How can i tell if i have HIDs or Hologen. I asked my dealer and they said that i have HIDs and i also asked the mechanic to see what i have and he said that i have Hologens. Can you guys tell me how i can tell just by looking at it. My headlights are a bit yellow and i really want to change my bulbs can you guys help.

Thanks

 

Turn on your headlights and go to the fender and listen. If you here a buzzing sound then you have HID's. If theres no sound then its halogen.

 

Sounds like you have non-HID's. If you had them, your lights would look blue-purple, especially when you first turn them on.

 

Many auto manufacturers use different brands which may appear yellower or whiter than other OEM brands. Osram bulbs appear bluer than many Phillips, for example. In addition, if the bulbs are very new, or resist colorshifting, they can look pretty yellow. Of course, there's also the perception factor here (time of day, color of surface light is hitting, etc).

Anyway, check for the buzzing sound immediately after you turn on the lights, as the sound will fade within a matter of seconds.

If you can pop the hood and see the back of the headlight, the presence of a round cylindrical silver leveling motor clues you in, or the direct appearance of a ballast. This is harder to find though, especially with the cramped engine compartment.

 

usually when turned on HIDs start as dim becoming brighter in a matter of seconds compared to halogens which immediately start as a bright light

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but HIDs have a focusing lens, Halogens just have a reflective cone like in a flashlight.

HID


Halogen

 

^^ thats what I thought... but the new accord uses projectors for their halogens, so you never know... also, I never seen a non-HID lexus, I thought it was standard...

 

having reflectors or projectors have nothign to do with if u have HID's or not.

 

why don't you just pop the hood and look at the socket and see if it's the halogen type or the D2S type...or better yet, sit in the driver seat, turn them on and see if the color changes within a second of turning them on, which indicates that you have HIDs

 

Non-hid 2IS's also have projector low beams. Another good way to check is see if there is an AFS setting. Toggle through the settings in the set of buttons that is to the right of the gas door and trunk buttons. If you see an AFS setting to be turned on/off, you have hid.

 

Yeah the ballasts are underneath the headlamp so you gotta remove the bumper to see them, nice location to hide the ballasts

But if I'm correct, HIDs on the 2IS has the auto level. So you can just turn the lights on first then the car. If the lights move down a little then up, then you have HIDs

 

Afs.........

 

Yup, checking for an AFS setting, right from the drivers seat, without even opening the hood, is the easiest way to tell if you have factory HIDs.

 

Hm, as I do not have an HID equipped car, I suppose this is the easiest way. Thanks Kurtz- I'll keep that in mind for future questions.

 

What are you doing driving a Lexus if you can't even tell if you have HIDs or not? LMAO jk