LED Headlights & snow

[RG48820]

Thursday night as I was driving home in a steady snow in the highway (65+ mph) it felt like I was driving the Starship Enterprise. As near as I can determine, the the headlight pattern (both low and high beams) are throwing light upward which makes the falling snow look like stars in warp mode. Made seeing the road and other very difficult. This is my first jeep since my CJ5 20+ years ago and of course the first Jeep with LED headlights. Not something I have seen in other vehicle -- and they have had LEDs. The headlight pattern seems like it is right with a good cut-off when it isn't snowing. Is this "normal" for modern Jeeps? Qnyone else having this? Should I take to the dealership for an adjustment?

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[Troybilt]

I plowed snow for a living for many years. I hated the LED's in my last truck. Even in a light snowfall they had the effect that you are talking about. The brights where useless altogether. The plow lights where heated but the taillights where not so all the snow that came off my plow would blow to the back of my truck covering my break and tail lights.

I have also read many post from JL owners complaining about snow buildup in the headlights.

I hope you figure something out to help. Good luck.

 

[5JeepsAz]

My routine was fog lights only during snow. Watch out for the auto setting for headlights: turn to driving lights only, then turn on the fogs. Othwise the headlamps come on. This was on liberties over the years. Those round cases!

 

[WXman]

Are you talking OE lights? Many JL and JT vehicles come from the factory with the aim set too high. Both of mine did. You should follow the procedure to properly aim them.

As far as the glare goes, yes the LED color temperature is poor for foul weather. That is their drawback. A "warmer" color temperature below 3,500K will cut through snow, rain, and fog much better. That's one reason I went with the amber colored LEDs for the fog lights. They are amazing.

I also have had to scrape frost off my headlight lenses because the LEDs don't generate enough heat. But doing that a few times a year is a good trade-off for vastly improved visibility the rest of the time.

 

[RG48820]

Are you talking OE lights? Many JL and JT vehicles come from the factory with the aim set too high. Both of mine did. You should follow the procedure to properly aim them.

As far as the glare goes, yes the LED color temperature is poor for foul weather. That is their drawback. A "warmer" color temperature below 3,500K will cut through snow, rain, and fog much better. That's one reason I went with the amber colored LEDs for the fog lights. They are amazing.

I also have had to scrape frost off my headlight lenses because the LEDs don't generate enough heat. But doing that a few times a year is a good trade-off for vastly improved visibility the rest of the time.

Yes they are the OEM Rubicon LEDs. Focus seems pretty good other than when snow is falling. Wind was blowing pretty good during the snow too which had the snow going horizontal too. I had LEDs on my WRX and on my current 2018 Stinger GT2 as well and have never had the warp speed effect.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I've had that effect on other vehicles, not just LED. Whiter lights tend to be that way more.

 

[88mmm]

I had my first experience with the LEDs in snow last night and they are horrible. The glare on the snow causing the tunnel effect is downright dangerous but. I think it's mainly caused by the snow buildup on the lens. May try to rig up a wash system or heaters.

 

[Gatorized]

I had my first experience with the LEDs in snow last night and they are horrible. The glare on the snow causing the tunnel effect is downright dangerous but. I think it's mainly caused by the snow buildup on the lens. May try to rig up a wash system or heaters.

Let us know what you come up with.

 

[jurfie]

Surprised the OEM LEDs aren't heated; that's why I went with the heated Trucklites in my JK to replace the OEM candle-lights.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had my first experience with the LEDs in snow last night and they are horrible. The glare on the snow causing the tunnel effect is downright dangerous but. I think it's mainly caused by the snow buildup on the lens. May try to rig up a wash system or heaters.

I've had ice and snow build up on several of my vehicles. The only ones that don't are the older halogen lamps - the sealed beam type. They run hot. Otherwise my Chevy, my WJ, it happens on almost everything I've driven. If I stop sometimes the heat build-up will melt it off, but if you keep driving the wind keeps the lamps cool enough it will build up.

 

[Woga]

I had a similar experience last night. A 45 min drive down I 25 in light sleet / snow at 30 deg had me driving totally in the dark by the time I got off the freeway so I got out and cleaned all the lights

Having shelled out an extra 1k for the LED headlights I am less than impressed to find out they haven’t got a heating system built in to deal with what was a pretty mild storm. The fog lights were equally ineffectual. The picture is from the ride home when it had pretty much stopped snowing - most of this is spray etc from other vehicles

Jeep I hope you’re reading - this is a safety issue! Come up with a fix and don’t send us a bill. I’ve paid already!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had a similar experience last night. A 45 min drive down I 25 in light sleet / snow at 30 deg had me driving totally in the dark by the time I got off the freeway so I got out and cleaned all the lights

Having shelled out an extra 1k for the LED headlights I am less than impressed to find out they haven’t got a heating system built in to deal with what was a pretty mild storm. The fog lights were equally ineffectual. The picture is from the ride home when it had pretty much stopped snowing - most of this is spray etc from other vehicles

Jeep I hope you’re reading - this is a safety issue! Come up with a fix and don’t send us a bill. I’ve paid already!

WOW - photographic proof of an issue! On the other hand - I have to do the same with my 04 WJ - the snow and ice build up on its headlights, too. Not as bad because of the SHAPE, but they run cold and when you are driving, the wind keeps the front end cooled off - the cold wind removes the heat from even the older headlights so LED would compound this, apparently. And the shape - because of the slight edge around them the stuff packs up like ice and snow on the border of a windshield - it just packs up there. I bet if the headlight shape was different or they weren't recessed back they'd be better. Looks like the ice kept building inward from the edges.

 

[Troybilt]

I had a similar experience last night. A 45 min drive down I 25 in light sleet / snow at 30 deg had me driving totally in the dark by the time I got off the freeway so I got out and cleaned all the lights

Having shelled out an extra 1k for the LED headlights I am less than impressed to find out they haven’t got a heating system built in to deal with what was a pretty mild storm. The fog lights were equally ineffectual. The picture is from the ride home when it had pretty much stopped snowing - most of this is spray etc from other vehicles

Jeep I hope you’re reading - this is a safety issue! Come up with a fix and don’t send us a bill. I’ve paid already!

So you bought something that coast $1,000 without reseching it and then blame the company? I don’t think real life works like that.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So you bought something that coast $1,000 without reseching it and then blame the company? I don’t think real life works like that.

Since the front end of these things was modified a tad for the extra cooling capacity that was necessary - I'm not sure he'd have found anything - and these are new enough that they had not gone through winters yet.
So unless the Wranglers have the same problem and it's a known thing - wouldn't have been a fruitful search. The design of these is just enough different, without MY doing research, I'd guess it MAY be unique to the JT.
Hard to research "gladiator headlight snow" or similar searches when they've not been driven many miles in snow as of August.
Doesn't really matter, though - if this is indeed a unique design thing then he's not out of his mind digging into it.
So far I've not seen anyone here saying "yeah, all vehicles have that problem" so - to me it's an open question - is this an issue unique to JT or do other Jeeps do this under the same condition?
I know it snows in Ohio, especially Cleveland, Toledo, etc.

 

[88mmm]

Its BS these headlights should not do this. It's the reason all European cars are required to have headlight washers if xenon or LED. Not sure why this was not given more thought but its it's definitely a safety issue.

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