Wondering about headlights

[vlahakisc1991]

There is talk that the Scout is going to try to be as much DIY service as possible. I feel that is a great way to go. I currently have an Explorer ST that I will be trading in for the Scout when my turn comes up. On the Explorer, if your headlight goes out, you can't replace the bulb. You have to replace the whole assembly for like $500+. I hope Scout makes it very easy for us to simple change a bulb as opposed to a whole assembly. I would hope this would apply to other similar "easy" fixes.

 

[maynard]

There is talk that the Scout is going to try to be as much DIY service as possible. I feel that is a great way to go. I currently have an Explorer ST that I will be trading in for the Scout when my turn comes up. On the Explorer, if your headlight goes out, you can't replace the bulb. You have to replace the whole assembly for like $500+. I hope Scout makes it very easy for us to simple change a bulb as opposed to a whole assembly. I would hope this would apply to other similar "easy" fixes.

While I’m pretty sure it won’t be a bulb, breaking the assembly down into smaller less expensive components would be great!

 

[speedrye]

There is talk that the Scout is going to try to be as much DIY service as possible. I feel that is a great way to go. I currently have an Explorer ST that I will be trading in for the Scout when my turn comes up. On the Explorer, if your headlight goes out, you can't replace the bulb. You have to replace the whole assembly for like $500+. I hope Scout makes it very easy for us to simple change a bulb as opposed to a whole assembly. I would hope this would apply to other similar "easy" fixes.

Sadly, vehicles don't have bulbs any more with the transition to LED. With LED chips being soldered directly to boards, often with integral heatsinks, I don't have high hopes for easy replacement. Maybe we'll get lucky and each quadrant of the headlight will be an individual unit and more easily replaceable, but I expect all four units and the integrated DRL to be one big, expensive assembly. Manufacturing has gone from individual parts to whole assemblies that aren't repairable, much to the detriment of the owner's wallet when things break. I'm a big DIY guy, but I've lost hope on things like this.

 

[cyure]

Sadly, vehicles don't have bulbs any more with the transition to LED. With LED chips being soldered directly to boards, often with integral heatsinks, I don't have high hopes for easy replacement. Maybe we'll get lucky and each quadrant of the headlight will be an individual unit and more easily replaceable, but I expect all four units and the integrated DRL to be one big, expensive assembly. Manufacturing has gone from individual parts to whole assemblies that aren't repairable, much to the detriment of the owner's wallet when things break. I'm a big DIY guy, but I've lost hope on things like this.

Well boo. The headlights on the Supra are $4500 for the pair and that was years ago. It’s insane.

 

[R1TVT]

We won't know that process until production vehicles are finalized. Based on what we have seen from the prototypes, Scout will likely have a completely sealed LED assembly. This will ensure much better lighting but also a much longer lifespan and protection. The trade-off being that when one part of the assembly goes, usually (with other OEM's) you need to replace the assembly. None of these lights have cheap AC DELCO bulb replacements like we used to see at NAPA!

I think the bigger question (at least for me) is how is easy is it to remove the plastic housing surrounding the lights? If you have to drop part of the bumper or fascia, etc. will that be easy?

Looking at the the design, it almost appears as though you could remove the center part of the fascia to help with assembly replacement by that is just a shot in the dark. The other possibility might be to drop them through the Frunk. That would require removing the frunk surround most likely, but could (potentially) provide easier access. All TBD.

 

[speedrye]

We won't know that process until production vehicles are finalized. Based on what we have seen from the prototypes, Scout will likely have a completely sealed LED assembly. This will ensure much better lighting but also a much longer lifespan and protection. The trade-off being that when one part of the assembly goes, usually (with other OEM's) you need to replace the assembly. None of these lights have cheap AC DELCO bulb replacements like we used to see at NAPA!

I think the bigger question (at least for me) is how is easy is it to remove the plastic housing surrounding the lights? If you have to drop part of the bumper or fascia, etc. will that be easy?

Looking at the the design, it almost appears as though you could remove the center part of the fascia to help with assembly replacement by that is just a shot in the dark. The other possibility might be to drop them through the Frunk. That would require removing the frunk surround most likely, but could (potentially) provide easier access. All TBD.

View attachment 19233

Having refinished the lights on two of my vehicles recently, I had to drop the bumper on the sedan, but on my FJ, I just had to pop the grill/mask off and the lights came right out. I'm really hoping the Scout's mask comes off easily. I take my vehicles apart a lot.

 

[cyure]

We won't know that process until production vehicles are finalized. Based on what we have seen from the prototypes, Scout will likely have a completely sealed LED assembly. This will ensure much better lighting but also a much longer lifespan and protection. The trade-off being that when one part of the assembly goes, usually (with other OEM's) you need to replace the assembly. None of these lights have cheap AC DELCO bulb replacements like we used to see at NAPA!

I think the bigger question (at least for me) is how is easy is it to remove the plastic housing surrounding the lights? If you have to drop part of the bumper or fascia, etc. will that be easy?

Looking at the the design, it almost appears as though you could remove the center part of the fascia to help with assembly replacement by that is just a shot in the dark. The other possibility might be to drop them through the Frunk. That would require removing the frunk surround most likely, but could (potentially) provide easier access. All TBD.

View attachment 19233

Here’s my question. I know, I know.

How long should these lights last? I’m planning on keeping my Scout like my Wrangler, so 15 years. Will an LED headlight last that long?

 

[vlahakisc1991]

You guys are great, Thank for the comments, and it all makes sense. LOL

 

[cyure]

You guys are great, Thank for the comments, and it all makes sense. LOL

We try.

 

[vlahakisc1991]

Here’s my question. I know, I know.

How long should these lights last? I’m planning on keeping my Scout like my Wrangler, so 15 years. Will an LED headlight last that long?

I think it may be luck of the draw. I bet some would last a long time. Others will fail just after the warranty expires.

 

[R1TVT]

Here’s my question. I know, I know.

How long should these lights last? I’m planning on keeping my Scout like my Wrangler, so 15 years. Will an LED headlight last that long?

They should last a very long time! This is not an EV truck thing. These are the same assemblies used by Porsche, BMW, Rivian, GM, Ford etc.

The exception being damaged to the lens or water intrusion. Then all bets are off.

Modern LED headlight assemblies last between 30,000 and 50,000 hours (roughly 10 to 20+ years of normal use), whereas traditional halogen bulbs last only 500 to 1,000 hours (roughly 1 to 2 years)

 

[Gottesacker]

Here’s my question. I know, I know.

How long should these lights last? I’m planning on keeping my Scout like my Wrangler, so 15 years. Will an LED headlight last that long?

On the VW Atlas the DRLs are notorious for going out. On my wife's it went out JUST before warranty expired on one headlight. We got it replaced, then the other went out JUST after warranty expired. So... for $1,000.00 she's just not had the DRL on. Warranty on that was 36,000 miles. The car was only about 2.5 years old. I have little faith in how long LEDs are supposed to last honestly. We were sold on them being nearly indestructible, but I see them go out in all sorts of things way prematurely.

 

[vlahakisc1991]

On the VW Atlas the DRLs are notorious for going out. On my wife's it went out JUST before warranty expired on one headlight. We got it replaced, then the other went out JUST after warranty expired. So... for $1,000.00 she's just not had the DRL on. Warranty on that was 36,000 miles. The car was only about 2.5 years old. I have little faith in how long LEDs are supposed to last honestly. We were sold on them being nearly indestructible, but I see them go out in all sorts of things way prematurely.

Ditto, I've replace LED's in my house that are only 3yrs old.

 

[Gottesacker]

They should last a very long time! This is not an EV truck thing. These are the same assemblies used by Porsche, BMW, Rivian, GM, Ford etc.

The exception being damaged to the lens or water intrusion. Then all bets are off.

Modern LED headlight assemblies last between 30,000 and 50,000 hours (roughly 10 to 20+ years of normal use), whereas traditional halogen bulbs last only 500 to 1,000 hours (roughly 1 to 2 years)

SHOULD is certainly the operative word. It amazes me how often you see a vehicle with one DRL out. The driving lights seem to do better, but DRLs it looks like are constantly giving up.

 

[Gottesacker]

Ditto, I've replace LED's in my house that are only 3yrs old.

At least I'm not the only one then!

 

[R1TVT]

On the VW Atlas the DRLs are notorious for going out.

Well, good to know. Hopefully Scout DRL's don't come out of that VW bin!

Some of these DRL issues could be simply be coming from a harness issue, a gasket that was never sealed properly, etc. Those aren't necessarily LED related - they may be more related to a defect, an assembly loosening up over time on a rough road, or a small unseen crack in the lens. All of which could lead to water intrusion.

If the LED is isolated and powered and protected, it SHOULD last a very long time.

 

[speedrye]

Well, good to know. Hopefully Scout DRL's don't come out of that VW bin!

Some of these DRL issues could be simply be coming from a harness issue, a gasket that was never sealed properly, etc. Those aren't necessarily LED related - they may be more related to a defect, an assembly loosening up over time on a rough road, or a small unseen crack in the lens. All of which could lead to water intrusion.

If the LED is isolated and powered and protected, it SHOULD last a very long time.

Heat is the main enemy of LEDs, so the heatsinks are going to be the most important part. I've taken some headlights apart in the past and some OEMs have massive heatsinks for even low-powered LEDs while others cheap out and barely have any heat dissipation.

Home LED lighting is mostly all a joke. I've tried many brands and styles, and none of them last even close to what the chips are rated for. We're saving power using them, but creating more E-waste in landfills. Not sure the environmental tradeoff is worth it.

 

[R1TVT]

We're saving power using them, but creating more E-waste in landfills. Not sure the environmental tradeoff is worth it.

All I know is that I don't want to go back to Halogens any time soon.

I think humans throwing e-waste into landfills is a problem, and its a humanoid problem - not a LED problem. Humanoids should not do that, but people need to be edumacated. Understanding impacts and taking responsibility for one's own actions seems to be tougher than ever in today's world.

 

[speedrye]

All I know is that I don't want to go back to Halogens any time soon.

I think humans throwing e-waste into landfills is a problem, and its a humanoid problem - not a LED problem. Humanoids should not do that, but people need to be edumacated. Understanding impacts and taking responsibility for one's own actions seems to be tougher than ever in today's world.

We've always got a pile of batteries, bulbs and other e-waste that we take to the free e-cycling events when they're around, but it's amazing how hard it is to find places to recycle batteries and e-waste in general around here. Everybody seems to take the not-in-my-backyard approach. At least used vehicle fluids are easy to recycle nowadays, so there's been some improvement locally.

 

[J Alynn]

There is talk that the Scout is going to try to be as much DIY service as possible. I feel that is a great way to go. I currently have an Explorer ST that I will be trading in for the Scout when my turn comes up. On the Explorer, if your headlight goes out, you can't replace the bulb. You have to replace the whole assembly for like $500+. I hope Scout makes it very easy for us to simple change a bulb as opposed to a whole assembly. I would hope this would apply to other similar "easy" fixes.

I have to agree with @speedrye but also impressed your assembly was only $500. Some of them cost $1,000’s so I get the goal and it would be nice