HiredGun

In my searching of the forum for information about xenon lighting options for us disappointed halogen light owners, I've not found much information on the viability of a swap of the halogen headlight projector for the xenon projector in the X166 GL. There are discussions and there is some content in other threads for other models. There is a discussion of wiring harness differences in the X164. There is a statement or two declaring it's not possible. But, has anyone actually tried it on the X166?

If the xenon-compatible wiring is present in the x166 halogen-equipped cars, could it be a matter of simply swapping the project for a xenon model and setting a code? Are there other components that would be required?

Looking at photos of the two I've attached a photo of the connector on the back of the headlamp assembly for my 2014 GL450. It seems that I have a 7-wire harness leading to the assembly. Is there anyone with the lighting package that could check to see if they have the same harness or wiring config?

AZN Optics

All you really need to do is swap out the projectors for xenon projectors and install an H7 HID canbus conversion kit. No need to mess with the wiring or code for xenon present. Our Morimoto HID conversion kit is plug and play for your GL.

HiredGun

Michael. Okay, thanks for the response. By swap out the projectors, you mean replace oem halogen projectors with oem xenon? Not having to mess with wiring or coding would be great!

gotzillar

Michael, do you have an instruction for installation? Also, can you show us the color difference between 5000k and 6000k kit? Thanks.

AZN Optics

Yes, I mean opening your headlight and replacing the halogen projector with xenon projectors. You can go with OEM which are ok, or you can go with some other retrofit projectors, your call. No additional wiring is required. You'll just be plugging in an HID conversion kit that plugs straight into your stock H7 wiring. With the canbus canceller in our Morimoto kit, no codes will be thrown.

Also, just as an FYI if you don't feel comfortable replacing your projectors, many feel that the stock halogen projectors cut offs are good enough with the HID conversion. They're not perfect like a true retrofit would be, but really would be much simpler. If you're on the fence, what I'd suggest is do the HID conversion with your current setup and check it out for yourself if you're happy with the pairing. If you want better light projection, you can still then afterwards move forward with the retrofit.

Installation is plug and play. The full Morimoto HID conversion kit includes bulbs, ballasts, wiring harness, igniters, and canbus canceller. Everything plugs in to your stock configuration for easy install. The only thing you'll need to do (true for all HID conversions) is cut a small hole in your dust cover to feed the wiring through, but there are rubber grommets to fill the hole and give it a clean OEM look. 5000K is a pure white color (classy) while 6000K is white with a very slight bluish hue (sporty).

DAP56

Morimoto is a very reliable setup. No, I'm not affiliated with them, but I have spent nearly one hundred hours reading about hundreds of people who have used their kits on everything from Toyotas, Subarus, motorcycles to Chevrolet Silverado trucks. Morimoto isn't the same as the unbranded Chinese garbage on eBay. They are made in South Korea and have a very high quality. I spoke to Fastheadlights.com and they said they use the Morimoto kits in their SEMA vehicles. Why did I go through all of this hell? Well, I just bought 2 new cars, a 2015 Silverado and a CPO 2013 GL450. Both of these cars have the horrible halogen projector setups. H11 for the Chevy and H7 for the x166. I was naive when buying both vehicles, thinking that a projector meant true Xenon HIDs. I nearly cancelled my purchase on the brand new Silverado due to the fact the lighting had such terrible reviews. Manufacturers should be ashamed of themselves, halogen projectors are weak and insufficient. A halogen bulb was never designed to be put into a projector in the first place. I'm planning on retrofitting new projectors into the Silverado (FXR 3.0 3" Xenon projectors made by THe Retrofit Shop) and installing a Morimoto D2S OEM style kit (because the new projectors uses D2S bulbs). My Silverado headlight will accept the new projectors with only a $50 custom bracket (made and sold by Fastheadlights).

I'm trying to find more information on retrofitting the Mercedes x166 halogen lighting system. If you purchase x166 HID headlights, you could then wire in the Morimoto OEM style HID kit. Then you would get the HID projector. I have a feeling that using the x166 Halogen projector for the HID won't be nearly as good as the OEM HID projectors. Hundreds of folks on the Chevy forum reported that the Chevy halogen projectors are poor, even with an HID bulb conversion. If and when I do the x166, I will report back. Very surprised this forum isn't flooded with HID conversion information for us poor Halogen owners. It may be because the x166 offered HID from the factory, whereas Chevrolet didn't for the 2014-2015 Silverado. There are hundreds of pages with thousands of posts and most of the posters used Morimoto kits with just as good, or better results than more expensive OEM equipment like Hella or Valleo.
If anyone has converted their x166, please let us know. If you kept your Halogen projectors, we would really like to hear from you.

DAP56

AZN Optics

Welcome to MBWorld.

Yes, halogen projectors won't be as good as true xenon projectors, but when you weigh the cost/effort for a true xenon retrofit vs performance increase, for many, halogen projectors will be good enough. Proper way will always be to bake it open and replace the projectors though in a true retrofit. Either way, it'll be a vast improvement over that garbage stock halogen light.

Morimoto is one of the best out there.... just a step below MTEC, but at half the price. This was why we chose to become an official authorized Morimoto retailer.

Fundguy1

I just got mine a few days ago. I'm pretty sure it's just halogen. How can I tell? Second, how hard is it to go full OEM conversion and not just hid bulbs etc. I mean new projectors, any control modules, etc. anything needed besides the hid setup and headlight housings? Third, if this is costly, is there any superior aftermarket housings that are cost effective at the same time?

DAP56

If your headlights suck, you have halogen projectors. You wouldn't be here if you had HID or LED. Trust me. There's no way to upgrade the halogen system to OEM Mercedes HID. I looked into this thoroughly. Even if you buy used HID housings and ballasts on ebay, the dealer won't program them for you (I confirmed that). After market is best bet and you should replace the projector Should you go that route. I was thinking of buying the used HID OEM and then using an aftermarket hid ballast and harness.

Fundguy1

Got the kit and I'm having a problem installing the bulbs. The morimoto blub wont fit into the oem bulb retaining clip. Is there supposed to be new clips or modify the factory ones?
Thx

Fundguy1

Got them going. Idky the ballast was buzzing buy now it's not. I had to trim the oem bulb clips with some tin snips to make them fit but otherwise looks great.

maneesh

can someone explain what is meant by projector? I did a HID conversion on my ML320, installed the HID bulb and ballasts. Instead of making a hole in the back cover of the headlight, i was able to run wires under the backdoor and still close it.

How much different is it with the X166 apart from adding additional wires for canbus/canceller, etc.? Is there something in front of the actual halogen bulb that needs to be modified/removed to accommodate the HID bulb?

thanks.

Fundguy1

Projector is the lense and housing. This kit is plug and play no need to change the projectors. All I had to do was widen the flimsy metal retaining clips to fit the HID bulb wider bases.

sari shub

Today i finished retrofits Ml with Intelligent xenon system lights from halogen

SFML320

Has anyone successfully swap out their HID with LED bulbs?

efzauner

sorry missposted in wrong thread.

450Boss

I would think that buying and replacing with xenon headlamps would be the best way to go??? Even though it's over 2 grand just for the lights alone not sure about wiring and cost of labor from dealer would be. These little things MB should include for the price we pay for our non amg vehicles!

rbohgan

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Mode Carbon

iTrader: (-1)

Fame Douglas

chrisridebike8

pics like this make me want to cry. I wish we got wagons in the US. this is perfection.

kombifan

pryz007

How did you access the stock halogen bulbs? Thru the wheel well? Doesn't seem like you can reach the bulb socket from the top of the engine. Thanks!

C3504matic

...... moved

vivaitalia

yes through wheel wells ... should be pretty self explanatory once you see it ... hands might need some contortioning ... after countless hours and money wasted on a variety of retrofits including LEDs ... finally content (not 100%) with the OEM Halogen Projectors (too cost prohibitive to retrofit HID Projectors) but retrofit HID 50watt Morimoto bulbs with 35watt ballasts, no recoding or anything of the sort ... 90% happy ... the 10% would've been if I had chosen a 50watt ballast and a HID projector ... LOL ... still miffed that the top end suv came standard with halogen to begin with ... the only thing left that is halogen are the horribly "inaccessible" front turn signal bulbs ... all other bulbs are LED ... curses you MB ... lol