Headlight Mods
Updated: October 11, 2024
There are so many great headlight upgrades that you can consider for your vehicle. Sure thing, much depends on the budget, vehicle specs, and certain other factors. Yet, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the styling cues that are trending and then decide, whether this mod will work fine in your particular case.
Important note
If you think of any headlight mods, it is a good idea to check the automotive lighting state requirements in your area just to make sure that the project is legal. In any case, it is always better to double-check and then make a final decision, than to spend time and money and finally get a ticket. Also note, that the lighting laws are made to ensure the safety of the drivers and pedestrians. They are issued based on the climate specs of every state, that’s why there is no single federal law for the whole country.
Trending Lighting Mods in the USA
The most popular lighting mod is the installation of aftermarket headlights. OEM headlights are the same for a certain year, make, and model of the vehicles. So, people who want their car, truck, or SUV to stand out from the rest, replace their factory headlights with something more exciting. Modern aftermarket headlights are available in numerous different designs and color options and come equipped with exciting LED, CCFL, or other styling details. So, it is a good idea to consider the options available for a particular year, make and model of the vehicle, and then see, which design better meets your expectations.
Smoked Headlights
Adding a tint over the factory headlight lens is another popular headlight mod. This makes headlights look sharper, yet steals some part of the light emitted by the bulb. So be careful with smoked headlights and pay attention to the specs and legal requirements in your area not to get into trouble. Many car owners in the USA simply replace their factory headlights with smoked aftermarket ones and even switch between them when needed.
Modern smoked aftermarket headlights are quite easy to install, as long as you have all the necessary tools and technical skills to remove the OEM ones. The connectors of the smoke aftermarket headlights perfectly match the OE wiring, so the installation is plug-and-play. Still, removal of the stock lights and getting access to them may take some time. The difficulty of this process depends on the vehicle. Still, there are always many great installation videos on YouTube, and you can watch a couple to get a better understanding of what it is about. Alternatively, you can always have your local shop do the installation job for you.
Excited about smoked headlights? We’ve got a detailed guide with explanations of the most popular types of these aftermarket lights, a list of tools needed to do the installation on your own, instructions on how to smoke headlights by yourself, and more! Just click here to continue reading about smoked headlights.
Black Headlights
Installation of black headlights is an alternative for those, who wish to have the exterior headlight lens clear, yet add that blacked-out look to the front fascia of their car, truck, or SUV. The main features people like about black aftermarket headlights are a unique design, clear lens, and sharp black background. CCFL halo rings, as well as LED and plasma design elements, look truly bright on black background, that’s why many people love this kind of aftermarket headlights.
And here is a quick styling tip. As long as smoked headlights are allowed in your area, you can always turn your black aftermarket headlights into smoked ones by simply applying tinted color wrap on the exterior lens. Later on, you can always remove the tint film and again enjoy clear lenses. The color-changing chameleon wrap does not ‘steal’ light emitted by the bulb, so you can also apply such film on top of black lights to change the style when needed.
Car lighting enthusiast?
We are fans of all kinds of car mods too. So we will keep this page updated with new exciting ideas and helpful information for you. So, you are welcome to step in again to see what’s new. Also, feel free to use the field below to ask questions or share ideas on what you would like us to cover next! We’ll gladly consider your opinion.
Steven is a certified mechanic and technical writer at Halo Headlights. Steven is excited about fast cars, loud music, and car mods. On yearly basis he visits SEMA, as well as other car shows.
He has installed thousands of HID and LED kits and did hundreds of custom headlight retrofit projects. Now, he is ready to share his experience with Halo-Headlights.com readers.
Hey there,
I was wondering if you recommend installing aftermarket halo headlights with a CCFL inverter? Do I need to buy an extra one or usually these guys are built into the headlight assembly? I am interested in replacing headlights in my 2004 Silverado 2500 HD with halo lights by Spyder.
Thank you!
Hi Steve,
I have a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle, and I’d love to replace my headlights and taillights. Mine are not clear anymore, but I do not want stock ones again.
I’d love to hear your recommendations on headlights with built-in halo rings (preferably pink halos) and smoked taillights for my Volkswagen.
Thanks!
I was wondering, what type of custom headlights do you recommend for a 2019 Nissan Frontier? I was looking for something that differs from stock ones I have. My Frontier is black, so I thought of getting either black or smoked lights. Yet, I live in the area where at night I need my lights to be bright, especially in winter. So I want to make sure my new aftermarket lights will be bright enough. Alternatively, I consider LED conversion. Any help is appreciated.