Morimoto XB LED Headlights for the 2019+ Ford Ranger | HR Tested
One of the best small-body trucks on the road, the Ford Ranger, hit the United States market again in 2019 after an 8-year hiatus. While it is not as compact as its predecessor, the Ranger still holds its own in the category. While the truck may have improved, the Ranger falls short in its lighting department. With the Morimoto XB LED headlights, you do not need to worry about that anymore.
These lights are specifically designed for the 2019 and newer Ford Ranger, or the 2015 to present Ranger if you are from across the pond. Existing replacement options really only come down to a set of $800 factory replacement ones or budget brands that do not compare to the OEM parts. With Morimoto, you will be getting a quality headlight that is built to last.
About the XB LEDs
One of our favorite components of the Morimoto XB LED headlight line of products is that they are all super easy to install. We are talking total plug-and-play capabilities here. These headlights come with the stock mounting points, factory connectors, and when applicable, all the necessary wiring needed to get the job done.
We would also like to note that these headlights are compliant with all DOT, SAE, and FMVSS108 standards. So you can rest easy knowing that you will not get a ticket for having inadequate and underperforming headlights that do not meet government standards for on-road use.
The exterior of the headlight is built to last with the UV-polycarbonate lens and OEM-material backing. With the fancy lens on the housing, you will see increased longevity of your headlights due to the coating. On the back, Morimoto uses the same material that the OEM manufacturers use on their headlights; something many aftermarket sellers do not include to save money.
On the functionality of these lights, there are a few cool features that come with it. The first thing you will notice is the C-shaped daytime running light (DRL) that swoops around the perimeter of the housing. This will remain at full brightness when your lights are off and then dim to 50 percent when you turn your headlights on.
You also get the sequential turn signal that travels across the DRL. If that is not your style, you can easily configure it to the standard blinking indicator.
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Sequential
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Standard |
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Each of the projectors you see has its own LED chip built into them. All three of them fire up as a low beam, something that is not the standard for these kinds of lights. Once the high beams are turned on, the internal shutter drops to allow more light to pass through the projector. If you would like to learn more about how Bi-LED projectors function, here is a great video demonstrating how they work.
Lastly, there is the incredible start-up sequence that truly speaks for itself:
Performance
A major aspect of getting new headlights is knowing if you are truly getting improved performance. With the XB LEDs, that is definitely true. And that even applies to the OEM LED headlights.
With the OEM LED headlights, you are getting 560 max. Lux on low beam and 930 max. Lux on high. The beam pattern itself is pretty clean, but the downside is that the light is just not very bright. On the XB LED, you are getting 760 max. Lux (a 35 percent increase) for the low beam and 1050 max. Lux for the high beam (a 12 percent increase).
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If you are using the OEM halogen headlights, you will see a 100 percent increase for the low beams and a 75 percent increase on high. This is also beside the improved beam pattern and color temperature of the light.
| Low Beam | High Beam |
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Install
Due to the stock mounting points, mounting these headlights will be the same as installing the OEM parts. The whole process is made tricky by the hoops you need to get to in order to remove the headlights from the truck in the first place. Thankfully, we have that all laid out for you below.
Tools Needed for the Job
10mm, 8mm, 7mm Socket
Torx Screwdriver
T10, T20, T30 Torx bits
12in Impact/Ratching Wrench Extension
Philips Screwdriver
Impact/Ratching Wrench
Pry Tool
First, open your hood and undo the five plastic pins across the top of the radiator cover at the front of the engine bay.
Next is to remove two T30 Torx bits located behind the passenger side headlight.
Before removing the cover, you need to unclip it from the grill using a pry tool. There are three separate points: One near each headlight and another near the center.
You can now remove the radiator cover.
Next, you will remove two 10mm bolts that are located on either end of the top of the grill.
To get access to the bottom clips of the front grill, you will need to remove a plastic plate with a T30 Torx drill. There are four screws holding this plate in.
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These are difficult to see on camera, but you will be able to access them with an extension. They are located at either side of the grill, with two being on the exterior of the dividers and two more on the interior side of the dividers.
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This will allow you to begin to partially remove the grill. Just pull the grill toward you slightly, then you can pull out the plastic plate that is located behind the grill.
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Next, there is a plastic clip toward the base of the grill (one on either side), just below the headlight housing. You will need a screwdriver or pry tool to reach it. Pry it toward the sides of the vehicle to release it from the clip.
Next, move to the fender well and remove part of the liner. You will need to gain access to the side indicator. There is a clip at the bottom of the indicator that you will need to push up on, then out to remove it.
Undo the indicator connector. Then remove the one T20 Torx bit.
You need to undo a clip located just above the side indicator. Peel back more of the fender liner and feel around for two points: a square one and another just higher than it. You want to remove the second one.
To do so, take an 8mm socket and reach up under the fender. Slip the 8mm socket over the tab to release it from the fender.
This will allow you to pull back the flare and reveal a 7mm bolt. We recommend using a wrench to remove this one.
With that done, you can now unclip the bumper. Repeat for both sides.
Next, take a T30 Torx bit to the bolts located beneath the headlight housing on either side of the car. These will need to be accessed from beneath the car.
On the front of the car, there are three more dotted across the front of the car, above the bumper (left, center, and right).
The center T30 Torx bit is behind the piece of plastic in the center of the bumper. To reach it, it is best to use a ratchet.
Then, using an impact/ratching wrench, unscrew a 13mm bolt located behind the headlight housing.
You can then remove the plastic clips on both sides of the bumper. Repeat for both sides of the car.
Once this has been done for both sides of the car, remove the front bumper and set it down safely.
To begin removing the headlight, separate the connectors from the body of the car and unscrew the 10mm bolt beneath the headlight.
On top of the headlight, there is a Phillips head clip and two 10mm bolts, as well as a T30 Torx bit behind the headlight. All of this needs to be unscrewed.
You can then pull the headlight out by pulling it up and then gently to the left. From there, unplug all connectors.
Refer to the steps in the next set of instructions on how to properly plug in your headlights in accordance with your preferred turn signal style and Ranger specifications.
SETTING UP DRL AND BLINKERS
The first step in installing the Morimoto XB LED headlights is running the DRL harness. One side goes to the fuse box, and the other sides connect to the brown connector on the headlight itself.
Remember, if you have the stock headlights that DO NOT have the DRL feature, then you connect it like below.
To do so, remove the fuse box cover and remove the fuse shown below (number 19). After that, plug the DRL harness tap into that same fuse.
Run the DRL harness across the radiator support with the smaller wire going to the closest light and the longer one going to the furthest light.
If you would like to use the standard turn signal, unplug this connector below. If you want the sequential turn signal, leave it plugged in.
If you have the stock LED lights from Ford, you do not use the DRL harness at all. The DRLs will operate through the factory wiring and connections.
Before reassembling, be sure to check all your headlight’s functions to ensure they work.
These Bi-LED headlights are a major upgrade to your Ranger when considering safety, style, lighting, and performance. But, if you are not ready to make the jump to LED lights, check out our website HeadlightRevolution.com, put in the Year/Make/Model of your car, and see what options are available to you.
If you are more of a visual learner, be sure to check out our video on these new headlights. While you are there, make sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest lighting upgrades for your vehicle.
Have any questions about one of the products we mentioned? Contact us today, and our customer service team would be happy to help.
