Dim headlights, cure?

Feek

Feek

Feek

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When I first got my Focus, back in 2000, the headlights were nice and bright and I liked them.

However, over the years, they've gradually dimmed and now I really find them quite ineffective. I don't think it's the lenses on the front gone cloudy, it's as though the reflectors have faded a bit over the years and don't reflect quite as much light as I'd like. I ran with higher rated bulbs than normal for a while for that extra *glow* and I wonder if the extra heat generated has taken the edge off the reflectors.

I think it's time to do something about it.

I have no idea how much official Ford replacement headlights are but my gut feeling is 'expensive'. I've been looking at such things as HID replacement bulbs but they'll only be using my current reflectors anyway. I've also seen replacement third party headlights with angel eyes but I'm not impressed by the look.

So, what's my best option? Is it simply to bite the bullet and buy genuine parts?
 
there's been other guides on here where people where painting sections inside their lights . you heat up the headlight until you can separate the casing then you can clean the reflectors up

not knowing the ins and outs of focus lights you can sometimes clean them up through the hole for the bulbs too , certainly worth a try before shelling out for new lights
 
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Nissan wanted £300+time (£40/hr minimum 1 hour) to replace some on an Almera that were getting dimmer which we thought was just misted up reflector lenses. I stripped them down and it turned out the holders had completely melted, the reflectors all burned inside and no chance of repairing them. Ebay suprisingly had some 3rd party ones that looked identical which have been going well for 4 months so far. Paid £100 for them.
 
Janesy B said:
No good for the OP if he got his Focus in 2000.
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Says in the ad:

The conversion will fit 10/98 > 09/01 Cars ( Indicator In the Bumper Models ) as well but you will need to purchase part number - 9xx 166 909 - 001 from your Local hella Dealer to fit this conversion or else figure out the wiring for your bumper indicators to fit the inicators in the new headlight !

I'm no Focus expert mind!
 
You can probably buy good quality aftermarket/pattern headlights very cheaply indeed for a mk1 Focus, some of these will be OEM quality...the likes of Depo or Hella will be as good as new. Should cost about £80 or so for a pair I'd have thought!
 
Bad_HatHarry said:
I got some of these feek
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160867937151

They are plug and play and there fantastic:D
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Lopéz said:
Says in the ad:
as well but you will need to purchase part number - 9xx 166 909 - 001 from your Local hella Dealer to fit this conversion
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First price I found for that part number was €102 :(


Will said:
You can probably buy good quality aftermarket/pattern headlights very cheaply indeed for a mk1 Focus, some of these will be OEM quality...the likes of Depo or Hella will be as good as new. Should cost about £80 or so for a pair I'd have thought!
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£80 each more like.
 
I'm pretty sure hids will fix your problem, there's so much extra light that old reflectors won't matter. I'm not sure I'd ever have hids in reflector headlights though because the glare for other road users is horrendous. They're bad enough in reflectors designed for them, in halogen reflectors they're border-line dangerous.
 
1998-2003 focus headlights were horrific for giving off light. The facelift (with indicator in headlight) was much better. If you can grab a pair from the scappies or eBay on the cheap, this will improve things a lot better.

You don't need to re-wire the indicator, and many use the facelift headlight indicator as a housing for the sidelights, it looks cool actually!!

Only factor is that bulb changes from H4 to H7, so you won't be able to use your existing bulbs. There are loads of how-to's on ffoc.co.uk it's a common mod.

Here you go:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-focu...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2574bb2544

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-focu...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2574bb6446
 
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Feek said:
£80 each more like.
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You can pay that much but you don't have to - check eBay, you can buy a pair for £49.95 plus a tenner postage. Plenty on there - you want Depo or Hella branded ones, Depo are an OEM supplier to some companies (including Ford) so their 'pattern' aftermarket parts are as good as manufacturer branded items from a dealer.

I got a pair of Depo lights for my mk6 fiesta for £80 *the pair*, fit is fine, still got the electric adjustment, light output is the same as new OEM lights...but half the price than new Ford ones :)
 
Might be worth cleaning up the grounding points for the lights first. They may just be getting a poor connection. I've no idea where to look for them however.
 
dwarf said:
Might be worth cleaning up the grounding points for the lights first. They may just be getting a poor connection. I've no idea where to look for them however.
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This would be much cheaper to check first. If all lights were as dim as each other, then I would look at battery/alternator and Earthing points.
 
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