im kinda hungry and food is on the table, that when you have projectors installed, you annoy less people. Yes you can tweak the hid kid and adjust it, and get ZERO complaints but if you want the hid kit for its functionality then I recommend doing right the first time.

Of course each car is different not every car needs it. BUT lets make an effort to stop being a nuisance to society and DO THINGS PROPERLY.

OR you can say screw me and do it your way. I dont care i see someone with glaring headlights, ill laugh at them and they may come in to our rice reports.

THAT IS ALL STAY CLASSY FOCUS ENTHUSIASTS >
 
#49 ·
Well, I hope it doesn't get locked. I see no reason for it to be, for the most part we've remained fairly civil.

By blinding other traffic, how do you tell this is happening? How is it measured? Is it the number of high-beam flashes you get?

At least in my experience, I get nearly zero. Occasionally when I'm on a slight incline and come up to a stop sign or stop light my lights shine directly into the eyes of the other car's occupants. Even with halogens this would be annoying, but with HIDs (even aftermarket) it's downright painful to the eyeballs. At least in my experience when this happens I get flashed and the dirty looks ensue. Totally understandable. But in general driving conditions, I've been flashed so infrequently that when I compare it to other cars I've owned with stock halogens or stock HIDs, I assuming that my aftermarket HIDs are less offensive than other cars I've owned that haven't been modified.

Thanks for sharing. I think you tastefully stated your opinion and I really appreciate it.

Tony
 
#53 ·
You are right, you asked for help and got everyone's opinion.

It has been 32 years since I was in electronics, and the problem you are having is that the computer is not detecting the correct resistance on the headlight wire and eventually shutting the output down for safety.

I have come across this problem numerous times when changing vehicles to operate on LED lights which draw such low current, that the computer reacts as if it is a fault, and auto disconnects.

You will have to install an in-line resistor to fool the computer that everything is OK and it then leave the HID's operational.

You could install the regular bulb measure the resistance, then switch to the HID setup again measure the resistance and then install an equivalent resistor to make up the difference.

I am not sure if Ford measurers both lights together or separately. I am assuming as it shut down the circuit, it is set up to measure separately, it would only make sense because if one light went out then the computer would not turn off both headlights just because one was blown.

However it is probably simpler to contact these people with your problem and they will either sell you an in-line unit or have one made up for you.

I have used them for numerous vehicles and they always came through for me.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/1157.htm

Good luck with your problem,
 
#54 ·
If I had a Motorcycle I would install HIDs and Raise the Crap out of them and blind everyone so they know I am on the road. Just a thought.
 
#55 ·
>>>If I had a Motorcycle I would install HIDs and Raise the Crap out of them and blind everyone

That **may** (I can tell you my experience, your's may vary) result in unintended safety consequences.

I've done prodcution test riding of motorcycles which has taken me to 44 states. I prefer (again, you may have better luck with something else) to use Whelan TIR3 LED's mounted at bar height on the front and on the rear. These are the same lights that many law enforcement agencies use for their vehicles lighting, the NYPD motorcycle unit uses them on their bikes as well.

I've had them set up with the turn signals (amber on the front) and the brake lights (red on the rear) to avoid getting crossways with law enforcement. (I've been nabbed twice when I was using Whelan strobes) and this allows me, when approaching an intersetion, to make darn certain I am seen by oncoming traffic and that when I hit my brakes, there is no doubt from the rear. There are a couple other tricks, but for lighting they work very well.

Motorcycles, as some of you know, may as well be moving targets . . . and, in the day of texting and common cellphone use, it's gotten worse.
 
#59 ·
Few points to bring up.

Headlights do have specific aiming requirements, and while they do not change per vehicle, the legal requirement for the placement of headlights is enforced. As i recall, headlights may not be more than 3' off the ground, and while its rarely ticketed, techinically, most lifted trucks break this law. That is why, even if you do have properly aimed headlights in your lifted truck, they are still illegal.

Anybody who claims that HIDs in reflector housings increases output is quite confused. HIDs do not produce the same sort of output as halogen bulbs, and as such, light scatter is far more evident on HID vehilces. In fact, installing HIDs in even halogen projector housings causes major scattering. The bulb is a very different design and should be treated as such. You also lose high-beam capability, which can be essential for night time driving in remote areas.

When installed in a proper HID housing, HIDs provide solid, consistant lighting and with a bi-xenon setup, unbeatable output for both high and low beams. All of this, while maintaining DOT standards.

Im not going to bag on anybody for installing HIDs in reflector housings, its their choice, and so be it. But just let it be known that the only gain from doing so is in your head.

Your choice, spend $100 on a crappy ebay setup, or spend $279 on a RetrofitSource kit.


If you want sources, i had a 6000k HID setup in both my stock reflectors, as well as in halogen projector housings, Neither held a candle to the stock output. The setup i have now through theretrofitsource puts even machs to shame.
 
#60 ·
Anybody who claims that HIDs in reflector housings increases output is quite confused. HIDs do not produce the same sort of output as halogen bulbs, and as such, light scatter is far more evident on HID vehilces. In fact, installing HIDs in even halogen projector housings causes major scattering.
What evidence do you have of this claim? Any road tests where a reputable source used aftermarket HIDs and tested them to see if the light was scattered? Of course they're not the "same", that goes without saying. If they were the same, they'd be the...same.

You also lose high-beam capability, which can be essential for night time driving in remote areas.
Not true. I have low and high beams and they work quite well. The bulb base has a strong magnet which pulls the bulb backwards when you activate the high beams, and thus the light is aimed upwards. I was skeptical of this at first, but it seems to work well.

When installed in a proper HID housing, HIDs provide solid, consistant lighting and with a bi-xenon setup, unbeatable output for both high and low beams.
Are you just quoting something you read somewhere? I've had multiple cars with HIDs and not all of them were "unbeatable". My 2001 Maxima (with retrofitted 2002 OEM Maxima HIDs) were pretty good. My 2007 Infiniti M45 had awful HIDs. My 2009 Jaguar XF had phenomenal HIDs. My 2009 Cadillac CTS-V had mediocre HIDs.

Right now I have my 2008 F150 with 5000K HIDs and they are FAR better for night time visibility than the stock halogens. My 2006 Mustang also has aftermarket 5000K HIDs and they are just as good. I get maybe one or two people that flash their high beams at me a month, which is about average or less than average compared to other cars I've owned (all stock, some halogen and some HID). Most of that flashing comes when I am cresting a hill and the beams shine directly into the face of the oncoming driver, which has happened many times before even with OEM lighting.

Im not going to bag on anybody for installing HIDs in reflector housings, its their choice, and so be it. But just let it be known that the only gain from doing so is in your head.
My eyes are in my head, so yes...the gain is definitely in my head. [:)]

If you want sources, i had a 6000k HID setup in both my stock reflectors, as well as in halogen projector housings, Neither held a candle to the stock output.
I'm sorry you purchased bad HIDs or possibly didn't have them set up correctly. I too have had 6000K and thought the output was awful. For my eyes, 5000K lights up the road the best and gives me the most optimal view ahead. 6000K is just too blue for me, and I couldn't even tell the lights were on some times.

I know you're trying to contribute, which you've done extremely respectfully, but it seems as if your negative experiences with aftermarket HIDs has been due to poor purchasing choices (namely, 6000K bulbs), claims with no basis in fact (scatter), erroneous information (no high beams), and a false reliance on "popular opinion" (unbeatable output).

No disrespect, just pointing out some errors in your information.

Tony
 
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