Community Buzz · Questions JK owners keep asking
JK headlight questions, answered by an owner who did the swap
Headlights may be the most-asked JK question there is. People want to know why the stock lights are so bad, what to upgrade to, and why their new halos are doing something weird. I swapped in HWSTAR LEDs on my 2015 JKU. Here’s what I can answer from that.
The questions come up again and again in online Jeep communities. I’ve paraphrased them, and I only answer from my own Jeeps. If I haven’t tried something, I say so.
Why are stock JK headlights so dim?
They’re famously weak. That’s not just you. Swapping them is the first thing I recommend to anyone with a 2007–2018 Wrangler.
The HWSTARs were a huge improvement from the driver’s seat. I didn’t measure brightness; that’s just what I noticed driving at night.
Is it plug and play?
The main light is. Unplug the factory harness and the HWSTAR plugs straight in. I wrapped the connection in electrical tape to keep it snug.
The turn signals and running lights take extra wiring, so plan on an intermediate job, not a beginner one.
How do I get the old headlights out?
Pop the hood and pull the grille first. The clips pry up with a flathead or a trim tool. Go slow so you don’t scratch the grille, and have spare retainer clips on hand.
Each stock light is held by a silver retaining ring with T15 Torx screws. Check the orientation before you tighten the ring, because it’s easy to put these in crooked. I learned that the hard way.
How do the halo turn signals and running lights wire in?
They need their own wires. I used Posi-Taps on the turn-signal wire so I didn’t have to cut the factory harness. For the running lights I used a fuse tap.
Why won’t my running lights turn off?
If you power them from a fuse tap like I did, they’re on whenever the Jeep is running. There’s no switch. I once parked at Chili’s facing a window and lit up some poor couple’s dinner.
Tapping the running-light circuit instead makes them come on with your headlights.
Do I need an anti-flicker harness?
It depends on your Jeep. Mine fit my 2015 JKU. Depending on your year, you might need adapters or an anti-flicker harness, so check what’s in the box before you start.
Do I really need to aim them?
Yes. Aiming isn’t optional. The job isn’t done until the beam is aimed so it helps you without blinding everyone coming the other way.
I followed a Northridge4x4 video, measured and put tape on the wall, then aimed them with the Torx screwdriver. The same T15 works the adjusters, so you don’t have to pull the grille again.
Check the headlight rules where you live, too.
The parts behind these answers
HWSTAR 7-inch JK LED headlights
A huge improvement over the famously weak stock lamps. Installation was easy; aiming them correctly is not optional.