Facelift-headlights wiring

Hello!

First of all: I'm German, so please excuse mistakes and please try to answer in 'easy English'

Unfortunately the search-function in this forum says 'search not possible - please try again later' everytime I try to search for keywords like 'facelift wiring'.

I have a 2003 Freelander and I just bought 'a car full of parts' to facelift it, yesterday.

As I read many times, the wiring of the facelift-headlights seems to be very complicated.

I do have the headlights and I took the plugs with about 20cm cable and cutted them off.

My main question concerning this:
What is the main problem, doing this facelift-modification?

Isn't it possible just to connect cable colour a from my car to cable colour b from the bit of cable with the headlight's plug I took from the facelift-car and so on? So connecting a couple of cables to get the plugs I took from the facelift-car becoming a part of my car and just stick them on the facelift-headlights and everything works as it should?

I guess it's not that simple, because I've read that many people have serious problems to get the newer headlights working properly.

Could anyone of you please explain (in easy words ) why it cannot be done this way? Why do I read about using a new relay? What may I need a resistor or a diode for?

Please be so kind to let me know!

Thank you very very much in advance!!

The current headlights use a combined dip and main beam bulb (H4) and when going to main beam the dip beam stops working.

On a facelift it uses separate bulbs for dip and main beam (both H7) and when switching to main beam the dip beam stays illuminated.

You need a relay and diode etc setup to make the dip beam stay on when main beam is activated.

Hope that makes sense

Hey!

It definately does! Thank you!

But, to be honest: is this the only problem?

I'm used to have cars, that illuminate the dip beam if I switch to main beam. I've seen it driving several cars in history, that the light was bringter, the moment I pulled the 'flash' while I was driving with the main beam on.

(Thinking about it) maybe it was just the case in cars that had H4 lights, too. I'm not sure.

BUT:
If it does'n matter to me, if the dip beam goes out when I switch to main - is the wiring of the new headlights easy to be done?

Thanks!

I just read a bit in the www about it in general:
In every car or motocycle using H4 it is usual, that the dip beam is illuminated if the main beam is switched on.

After the facelift-modificartion the Freelander uses H7/H7, so it would be possible, to use both bulbs at the same time if main beam is recommanded.

In my opinion I don't need this, because the brightness using main beam will be at least the same or even better than before (the single H7 on main beam will be brighter than the main-beam-part of the H4).

So:
Do all the cables that are to be connected have the same colour (pre-facelift and facelift cables) or were the colours changed?

sir lunchalot said:

I just read a bit in the www about it in general:
In every car or motocycle using H4 it is usual, that the dip beam is illuminated if the main beam is switched on.

After the facelift-modificartion the Freelander uses H7/H7, so it would be possible, to use both bulbs at the same time if main beam is recommanded.

In my opinion I don't need this, because the brightness using main beam will be at least the same or even better than before (the single H7 on main beam will be brighter than the main-beam-part of the H4).

So:
Do all the cables that are to be connected have the same colour (pre-facelift and facelift cables) or were the colours changed?

Click to expand...

You need to fit a relay and blocking diode to the dip beam circuit. If you were to wire it up using the original H4 circuit, the dip bulbs will go out when main beam is on. This gives you long range illumination, but little short range light. This really affects the lights performance and possibly fail a vehicle worthiness test too.

It's not difficult to wire it up correctly, so might as well be done. I'm not sure where the difference is in the vehicle wiring to make the facelift lights work differently to the pre-face lift. It could be as simple as changing the column switch (I'll look into that). In many ways the facelift wiring is easier than the pre-facelift, where the dip goes out when main is activated. The face lift simply keeps the dip on all the time, adding the main beams when the switch is pulled.

Edit. The column switch is the same for all models, so the wiring changes were elsewhere. I'll look at the diagram when I have a spare moment.

Thanks a lot! This would be very helpful!

Hello again!

I finished the facelift last weekend. It looks awesome, especially compared to the old style!

I used a multimeter to figure out all the colours for the wiring. Everything works just fine. I think about changing the wiring to have the dip beam on, if I use the full beam . The full beam now seems to be brighter than with the old H4, but having all four H7 on using full beam might be even better (brighter). I see how bright it would be, if I pull the flash light, so dip and full beam are active the same time. Great illumination!

Question:
Isn't there a possiblity to change the wiring (in the inside of the car) behind the light swith? I'm not an electrician at all, bit shouldn't there be a possiblity to change something to let dip and full be active at the same time, if I switch to full beam? I mean, pulling the flash it works (both is active the same time). Isn't this possible to realise that way, without having to install relays and stuff behind the headlamps?

A nother quastion:
Everything works fine but one thing:
The levelling of the headlamps works vice versa since I made the facelift. So if I have the switch on '0' it is the lowest position of the headlamps. If I put the switch to 1, 2 or 3 the lights get higher.

There were 3 cables towards the little engines in the headlamps. The colours were matching perfectly. 1x black (ground) and to coloured ones. After I realised it works but vice versa, I switched the two coloured cables - after that the levelling didn't work at all. So I switched it back again. So now it works but still the wrong way.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Some pics before and after

Even my wife figured out that something has changed at her car

sir lunchalot said:

Isn't there a possiblity to change the wiring (in the inside of the car) behind the light swith?

Click to expand...

I suspect there is, but haven't had access to an early vehicle to see, when I actually have the time to investigate.

Looks much better though and the 18s make it look smart. Just make sure you have 4 identical tyres. I changed to 235/55/18 while replacing the tyres.

sir lunchalot said:

The levelling of the headlamps works vice versa since I made the facelift

Click to expand...

Are the levelling motors different between the early and late headlights? If they are physically identical then use the old motors.

Hi!
There are 235/50 R18 mounted on the rims. I just bought a 4 brandnew contis, that will be mounted next week.

No, the levelling motors of the new headlamps seem to be a fixed part of them.