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Sport and Base/Limited Model Headlights

13K views 24 replies 5 participants last post by  SirTampers 
#1 ·
Question for any 4.3 Toyota Rav4 gurus on here...

I'm wanted to do HID/LED conversion.
Ran into my first block...and some other concerns.

I installed recent purchase LED kit on my rav. Light bounces everywhere...it sure is bright though. :nerd Not safe for other drivers on the road.

After doing some research i ponder onto...
- Most LED/HID bulbs are NOT made for Reflectors (chrome finish) on our 2012 Rav4 Base/Limited. (I dont know if that is true, since there are HID bulbs made for Reflectors)

Since Projector headlights were not offered here in North American models. Now i have option to either purchase an assembly from Japan like few of you guys on here have done.

or I was thinking changing the headlight assembly to Stock "Aftermarket" black housing which are made for Sport model only.

My question...is there different between Sport Model vs Base/Limited Model headlight assemblies...
- shape/size?
- mounting bracket?
- wiring hirness?

will it be possible to swap headlights between Sports and Base model without too much modification to the body>?

Thanks in advance.

Also, wanted to know if anyone on here offering RetroFit Projector pre-made headlight assemblies? for our RAVs??
 
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#2 ·
I'm no "guru" but I know that as far as LED kits go, you should not use them in reflector headlights, same thing goes for HID bulbs unless they are D2R or D4R. The "R" in those bulb type's stands for reflector.
The problem with using those type of HID bulbs is the fitment on the housing, there's no way to secure them because the housings ate made for regular halogen bulbs (hb4, h11).

Your best option is to do a retrofit with some projectors or get the JDM headlights.

As far as the difference between sport/limited/base headlights, there is none. They are all the same with the same type of connections, they only difference is the dark chrome on the sport headlights.
 
#4 ·
I've been looking for JDM headlights all over the net no one carries them here in US. I found one person on ebay and he's asking $500 + shipping for pair of headlight assembly and 2 pair of ballasts and bulbs. I think its little over on the expensive side for used headlight assembly and fairly new ballasts/bulbs.

I've thought about doing a retrofit but due to not having right tools and this being my daily commuter. I'm steering away from retrofitting for now...and steering towards purchasing second pair of Sport (black/dark chrome) headlight assembly with HID bulbs designed for Reflectors and see how the light looks.

I saw one person on youtube who has "Anti-Glare" bulbs installed in his reflector housing.
If all fails i can attempt retrofit on the 2nd pair and not having to worry about rushing the work.
 
#7 ·
I had no idea. Thanks.
 
#6 ·
Just because the lamp is a D2R or D4R won't make a difference.
The reflector itself must ALSO be designed for the HID burner, as the arc has very different characteristics from a filament.
A D2R will produce just as much glare from a Rav4 bowl as a D2S.

Retrofit on a 2nd set of lights is the way to go.

You have plenty of time to work on it, and you can paint the factory bowls to match.contrast and have plenty of time for the paint to cure so it won't fog the inside of the face.

Remove all of the screws (if any), pre-heat an oven to 250, turn the heat off, put the housings in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and separate the face.

If desired, paint the bowls, let cure overnight, then hit it for another 5 minutes in the oven (again, preheat, then heat OFF before putting them in).
Leave out for another day or so, then install and align the projectors, back to the oven to heat the glue to reassemble.




 

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#10 ·
Just because the lamp is a D2R or D4R won't make a difference.
The reflector itself must ALSO be designed for the HID burner, as the arc has very different characteristics from a filament.
A D2R will produce just as much glare from a Rav4 bowl as a D2S.

Retrofit on a 2nd set of lights is the way to go.

You have plenty of time to work on it, and you can paint the factory bowls to match.contrast and have plenty of time for the paint to cure so it won't fog the inside of the face.

Remove all of the screws (if any), pre-heat an oven to 250, turn the heat off, put the housings in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and separate the face.

If desired, paint the bowls, let cure overnight, then hit it for another 5 minutes in the oven (again, preheat, then heat OFF before putting them in).
Leave out for another day or so, then install and align the projectors, back to the oven to heat the glue to reassemble.


Those came out pretty good...and you just gave me another reason to open my stock headlight housing....I may need to invest into good projector and 2nd pair of headlights and start on retrofit-project.

What is a good projector/shroud combo for our RAV4 without putting BIG of a hold in my pocket.
I'm aiming for STOCK oem look.

I like what Veliksam did to his...it looks as it came from stock like that

Another question...has anyone thought about swapping headlights with RAV4 EV stock projectors?
 
#9 ·
The reason I thought D2R/D4R bulbs are ok to use in any standard reflector housing is because those bulbs have black ceramic paint strips over the arc which reduces the glare. I guess it's the reflector as well that's specific.

Many cars used HID bulbs in reflector headlights before projectors started coming out, 2nd gen prius, second gen navigator, Acura, Mercedes, etcetera....
 
#13 ·
The reason I thought D2R/D4R bulbs are ok to use in any standard reflector housing is because those bulbs have black ceramic paint strips over the arc which reduces the glare. I guess it's the reflector as well that's specific.
That's what I used to think as well, and figured that a D2S would be okay in a housing that had the glare shield (chrome cap) over the lamp.
Nope. The glare was horrible.
 
#11 ·
Yes I have thought about getting a pair of EV LED headlights but the cost is very high, plus it's almost impossible to find a used pair.

You should look into the mini kit on the retrofit source website, they are good quality and won't break the bank.

Btw, my headlights are actually oem stock from Japan.
 
#12 ·
I found one EV projectors on ebay but yea they are costly.

I was browsing through TRCs website for projectors and shrouds...they recommend mini-d2s is what the site recommended to...i'm debating between RX-AFS and Mini-D2

- that explains it...you mind taking a closer picture of your assembly and shroud...

I'm starting to think should i go through with Retrofit or just buy one official JDM like yours from ebay for $500.

since retrofitting cost will be close to that amount...
 
#16 ·
Alright guys, i've finally recieved my jdm projector head lights....

...now the question is how do i connect them to my factory harness :/

the there are...
(2) projectors and (2) ballasts

here are the pictures of the assembly hopefully someone will be able to help out...

Auto part Technology Vehicle Engine

Headlamp Automotive lighting Light Auto part Vehicle





Sent from my iPhone
 
#20 ·
Must be the angle of them......they have been opened up and modified tho since the stock jdm ones are projector for low beam only and uses a reflector for high beam......there is a post about installing these.....just search for rav4 jdm headlights.....the post is 40 some odd pages long.......
 
#22 ·
Not sure what the previous owner of these headlights were thinking when retro fitting projectors in place of highbeams reflectosr...
all i know having Bixenons are definitely worth it.

After few blown fuses and whole Sunday worth of work i was able to turn both (stock and Bixenons) projectors on.



Sent from my iPhone[/color=gray]
 
#23 ·
Not sure what the previous owner of these headlights were thinking when retro fitting projectors in place of highbeams reflectosr...
all i know having Bixenons are definitely worth it.

Sent from my iPhone[/color=gray]


If you want to exchange some lowbeam light for more high beam output, you could turn the stock low projector into a dedicated high beam. The cutoff shield is fairly easy to access when the fixture is removed. You could either flat out remove the shield and leave some washers in place as equivalent spacers, or use the shields as templates to make some high beam shields with limited foreground. Keep the bixenons as they are and wire the stocks to activate as high beams.

Doing it from scratch, however, I would want to use some Euro market fixtures. Depending on how easy those halogen projectors open, they could be converted from H11 lows to H9 highs. From there, replace the high reflector bowls with some bixenons. Quad highs would make a dark road like daylight.

Also Rahid, are you planning to use the leveling motors?
 
#24 ·
after week worth of test ride with these...
Today, I decided to go back to my old setup until all the parts arrive
(city/turn signal connectors and 9005/9006 connector)

Initial install, I connected stock D4s projectors to my stock 9006 socket.
and Bixenons into my 9005 socket (of course without highbeams)
Just dual Lowbeams...

RESULT: Light was aiming way high up in the sky...tried to set the levels. No luck there...the lowest setting was still tad bit high just enough to annoy on coming traffic and the drivers front of me at stop light...
Black Light Darkness Floor Wall

this is the driver side level settings to the lowest possible (notice the two small black tape marks on the wall) My goal was to get the drive side to aim at that...

so I then decide to disconnect stock projectors and make use of Bixenons...

RESULT: Light output = awesome...but cutoff was tad bit off so i then try to align it...no luck there.

On picture below Left side is Stock D4s with US cutoff plates and on the RiGHT Side Bixenons (cant exactly remember of i had the highbeams on or not)
Sky Black Atmospheric phenomenon Atmosphere Light


I've been inspecting the headlights to see if i can get to leveling mechanism...

after a lot of screwing and unscrewing and close inspection...I found these have USD Cutoff plates on the driverside Auto part


and on the Passenger side stock jdm plate is set as LHD...
Auto part Wheel


I about these used off of someone so not exactly sure what has been done to the assemblies...

but I would love to have this... Auto part Baggage
thing working...not too concern about automatic...if possible would love to have electrical leveling feature enabled on this thing...

and yes i do plan to have quad setup like you mentioned on your post...

I was thinking stock and bixenon as lowbeams...but once the highbeams are triggered only bixenon goes into highbeams (that will bring any dark back road into daytime sunlight)

I'm in urgent need of city/turn signal connectors sockets that will mount into the assembly. I wanna keep my factory sockets intact just incase I have to put my stock lights back in for some odd reason...so quick release like one of the member mentioned on here...ill decide once i can figure out where to order the city/turn signals connectors from




Sent from my iPhone[/color=gray]
 
#25 ·
A lot of your questions can be answered by reading Veliksam's monster JDM headlight thread. If you check Govtec's and my recent posts, that should provide information on the parts needed for the signal and motor pigtails.

When you solder together one of the signal pigtails, be sure to tap the +clearance and -common line to power your levelin motor pigtail. When you run them through the firewall, you can also use the + line to illuminate any aftermarket fog light switches, much brighter than tapping the rheostat.

If you need clarification, I can send you a comprehensive list of parts needed for pigtails.
 
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