Jeep Patriot is one of the discontinued lines of jeeps. The jeeps come with a different headlight shape than your Wranglers. And so you cannot just switch the headlights.
So what kind of bulb is best for the headlight in a Patriot? How long after should you get an upgrade? Which type of bulb will be the best as a headlight?
When selecting bulbs, the amount of glaring, frequency of flickering, requirements of accessory parts, etc including the budget should be considered. In this article, I will discuss these in detail. So that a quick read can fix all your problems regarding replacing the headlight of your Patriot.
Can You Upgrade Headlight on Jeep Patriot?
Yes! You can upgrade the headlight on Jeep Patriot. It is easily doable by oneself. Whether you need the upgrade or not, it is always doable comfortably even for a first-timer.
But take care to select the best light bulb for your Patriot. The Patriots usually come with the Stock Halogen headlights. As a replacement, LED bulbs are good. But there are variations of the LED bulbs in quality.
However, most LED bulbs produce extreme glares for other drivers. You can run auxiliary driving lamps in addition to high beams
Another thing to keep in mind is the accessory parts you will need in case of an upgrade. LED bulbs perform amazingly with the help of an adapter. No flickering issues or anything.
When Should You Upgrade the Headlights on Jeep Patriot?
Patriot’s default bulbs are halogen lights. You can replace this as soon as you get the Jeep. Or you can wait for the right time. But when is the right time? Read on below so you can decide that for yourself:
1. The Lifetime of the Bulbs Are Complete
Halogen bulbs usually last from 400 to 1000 hours. Depending on the usage, they will go bad around this time.
If you already switched the headlights once to LED bulbs, the running hour will get longer. LED bulbs are more energy efficient. They are supposed to last 30,000 hours on average.
After this time, the bulbs will flicker or dim down. They might also stop working often.
2. Breaking of Headlights
This is too obvious. But in case of accidents, people often replace the cover of the headlight only. When in doubt, the bulb should be replaced too.
The bulb is likely to go bad anyway after a few days. It is better to avoid that on-road.
3. Flickering/Dimmed Down Headlights
Flickering or dimming down doesn’t happen only because a bulb expires. It is likely to happen if dirt or dust collects. This is also a likely scene if mud seeps in somehow. Add insects getting stuck to the list.
These may cause irreversible damage to the bulbs. In which case change of bulbs is needed.
Moreover, you may get bad headlights in the first place. This is just a randomly unfortunate event. Changing the headlights will be the only solution.
4. Bad Sensor
Sometimes sensors go bad and the headlights stop working. However, even when the sensors get fixed, the headlights don’t come back on.
This may happen due to a variety of reasons. The intricate part of the bulb may get damaged. The electrical wiring may get faulty too. In this case, the connections will need to be replaced.
Moreover, avoid getting pulled over by cops by recognizing the early symptoms. Replace the bulbs as soon as you can.
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade the Headlights on Jeep Patriot?
Bulbs on Amzon.com cost anywhere between $50 to $70 or even go as high as $90.
If you get this done by professionals, the cost may go up to $120. But if you push it, it can be done within $100.
Reading this article will enable you to replace the headlights yourself. That way, you can save the labor costs.
My Top Recommendation on Jeep Patriot Headlights Upgrade:
The listing below includes the best headlight suggestion for your Patriot. You can find them on Amazon. I have included a budget-friendly option in my top recommendation as well. Here it goes:
1. Philips Automotive Lighting 9008
This one is a more budget-friendly, good quality headlights pair. They get a lot of use, but still run strong. People working night shifts have enjoyed this to the brim. They run strong even after running 20k miles. These lights have a vehicle-specific fit and give that HID look. They are quite reliable.
This is the cheapest bulb on this list. But they are in no way low in quality.
2. H13 9008 LED Headlight Bulbs
These are LED headlights from the brand car Rover. These 60W bulb pairs are extremely bright. They are 300% brighter than halogen headlights. Gives out a nice beam pattern and no dark spots.
These bulbs come with sturdy heat dissipation and an adjustable mounting design.
One catch however is to use these with adapters to avoid any flickering. In this case, this adapter or this one can be perfect.
3. SYLVANIA – H11 XtraVision
This is a halogen headlight bulb. They have reduced glare, increasing the visibility down-road. The bulbs last quite a while and provide guaranteed durability.
However, they usually go dim over time in pairs. That is if one bulb’s gone out, the other one follows soon.
The fit of the headlights is of course vehicle specific.
Check these out on amazon and compare them with your requirements. You can also get a look on eBay. But it’s much better and economical to buy new headlights than second hand ones.
How to Upgrade the Headlights on Jeep Patriot?
It is important that you safely complete the up-gradation. In the following steps, I will explain how to easily remove the old headlights and replace them with new ones:
- The first step is to access the headlights. For this, find the pop hood release button. It is located on the car door beside the speaker on the driver’s side. Press it and pop the hood.
- As the hood is slightly raised, reach down and push on the safety catch with your fingers. This will allow you to pull the hood entirely. Raise the hood and balance it on a hood prop so that it doesn’t fall on your head while working.
- Disengage the bulb by removing the harness. Then rotate the bulb counter-clockwise. This means, towards your left-hand side. Remove the old seal of the bulb. It can be simply peeled off of the car.
- There is a latch in red color behind the housing of the bulb. Pull on this and remove the bulb by pushing on the sides (green in color). This exposes the plug attaching the bulb.
- Take the new bulb, fit the bulb in the housing so that the red latch behind the bulb is positioned in place. The plug we removed in the last step now goes in this socket.
- Now put the housing back in place. Turn it a little counter-clockwise. This will line up the three notches in optimum alignment. The notches will now go into the slots properly. Now push the housing all the way and rotate it clockwise to secure in position.
- Pull the hood back on. And get ready for a drive.
Pro Tip: Use gloves while doing work. This prevents your hands from getting dirty.
Do not change the bulbs yourself if your vehicle uses a Xenon bulb (High-Intensity Discharge light).
Check out this video of replacing the headlights on a Jeep Patriot.
Watch the video till the end. By the end of it, you will feel more confident in replacing the bulb yourself. The housing in your vehicle may be a bit different than the one shown in the video.
But remember, do not change the bulbs if they are Xenon lights. Take the help of a mechanic. That should increase the charge a bit. But it isn’t safe to change these lights by yourself. This is due to the high potential charge difference in this case.
Conclusion
Headlights are one of the most important parts of any vehicle. But they are also pretty easy to maintain.
The old banter between LED vs. other lights should end here. LED works fine with adapters. Runs longer.
More energy efficient. Other lights aren’t as energy-efficient and long-lasting. But they offer premium performance. With this article, I hope selecting and replacing your Patriot headlights is now a piece of cake!
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