2021 Kona EV (Preferred) conversion to LED (exterior and interior)
- Thread starter navguy12
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Chris Alemany
Active Member
Chris Alemany
Active Member
The replacement headlights came in and I just installed them. They are both working fine. Looks like I might have got old stock as the box I got on Sunday was white but the box for the same order I got today was black.
Anyway, I wanted to point out the handy little access flap I discovered that made accessing the low headlight area much easier. It is in the wheel well.
Here is the passenger side with the plastic holding pin in.
And Driver with pin out.
Here is a view from the inside of the engine compartment on the passenger side. It is slightly obscured by the two small tubes (windshield washer?)
and driver.
The best is to use a flat screwdriver or small chisel to pop out the plastic pin (it usually all comes out, pin and holder). Then you can release the small tabs on either side of the door inside the engine compartment and it should open into the wheel well. It is still attached on the bottom so don’t bend it too much. It’s just enough to get your hand in. Make sure when you are done that the tabs are pointing up into the hole so they don’t get bent out of shape.
Other than that, removing the plastic cap on the low beam housing (long housing, closest to outside) is relatively easy then you can turn the light bulb itself counter clockwise to release the bulb and pull it straight out. Replace it with the new bulb and reverse the process.
Of course the battery should be disconnected at the negative terminal before doing any of this.
Hope that helps! The new bulbs are 20W and 2000lum each.
Seem fine but it is still daylight so I have not tested and adjusted them yet.
Anyway, I wanted to point out the handy little access flap I discovered that made accessing the low headlight area much easier. It is in the wheel well.
Here is the passenger side with the plastic holding pin in.
And Driver with pin out.
Here is a view from the inside of the engine compartment on the passenger side. It is slightly obscured by the two small tubes (windshield washer?)
and driver.
The best is to use a flat screwdriver or small chisel to pop out the plastic pin (it usually all comes out, pin and holder). Then you can release the small tabs on either side of the door inside the engine compartment and it should open into the wheel well. It is still attached on the bottom so don’t bend it too much. It’s just enough to get your hand in. Make sure when you are done that the tabs are pointing up into the hole so they don’t get bent out of shape.
Other than that, removing the plastic cap on the low beam housing (long housing, closest to outside) is relatively easy then you can turn the light bulb itself counter clockwise to release the bulb and pull it straight out. Replace it with the new bulb and reverse the process.
Of course the battery should be disconnected at the negative terminal before doing any of this.
Hope that helps! The new bulbs are 20W and 2000lum each.
Seem fine but it is still daylight so I have not tested and adjusted them yet.
Last edited:
hobbit
Well-Known Member
Actually, I took them out of the totaled 2019 and never got around to reinstalling them in the '21. The local
inspection shop also said they would be hesitant to pass any non-original-spec lamps. I mighr wait till after
the next inspection in June and then mess around with them then. Frankly, they aren't *significantly* brighter
than the halogens, and a bit more fiddly to get the cutoff pattern right.
Perhaps their newer generation will improve things, thanks for noting their existence.
_H*
KiwiME
Well-Known Member
Mine are working well and I pass our annual inspection by having the dealer do that rather than an inspection station who would nitpick such an absurdly minor technicality. I've never had problems with cutoff v.s. other drivers, noting that my particular Kona has a headlight level adjuster (intended for towing ironically) so I can fine tune it while driving.