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Anyone else having dim HID headlights on their 2010 to 2012 camaro?
I purchased mine new, years ago just don’t drive her much but I’ve noticed for some time the headlights have become terrible dim. From new they were very good. I know there has been no 55 watt ballast installed. It’s a cheap *** design from factory using cheap plastic reflector bowl that holds the HID bulb.
I retro fitted in new morimoto HID projectors in the factory unit. Time consuming but well worth it.
I came close to buying new headlight units but didn’t want to go through the same with cheap plastic bowls.
easy way to tell if you need new bowls is remove the bulb and use the mirror and see if there is burnt spot on the backside where the bulb installs into.
Burnt bowls is dangerous driving at night.
Damn those bowls are gone. What did you retrofit in place? I think it’s happening on mine but nighttime output is still very visible
I purchased the morimoto d2s 5.0 projectors and installed them. Only thing different was had to drill 2 new holes for the bottom screws. Pretty straightforward once you take the unit apart
I purchased the morimoto d2s 5.0 projectors and installed them. Only thing different was had to drill 2 new holes for the bottom screws. Pretty straightforward once you take the unit apart
they fit in the oem HID housing? That’s amazeballs and I think I’m going to order a set this weekend. I was originally going to put a pair in halogen housings but I wanna keep my halos lol
Yea they fit right in. Looking back I should done a video on it. Order the morimoto black rubber too. There is YouTube videos on oven bake to disassemble. I did mine on 20 mins at 275.
1 thing I like about those projectors they are designed for 35 and 50watt ballast.
luv my headlights now.
Awesome I’ll add that to the cart thanks for the heads up.
I was looking at my lights output on a wall next to a newer Lexus and I could tell right away that my bowls are burnt lol I can’t wait to have legit lighting out of my headlights
Only thing I purchased was the projectors and new ballast and matching bulbs. Everything else I used the original equipment. I did had to trim the factory bezel to fit over the lenses. The d2s lenses are slightly larger.
just use a dremel
Hello. I'm new to the forums. I joined because this is the first place that somebody has mentioned doing the morimoto projector swap to actually fix our reflector issues. I've spent hours and hours trying to find a solution because the factory rs headlights are awesome. Only solution people have seemed to find is whole new headlight assemblies which may have the same issue. I would like some advice on doing the retrofit if you have any tips. The only thing I'm stuck on is how to bolt the bottom two screws in. Doesn't seem to line up with a hole unless my center of hid line/ cutoff isn't center with the factory cutoff spot. It just seems my bottom two holes were not near the plastic. Also did you mount the projector on outside of the adjustment bracket or inside just like the factory one came out? And secondly is the 9006 high beam switch doesn't connect to our two prong factory switch. Did you just like solder together old with new or get a adapter? Sorry for bumping a old post but I believe this is a huge issue since every rs camaro from 2010-13 suffers from terrible reflector issues. I would be more than willing to post pictures of my progress on second headlight once I figure out the first one for the community. I really hope I'm not asking too much. Thanks for letting me join!
Hello. I'm new to the forums. I joined because this is the first place that somebody has mentioned doing the morimoto projector swap to actually fix our reflector issues. I've spent hours and hours trying to find a solution because the factory rs headlights are awesome. Only solution people have seemed to find is whole new headlight assemblies which may have the same issue. I would like some advice on doing the retrofit if you have any tips. The only thing I'm stuck on is how to bolt the bottom two screws in. Doesn't seem to line up with a hole unless my center of hid line/ cutoff isn't center with the factory cutoff spot. It just seems my bottom two holes were not near the plastic. Also did you mount the projector on outside of the adjustment bracket or inside just like the factory one came out? And secondly is the 9006 high beam switch doesn't connect to our two prong factory switch. Did you just like solder together old with new or get a adapter? Sorry for bumping a old post but I believe this is a huge issue since every rs camaro from 2010-13 suffers from terrible reflector issues. I would be more than willing to post pictures of my progress on second headlight once I figure out the first one for the community. I really hope I'm not asking too much. Thanks for letting me join!
just solder the high beam wires from the 9006 connector to the green/black on the factory harness. I dont think it matters which goes to which but brown i believe is the +
im working through retrofitting a pair of the 5.0s into halogen housings. Forgot to aim the halogens before opening the reflector bowls up for the 5.0 threaded shaft so i have new headlight housings coming in. Going well so far though! My stock projector bowls are so dead
Thank you so much for the guidance! I'll just solder them in then. I think I have an idea to use other holes on there to mount instead of the bottom two since the bottom two don't make the cutoff straight. Ill try more maybe after Christmas time and post more pictures especially when I do my second headlight. I'm so stoked to have headlights again. Got awhile till spring so I got some time atleast before it comes back out.
Thank you so much for the guidance! I'll just solder them in then. I think I have an idea to use other holes on there to mount instead of the bottom two since the bottom two don't make the cutoff straight. Ill try more maybe after Christmas time and post more pictures especially when I do my second headlight. I'm so stoked to have headlights again. Got awhile till spring so I got some time atleast before it comes back out.
no problem! My plan is to open the HID lights up after i have my retrofit done and installed. Want to see if i can get something to fit in those that might last a little longer. I really want to keep the original halos
no problem! My plan is to open the HID lights up after i have my retrofit done and installed. Want to see if i can get something to fit in those that might last a little longer. I really want to keep the original halos
I currently am installing these morimotos 5.0 into my hid rs housing with halos. Is that what you are meaning? I have original halos on mine.
I currently am installing these morimotos 5.0 into my hid rs housing with halos. Is that what you are meaning? I have original halos on mine.
yes thats what i mean, the original hid housings with halos. I really am tempted to do halos on my retrofit but feel like it’ll just be a hassle and wont look as good as oem. Figure i can retro the originals once i have had a look
yes thats what i mean, the original hid housings with halos. I really am tempted to do halos on my retrofit but feel like it’ll just be a hassle and wont look as good as oem. Figure i can retro the originals once i have had a look
well when I get my first one done and i can do start to finish on my second one ill try to get some pictures of what i do to install some 5.0s in there. I am surprised by now there isn't a good oem option or someone making some reflectors out of metal for these yet. The aftermarket halo assemblies I've found aren't bright according to reviews. I love my factory ones so I'm excited to upgrade them. Thanks for your help so far. Worst part so far I think is separating the lenses. Everyone I've talked to has never had good luck re sealing without moisture leaks. Hopefully I can figure something out.
well when I get my first one done and i can do start to finish on my second one ill try to get some pictures of what i do to install some 5.0s in there. I am surprised by now there isn't a good oem option or someone making some reflectors out of metal for these yet. The aftermarket halo assemblies I've found aren't bright according to reviews. I love my factory ones so I'm excited to upgrade them. Thanks for your help so far. Worst part so far I think is separating the lenses. Everyone I've talked to has never had good luck re sealing without moisture leaks. Hopefully I can figure something out.
i think my halogen lights are aftermarket because once i pulled them from the oven they basically fell apart. i was ready for a fight but the lenses just popped off after getting a corner up
Please take some pics if you can. It seems that whenever someone does retrofit the oem hid housings they never take any pictures of how they did it. I think filling the gaps on the backside of the plastic “mount” and then drilling holes to line the projector up may work best but wont know till i’m in there
edit: the halos i think are as bight, oem halos arent very bright but the color temp is hard to match while the shape is very difficult to match. My other issue besides the color and shape is the cost. 150-175 for a set of halos is a bit much lol
Last edited by xc_SS/RS; Dec 23, 2020 at 09:01 AM.
i think my halogen lights are aftermarket because once i pulled them from the oven they basically fell apart. i was ready for a fight but the lenses just popped off after getting a corner up
Please take some pics if you can. It seems that whenever someone does retrofit the oem hid housings they never take any pictures of how they did it. I think filling the gaps on the backside of the plastic “mount” and then drilling holes to line the projector up may work best but wont know till i’m in there
well I'm glad you didn't have a fight. I baked mine 3 times at 275. First tIme for 20. Then 10 and 10 and I fought the entire time. Now I'm hoping I can get it sealed properly haha. I think last time I looked at the headlights and projectors the metal bracket that holds the high beam cut off and the black bracket that holds the glass eye as I call it has 2 holes that go over the plastic bracket in my housing. So I may get longer screws and use the hole to mount all 3 of them together if that makes sense. I will definitely use pictures and horrible drawings on the pictures to try and explain what I did haha. BTW this will all be done via phone camera nothing professional.
well I'm glad you didn't have a fight. I baked mine 3 times at 275. First tIme for 20. Then 10 and 10 and I fought the entire time. Now I'm hoping I can get it sealed properly haha. I think last time I looked at the headlights and projectors the metal bracket that holds the high beam cut off and the black bracket that holds the glass eye as I call it has 2 holes that go over the plastic bracket in my housing. So I may get longer screws and use the hole to mount all 3 of them together if that makes sense. I will definitely use pictures and horrible drawings on the pictures to try and explain what I did haha. BTW this will all be done via phone camera nothing professional.
Makes sense. I know the mounting holes for that middle plate with the cutoff shield/solenoid are pretty close to the 5.0 mounting holes so you may be able to make it work. Are you mounting the projector on the front or back of that metal plate?
camera phone pics are just fine lol the newest phones take some incredibly clear pictures
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2012 camaro HID dim headlights 
