Xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights employ xenon gas to produce a slightly bluish light, up to three times brighter than halogen headlights.
Technically a high-intensity-discharge (HID) light, xenon headlights are named for the inert gas they employ to amplify light produced by electricity jumping between two electrodes. HID lights don’t use a filament, as do incandescent headlights, and they tend to last two to three times longer. They also provide much more uniform intensity. Aim a set of xenon headlights at a wall, and you’ll see they define a sharp line at the top of the projected light pattern rather than the gradual fade common to conventional headlights. HID lights produce ultraviolet as well as visible light, which makes reflective highway signs glow more brilliantly.
Some drivers claim to be blinded by xenon lights’ intensity, a complaint we heard almost 20 years ago when halogen headlights came into being. Once drivers get accustomed to the bluish cast and no longer stare at them, they will probably become more accepting. Most vehicles that employ xenon headlights include a provision to ensure that they don’t blind oncoming traffic, even if the trunk is weighed down, which aims the headlights higher. Mercedes-Benz uses self-leveling technology in the lights themselves, and others have automatic leveling for the whole vehicle, which achieves the same goal. A switch on the dashboard of Infiniti’s Q45 allows the driver to select one of four headlight heights — an approach with a large margin for human error.
The blinding blue lights you see on today’s roads may, in fact, be copycats. Shortly after the first xenon lights appeared on select BMWs in 1993, aftermarket companies began cranking out blue headlight bulbs and accessory lights. The kind of person who wants to drive around with blue lights also wants to make sure you see them, and tends to aim them higher than other drivers appreciate. Most of these copycat bulbs are conventional incandescent bulbs with a blue coating or blue glass. Some include xenon gas for marketing purposes, but they still have a filament, not the gap-jumping arc. True HID lights operate on high voltages — 15,000 volts to jump the gap when first turned on and around 80 volts thereafter — so they require additional components, namely a type of transformer called a ballast. HID offroad-style accessory lights that come with a separate ballast are fairly common. Though rare, there are now true HID headlights that can be added to a vehicle not equipped with them at the factory. The examples I’ve seen are full headlight assemblies that include the ballast, not simply bulbs that fit into existing assemblies.
You’re sure to see more HID headlights in future years. Though they are currently rather expensive and often tied to premium option packages, the systems are smaller, lighter and allow for smaller headlamp assemblies — an advantage to vehicle designers and engineers alike. Though they operate on high voltage, the current they draw is actually around half that of conventional headlights, another plus. Then there’s the issue of performance; once you drive behind xenon headlights, you never want to go back.
Information for this was taken from Cars.com’s glossary, written by Joe Wiesenfelder.
Learn more
Arc discharge headlight provide about double the light what european bulbs provide.
There are appreciably blue-er, 4250K CCT (correlated color temperature) vs 3250K, and that can hinder driving performance in inclement weather with SAE headlights.
It isn't the light source that produces glare, it is the SAE beam definition, or the lack thereof. Find a 1999 Acura TL, reflector HID headlights, and you will know what I mean.
ECE headlights provide for better glare control.
and using high output headlight systems outside the USA requires automatic leveling, and cleaning systems.
So in total, HID headlights in the US are hamstrung in their effectiveness/usefulness.
What is the usual life span of an HID headlight?
so why are different xenons bluer than others for instance the 04-06 nissan maxima vs 1999 acura TL
The appearance of the Maxima being obnoxiously blue comes primarily from the dispersion from the projector optics (and the fact the maxima doesn't have automatic or dynamic auto leveling headlights) compensating for the inherently poor pitch balance of front wheel drive vehicles
A smaller difference is that D2R have about 1/8 less light
an even smaller difference is that the D2S is slightly blue-er than the D2R capsule, 4150K vs 4250K
do glare shields on h4 lights really reduce glare?
I am severely near-sighted and wear contact lenses and focus best in brighter light. I have Xenon headlights on my Altima 3.5SL and they make a HUGE difference to my night driving. Everything illuminated has much better definition a sharper focus and better color distinction.
I wish they were standard equipment of every car.
I hope that never happens.
The Altima has somewhat glaring (first generation Altima V6) HID reflectors.
What it didn't have was a cleaning system and an automatic leveling system.
and then the SAE vs ECE distribution.
Al, how low is the dashboard illumination? (put it as low as you can still read all the gauges)
At night I find it funny that people run HID headlights plus 'fog lights' and then they have their dashboard as bright as it will go, and complain about lighting.
The Grave shield on the H4 is critically important. That defines the cutoff of the beam (the 165 degree dark region). The glare shield that is in front of the bulb (axially) is of lesser importance.
Merc Benz 300E 1989. Can headlights be replace with Xenon?
good hid-xenon ,headlights
Just a quick clarification, Zenon is not HID. An HID light source requires an arc tube (and ballast) using phosphors to emit light. HID is closer to flourescent than incandescent.
A zenon lamp is an incandescent lamp with zenon gas in the lamp. There is a chemical reaction close to that of halogens (charged particles traveling from the filiment to the lamp and back) which is why you cant touch the glass.
I agree with George, the more yellow you go, the worse your color rendering...but the better your perifreial vision. This is due to a sift in your sight to scotopic vision. If you pump too much "blue" light into your eyes at the wrong time you will trick your eye into the photopic range whey you should be in scotopic.
I own a 1997 Mazda Millenia S. I would like to replace the OEM lights with xenon headlites. Any suggestions on where to find a company that sells aftermarkets kits?
If any body has a good "hook-up" on getting xenon light kits, pls. let me know.
Has it really been 20 years already since the halogen headlights came into being? Boy, do I feel old now.
Don't believe the BS most hid stores try and sell you...bottom line is all of the stuff comes from china and they are the same....so go with a store that you trust to give you good pricing...you shouldnt pay more than 80-90 for a kit.
I have factory HID lights on my '07 mercedes cls550, only the fog lights are incandescent. What is the "bluest" incandescent bulb I can buy to "match" the blue of my headlights?
See if your question has already been asked and answered
Your question has been successfully submitted to Ask.cars.com. It will now be reviewed by our editors and we'll answer it soon if we think it's a useful question. You will be notified via e-mail when the answer is posted. Ask.cars.com tackles your questions about new cars and the car-buying process. Unfortunately we can't answer questions regarding:
Have our experts answer any of your questions about new cars.
Don't worry — we won't publish your last name or email.
xenon definitely help you see better at night, in the rain, or during a fog. but, they do cost a lot more to first buy than conventional lights. and if they are damaged or do have to be replaced, expect to shell out a few hundred rather than perhaps $60 for regular halogen lights.
in about 5 to 10 years though, when the price comes down due to competition and newer technology, xenon lights will probably be cheaper and more prevalent on the roads.