# 2018 Ridgeline 'Black' LED's? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** honda\ **Created:** [April 1, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822 "2018-04-01T12:02:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markg2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@markg2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markg2)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/1 "2018-04-01T12:02:09Z")
New 2018 Ridgeline trim level ‘Black’. Spec says that starting at trim level RTL-E the headlights are LED. I see 1 bulb on mine that looks nothing like an LED and more like a halogen. Plus, I would have thought to generate the necessary light, the headlight would require more than 1 LED? Mark ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/2 "2018-04-01T12:39:43Z")
Look under the hood at headlight module and wire harness. Is there a part number visible on “bulb” assy? Look it up online. Wish I had a 18’ model anything in my garage ---
**Author:** ![markg2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@markg2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markg2)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/3 "2018-04-01T13:00:33Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Wish I had a 18’ model anything in my garage This is my first new vehicle in 18 years. My 2000 Silverado is parked awaiting donation pickup. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/4 "2018-04-01T13:59:31Z")
Have you asked the dealer about this? ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/5 "2018-04-01T14:07:25Z")
LEDs run cool. Would Honda also add a “regular” bulb that produces light and heat to prevent icing on the outside of the headlamp assembly? Icing was an occasional but life-threatening problem when LEDs were first tried in traffic signal lights. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/6 "2018-04-01T14:12:24Z")
> [@shanonia](#): > > Would Honda also add a “regular” bulb that produces light and heat to prevent icing on the outside of the headlamp assembly? They might, and that’s a good theory. Kudos. I think I’ll try to find some information on this idea. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/7 "2018-04-01T14:22:16Z")
OP might also be looking at the DRL. Or, looking at a picture of the headlight, it’s possible that the LEDs are on a projector lens setup, and the lens can look like an actual bulb. If I recall, Honda is reserving the “jewel-eye” headlights for Acura. ---
**Author:** ![markg2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@markg2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markg2)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/8 "2018-04-01T14:31:04Z")
I picked up the vehicle Friday, looked at the headlight yesterday and absent figuring this out will call the service department Monday or Tuesday and ask. I really doubt that the bulb isn’t an LED. I guess I’m more curious than anything else never having seen an LED anything like this bulb. And, buy an LED flood or spot, it’s always comprised of multiple LED’s that ‘look’ like LED’s to generate that kind of lumen. I’m not looking at the running light or turn signal or fog light–definitely the headlight. As suggested earlier, I’ll see what I can see under the hood today. Mark ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/9 "2018-04-01T17:30:04Z")
The halogen bulb is for the high beam lights. You won’t be able to see the LED’s, they are behind the projector lens. Turn on the low beam and high beam lights and see which ones light. ---
**Author:** ![markg2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@markg2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markg2)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/10 "2018-04-02T01:58:21Z")
The lights were set to auto by the dealer and that’s messing up testing. I need to read the manual and then play with them tomorrow evening. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/11 "2018-04-02T02:07:25Z")
> [@markg2](#): > > I need to read the manual and then play with them tomorrow evening. Good idea. I miss the old days when things were simple… 😜 ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/12 "2018-04-02T02:46:24Z")
Low beams are LED. High beams are halogen Edit: Didn’t see that @Nevada_545 already pointed that out. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/13 "2018-04-02T03:00:57Z")
> [@markg2](#): > > The lights were set to auto by the dealer and that’s messing up testing. The stalk on the left side of steering wheel settings for the headlights are marked so you can turn on all the lights during rain and it is not dark enough for the auto setting to work. Did you not receive a demo of features when you bought the vehicle ? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/14 "2018-04-02T03:38:33Z")
This vehicle has a common type of headlight switch that can be switched from Auto to On or Off. In the Auto position the high beam control is automatic as well as wiper/lights on control. ---
**Author:** ![markg2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@markg2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markg2)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ridgeline-black-leds/114822/15 "2018-04-02T12:34:46Z")
I did but I was distracted–first new car process in 18 years, my wife on a knee scooter w/fractured ankle and too much information too short a time. The demo was good for an overview and I knew I’d be back with questions once I’d read the manual and drove the car for several days. I get the general idea of the auto dim lights/wipers but I need more time with it. Frankly, I’m used to one large headlight with a running light below. This thing has a whole lot going on with multiple different light fixtures.