There really isn’t any doubt that H.I.D. lights are gaining a lot of appeal in the automotive industry. Ask most luxury car owners and it’s one of the things they have included in their “To Buy” list. In fact, these kits have slowly become a household name in the industry — thanks to the right combination of style and safety that it is becoming known for.
However, one question that most drivers ask is how easy HID lights can be installed. Actually, it’s as easy as changing the bulb of a semi-complex and sophisticated flashlight. What you need is a semblance of common sense, two working hands, an instruction guide that comes with the HID kit that you’ve purchased and a bit of trial and error from time to time.
Before you begin installing your HID lights, make sure that the crews are installed in their respective holes. This will prevent possible mishaps during the assembly process, since the screws might unpredictably go in at an angle, which consequently makes it much harder to turn and install the screws later on. Immediately installing them in their housing can prevent these problems from ruining your day.
Now that you have done the screws, the first step to installing your HID lights is to remove the battery’s negative cable. Remove the headlamp’s top cover, and manually position the door in the mid-position to remove it. Look for the manual override knob on the inside corner of each headlamp, and raise it to remove the bezels and top cover easily. Next, remove the headlamp assembly using a 10mm socket and ratchet, and once you’ve removed the assembly, use a sharp razor knife to score the aluminum headlight. Once the headlight assembly is out of the way, slash the aluminum headlight bucket with a fine razor knife. The scored ribs must be removed to install the new HID headlight assembly.
Next, get your aluminum rib and break it off. After doing the first headlight bucket, tighten your vise grips when grabbing the aluminum to make sure that the edges are cleanly cut. Run the razor knife again if the aluminum does not break in your first try. After this, use a piece of two-sided tape to attach the ballast to the inner fender and strengthen the ballast by adding screws. Don’t cover the serial number on the backside in case you need to replace your ballast. And also, make sure the headlamp assembly fits without frictions happening on any of the cut aluminum ribs.
After you’ve done this, put the screws by reaching around the sides of the headlamp bucket. Make sure to place some soft rags or blankets around the hood and fender to prevent falling pieces from rubbing and scratching the headlamp housing on the paint.
Now you can install the screws to firmly hold the ballast on the inner fender. Don’t exert too much force when putting the screws in place because the inner fender is light and prone to breakage. Once all the screws are placed, secure them carefully. Be extra careful in this process, too. The screws can cut into the plastic and break off the plastic mounting ears.
Now loosen the coolant reservoir and remove the battery protector to route the wiring under the battery tray. The battery protector pops out easily. Just press the plastic pushpin along the windshield edge to pull it out. Then, tie the cross wire harness in place by using tie-wraps. Make sure that you are careful around the hood hinges, as the wiring can be nipped if you leave it unlatched.
Once all the wires are in place, connect them to the ballast. However, make sure that you install the colored wires correctly — the battery and ground supply wires to the ballast should be installed with the red wire on the inside next to the inner fender and the black wire out.
Next, crimp the wire connectors together. Then, connect and tighten the battery wires to the stud on the fuse panel. Pay attention to the placement of the terminals so the plastic cover can be reinstalled. Butt Connectors