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SolaraGuy.com • View topic - Experience with "OEM Quality" replacement headligh
Talk about aftermarket Toyota Solara Gen 1-1.5 upgrades.

Experience with "OEM Quality" replacement headligh

Experience with "OEM Quality" replacement headligh

Postby xavier » Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:56 am

So I have the aftermarket black headlights and the lens is all cloudy. I've tried reconditioning them but nothing works...its like the cloudiness is on the inside. Anyhow, I have decided to do a projector retro with the stock lights and painting them black myself. I have an OEM drivers side headlight and I'm looking for a passenger side.

My question is does anyone have any experience with any of these "OEM Quality Fit" replacement headlights? I am actually looking for an OEM headlight in good condition for around $100 and these fit my budget but I'm iffy about the quality of the lense. The insides will be gutted so I dont care about reflector but I need the lens to not get cloudy and crappy.

Examples:

http://usautolighting.com/product/9395/
http://www.go-part.com/0203-toyota-sola ... 14541.html
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Postby Gibson99 » Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:48 am

i have an aftermarket blinker assy for my miata. it looks identical to the stock one except for the tiny little letters molded into the surface... which you can't even see from more than 2 feet away. the only other difference is that the stock one (with 165k miles on it) is noticeably more yellow than the new one, which is now about 3 years old and is still clear as ever.
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Postby dug320 » Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:38 pm

Here is what I published on Tnation

How can you tell judge the value of headlight assemblies?

Check out this summary of a report. Dated? Yes, but still it has merit.


Compliance Test Results
of Independently Manufactured
Automotive Replacement Headlamps
to FMVSS 108
Overview of Two Studies
March 18, 2003
May 13, 2004
Prepared By
Certified Automotive Parts Association
1518 K Street NW, Suite 306
Washington, DC 20005
Phone (202) 737-2212
Fax (202) 737-2214
www.CAPAcertified.org


On March 26, 2002, the CAPA Technical Committee, after four months of
cooperative development with lighting manufacturers, collision repairers, insurers, and automotive lighting experts, approved a quality standard for lighting which was based on two basic tenets: Compliance to U.S. FMVSS 108, the regulation that provides standards for the performance of automotive exterior lamps and reflective devices; and comparability to the car company service counterpart, including fit, appearance, material, photometric, color, electrical, life, durability, and aiming devices.
Compliance with FMVSS 108 is required of both original equipment and
replacement lighting components. Replacement lighting components include those manufactured under a car company’s brand as well as independently produced replacement parts. While it was anticipated that there might be some incidences of non-compliance, it was assumed during the standard development and review process that aftermarket parts in the US market would generally meet the requirements outlined in FMVSS 108.
However, it became apparent during the testing required for standard development that there could be critical issues related to the product development and photometric inspection processes that could seriously affect a part’s ability to meet FMVSS 108. As such, CAPA conducted two studies of FMVSS compliance among selected aftermarket
parts.

CAPA Lighting Study I examined independently produced lights and their
compliance with FMVSS 108 requirements. Two of the top ten selling headlamp models supplied by independent manufacturers, (replacements for the Pontiac Grand Am 1999-2003 and Ford Taurus 1996-1998), were evaluated for conformance to FMVSS 108: The headlamps were manufactured by TYC and DEPO, two leading independent automotive
lighting suppliers. Forty samples were tested and 82% of the independently manufactured replacement headlamps included in this evaluation failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108.

Due to the high failure rate observed in the first study, a second study was
implemented. Its purpose was to verify the results of the first study and to evaluate whether car company branded parts had similar issues with compliance to FMVSS 108. CAPA Lighting Study II documented two additional top ten selling headlamp models manufactured by TYC and DEPO for conformance to FMVSS 108 Replacements for the Ford Taurus (2000-2003) and Toyota Camry (2000-2001). In addition to headlamps manufactured by TYC and DEPO, car company brand replacement
lamps were also included in the study.

One hundred percent of the fifteen samples of independently manufactured
replacement headlamps in this evaluation failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108. Ten percent of the ten car company manufactured replacement headlamp samples failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108.
The failure rate of independently manufactured headlamps implies either: a) a misinterpretation of the designated FMVSS 108 aiming methods intended for use on each headlamp; b) failure to comply with the designated FMVSS 108 aiming methods on each headlamp; c) significant variation in the assembly of the aftermarket-manufactured headlamps from the car company’s original design; or d) some combination thereof.
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Postby xavier » Mon Nov 09, 2009 2:10 pm

dug320 wrote:Here is what I published on Tnation

How can you tell judge the value of headlight assemblies?

Check out this summary of a report. Dated? Yes, but still it has merit.


Compliance Test Results
of Independently Manufactured
Automotive Replacement Headlamps
to FMVSS 108
Overview of Two Studies
March 18, 2003
May 13, 2004
Prepared By
Certified Automotive Parts Association
1518 K Street NW, Suite 306
Washington, DC 20005
Phone (202) 737-2212
Fax (202) 737-2214
www.CAPAcertified.org


On March 26, 2002, the CAPA Technical Committee, after four months of
cooperative development with lighting manufacturers, collision repairers, insurers, and automotive lighting experts, approved a quality standard for lighting which was based on two basic tenets: Compliance to U.S. FMVSS 108, the regulation that provides standards for the performance of automotive exterior lamps and reflective devices; and comparability to the car company service counterpart, including fit, appearance, material, photometric, color, electrical, life, durability, and aiming devices.
Compliance with FMVSS 108 is required of both original equipment and
replacement lighting components. Replacement lighting components include those manufactured under a car company’s brand as well as independently produced replacement parts. While it was anticipated that there might be some incidences of non-compliance, it was assumed during the standard development and review process that aftermarket parts in the US market would generally meet the requirements outlined in FMVSS 108.
However, it became apparent during the testing required for standard development that there could be critical issues related to the product development and photometric inspection processes that could seriously affect a part’s ability to meet FMVSS 108. As such, CAPA conducted two studies of FMVSS compliance among selected aftermarket
parts.

CAPA Lighting Study I examined independently produced lights and their
compliance with FMVSS 108 requirements. Two of the top ten selling headlamp models supplied by independent manufacturers, (replacements for the Pontiac Grand Am 1999-2003 and Ford Taurus 1996-1998), were evaluated for conformance to FMVSS 108: The headlamps were manufactured by TYC and DEPO, two leading independent automotive
lighting suppliers. Forty samples were tested and 82% of the independently manufactured replacement headlamps included in this evaluation failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108.

Due to the high failure rate observed in the first study, a second study was
implemented. Its purpose was to verify the results of the first study and to evaluate whether car company branded parts had similar issues with compliance to FMVSS 108. CAPA Lighting Study II documented two additional top ten selling headlamp models manufactured by TYC and DEPO for conformance to FMVSS 108 Replacements for the Ford Taurus (2000-2003) and Toyota Camry (2000-2001). In addition to headlamps manufactured by TYC and DEPO, car company brand replacement
lamps were also included in the study.

One hundred percent of the fifteen samples of independently manufactured
replacement headlamps in this evaluation failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108. Ten percent of the ten car company manufactured replacement headlamp samples failed to conform to the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108.
The failure rate of independently manufactured headlamps implies either: a) a misinterpretation of the designated FMVSS 108 aiming methods intended for use on each headlamp; b) failure to comply with the designated FMVSS 108 aiming methods on each headlamp; c) significant variation in the assembly of the aftermarket-manufactured headlamps from the car company’s original design; or d) some combination thereof.


Wow. Informative....maybe I can talk the dealer down on a single headlight....
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Postby dug320 » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:58 am

You can buy CAPA lenses on R_ckauto
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Postby xavier » Thu Nov 12, 2009 1:42 pm

dug320 wrote:You can buy CAPA lenses on R_ckauto


I am assuming you are talking about R*O*C*K*A*U*T*O . com

Haven't found any CAPA cert headlights for the 2002-2003. Got any links?
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Postby dug320 » Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:47 pm

Strange, they used to carry them.

How about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FOG-LIGH ... ccessories
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Re: Experience with "OEM Quality" replacement headligh

Postby 01Convertible » Fri Apr 22, 2016 9:02 pm

I purchased an aftermarket headlamp assembly on ebay a while back, and after installation, couldn't get the beam to come up high enough. Also, the pattern appeared less defined that the factory unit on the other side. Tonight I took some time to try and improve things. First, I made sure I used the aiming screw to get the beam as high as possible (rotate the screw counter-clockwise, as though you were unscrewing it from the housing). Eventually, the screw will have no effect and you may as well stop turning it. Next, I removed the protective rubber boot from around the connector and plugged the wiring harness back in. I then proceeded to use the connector and manipulate the bulb against the spring retainer to see if I could find a "sweet spot" that would improve both the aim and image. I would then remove the bulb and use my needle nose pliers to bend one of the 3 tabs to try and re-position the bulb within the housing. In my case, I ended up bending both the lower tabs forward towards the glass envelope, tending to cause the bulb to point "down" in the housing very slightly (tabs were bent about 1/8" or so). I was surprised at how much this improved the image and the aim. I'm going to try and live with this for a while and see how I like it. I was having to drive around with my beams on "high" in order to see the road. From now on, I'm going strictly OEM for replacement headlamp assemblies. You can really see the effect as you move the bulb around if you have your vehicle pointed at a flat surface such as the side of a building or your overhead garage door (I was about 10 feet away).
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