If they are already HIDs, then you should be able to just replace with OE and then drive.

 

Looking at the photos I attached, then the HID lights are already installed, and I do not really need to change anything?
Did I understand you correctly?

 

Good question, and a point that I had completely overlooked.

Halogen and HID headlights use different harnesses and wiring.

Halogen is pretty simple: A relay sends power to the low beams. Another relay turns on to power the high beams.

HID is a little more involved: The low beam relay turns on, a new relay sends power to a ballast and/or igniter, then special high-voltage wires go to the bulb. The high beam relay output adds an adapter that sends 12V to the solenoid that lifts and lowers the shield for high and low beams while also keeping the stock high beams working.

The BCM also treats the HIDs differently, not only by how the high beams are turned on, but in how the DRLs are illuminated. HIDs usually (always??) have separate DRLs, whereas halogens usually serve as DRLs at reduced power. Some halogen DRLs use the high beams and others use the lows.

For your purposes, if you are already going to be doing a measure of work and repairs to get the car back on the road, the wiring modifications should not be that much of an issue.

When I modified my right housing to accept the HID module (reflector, bulb, etc.), it also required some wiring modifications. The most important one was to modify the wiring at the BCM that interrupts the feature for automatic headlights that turns them on and off based solely on the amount of light falling on the sensor. By snipping and rerouting only a few wires I was able to allow the BCM to continue to warn me if the lights were on when exiting the vehicle, yet not turn them on or off based on the sensor. To turn on my headlights I now simply turn them on manually with the headlight switch.

Under the hood, I used the 12V going to the low beams from the stock relay to power an added relay (part of the kit) for the ballast/igniter and the high beams to operate the shield. I used a harness supplied with the conversion kit. What I have now (on the right side only so far!) is 1 low beam on lows, and 2 high beams on high. In factory mode, the halogen low beam remains on during high or low beams, then adds the high beam when on high. On HID, the bulb also remains illuminated during high and low beams, but the difference is when the other bulb is added for high beams, the shield moves out of the way to allow more light from the HID, making it a true 2-bulb high beam rather than just a 1-bulb add-on. When I'm done with both sides, I'll have actual high beams instead of 2 lows and 2 added highs just by virtue of the fact that the cutoff shield stops blocking the high beam light from the HID.

If all of this is kinda making your head swim, maybe this will help:

Stock low beam relay -> HID relay -> Ballast/Igniter -> HID bulb
Stock high beam relay -> Special adapter, branch 1 -> Bi-Xenon cutoff solenoid
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . branch 2 -> Stock high beam bulb

In my cars for over a decade I have modified them to use the stock turn signals as DRLs. It is a simple module that I designed and built into a small project box. In the Malibu I've been able to do all of the wiring under the dash at the BCM instead of having to modify wiring under the hood, which is much more exposed to heat and water.

 

thanks for the detailed explanation.
But I still do not understand why sellers write the following.

Fits Following Model(s):
with Factory Halogen Headlights
Will not fit Models with Factory HID/Xenon Headlights.

Why is that? Different mounts or different connections?

 

What matters with HID is the "color temperature", measured in degrees Kelvin. If you go much beyond 5500K you run the risk of lights that are not only too blue in color but also less effective for your vision.

Halogen bulbs, no matter how good, are usually rated at around 4000K or below, looking very yellow or orange when compared to a true white light (5500K to 6000K).

HID bulbs in the range of 4500K to 5500K are whiter while still retaining a little bit of the yellowish-ness (not a real word, but ... ) to keep the light warm, making it better for your vision.

Most, if not all, HID bulbs will come with projector lenses to help shape the light. Most halogens don't have projector lenses and rely solely on the reflector and any fluting in the front lens cover.

I replaced the halogen bulbs in my Gen7 with LEDs and they were definitely brighter, but they also spray light everywhere and cause way too much glare for me, and probably for oncoming drivers. I am in the process of converting them to HID, having chosen 4500K bulbs instead of the 5500K available. They're warmer and are shaped better but not quite as bright. Once I get both sides converted I expect they'll be just fine to drive with.

I believe that all HID bulbs use Xenon gas so the term is interchangeable. If you opt for HID bulbs, consider "bi-xenon", which just a fancy name for a housing with a moveable shield that allows all of the light to escape when you select high beams. The bulb never moves, just the shield does.

 

Hi all! I just bought Malibu LTZ 2.0 2013 and wait for it to be delivered to Ukraine. While I'm waiting for her I want to order new headlights and everyone asks me Factory Halogen or HID / XENON? Can you please help me with the difference and why is it so important? I would really appreciate your help
P.S. genuine headlamps too expensive and I would like to find an alternative replacement

 

Do not, i repeat, PLEASE DO NOT install LED bulbs. There is no such LED bulb that is designed to work in a projector style housing. Period. You may get the "white" color you're looking for, but your headlights will NOT be brighter than the halogen bulbs. This can be proven via a lumens meter.

HID bulbs or "kit" should also not be installed without a projector retrofit, as the projectors in the Gen9 are designed for halogen bulbs and not HID.
My suggestion would be to purchase 9011 bulbs, and modify them to fit for better light output. this is a common w w w dot hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/halogens/1409801-ryan-s-guide-to-halogen-bulbs

If you absolutely must go to something other than halogen without a proper HID projector retrofit, then HID is your only option. You will still have slight light bleed above the cut off line, however it won't be as bad as a poor performing and dangerous LED bulb.

 

Once the HID reaches full power.....in like 7 seconds......the high beam is instantaneous. The 7 second warm up make no difference to me. The improvement of the HID over stock is orders of magnitude. The stock headlamps are criminal.

 

I agree. Stock headlight is so bad.


Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

HIDs work fine in the stock projector beam housings.
I tried higher wattage incandescents and LEDs before going to HIDs, so my advice is to go straight to HIDs and don't waste your time with half measures.
It's a bit of a project if you do it right, but well worth it.
You do need to add a relay harness to take the initial startup load of the HIDs off the headlight module, and you need to add load resisters so you don't get a "bulb out" warning.
I opted to go for a Phillips kit sold to the EU market. They don't sell them to the US because of an agreement with DOT to only sell DOT approved products in the US. I didn't want to make a modification to the car with a cheap Chinese kit, but some have reported good results with those too.
I think I put a link in the other thread.
I'm really glad I used a quality kit. Headlights aren't something I want to be screwing around with any more than I have to

 

What he said, except I used the Morimoto from Retrofit Source.

 

It is a GEN 9!

 

Then like I said above. You have 9005 HB3

 

I'm telling you, if you don't have projector lenses in front of the bulb, all they're gonna do is spray light all over the place! Mine do and I regret it, but thankfully mine use one bulb for low and another for high.

Sure, they're plug-n-play, but I don't buy into the drawing they use to indicate how much light you get and where it goes. I mean, come on, look at the light pattern. It's curved along the left side. With that much light energy it would spread out even further.

But if you buy 'em and install 'em and don't like 'em, at least come back here and tell us we were right. It might save the next guy or gal from getting snookered.

 

You are right. I assumed he has projector because he posted on GEN 9 section. I thought all GEN 9 Malibues have projectors.

 

Good to know!! Thank you so much!!

 

Check my post here about HID and LED headlights. By the way I have to ask you this. What did Chevy dealer or your local dealership say about HIDs?

http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/for...generation-9/100354-hid-led-headlight-comparison-2017-chevy-malibu-premier.html

 

In short, if you go from halogen to LED or HID you should have a projector lens in front of the light source. If the housings don't already have them then you're better of going for HIDs.

I have a Gen7 without projector lenses. I swapped in 4 LEDs and the light was much brighter, but it was also blinding other drivers and the bounce-back from the road immediately in front of me was so great that I had to rotate the low beam bulbs 90* in order to change the pattern enough to make them usable. I'm in the process of installing HIDs for the low beams but I'm gonna keep the LEDs for high beams since I rarely use them. Lesson learned.

 

HID requires a kit. Ballasts and wires. Go to the modification forum. Plenty of threads on this. LED is plug n play though.