2018 Chevrolet Cruze

Inertiatic

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Feb 6, 2018
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I do a lot of night driving (I am on the road all day starting at 4 AM), and I would like to upgrade my headlights in a safe and proper way, especially since I have already hit 2 deer this year. The vehicle is a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze LT sedan with projector headlights. Different sources say it takes 9005, 9011 or 9012 headlight bulbs. Any help would be appreciated.
 

-Virgil-

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Mar 26, 2004
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The data books I'm looking at say the '18 with projectors takes HIR2 (9012) bulbs, but if you're not sure you should pull one of your bulbs and see what type it is, then post back in here for advice. If you've hit two deer, your headlamps are very probably no longer aimed correctly (if they ever were). This is really crucial; there is no such thing as "close enough". It has to be checked with an optical aiming machine -- not a "shine it at the wall" type of method.
 

Alaric Darconville

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Stillwater, America
I do a lot of night driving (I am on the road all day starting at 4 AM), and I would like to upgrade my headlights in a safe and proper way, especially since I have already hit 2 deer this year.
If a/the headlamp(s) was replaced after a collision, make sure it/they was/were replaced with a genuine factory part, and that the aim is correct.

As far as deer avoidance, your early-morning drives, particularly from October through December, mean you're going to need to be alert, scanning the road constantly, using your high beams whenever possible, and *slowing down*. Also, by now you probably also know that if you see one deer crossing the road there are probably others crossing with it.

Also, if your Cruze has fog lamps, don't use them inappropriately. They aren't ever going to be useful in clear weather, nor are they useful at highway speeds-- in fact, they make things worse in those conditions.

The design of the Cruze doesn't lend itself to installing traditional auxiliary high beams, but Hella have a light bar, made by JW Speaker, the Hella 958040071 350, in the driving beam pattern.
 

Inertiatic

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Feb 6, 2018
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So the bulbs are 9012 (HIR2). Any recommendations on the best ones to use?
"Only" 1 deer was this car, the first one totalled my 2017 Cruze. The headlights were aimed by the body shop and not with an optical aiming machine (I asked). How do I go about finding somewhere who has one? Bigger body shops, car dealerships? And how much do they charge on average?
 

-Virgil-

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Mar 26, 2004
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I know Daniel Stern's got the HIR2 +120 bulbs, which are the ones you'd want to use. As far as aiming goes, "let your fingers do the walking" (keep calling around to premium body shops, dealerships, etc).
 
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