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Ok lets hone in on Headlights

3458 Views 80 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  Random69
So my wife's SXT AWD 2019 model year just lost the drivers headlight. It burnt out which also does the high beams. I. just noticed this driving back from Dinner. I don't know how long it's been out she said she didn't notice. I said before I realized one was out, that the headlights where way worse then mine are and it looks funky. Then I realized the Drivers headlight is out.

The car has the standard headlights. I'm tempted to just run over AutoZone and grab a replacement set, might as well replace both just in case. But I'm curious if the BETTER bulbs work better than the standard models as Audtozone as an array of different replacement bulbs and levels. I don't know crap about headlight bulbs. It doesn't make it faster so I'm not interested. But we need to see so there you have it.

Any suggestions on what to replace them with? What's better than stock? My Durango had HID's which where fantastic.
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OK strange issue,
I just noticed last night that the lights seem to tilt left. I turned off the fog lights to see the pattern and the Passenger headlight seems to point slightly to the center of the car and the Drivers head light seem to point slightly towards the left. So both headlights looks like I'm turning left while going straight. I'll have to take a picture of the pattern tonight to show you guys.

I don't see how you an adjust them left and right. I see the adjustment for height. I put the factory bulb back in the passenger side to test and it points the exact same way so I must not have noticed this. I asked my wife about it an she said she didn't notice this at all. It must have been this way from the factory and since the new bulbs are brighter, It's more noticeable.

Is there a way to adjust them left and right?
If your replacement bulb(s) are pointing to the left it may be because you didn't get them mounted straight into the headlight assembly. I regret to admit that I've done that at least twice. It's tight in there and it is difficult to see what you are doing when you mount the replacement bulb into the fixture. I usually get it right on the second attempt.

GTO_04
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If your replacement bulb(s) are pointing to the left it may be because you didn't get them mounted straight into the headlight assembly. I regret to admit that I've done that at least twice. It's tight in there and it is difficult to see what you are doing when you mount the replacement bulb into the fixture. I usually get it right on the second attempt.

GTO_04
It's so stupid how you gotta get to them. But the twist lock in so I would just assume they would be straight.
I got the passenger one kinda straight but the drivers one still seems off to me. I regret having to take the intake out again.
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It's so stupid how you gotta get to them. But the twist lock in so I would just assume they would be straight.
I got the passenger one kinda straight but the drivers one still seems off to me. I regret having to take the intake out again.
I thought the same thing. It is possible to have a slight misalignment when you twist lock it into place though. Taking the intake out is a PITA. I know someone with a Ford Fusion and they had to take it to the dealer for a headlight replacement and it cost them $200!

GTO_04
Unfortunately, I did it often enough before that taking the intake out seems fairly quick and easy. I do it with my Leatherman, it’s actually a Gerber.

Try adjusting (twisting) the bulb while it’s on so that you can watch the beam. That’s how I finally got it.
But I also have to say that I doubt that you ever get it perfectly straight, you can get close, but not perfect.

If I’ve learned anything about you, Mantis, I can imagine you out there with a ruler.
That’s not meant as a dig, I just know from reading your posts how particular you are, that’s a good thing. But it can also drive you crazy.
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Unfortunately, I did it often enough before that taking the intake out seems fairly quick and easy. I do it with my Leatherman, it’s actually a Gerber.

Try adjusting (twisting) the bulb while it’s on so that you can watch the beam. That’s how I finally got it.
But I also have to say that I doubt that you ever get it perfectly straight, you can get close, but not perfect.

If I’ve learned anything about you, Mantis, I can imagine you out there with a ruler.
That’s not meant as a dig, I just know from reading your posts how particular you are, that’s a good thing. But it can also drive you crazy.

My wife wants to kill me when I notice one of the headlights is off. Happen when she wrecked her Infiniti, then the same when I hit a deer in my Charger. Shops don't pay any attention to that. It was a Mercedes dealer that repaired my Charger and they still had the headlight way off on the drivers side.

I'll get out my measuring tape, painters tape, and level and go out in my driveway when its dark. I'll adjust them til I get it right. Then I go a few miles away to an old abandoned white building and sit back even further. Then go back home and adjust again. My Charger flat out drove me insane.

I just realized they'll never be perfect, and when you replace them no matter what they won't be exactly the same. So now, I just try to aim them the best I can and then leave it at that.
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At the beginning of this thread I was thinking about changing my OEM standard bulbs with the brighter ones shown… At the end of the thread I’m thinking maybe not until I am on vacation and have time to spend, sounds like a PITA.
Unfortunately, I did it often enough before that taking the intake out seems fairly quick and easy. I do it with my Leatherman, it’s actually a Gerber.

Try adjusting (twisting) the bulb while it’s on so that you can watch the beam. That’s how I finally got it.
But I also have to say that I doubt that you ever get it perfectly straight, you can get close, but not perfect.

If I’ve learned anything about you, Mantis, I can imagine you out there with a ruler.
That’s not meant as a dig, I just know from reading your posts how particular you are, that’s a good thing. But it can also drive you crazy.
First time I replaced a bulb (in my 2015 Scat Pack) I did it without removing the intake and it went just fine. But no such luck on my 2019 Scat Pack. So I am trying to think back if the air intake plumbing was a little bet different between the different model years. Maybe the ductwork was a little bit different.

How do you use the Leatherman (Gerber) to help you with replacing the bulb? I am not familiar with that.

GTO_04
At the beginning of this thread I was thinking about changing my OEM standard bulbs with the brighter ones shown… At the end of the thread I’m thinking maybe not until I am on vacation and have time to spend, sounds like a PITA.
It’s not that bad, really.
We’re just a bunch of picky old men.
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I wonder if the Charger driver side headlight bulb is accessible under the the fender liner.
I wonder if the Charger driver side headlight bulb is accessible under the the fender liner.
It's easier just to pull the airbox than it is to pull that fender liner out. If you just pull the edge of it (like I think you're planning, you need to be a cirque de sole freaking acrobat to get your arm in there to reach it.

I know this from trying to unhook the fogs to pull my bumper. I gave up, snatched the wheels off and pulled both liners out after my arm looked like I wrestled with a rabid tiger.
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Unfortunately, I did it often enough before that taking the intake out seems fairly quick and easy. I do it with my Leatherman, it’s actually a Gerber.

Try adjusting (twisting) the bulb while it’s on so that you can watch the beam. That’s how I finally got it.
But I also have to say that I doubt that you ever get it perfectly straight, you can get close, but not perfect.

If I’ve learned anything about you, Mantis, I can imagine you out there with a ruler.
That’s not meant as a dig, I just know from reading your posts how particular you are, that’s a good thing. But it can also drive you crazy.
Your Spot on with that my man LOL
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At the beginning of this thread I was thinking about changing my OEM standard bulbs with the brighter ones shown… At the end of the thread I’m thinking maybe not until I am on vacation and have time to spend, sounds like a PITA.
It doesn't make that much of a difference and with the alignment getting off, it can drive you nuts. I'm gonna take the intake back out and try to get the Drivers side better. It kinda sucks being off, I just look at it.
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It's easier just to pull the airbox than it is to pull that fender liner out. If you just pull the edge of it (like I think you're planning, you need to be a cirque de sole freaking acrobat to get your arm in there to reach it.

I know this from trying to unhook the fogs to pull my bumper. I gave up, snatched the wheels off and pulled both liners out after my arm looked like I wrestled with a rabid tiger.
It's not that bad to pull the intake but it's just a pain to have to take it apart again.
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It's not that bad to pull the intake but it's just a pain to have to take it apart again.
I'm getting so good at pulling my front nose off I can have the whole thing off in 15 min lol. It's coming off again as soon as I get a break in the weather. Water pump time.
So my wife's SXT AWD 2019 model year just lost the drivers headlight. It burnt out which also does the high beams. I. just noticed this driving back from Dinner. I don't know how long it's been out she said she didn't notice. I said before I realized one was out, that the headlights where way worse then mine are and it looks funky. Then I realized the Drivers headlight is out.

The car has the standard headlights. I'm tempted to just run over AutoZone and grab a replacement set, might as well replace both just in case. But I'm curious if the BETTER bulbs work better than the standard models as Audtozone as an array of different replacement bulbs and levels. I don't know crap about headlight bulbs. It doesn't make it faster so I'm not interested. But we need to see so there you have it.

Any suggestions on what to replace them with? What's better than stock? My Durango had HID's which where fantastic.
"better" is subjective

but typically they're a little brighter maybe but mostly a white light

still a ripoff cuz u can get the same thing on amazon cheaper

or just buy led headlights and never need to change them again
I'm getting so good at pulling my front nose off I can have the whole thing off in 15 min lol. It's coming off again as soon as I get a break in the weather. Water pump time.
You have to take the nose off to do your water pump?
Is that because of all your mods or just the difference between the V8 and V6?
Yo man, EFF these headlights. I have reseated them like 4 times now and I can't get the pattern correct. They should install only one way but they allow a few different points of install. I just want it to look stock.

I didn't have all these issues with the Durango, which had HID's. I even had to work through the fender wells which sucks and was way harder to do than the Charger is. But for whatever reason I can't get them right. I must be old, lost my touch something but I throw the towel at them. They look how they look.
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Yo man, EFF these headlights. I have reseated them like 4 times now and I can't get the pattern correct. They should install only one way but they allow a few different points of install. I just want it to look stock.

I didn't have all these issues with the Durango, which had HID's. I even had to work through the fender wells which sucks and was way harder to do than the Charger is. But for whatever reason I can't get them right. I must be old, lost my touch something but I throw the towel at them. They look how they look.
Sorry to hear that, I wish I was closer, I would try to help you with it. They are pretty nice if you can get them lined up correctly. I didn’t have any issues with it.

Here’s a link for others that don’t know the difference:
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Sorry not laughing at you just thought how you worded it was funny. I haven’t had to mess with mine yet but it’s coming since a headlight is out
Yo man, EFF these headlights. I have reseated them like 4 times now and I can't get the pattern correct. They should install only one way but they allow a few different points of install. I just want it to look stock.
Ive never had bad bulbs but I wonder if the filaments were offset in a manufacturing batch.
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