Ultimate guide for those considering Euro projector headlights - all the basics in one thread!

[FiSTY]

Just wanted to say "thank you" for this guide. I would have been clueless otherwise. Just pulled the trigger on my very own set of Depos (and necessary bulbs) with the help of your links! Rounding it out with fogs, tails and mirrors from Ron. I'm sure install will challenge my (limited) capability, but where there's a will... there's a YouTube 😂

 

[akiraproject24]

I don't mind paying extra for OEM quality headlights. I've had my fair share of cheap aftermarket headlights that either fail or get moisture inside which drives me crazy! I'm hardly saying that the Depo's have that issue, but my interest mainly lies in OEM quality that I can bolt to my car and never have to be concerned about again, especially considering the importance of headlights for safety.

Now I'm on the hunt for an overseas source of either OEM Ford or Hella's if I can't find some stateside. I like a challenge.

Heads up cars245 emailed me but didn't cancel the order. They said they expected it to be delayed and asked if I wanted to move ahead with the order. I let them know I'd wait it out.

 

[New_Daily]

Has anyone attempted to build their own with stock US lights? I’m thinking of searching for a pair from a wreck yard and building them like I’ve seen some Euro guys do. I wasn’t sure if there are any preferred projectors out there or a specific size to look for.

just sounds like a fun project and I love the idea of building something custom.

I have semi first hand knowledge on this:

As other have said, everything I've read is that the stock USDM headlights are very hard to get open. I'm in the process of a retrofit with Depo Euro headlights that have been stalled for over a year. One was easy to get open and the second has been a bitch and the large reason for stalling me, so anything MORE difficult.......ugh.

Also, if you're wanting to retrofit a projector, I think the Euro headlights are the ideal base. If you use the stock US headlights, the way you mount a projector is with a threaded shaft through the hole in the back of the main low beam bulb hole of the reflector housing (after modifying the reflector a little). I have retrofit HID projectors on my Gen 2 Tacoma headlights, and the optics (glass) on the projectors are quite heavy and even tightening the lock rings on the projectors super tight, then running JB weld around the interface of the lock ring to the housing (backside) the lights bounce just a little on the small high frequency bumps on the freeway or wherever.

Since the Euro headlights have stock Halogen projectors that are mounted via threaded bolts, mounting the HID projectors will be as easy as pulling the stock Halogen projectors off and replacing with the HID projectors (I might need to drill a hole in the mounting plate area of the HID projectors but that's small potatoes). And the rest of assembly in the Euro headlights are designed to support the weight of projector optics, so I'm anticipating awesome stable lights.

Plus, with the Euros, you get the added benefit of the LED strip lights as DTRL. But of course the downside is the Euros are $330 (at least when I got mine, not sure if that's still how much they cost). On the other hand, if you're slow and lazy like me, you're not cutting up your stock lights and leaving your car without headlights when you use the Euros.....

 

[New_Daily]

I don't mind paying extra for OEM quality headlights. I've had my fair share of cheap aftermarket headlights that either fail or get moisture inside which drives me crazy! I'm hardly saying that the Depo's have that issue, but my interest mainly lies in OEM quality that I can bolt to my car and never have to be concerned about again, especially considering the importance of headlights for safety.

Now I'm on the hunt for an overseas source of either OEM Ford or Hella's if I can't find some stateside. I like a challenge.

I have a bit of experience with this as well.

I also HATE moisture inside headlights and don't want to worry about reliability.

My retrofits on my Tacoma (2nd gen Tacoma, HID projector retrofit) I used aftermarket Depo headlights as the base, just like the Depo brand Euro Fiesta headlights for my retrofit project. And when you're doing a retrofit you kinda remove some of the reliability issues from the manufacturer because how well they're sealed is up to you after you retrofit and re-seal them. Plus, I think the insides of the Fiesta headlights have a couple nooks and crannies that you can stick a silica gel packet in to absorb any moisture that does get in there (even if headlights are sealed well, humidity and temp changes / differences can cause moisture inside the housing).

I have had zero moisture or leaking issues with my Tacoma headlights which means I did a decent job at resealing and possibly that Depo makes a decent structure to begin with. I would reasonably expect any other Depo headlight to have similar reliability then.

 

[Overland History]

Heads up cars245 emailed me but didn't cancel the order. They said they expected it to be delayed and asked if I wanted to move ahead with the order. I let them know I'd wait it out.

They emailed me the exact same thing just days before they emailed me cancelling my order.

They have since emailed me again to tell me that the Hella Projector Part# ending in 051 is now available, however #061 is not available. Incredibly strange things going on over there. Highly unlikely that I'll order from them again, so I'm still on the hunt for another source.

 

[TDavis]

I have a bit of experience with this as well.

I also HATE moisture inside headlights and don't want to worry about reliability.

My retrofits on my Tacoma (2nd gen Tacoma, HID projector retrofit) I used aftermarket Depo headlights as the base, just like the Depo brand Euro Fiesta headlights for my retrofit project. And when you're doing a retrofit you kinda remove some of the reliability issues from the manufacturer because how well they're sealed is up to you after you retrofit and re-seal them. Plus, I think the insides of the Fiesta headlights have a couple nooks and crannies that you can stick a silica gel packet in to absorb any moisture that does get in there (even if headlights are sealed well, humidity and temp changes / differences can cause moisture inside the housing).

I have had zero moisture or leaking issues with my Tacoma headlights which means I did a decent job at resealing and possibly that Depo makes a decent structure to begin with. I would reasonably expect any other Depo headlight to have similar reliability then.

Yeah I've done a retrofit on my Pontiac and just reading on HIDPlanet.com resealing headlights is almost a black art. Like I know I'll reseal something perfectly but then they'll fog up a little under extreme temp changes. I think the size and space inside the light matters too. But people chase their tail with stuff like that

 

[Jake722]

So I have the tycs and the manual adjuster is broken so I got a euro headlight switch but the plug is different, and has 2 more pins than the stock one in my car. Has anyone had any luck with plugging in the Euro switch to level them off?

 

[akiraproject24]

Ended up with a set of Depos. One of the Hellas just wasn't coming back in stock. Looks like the selection on their site is very slim now. Hodge podge of lefts OR rights. Don't think you can even get a full set of depos right now.

 

[TDavis]

Ended up with a set of Depos. One of the Hellas just wasn't coming back in stock. Looks like the selection on their site is very slim now. Hodge podge of lefts OR rights. Don't think you can even get a full set of depos right now.

Thankfully got mine then. Still haven't touched them to start the process of my retrofit.

 

[akiraproject24]

Thankfully got mine then. Still haven't touched them to start the process of my retrofit.

Yeah mine are still sitting in the box. Not going as far in as yourself, will just be wiring for DRL and the add a fuse to make it auto and hi/lo modes

 

[Batnismo]

well it looks like the Euros are not available on cars 245. was looking for Hella or Depos and both out. you cant get the pair. dang it! wondering if they can be bought on any other site.

 

[Stm7631]

well it looks like the Euros are not available on cars 245. was looking for Hella or Depos and both out. you cant get the pair. dang it! wondering if they can be bought on any other site.

Looks like the lefts are back in stock, but now the rights aren't!

 

[Jake722]

Anyone running into issues fitting H7 LEDs into the projector? I have tried 2 so far and they are too thick to fit through the holes. I don't want to keep ordering them for them not to work.

 

[LilPartyBox]

Anyone running into issues fitting H7 LEDs into the projector? I have tried 2 so far and they are too thick to fit through the holes. I don't want to keep ordering them for them not to work.

I ran the Audew H7 from Amazon for a few weeks but one of them started to shutting off randomly. That's what I get for buying cheap shit. So I splurged and bought the S-V.4 from Headlight Revolution and they've been flawless for over a year. And the beam is brighter than the OEM LEDs on the Miata.

H7: S-V.4 Our Favorite LED Headlight Bulb Ever | HR SN.LED118 (headlightrevolution.com)

 

[Remi]

I have a question for our Canadian buddies up north. I know that Canadian-spec FiSTs have daytime running lights where the low beam is on at a lower voltage. How is this affected when installing the Euro headlights? Are the low beams on all the time? Is this DRL signal, the same one that tells the LED strip to stay illuminated on the Euro headlights?

I'm asking because I own a Canadian spec FiST and I just received my Depos from Cars245. I want to wire up my LED strip to be on high, during the day while the headlights are off. And then on low at night when the headlights are on.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[blurred]

I have a question for our Canadian buddies up north. I know that Canadian-spec FiSTs have daytime running lights where the low beam is on at a lower voltage. How is this affected when installing the Euro headlights? Are the low beams on all the time? Is this DRL signal, the same one that tells the LED strip to stay illuminated on the Euro headlights?

I'm asking because I own a Canadian spec FiST and I just received my Depos from Cars245. I want to wire up my LED strip to be on high, during the day while the headlights are off. And then on low at night when the headlights are on.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

If you are cdn spec you can't run the strip as DRL. It will be your parking lights and the bcm will only allow for DRL on or DRL off, and can't be changed to other lights like fogs for example.

I turned my DRLs off and just used the switch to choose lighting (and left them full bright at night due to my very bright retrofit projectors)

Sent from my SM-G975W using Tapatalk

 

[Remi]

If you are cdn spec you can't run the strip as DRL. It will be your parking lights and the bcm will only allow for DRL on or DRL off, and can't be changed to other lights like fogs for example.

I turned my DRLs off and just used the switch to choose lighting (and left them full bright at night due to my very bright retrofit projectors)

Sent from my SM-G975W using Tapatalk

Oh man, that is very disappointing. I was really hoping to have full high/low functionality of the LED strip.

 

[Super_hans]

So the right and lefts appear to be back in stock on cars245. I placed an order last Friday but I haven't gotten any kind of shipping notification yet a week later. When I look on the website it still says the order status is "Preparing", so buyer beware. Not sure what's going on

 

[mindmaster]

Anyone have any experience with TYC Brand?? I am from South America where weather is crazy (humidity, rain, etc)

 

[haste]

I've bought TYC replacements for my 2002 SVT Focus and 2000 Ford Ranger. I was pretty happy with them and never had an issue. No experience with them on the Fiesta though.