2017 Toyota Highlander

[JMSinMD]

Hi, wanted to upgrade the lights in my gf's 2017 Toyota Highlander.

Starting with fog lights it looks like the factory are H16. I'm not a fan of LED's but the fact that Philips and Sylvania make these I'm wondering if they would actually be an upgrade?

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/78719719/x-tremevision-led-fog-lamp

https://www.sylvania-automotive.com/products/headlights-and-fog-lights/zevo/h8_zevo_fog.jsp

Highbeams (9005)
Philips X-treme Vision

Lowbeams (H11)
Philips X-treme Vision

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Potential beam pattern issues aside, they're 6000K-- this light tends greatly towards blue and will interfere with the driver's ability to process what they see in that light. I'd leave the factory bulbs in and use 1mil Kapton tape to make them selective yellow, and then leave the fog lamps *off*.

A good H9 for the low beams, and an HIR1 for the high beams (very recent posts with the specific brand abound). Make sure the lamps are aimed correctly.

 

[-Virgil-]

Starting with fog lights it looks like the factory are H16. I'm not a fan of LED's but the fact that Philips and Sylvania make these I'm wondering if they would actually be an upgrade?

This, right here, is exactly the problem with these kinds of BS products from major brand names. People think "Oh, it's a reputable name, so these must be good, not like the off-brand ones".

The only reason why these products are on the market is because there is no federal regulation of fog light bulbs in the US, only of headlight bulbs. So the makers (whose responsibility is to maximize stock value for their shareholders) put out these fog lamp "upgrade" bulbs with a "for use only in fog lamps" nudge and a "Caution, warning, don't use in headlamps in the USA" wink.

In fact, it (still) doesn't matter whose name brand is on the box or on the bulb. Walk on by. Also, leave the fog lamps turned off. They're basically never actually useful, only cosmetic toys.

Highbeams (9005)
Philips X-treme Vision

No, Toshiba HIR1. Expensive from Toyota or half the price from Dan Stern.

Lowbeams (H11)
Philips X-treme Vision

Not a bad pick, but H9 is better. You can get good ones pretty much everywhere, including from Stern.

And of course, even if you leave the stock bulbs in place (but especially with the high-output bulbs), headlamp aim is of prime importance and it cannot be assumed to be correct just because nobody's flashing you. Do/spend whatever it takes to get the lamps aimed correctly as per this description.

 

[JMSinMD]

Do the Toshiba on eBay appear to be the real deal? I reached out to Daniel Stern as well. Thanks

 

[JMSinMD]

In regards to the H9 it doesn't look like Philips makes an X-treme Vision version, should I just get the basic one they sell or should I look at other brands?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

In regards to the H9 it doesn't look like Philips makes an X-treme Vision version, should I just get the basic one they sell or should I look at other brands?

The H9 is such a bulb that it represents the state of the art unless in some "long life" form (lowered performance, and a long life at the expense of lumen maintenance and beam focus having fallen way off long before the standard version would have burned out), or "XXX-TremeXenonWhite" form (in which the envelope has been tinted blue so it "matches" HID bulbs, or the fluorescent tube in the Domino's Pizza sign on top of the same car).

 

[JMSinMD]

Hi, just to clarify I'm not looking for "bling" but if Philips makes a better quality H9 vs Sylvania, etc. I would rather buy the best right off the bat. I'm receptive to feed back from this forum including forgoing the aforementioned LEDs that I brought up.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Hi, just to clarify I'm not looking for "bling" but if Philips makes a better quality H9 vs Sylvania, etc. I would rather buy the best right off the bat.

Pretty much any major (REAL) brand H9 will do. Philips, Vosla, GE, Osram, Flösser, etc... Or get these.
Just avoid any with a gimmick like "long life" or "xenon white" (such as this Hella junk).