Part 2:
Installing the low & high bulbs are simple. (Edited to match the manual.)
Disconnect the wire by pressing the lock lever on the plug, then pulling the wire downward, as the bulb's connector is a down-facing L shape.
To remove the bulb, turn the bulb 'counter-clockwise', when looking from the front and down into the engine room.
Insert the new LED bulb matching the angle when the old bulbs came out, then turn 'clockwise' until in locks and does not turn further.
Reconnect the wire firmly until it clicks. Done. Next.
After installing left headlight bulbs. (Sorry, a little too dark to actually see the new LED bulbs...)
To install the right headlight bulbs, you will need to remove the black plastic air intake(?) manifold above the right headlight unit. Release two (2) clips by using a coin to slightly turn the center pin a bit, which will help lift it, then use a flathead driver to lift further and then remove the entire clip out. Once the clips are removed, wiggle the black plastic air intake manifold upwards until it comes off. Not much force needed here.
Original halogen bulbs in right headlight unit, from behind.
Since someone brought this up on a different post, has anyone been denied a warranty claim due to changing lighting to led bulbs? If so please let me know. Also I’d like to know if anyone can point me to a location where I can get the schematics of the lighting system on the Crosstrek. Thanks for any assistance.
Dr.MORO,
Thank you very, very much for posting this detailed installation procedure for your IPF X2 conversion kit. Based on this information I have decided to go with the IPF X2 series on my 2018 Crosstrek. I was considering some of the cheaper alternative LED bulbs but now I feel IPF has the best solution. Do you have LED bulbs in your fog lamps? If you do... What LEDs do you use?
Dr.MORO,
Thank you very, very much for posting this detailed installation procedure for your IPF X2 conversion kit. Based on this information I have decided to go with the IPF X2 series on my 2018 Crosstrek. I was considering some of the cheaper alternative LED bulbs but now I feel IPF has the best solution. Do you have LED bulbs in your fog lamps? If you do... What LEDs do you use?
For the fog lamps, I did purchase the IPF 101FLBBULB TYPE H8/11/16 12v 12w 6500k together with the high- & low-beam IPF X2 conversion kits, to match the colors and all.
I have not found time to install them yet, however, as they seem to take a bit more effort than the headlights.
Hope to find the time during the winter, as now with the bright LED headlights installed, I can hardly notice the dim stock halogen fog lights turned on while driving at night.
I will definitely do my best to document my installation experience, and hopefully upload it here.
Excellent! Just ordered the IPF fog conversion kit too. The low beam lamps will not be delivered until January but the high beam and fogs will arrive soon. Various videos and instruction documents I have found make the installations pretty straight forward. I now see what you mean about installing the fogs.
Have you noticed any flickering of these LED lamps at startup or during use? Any issues with the high beam lamps acting as daytime running lights?
In the FWIW category, I just installed the DD low beam LED bulbs. Got them at the "discounted" price a couple of weeks ago.
Side note; there is no such thing as a sales price or savings on anything, just a price & value to you; if you spend money you didnt save anything.
Now back to the review, installation simple. Took them across snowy mountain pass at night & pitch dark roads, sweet! Super white clarity.
Excellent! Just ordered the IPF fog conversion kit too. The low beam lamps will not be delivered until January but the high beam and fogs will arrive soon. Various videos and instruction documents I have found make the installations pretty straight forward. I now see what you mean about installing the fogs.
Awesome!
I read the manual, and says to turn the steering wheel one way to open up the wheel well to easily access the panel in front of the front tires, which you will need to remove(peel?) to access the fog lamps.
Got to do it myself to understand the process.
Have you noticed any flickering of these LED lamps at startup or during use? Any issues with the high beam lamps acting as daytime running lights?
To be truly honest, yes, I have experienced some very very very occasional flicking right after a cold start of the engine, which I have not figured out if this is the high or low beam bulbs, nor at what light switch this will occur. To note here, this is NOT an "always" matter, and just a very rare occurrence issue, and it will eventually fix itself over time after engine start, I think. When this occurs, which is obviously puzzling and annoying, I just turn the light switch on and off until the flickering stops, which so far always does stop. Although I drive in the MA, U.S.A., I always drive with my low beam lights on. If no cahs in front of me nor coming at me at night, I often drive with high beams on. So far, the flickering never happens while driving around, and never after once all is warmed up.
In any case, I am VERY happy for my LED upgrade, as driving at night, I definitely can see much more clearly, much further ahead, and much more wider, while still have not got an angry "flash" message from oncoming drivers. Perfect cutoff as well, I guess.
LED headlight upgrade, highly recommended for all non-Limited Crosstrek owners!
In any case, I am VERY happy for my LED upgrade, as driving at night, I definitely can see much more clearly, much further ahead, and much more wider, while still have not got an angry "flash" message from oncoming drivers. Perfect cutoff as well, I guess.
LED headlight upgrade, highly recommended for all non-Limited Crosstrek owners!
It was an abnormally warm day yesterday so I took the opportunity to install the IPF low beam and high beam LED bulbs. Wow, what a difference they make! Very simple to install and absolutely worth the cost.
It was an abnormally warm day yesterday so I took the opportunity to install the IPF low beam and high beam LED bulbs. Wow, what a difference they make! Very simple to install and absolutely worth the cost.
I still have not done the LED fog lamp bulb replacements yet...
Hope to do it soon, as starting to notice that the steering-activated fog light's turning on when turning, but barely noticeable and not matching my LED low beam hue... Must-do.
As in my post above Model Year 2018 and Newer - Headlight upgrades
in short, yes, I have experienced some very very very occasional flicking right after a cold start of the engine, yet the flickering never happens while driving around, and never after once all is warmed up.
BTW, I always drive with my lights on. Well, I do not drive around with my high beam always on, obviously. But, still no flickering of either low nor high beam when driving around. I live in the city, so I rarely have my high beam on for a long period, so cannot definitively say high beam do not flicker when on for a prolonged duration.
VERY happy with my IPF LED upgrades!
Highly recommend for all Premium & Base trim models FY2018 and up until now, and even for FY2017 and up Impreza owners.
Morimoto Universal HID projectors kit on my 2019. I split apart the lights right after I left the dealership. Almost a year later and they're still flawless. I will probably use the Morimoto Mini D2S kit on the next set of lights.
For the fog lamps, I did purchase the IPF 101FLBBULB TYPE H8/11/16 12v 12w 6500k together with the high- & low-beam IPF X2 conversion kits, to match the colors and all.
I have not found time to install them yet, however, as they seem to take a bit more effort than the headlights.
Hope to find the time during the winter, as now with the bright LED headlights installed, I can hardly notice the dim stock halogen fog lights turned on while driving at night.
I will definitely do my best to document my installation experience, and hopefully upload it here.
DRL Disable, which I did when I installed LED Headlights in the high beams
If you right click the video and select "copy URL" and paste it in to a new tab in your browser, you can watch it in a larger window than what's shown below.
Disclaimer - LED high beams as DRLs blinded everyone in...
So what's the best bang-for-the-buck horn that I can get for MY2018 XV? I hate its stock horn and I'm using it for about 2 years now and I feel that it's really time for an upgrade. Is it easy to install a horn by yourself?
Does anyone know the bulb specifications for this model? My lights are all burning out and I want to do a LED swap with Diode Dynamics bulbs. Just looking to get some clarity before my big purchase.
I was wondering if I bought a multi function display and replaced my basic one is it a plug and play or it's not possible with out modding harness and computer?
There have been a few threads here about how newer cars don't fully charge the battery while driving. During normal driving ours switches back and forth between charging and letting the battery power everything. Most of the time, after the journey (long or short) and the car is parked, the...
At Subaru XV Forum you'll find fellow Subaru XV Enthusiasts to help perfect that Subaru Crosstrek Build, or share all kinds of information about this Subaru from its specs to its design.
