Best LED Headlights for Ford Explorer Review & Buyer’s Guide

Buyer’s Guide

We’ve already learned from the pros, cons, and detailed reviews that there are lots of factors that set different headlight LED bulbs from each other. Some have an impressive lifespan, while others shine the brightest light among the rivals. And then you gotta think about compatibility, installation, and, of course, resistance to natural hazards. Let’s talk about it all in-depth to become better at picking the right bulbs for our cars.

#1: Perfect Fitment = Quick Installation

Unless the bulbs are 100% compatible with your vehicle, you’ll have a VERY hard time trying to make them fit. On the bright side, most brands follow universal rules/standards. Say, as mentioned, the SeaLight bulbs will fit 99% of trucks out there, which is pretty great. Still, I recommend taking a minute or so to check the compatibility chart (especially when ordering online). There, you’ll find all the necessary information.

And one more thing to keep in mind: in the automobile industry, bulb/headlight designs and sizes change with every new generation. Therefore, if you’re, say, driving a 2017, 2018, or 2021 Explorer, a single set of bulbs will be a perfect fit for all three models. The same rule applies to other trucks, SUVs, and sedans as well.

#2: Protection Against Elements

This is important: in modern-day crossovers, it’s usually the housing, metal rings, and headlight assembly that do most of the protection. The assembly needs to be crafted from durable, rust-resistant materials and create a tight seal so that water, dust, or dirt doesn’t “sneak” through. As for the bulbs, I recommend looking for a waterproof design; that way, you won’t have to worry about the weather much.

The heat dissipation system comes next. Make sure it’s strong and efficient enough to keep the bulbs nice and cool. Resistance against UV rays is also vital. Over time, the sun can do quite a lot of damage to LED bulbs, especially if you don’t always park the vehicle in the garage. Last, but not least, go for a scratch-proof design. Again, this mostly applies to the headlight assembly, not the individual bulbs, but would still be a useful “bonus”.

#3: Brightness: What to look for?

One could say that the universal rule – the brighter, the better – doesn’t always apply to headlight LED bulbs. You need to know exactly what you’re looking for. In my experience, 6000K daylight white is the best option. There’s nothing stopping you from going with 6500K, but then you’ll end up with a bluish color that puts strain on the eyes (but some folks like it). In contrast, 5000K or 5500K will be a bit weak/not bright enough for a dark, foggy and snowy night.

This only applies to the high beams, though, or the H13/9005 size. For low beams, 4-5K is just the right brightness. Sometimes, it’s easy to get these two confused. And remember: brightness is measured in Lumens (LM for short). So, don’t be surprised when you see something like 6000K LM in the specifications.

#4: Extended Life Cycle

LED headlight bulbs are incredibly long-lasting. On average, they can go on for 25K hours, which is like forever if you only use them for three-four hours a day. But, that’s not the max limit. If you’re ready to pay a bit extra, you’ll be able to get bulbs that last twice as much. That’s right: the finest LEDs out there can serve for as long as 50K hours. And, they don’t cost big bucks!

Now, you’ll never get anything nearly as impressive with Halogen or HID lights. For them, 2-3K hours is a decent service life. And, Light-Emitting Diodes don’t require much maintenance to run for that long. To learn more about the pros and cons of LEDs and Halogens, check the FAQ section right after this guide!

How to Splice Wires for Spyder LED Headlights on Ford Explorer?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes, let me say that most modern-day bulbs take +/- 10 minutes to install and don’t involve any wiring, splicing, or anything like that. The whole routine is plug-and-play: you just remove the metal rings, take the old bulbs off, and insert the new ones in their place. The headlight assembly is already wired and shouldn’t even be touched. Still, sometimes, splicing is necessary.

Essentially, a splice is when you connect two separate electric wires to each other, and the formed joint is what they call a splice. The most important thing here is to make sure the connection is well-made. Otherwise, the wires will suffer a loss of voltage, which is not what you want with LED headlight bulbs. For this, you’ll need a wire stripper: it’s used to, well, strip some of that wire on both ends.

Next, put the wires next to each other – the exposed ends need to touch. Grab a soldering tool to form a strong connection. Be careful not to hold the tool over the wires for too long – you might melt them! Or, you can go with splice connectors instead. Finally, use a small piece of heat shrink to cover the exposed wire ends. Apply heat (the soldering tool will work here as well) to make it “stick”.

What to Look for in LED Headlights?

So, we just went over the key factors that define LED bulbs. But, there are still some things to keep in mind before spending your hard-earned bucks on new lights. I’m talking about warranties, certifications, the cooling mechanism, and more. Here, take a look at what I’m talking about:

Instants Lighting. The best aftermarket bulbs take less than a second to go from no light to full intensity. And this can be very important when you’re camping out or off-roading during the night in uncharted lands. Fast beam pattern switching should also be a part of the picture. Say, the Sealight bulbs from the list can switch it in 0.1 seconds!

The Cooling System. I know we already talked about the importance of a heat dissipation system. But what’s the best option for this? Right now, fanless designs are very popular. They’re quite efficient and almost noise-free. However, I would still recommend investing in systems that do include a fan. These can be pretty silent and (usually) do a better job of keeping the bulbs cool.

Warranties and Certifications. No matter what gear, equipment, or accessory you buy for the Explorer, it would be best if it was covered by some sort of a warranty. For bulbs, a limited lifetime warranty is the most common deal. Or, it can be a one- or two-year guarantee. Replacement guarantees or refunds/MPGs are a lot less common. But, since headlight LED bulbs don’t cost much, a lack of protection isn’t usually a big con.

With that said, pay extra attention to the specs and make sure you’re ordering the right set. And, if there’s a warranty included, that’s a pro. Another thing to check for is certifications. I’m talking about DOT, SAE, and ISO improvements. That means the light bulbs have gone through a series of tough third-party tests and have proven their worth. Plus, the certifications are a guarantee that you’re not violating any local laws.

Which Is Best for my Ford – LED or Halogen Headlights?

This is a very popular question among Explorer drivers and I get asked it every day. So, let’s set the record straight right now. Halogens have been around for many decades – it’s an older technology that used to rule the market. However, with the rise of LEDs, the situation has dramatically changed. The most significant advantage of Halogens over LEDs (and HIDs as well, by the way) is the cheap price.

You can get a whole set of Halogen headlight bulbs for 20-30 US dollars, or even less. As for the downsides, Halogens have a very modest lifespan. Furthermore, they are quite “power-hungry” and tend to overheat when not treated properly. Moving on to LEDs – Light-Emitting Diodes – they’re superior in pretty much every sense. True, they’re not as low-priced, but still affordable for the average Explorer owner.

One minor con: when some of the diodes start to malfunction, replacing/fixing them might prove to be a challenge. Now, what makes these bulbs stand out is the lifespan: 50000 hours is 25 times (!) longer than what you’ll get with Halogens. Power consumption, in turn, is much lower and you won’t need any expensive wires to protect LEDs from temperature spikes.

Resistance to elements is, again, also much better compared to Halogens. Add above-average brightness and a wide illumination range and you’ll see why these headlights are so popular among regular drivers and manufacturers. Last, but not least, LED headlights look really cool on a trendy crossover like the Explorer.

Oh, and the best thing about modern-day vehicles – even if the Explorer doesn’t feature LED lights, you can still remove the factory set and replace it with LEDs. This can be done manually, without any mechanical help or expensive accessories. That’s especially true if you’re driving a relatively new SUV with all the right hardware and wires.