I recently purchased a brand new Hyuandai Tucson 2021 . I am wanting to change out my headlights to LED bulbs (which would match the LED accents over my headlights.
Mainly just wanting something brighter since it’s helpful at night while driving.
My question is can I just buy bulbs for the vehicle somewhere or do I have to install any kits prior to the LED lightbulbs ?
Thanks !
I really don’t know about kits vs bulbs, but I suspect installation would void your warranty.
+1
Any subsequent electrical problems will likely be rejected as warranty claims if they find out that this modification has been done.
DON’T do it. They annoy the heck out of other drivers and provide you with no value at all except maybe they look a little more tech-ey. The aftermarket stuff is junk and if they don’t cause problems with your car - we’ve had folks post here with those problems - they will annoy other drivers.
I have been accosted recently by Toyota 4 Runner with replacement LED DRLs that jiggled when they drove such that they would set off epileptic seizures. An Escalade with VERY bright blue-white LED DRLs (borderline illegal - can’t have blue lights on a civilian car, only police) that were brighter than the high beams on most cars burning my retinas in the daytime.
One more vote to leave them as is.
Agreed on leaving them as is, for warranty issues.
If you just HAVE to replace them…check with the dealer’s parts or service department. They may have some factory-approved LED “upgrades” that will preserve your car warranty. Somehow I suspect they will not be cheap, though…
The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has ratings of headlight performance. There is wide variation between and within vehicle models and trim levels. See if Hyundai has something better than what came on your vehicle; then find out if it can be retrofit.
Replacing only the bulbs will be cheaper, and act that way.
You do have projector lenses. So hid or led might work ok.
it seems that base trims receive quite bad reflectors, so even with LED retrofit kit I would not expect much improvement
I would rather entertain idea of researching if buying the OEM headlight of the higher trim and installing into the base trim is possible… more likely than not it is… yet it would be better to start with “proper” trim level in the first place, as parts MSRP will be obscene and work will not be free either
Look again. Minor correction:
The base trim gets low beam projectors.
you are right!
my problem is that I’m thinking of one thing and my fingers sometimes type another one 
yes, these are projectors
I have had very good results with Sylvania SilverStar bulbs.
I notice that for the IIHS test headlight aim is not adjusted or even checked.
They claim it makes the test more realistic since consumers rarely have their headlights aimed.
But IMHO that diminishes the scientific value of the test.
If you look at different model years of a vehicle with same generation and identical lights you’ll see variations in test results.
Seems to me IIHS would be better off to check and adjust aim, then encourage readers of their tests to get their headlights aimed to assure best possible performance and safety.
I agree with them not adjusting the lights. No buyer would do that. If the carmaker wants better scores they should make sure the headlights come correctly adjusted.
I have the 2.0 Tucson, 2021. Based on the manual, the bulb is H7. I did the LED conversion on my Veloster that has the H11B, it was more involved, the H7 might be easier.
On the Veloster, I have a projector style housing. I have not changed anything on the car, so if there were to be a warranty issue (warranty is over now), I will just swap the bulbs back in. Prior to the conversion, I tried super bright regular bulbs, but it got burnt in 6 months and that didn’t even include a lot of night driving. The LED is brighter with a little bit better visibility. Not very dramatic but I can get all the help I can.
The 2021 Tucson to me is just fine right now. I think it might be the higher sitting position compared to the Veloster that helps.
I checked and I am not glaring anyone.
I can’t speak for all dealers but at multi-line dealers where I worked checking the headlight adjustment was part of the PDI process. (Pre-Delivery Inspection.)
Not one car ever received a PDI that did not need those adjustments.
The state statutes said that the center of each beam had to drop 1 inch vertically for every 25 feet and to the right 1 inch for every 25 feet.
