2006 Mazda 6 question

[1990CrownVic]

Hi everyone. I'm always lurking over here but usually I never ask something. Just trying to learn of this very useful site with very knowledgeable people, especially the kind moderators.

This time I have a question for a friend: He's the owner of a 2006 Mazda 6 (SW), and the headlights are pretty dim. He is trying to improve the performance of the headlights, and obviously his first idea was to put HID or LEDs in it. I told him and explained all the usual things that I have read here, the explanation of Dan Stern about it (this one) and even an interview that he gave to japonik (this one). Finally, he started to agree with me that the best route it's to buy new headlamps and/or add relays, and of course install some Philips Extreme Power or similar. But now he´s telling me that –according the manual of the car- it can accept H1 bulbs or d2s, and he also told me that even the headlamp itself says "H1 or D2S". Is that possible? I told him that if a lamp is designed to run with halogen bulbs, you must install halogen bulbs, and you can´t run HID or LEDs, but I never heard about a lamp that says "H1 or D2S". That's why I prefered to come here and ask.

Here's a pic of the Mazda headlamps, just in case. They are not in very good shape, that's why I recommended him to buy a new set of original Mazda headlamps:

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Thanks in advance for your advice.

Denis.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

But now he´s telling me that –according the manual of the car- it can accept H1 bulbs or d2s, and he also told me that even the headlamp itself says "H1 or D2S". Is that possible? I told him that if a lamp is designed to run with halogen bulbs, you must install halogen bulbs, and you can´t run HID or LEDs, but I never heard about a lamp that says "H1 or D2S". That's why I prefered to come here and ask.

The manual must not be making it clear that there's a factory HID option which uses the D2S. I can't tell from that pic if there's a bulb type stamping on it, but it's not unheard of that the outer lens will be stamped with the bulb designation of both the halogen and HID low beam options, making it cheaper to crank out those lenses.

The H1 and D2S are optically, mechanically, and electrically non-interchangeable.

 

[1990CrownVic]

Ok, many thanks Alaric! I thought that, but I wasn't sure. I'm going to tell him that he needs to buy just good H1 bulbs, and ideally new headlamp assemblies.

Thanks again!


Denis.

 

[turbodog]

Would new assemblies required re-aiming? Is there a reason to not just install new bulbs and pay a bodyshop to polish the lenses?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Would new assemblies required re-aiming?

Absolutely. Even removing and replacing the same assembly requires re-aiming.

Is there a reason to not just install new bulbs and pay a bodyshop to polish the lenses?

By the time you notice damage to the lens, there's damage to the reflector itself. Polishing the lenses can weaken them and unless a very good clearcoating with UV resistance is applied (not just UV resistance for itself, but to not permit UV to pass through to the polycarbonate lens it is coating), then you're shortening their lifespan even further. And for what it can cost, you might as well just get new (and genuine) lamp assemblies.

 

[turbodog]

got it
good info

 

[-Virgil-]

Yeah, this is a really important point that can't be repeated too often: lamp markings like "H1 or D2S" do not signify a headlamp that will accept either type, and owner's manual listings of "H1/D2S" likewise do not mean that the car can take either type. It simply means H1 bulbs are used if the car has the halogen headlamps, D2S bulbs if the car has the Xenons. The same front lens, lamp housing and other headlamp parts are often used for multiple different versions of the assembly, so all markings are present, but only some of the markings apply to any individual headlamp.

Misunderstanding of this give rise to bigger misunderstandings like "The lens says H1 or D2S, and it's a projector, so the only difference is the bulb holder", which is not correct or true.

 

[1990CrownVic]

Many thanks Virgil for the clarification. As always, very good information in this forum.