That makes a lot of sense. I was thinking it might be a problem with the outermost "glass" on the headlight units but I didn't know what they're made of on a 2009. It makes more sense that there's a problem with the reflector. Nothing is ever as easy as we'd like it to be. And at least they don't have a blue cast. I really dislike those.

 

No, they are not. First, that modification (a retrofit as opposed to replacing the entire assembly) is illegal in most states. Second, it's dangerous:

Daniel Stern Lighting

 

This particular set isn't dangerous. Low beams do not hit over people's doors. Again, nobody flashed me. If they do I'm out. Light output is not excessive (or too little), color matches other cars (and our street lights) and it's possible to look directly at the lights without discomfort. That article is old sauce for "HID kits". The tests are from 2002. The real downside might come in the snow/rain if they can't cut through or if something is up with that "side beam" leak. I've yet to test on the highway so it might be wack there, we'll see.

The 2 problems they identified with LEDs from testing were false brightness (lower output but light color tricks you) and throwing a wall of light everywhere blinding people. I don't have either of those afaik.

As to the legality. After last year and everything..... And if I get pulled over I can post here and you're free to laugh at me.

BTW: Hopefully one day I can find these: https://www.carid.com/2012-ford-esca...284622371.html

 

I was able to find and fix the light leak. No more side beam.



Covered the lights to find the bright spot. Then bent the bulb shield up slightly until the hot spot was gone and it looked like the passenger side. It still shows up in the high beam, but I can count how many times I used that over the last 10 years on my hand. Must have invented something because no other examples of this on the internet I could find.




Original Bulb


Check out the melted filament in my original bulb. I hope this really works because my halogen choices are dim & yellow or burn out within the year. The projector housings are sold out and $3-400 or $200 and hack up the wiring/split the beams. Every other car has decent options for a single projector light.

 

Those Anzo's look b**chin, too bad they're "disco" --- sigh, like I said: "I wish Ford had kept making this car on this platform for a few more years..."

And I'll bet the stock units get toasty. I like the looks of the headlamp unit and it seems to be made of good plastic that doesn't "yellow" very much with age (after 10 years the headlights on our Subaru Outback were so yellow and cloudy they were almost useless) but like some other features on this car, it's not very "flexible" and is what it is. One good thing is that you're in the city and there's usually some ambient light provided by the streetlights, etc. Even at night Chicago is lit up like a nuclear waffle iron with its grid layout which is by far the best feature of the city from a "Get from Point A to Point B and know where you are and how far you're going" point of view.


Chicago at night - the city is laid out on a grid NSEW. Looking South here from approx the "Gold Coast" area. Lake Michigan is on the left.

Good luck with your headlights, I hope they work out for you. For now I might upgrade the foglamps on my car while I tinker with the other things. As long as you don't attract the attention of Chicago's Finest I think you'll be OK. I imagine they have a lot more to worry about right now, also. Keep your doors locked.