Honda Car Forum

This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any success
improving the headlights on their accord?

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:24:21 GMT, "Art"
<begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote:

>This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
>90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any success
>improving the headlights on their accord?
>

Are those different from the headlamps on the standard Accord? I ask
because the headlamps on our 2003 Accord EX V-6 are the best of any
car I have ever owned. I haven't counted lately, but I'm sure I have
owned more than 30 cars and pickups.

Dick

I agree with Dick, the headlights on my 2004 Accord LX (4-banger) are by far
the best headlights I've ever had. Are you sure they are aimed properly
(and working properly). Heck, I frequently don't even bother to use
high-beams in areas I could because the low-beams are so good.
....lightyears (pun intended) better than my former car a @&#*$$$$!!! Dodge
Intrepid (BY FAR the most unreliable hunk of junk I've ever owned and that
includes an Austin Healey Sprite, a Jaguar E-type, 2 Fiats, a Peugeot a
couple of VW's, and a Corvair ragtop, even though the Dodge was the first
car I ever bought new.)


"Dick" <w6ccd@k7yca.org> wrote in message
news:roone2ptss58c35g3f8l68ql4notfatmef@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:24:21 GMT, "Art"
> <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>>This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
>>90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any
>>success
>>improving the headlights on their accord?
>>
>
> Are those different from the headlamps on the standard Accord? I ask
> because the headlamps on our 2003 Accord EX V-6 are the best of any
> car I have ever owned. I haven't counted lately, but I'm sure I have
> owned more than 30 cars and pickups.
>
> Dick

Dick wrote:

> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:24:21 GMT, "Art"
> <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>>This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
>>90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any success
>>improving the headlights on their accord?
>>
>
> Are those different from the headlamps on the standard Accord? I ask
> because the headlamps on our 2003 Accord EX V-6 are the best of any
> car I have ever owned. I haven't counted lately, but I'm sure I have
> owned more than 30 cars and pickups.
>
> Dick

Art is known for bitching about petty issues. Hell, he ditched a 2001
Toyota Avalon for a variety of reasons, including a crooked dashboard. This
is a guy who thinks that Crapsler makes high quality cars.

"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in
news:FTPGg.18$xQ1.3@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.n et:

> This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the
> early 90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have
> any success improving the headlights on their accord?
>
>


"Worse" in what way? Too dim? Try GE Nighthawks.

You can (if you want to spend the money) try investigating the replacement
of your US-spec lamps with ECE (European) ones. I understand the ECE lamps
are far superior to US-market units.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

They are not bright and they are not wide and they have very fast drop off.
They seem to be focused right based on how they look when I turn them on
facing the closed garage door. My 2006 Odyssey has much better lights. So
did my 1999 300M and my 2001 Avalon. My 94 LHS had lousy lights, typical of
the time.


"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns9828652EBA2B6tegger@207.14.116.130...
> "Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in
> news:FTPGg.18$xQ1.3@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.n et:
>
>> This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the
>> early 90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have
>> any success improving the headlights on their accord?
>>
>>
>
>
> "Worse" in what way? Too dim? Try GE Nighthawks.
>
> You can (if you want to spend the money) try investigating the replacement
> of your US-spec lamps with ECE (European) ones. I understand the ECE lamps
> are far superior to US-market units.
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Art wrote:
> They are not bright and they are not wide and they have very fast drop off.
> They seem to be focused right based on how they look when I turn them on
> facing the closed garage door.

Yeah, the Low beam pattern is more European, designed not to blind
on-coming traffic. Very different than usual USA practice. Better bulbs
will help a little, but that sharp cut off has nothing to do with bulb
output, that's designed into the reflector. However, I do not agree
that the light isn't as bright as other OEM headlights, I think they're
about the same.

Use high beams when you can. Maybe add auxilary lighting designed to
supplement low beams if you care to spend some money towards solving
your problem. While my vision is good enough to pass the test without
glasses I find wearing glasses at night helps a lot.

Consumer Reports just started rating headlights when they test cars a couple
of years ago. As I said in my original post they gave the Accord 2005 just
a fair rating for headlights. I guess next time I won't buy a car that has
anything less than a CR rating of good for headlights. The lenses and
internal reflector sure look pretty.


"ACAR" <dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1156424343.830734.237070@75g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> Art wrote:
>> They are not bright and they are not wide and they have very fast drop
>> off.
>> They seem to be focused right based on how they look when I turn them on
>> facing the closed garage door.
>
> Yeah, the Low beam pattern is more European, designed not to blind
> on-coming traffic. Very different than usual USA practice. Better bulbs
> will help a little, but that sharp cut off has nothing to do with bulb
> output, that's designed into the reflector. However, I do not agree
> that the light isn't as bright as other OEM headlights, I think they're
> about the same.
>
> Use high beams when you can. Maybe add auxilary lighting designed to
> supplement low beams if you care to spend some money towards solving
> your problem. While my vision is good enough to pass the test without
> glasses I find wearing glasses at night helps a lot.
>

Dick said
> "Art" wrote:
>
> >This car has the worse headlights of any car I've owned since the early
> >90's. Consumer Reports rated the headlights fair. Anyone have any success
> >improving the headlights on their accord?
>
> Are those different from the headlamps on the standard Accord? I ask
> because the headlamps on our 2003 Accord EX V-6 are the best of any
> car I have ever owned.

I'll have to agree ... the leadlights on my 2003 Accord EX V-6 are
excellent as well.



Casey

Art wrote:
> Consumer Reports just started rating headlights when they test cars a couple
> of years ago. As I said in my original post they gave the Accord 2005 just
> a fair rating for headlights. I guess next time I won't buy a car that has
> anything less than a CR rating of good for headlights. The lenses and
> internal reflector sure look pretty.
>

If you like the car, adding auxiliary lighting is the way to go. For
example, the Hella FF75 fog light kit sells for under $100. For another
$100 you should be able to get your shop to install them.

Look for HID headlights next time you are car shopping.