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LED Replacement Guide

1M views 173 replies 60 participants last post by  Octal450 
#1 ·
Thought I'd put this out there to hopefully save somebody a little homework time. Here's what I've used to replace the OEM lights in my 2018 Sport 5 door with LEDs. All of these can be installed without the use of any type of resistors etc. (plug and play).

I'm still working on the front and rear turn signals as they will require some kind of "hyper flash" fix. I'll update the post once I have some recommendations for those.

Headlights (low beam):
Beamtech H11 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHDYTGL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Headlights (high beam):
Beamtech 9005 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHD4HV3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Front side markers, rear side markers/taillights, hatch interior light, license plate lights:
Aglint W5W 10-bulb pack (you will use 9 of them)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRZ0OZN/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Reverse lights:
iBrightStar 7440/7443 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQWPKKX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Map lights, Dome lights:
Philips 30mm festoon single bulb pack (you'll need 3 of these)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P2D3W00/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Vanity mirror lights:
Zhol 6641 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061TU2JS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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#5 ·
This is awesome and just what i was looking for!

also, this may be a dumb question, but i can't find the answer. what's the easiest way to remove the dome lights above the rearview mirror? i don't want to risk breaking them and am not sure where to pull from to get the covers off.

also, did you replace the lights on the rearview mirrors? or are those led already (sorry, probably a stupid question)
 
#6 ·
If I remember correctly, I pried at the edge facing rear of vehicle. Use a slim trim removal pry bar and not a screwdriver - the plastics used these days for bezels are thin and pretty brittle.

If you are referring to the path illumination lights on the side mirrors - those are already led.
 
#8 ·
Thanks so much for the answers! This helps a lot. I'm guessing something like this would do the trick? "BlingKingdom Car Audio Dash Removal Plastic Pry Tools 4pcs" from Amazon. (i cannot yet post URLs since i'm a new member)

two more questions for you guys as i have not been able to find these answers online;

1. When changing out tail light bulbs--is it the same as the 4th Gen Impreza? I found video tutorials online that just had you remove the two plastic screws on the inside of the tail light assembly and then the entire housing slides out?
2. When changing the headlight/corner/side marker lights; there is literally NO ROOM whatsoever on the passenger side due to the air intake assembly being right there. Is there any trick to getting to these?

Thanks again for everyone's help. I am a first time Impreza/Subaru owner. I picked up a 2018 Sport Hatch just this past Saturday. I'm loving it!

p.s. CJ--your Forum Avatar is great!! ;)
 
#9 ·
2. When changing the headlight/corner/side marker lights; there is literally NO ROOM whatsoever on the passenger side due to the air intake assembly being right there. Is there any trick to getting to these?
Just changed my low beams. The intake assembly is held on by two push clip retainers that look like over-sized Phillips head screws with a washer. If you turn the heads they will pop up slightly and you can use pliers/fingers to remove them; the assembly slides out after that. They are a bit of a pain to reinstall but I found using a small flat head screwdriver did a decent job of guiding them back in.

For the low beams (H11 bulbs) I replaced the blue gasket on the Beamtech bulb with the red gasket from the factory bulb. I wasn't able to get the blue gasket to fit but YMMV. It was also easier to seat the new bulbs and then attach them to the wire harness.

Hope this helps.
 
#12 ·
Personally I would choose the Beamtechs again. My reasoning is this:
1. Both Beamtech and Opt7 are offered in 6K color warmth, which is a harsher white/blue than halogen bulbs. I like the lower, yellow color spectrum and would be willing to pay extra for it on a well reviewed bulb.

2. Beamtechs have a simple package. An extended base with passive cooling and a pigtail is the only difference from the stock bulb design; based on reviews and users on this forum, the passive cooling is adequate. Opt7 has a fan built in (not sure if they have different kits without this), a relay and controller that need to be installed somewhere, and excessive cabling in my opinion. This is probably justified if the Opt7 has double the output of the Beamtech but I am happy with the improvement over stock the Beamtech provides for my low beams.

3. Both appear to have plastic mounting tabs. The stock bulbs have metal mounting tabs that have a solid mounting feel. The Beamtechs-and I assume Opt7 from pictures-use plastic mounting tabs that get the job done but don't have the same solid feeling of the stock bulb.

You could always write off $6 for return shipping (assuming Amazon Prime) and try both!
 
#14 ·
wow, thanks everyone so much for the great input! I just bought some trim removal tools, so i'll start tackling the interior lights here as soon as i get those (and the LED bulbs) in the mail. If i understand correctly, i need to pry the dome off of the "map lights" (by the rearview mirror) from the side closest to the rear of my car--inbetween where the dome pushes down and the "hinge" point?

Also, i saw in the original post that replacing the front and rear turn signals will result in a "hyper flash" so that they blink really quickly. Is this currently specific to the type of bulbs OP is using, or all current LED lights in turn signals across the board? Is there any type of dash error light that comes on? Or is it just that they blink quickly?

many thanks again
 
#15 ·
The hyperflash comes from the vehicle thinking that one of the bulbs has burntout due to the low voltage that the LEDs draw. There are 2 ways to fix this, one of them is to put a LED relay in replacing the stock flasher relay and the other is to put resisters inline to "trick" the vehicle into thinking that they are there. SADLY for us, the 2017+ Impreza does not have a flasher relay (the BCM controls the flasher) and therefore the first option will not work for us...leaving the only option being the resistors.

When I did my interior LED changeout I went through SuperBrightLED because I wanted to make sure that I did not get cheap LEDs that would melt. GREAT customer service, had an issue with their bulb selector being incorrect (exterior LEDs are NOT CANBUS) and they swapped them out no problem. I have LEDs in the map and dome, but I am going to have to figure out something because the map lights are too bright to use. Currently they are off and I am just using the dome light. Thinking about possibly changing to a fewer amount of LED chips or changing to red colored LEDs for the map lights.
 
#18 · (Edited)
wonderful! Thanks for these. I installed my LED's in my map and dome lights yesterday, as well as the cargo light. Today i'm gonna install the license plate lights.

It looks like the license plate light covers just pop off/slide off like they do in the 4th gen impreza models? I found a good tutorial video on youtube for those.

Lastly, for the taillight bulbs--i'm guessing, similar to the 4th Gen, we need to remove the entire taillight assembly to access those bulbs? And then get to the lights on the actual hatch normally

These look soooo much better. i love them! Now just to decide on which LED Headlights i want to get.

Since the LED Turnsignals hyperflash...has anyone had any luck/experience with the "stealth bulbs" that are silver/chrome coated? I like the idea of them appearing "clear" inside the housing w/o seeing the amber bulb. But i've heard mixed reviews on them.

thanks again to everyone in this awesome community!
 
#21 ·
I bought some cheap eBay ones for less than $20 just to try them see how the car reacted to them etc. and they have worked perfect for me. I bought the anti flicker resistors separate in case I needed them but never did. I did have to aim them down slightly but it’s very easy to do. You should be good with most kits out there.
 
#20 ·
Hello Achri6427! I am also new around these parts. I picked up my 2018 Sport just a little over 2 weeks ago on the 2nd.

I have installed ALL of the LED's referenced in this thread (and bought the exact same ones as listed by OP on Amazon) with the exception of the headlights. None of them throw any codes. I believe that all/most of the LED Headlight options come with resistors that prevent any error code from popping up. The interior/corner/reverse/tail lights all work perfectly w/o any issues.

So far, i believe the only issues lies with LED turn signals. They don't throw any codes, but they will hyperflash. I don't know that there are any on the market right now that won't do this. I'm sure you could do a little DIY fix and add some resistors inline with the wiring to prevent the hyperflash, but i'm holding out for a direct replacement

i hope this helps!
 
#22 ·
Thought I'd put this out there to hopefully save somebody a little homework time. Here's what I've used to replace the OEM lights in my 2018 Sport 5 door with LEDs. All of these can be installed without the use of any type of resistors etc. (plug and play).

I'm still working on the front and rear turn signals as they will require some kind of "hyper flash" fix. I'll update the post once I have some recommendations for those.
Have you tried these to fix the hyperblink problem? I emailed their customer service and they said it should fix the issues, no problem. There is also a review on here saying that it worked great for them

The Original TapTurn LED Flasher Relay
 
#23 ·
Have you tried these to fix the hyperblink problem? I emailed their customer service and they said it should fix the issues, no problem. There is also a review on here saying that it worked great for them

The Original TapTurn LED Flasher Relay
The 2017+ Impreza does not use a relay for the flashers...it is all controlled by the BCM. There is no relay to replace, inline resistors are our only option at this time
 
#29 · (Edited)
I'm not entirely sure if any of you are familiar with VLEDs (VLEDS), but I've been using their bulbs for almost 10 years now and I've never been disappointed. I won't lie, you DEFINITELY pay for the quality, but their look and performance is exceptional. Here's an application list based on what I've installed:

Exterior:
Headlamp Low-Beam (2) --- H11 ------ H11_MICRO_6K
Headlamp High-Beam (2) -- 9005 ----- 9005_MICRO_6K
Front Turn Signal (2) ------- 7444NA -- 7443CK_6_HV_A*
Front Side Marker (2) ------ 168 ------- 194_14_HV_A**
Rear Side Marker (2) ------- 168 ------- 194_14_R**
Rear Turn Signal (2) -------- 7440A ---- 7443_6_HV_A_N
Brake Light (2) ------------- 168 ------- 194_26_HO_R**
Reverse (2) ----------------- 7440 ----- 7440_6_HO_6K
License Plate (2) ----------- 168 ------- 194_14_W_6K_LL
Turn Signal Resistors (4) --------------- VLR_6_DUO***

* Both the VLEDs Application Guide and Sylvania.com Automotive Bulb Replacement Guide show that our cars require a standard base turn signal bulb when, in fact, the front turn signals are wired in a CK base configuration (both positives are on one side of the base rather than at one end of the base). Make sure you select a CK-style bulb for the FRONT turn signals. The rear turn signals don't matter since they are single filament.

** Colored bulbs are not required in these three locations due to being behind the lenses, but I opted for them anyway simply for the sake of achieving a deeper red/amber light output.

*** The resistors come with what is referred to as a DuoTap Harness which has two features that I liked: 1) it's a single wire tap that innervates both positive and ground wires simultaneously for a cleaner install, and 2) the resistors are easily disconnectable either via popping the clip on the DuoTap, or by unscrewing the waterproof connector at the end of the harness.

Interior:
Map (2) ----- DE3175 -- 3175_24_W_6K
Vanity (2) --- 6612F ---- VANITY_6_W_6K
Dome (1) --- DE3175 -- 3175_24_W_6K
Trunk (1) --- 194 ------- 194_26_HO_W_6K

I believe the total to replace every bulb ended up being over $600, and that was after some holiday discounts, so I realize this won't be for everyone, but I thought it might help anyone out there who's just trying to consider all the options.
 
#32 ·
not OP, but i used his guide and replaced all my bulbs using the ones in his post. they've been in for about 2 weeks and i've had no problems at all. however, when i installed them, some didn't light up, so i just flipped them and they turned out fine.

the only suggestion i'd have is to use amber for the front side markers as the white LED's make the marker look more yellow and not really match the amber turn signal color. Kinda the same for the rear red markers, but not as noticeable.

i'd also suggest buying a trim removal kit as it made getting the lenses off of the interior lights pretty easy. you could always use a flathead screwdriver, but i wouldn't want to risk scratching or banging up the plastic parts.
 
#35 ·
Front Turn Signal LED's

my reply may sound complicated, but bear with me guys. i need help with this.

the bulbs i want for my front turn signal lamps are LED Switchback bulbs. Where there is a constant White (W) color as a daytime running lamp. and when the turn signal is on, the color changes to Amber (A). there 2 different variations of this Switchback Style. Type 1 is when the DRLs are on, [the DRLs i am talking about are the turn signal bulbs, not the fog light area in the higher trim models] and the turn signal is activated, the flash sequence will be A,W,A,W,A,W back and forth; and then back to White. Type 2 is when the DRLs are on and the turn signal is activated the White light will stay off until the Flash is done, ex. A,Off,A,Off,A,Off and then back to White.

Bulbsize for this is 7444NA which is also 7443

Here is the issue I'm running into.
when i the bulb is plugged in one way it will be a constant white when the DRLs are on but when i hit the Turn Signal, all i get is a slight pulse of the white light as it stays lit the entire time.

now when i pull the bulb out and rotate it 180 degrees back in the socket. there will be no light at all when the DRLs are on but when the Turn Signal is activated it flashes yellow as normal. but the White light never comes on.

i have tried both Type 1 and 2 Switchbacks. from 3 different companies just to make sure it was the quality of the bulbs from one company.
if any one can help me on this, i need it!!!!

Note: i had to install a resistor in my base model hatch, to fix a small hyper flash issue. but the problem persisted before and after the resistor.
 
#37 ·
my reply may sound complicated, but bear with me guys. i need help with this.

the bulbs i want for my front turn signal lamps are LED Switchback bulbs. Where there is a constant White (W) color as a daytime running lamp. and when the turn signal is on, the color changes to Amber (A). there 2 different variations of this Switchback Style. Type 1 is when the DRLs are on, [the DRLs i am talking about are the turn signal bulbs, not the fog light area in the higher trim models] and the turn signal is activated, the flash sequence will be A,W,A,W,A,W back and forth; and then back to White. Type 2 is when the DRLs are on and the turn signal is activated the White light will stay off until the Flash is done, ex. A,Off,A,Off,A,Off and then back to White.

Bulbsize for this is 7444NA which is also 7443

Here is the issue I'm running into.
when i the bulb is plugged in one way it will be a constant white when the DRLs are on but when i hit the Turn Signal, all i get is a slight pulse of the white light as it stays lit the entire time.

now when i pull the bulb out and rotate it 180 degrees back in the socket. there will be no light at all when the DRLs are on but when the Turn Signal is activated it flashes yellow as normal. but the White light never comes on.

i have tried both Type 1 and 2 Switchbacks. from 3 different companies just to make sure it was the quality of the bulbs from one company.
if any one can help me on this, i need it!!!!

Note: i had to install a resistor in my base model hatch, to fix a small hyper flash issue. but the problem persisted before and after the resistor.
So let me get this right, what you are wanting to do is run a switchback like the C-lights...but without the C-lights? Just because the bulb is a switchback does not mean that the car is wired for that. As of a few months ago SubieSpeed did not have a wiring harness to move the DRL from the dim high beam to the fog. That being said, you would have to somehow change the wiring from the current DRL location to the lights that you want, as well as get the turn indicators to behave in a switchback setting, some thing that the wiring harnesses in our vehicles does not have...unless you have a trim that already has the C-lights in it, in which case you would not be posting here anyway. The current c-lights by DiodeDynamics and Morimoto do not fit our headlights as the size on the housing for the c-lights is not the same as the WRX/STI. The 2017 Impreza was the first model for the new Subaru global platform, and we can now add the 2018 Impreza and Crosstrek to that lineup. Things are SLOW to come for this since the big modd cars, WRX/STI, are not a part of this new platform.

As for the resistor, each bulb needs its own. The reason for the hyperflash is that the LEDs draw such low power that the car thinks that the bulb is out and the resister "tricks" the car by pulling more load than the LED does alone. So if you just put a resister inline on the front LED but not the rear then that would explain why you are still getting the hyperflash, it still thinks that the rear one is out.

From what i understand of this Tap Turn Relay is what our Impreza already comes from factory. tap the turn signal in a specific direction and it will flash 3 times. the Tap Turn Relay just adds the feature to cars with out it
The tap-to-turn relay does a few things for vehicles. The first is just what you said, allowing the flash of the turn signal with just a tap of the arm and not a full activation (probably where they got the name from, lol). It can do this because it takes over control of the turn indicators, both for signaling and for the hazard lights. That is how you can change the flash patters for the hazards as well as set the number of flashes that you get with the tap. The other thing that it does is it functions in the place of the resistor because it can account for the low load of the LED. HOWEVER, for the new platform, there is no turn relay and it is all controlled by the car. So that is why we need the resistors.
 
#40 ·
So let me get this right, what you are wanting to do is run a switchback like the C-lights...but without the C-lights? Just because the bulb is a switchback does not mean that the car is wired for that. As of a few months ago SubieSpeed did not have a wiring harness to move the DRL from the dim high beam to the fog. That being said, you would have to somehow change the wiring from the current DRL location to the lights that you want, as well as get the turn indicators to behave in a switchback setting, some thing that the wiring harnesses in our vehicles does not have...unless you have a trim that already has the C-lights in it, in which case you would not be posting here anyway. The current c-lights by DiodeDynamics and Morimoto do not fit our headlights as the size on the housing for the c-lights is not the same as the WRX/STI. The 2017 Impreza was the first model for the new Subaru global platform, and we can now add the 2018 Impreza and Crosstrek to that lineup. Things are SLOW to come for this since the big modd cars, WRX/STI, are not a part of this new platform.

As for the resistor, each bulb needs its own. The reason for the hyperflash is that the LEDs draw such low power that the car thinks that the bulb is out and the resister "tricks" the car by pulling more load than the LED does alone. So if you just put a resister inline on the front LED but not the rear then that would explain why you are still getting the hyperflash, it still thinks that the rear one is out.



The tap-to-turn relay does a few things for vehicles. The first is just what you said, allowing the flash of the turn signal with just a tap of the arm and not a full activation (probably where they got the name from, lol). It can do this because it takes over control of the turn indicators, both for signaling and for the hazard lights. That is how you can change the flash patters for the hazards as well as set the number of flashes that you get with the tap. The other thing that it does is it functions in the place of the resistor because it can account for the low load of the LED. HOWEVER, for the new platform, there is no turn relay and it is all controlled by the car. So that is why we need the resistors.[/QUOTE]

My mistake on the description. I meant the turn signal bulb that comes on before turning your headlights fully on. That switchback bulb should work on the car. I realize I've been using a 7443 not 7443CK. I guess the set up is different.

And I don't have problem with hyper flash because I have resistor in. I see now that the way I wrote it, meant that I still have a hyper flash issue. I've only messed with LEDs in my fog lights, front turn signals, and interior.

Sent from my Galaxy S8 using Tapatalk
 
#41 ·
Thought I'd put this out there to hopefully save somebody a little homework time. Here's what I've used to replace the OEM lights in my 2018 Sport 5 door with LEDs. All of these can be installed without the use of any type of resistors etc. (plug and play).

I'm still working on the front and rear turn signals as they will require some kind of "hyper flash" fix. I'll update the post once I have some recommendations for those.

Headlights (low beam):
Beamtech H11 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHDYTGL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Headlights (high beam):
Beamtech 9005 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHD4HV3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Front side markers, rear side markers/taillights, hatch interior light, license plate lights:
Aglint W5W 10-bulb pack (you will use 9 of them)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRZ0OZN/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Reverse lights:
iBrightStar 7440/7443 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQWPKKX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Map lights, Dome lights:
Philips 30mm festoon single bulb pack (you'll need 3 of these)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P2D3W00/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Vanity mirror lights:
Zhol 6641 2-bulb pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061TU2JS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you good sir.. ordered the headlight low/high beams for now.. :)

Bill
 
#43 ·
HERES A VIDEO I JUST UPLOADED OF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCHBACK LEDs. I AM NO VIDEOGRAPHER BY ANY MEANS. ITS ONLY ABOUT 40 SECONDS. THE LAST CLIP IS UPCLOSE OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE. I ALSO INCLUDED A LINK IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE VIDEO TO BUY THE BULB I GOT.

THANKS!
 
#44 ·
#56 ·
Very late on this but this the wiring of the resistor. I can't remember if it mattered which side from the resistor goes to black or red. But it's a very simple wire tap. No cutting necessary.


Sent from my Galaxy S8 using Tapatalk
 
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