To FORD Service
#31
Ford Customer Service
As others have suggested, I can't recommend modifications to our vehicles. If you'd like to see changes to future vehicle models, you can post your feedback to the "Your Ideas" section of http://social.ford.com; once submitted, ideas can be voted on by members of the community. This site is occasionally mined for ideas by our engineering staff. I can also document your feedback in our system; to do so, just send me a PM with your full name, best daytime phone number, and any specific details you'd like me to include.
Crystal
#32
Senior Member
My '12 headlights are horrible. Granted, they're halogens and I wasn't expecting HID output, but it seems like Ford didn't put much effort into maximizing the most amount of light we could get from them. I put Silverstar's in about a month after having it and noticed a little help, but still nothing amazing. I would love to go with the new 13+ HID's, but at a minimum of $900, still a little pricey.
I agree that the stock halogens suck. I believe that the HIDs should be standard on all F-150's, raise the MSRP across the board by $500 if you have to. SliverStars are nice, but they last 6-9 months for me, cheap HIDs that go in halogen housings throw more light. But they sucked in the rain and when it was wet because of the light bouncing everywhere.
The price for 2013 OEM HID projectors or retrofits is significant, but worth it. But then again you are talking to the guy with a 2010 XLT that has added an OEM backup camera, AMP steps, 2" level with RAS and 34" tires in addition to the 2013 OEM HIDs.
#34
Senior Member
I have a 2013 XLT and I agree.....the stock headlights suck big time. Surprisingly, the low beams are better than the high beams....probably because of the fog lights. I'm gonna change out the bulbs to the Phillips Extreme Vision Plus. I refuse to buy $900 HIDs on a brand new $43k truck just so I can fix a Ford poor design. They should give them to me for free and say "sorry"!
#35
Car Lover
Add me to the group amazed that Ford could put out such poor quality lights and have it be legal. My low beams were "okay" in brightness but pointed so far down they were useless at speed and distance. The high beams were very low output in comparison to anything else I have owned that was made in the last 30 years but were generally pointed well. I did adjust the low beams to get a little more rise out of them but they didn't have the power to go much further after the fact. However this made the high beams useless as they literally started lighting everything about 4' and up. I switched the the silverstars and the improvement in negligible at best which makes me believe its a reflector design flaw. I would love to install the factory HID''s but see to many design issues that people are pointing out. Once they are fixed I will go that route.
#36
Senior Member
most are missing the obvious, due to the rake from the factory, just aim the headlights up. this makes all the difference or leave them where they are and do a leveling kit. pull up to flat wall and mark your low beams with painters tape, then use the adjustment to move them up. does not take alot to make a big difference.
#37
Car Lover
most are missing the obvious, due to the rake from the factory, just aim the headlights up. this makes all the difference or leave them where they are and do a leveling kit. pull up to flat wall and mark your low beams with painters tape, then use the adjustment to move them up. does not take alot to make a big difference.
#38
Senior Member
Thread Starter
We shouldn't have to do this. Ford needs to listen and fix the issue. I obviously won't get rid of the truck for this reason and I certainly don't hate the truck due to the headlights but from I'm seeing this has been an issue with many Ford F 150 owners for some time now.
#40
I put these in and it made a world of difference. I agree with [MENTION=118343]Toddman34[/MENTION] that HID's are the way to go but I can't justify $900 for headlights at this time. I paid about $40 for these. Amazon.com: Sylvania H13 SZ SilverStar zXe High Performance Halogen Headlight Bulb (Low/High Beam), (Pack of 2): Automotive
I also replaced my fog lights with these. Sylvania 9145 ST SilverStar High Performance Halogen Fog Lamp, (Pack of 1) : Amazon.com : Automotive
I also replaced my fog lights with these. Sylvania 9145 ST SilverStar High Performance Halogen Fog Lamp, (Pack of 1) : Amazon.com : Automotive
Anyway, Ford should simply offer a retro kit with the HIDs billed as "off-road use only" so they don't need to mess around with the legal issues.