Jake’s review · 2015 JKU
HWSTAR 7-inch LED headlights on my JK: way brighter, but aim them
The stock JK headlights are famously weak, and swapping them is the first thing I recommend to anyone with a 2007–2018 Wrangler. The HWSTARs on my 2015 JKU were a huge improvement. The main lights plug right in; the turn signals and running lights take some wiring.
Jake’s photos
On, off, and the full front view
Jake’s note
Why I swapped them
The factory lights just weren’t bright enough. I wanted to see better at night, and these made a big difference from the driver’s seat. The halo ring updates the front of the Jeep too.
My 2007 two-door had a different set of LED headlights. Everything here is about the HWSTARs on my 2015.
In the garage
How the install went
I’d call it intermediate—not hard, but not a beginner job. Pop the hood and pull the grille. 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 in case old ones break.
The stock lights come out with a T15 Torx screwdriver—each one is held by a silver retaining ring. Unplug the harness, and the main HWSTAR light plugs straight in. I wrapped the connection in electrical tape to keep it snug.
Check the orientation before you tighten the ring. It’s easy to put these in crooked. I learned that the hard way.
The turn signals and running lights 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, which meant they were on any time the Jeep was running, with no way to turn them off. I once parked at Chili’s facing a window and lit up some poor couple’s dinner.
I stopped using the fuse tap after that. If you want them to come on with your headlights, tap the running-light circuit instead. Then aim them—the same T15 adjusts them without pulling the grille again. This Northridge4x4 video shows how.
What I used
- T15 Torx security screwdriver
- Posi-Tap connectors for the turn signal wire
- Fuse tap kit for the running lights
- Grille retainer clips, in case old ones break
- Butt connectors (optional)
Videos that helped
- Aiming JK headlights — Northridge4x4
- Wiring DRLs and halos to the fuse box — Xprite
- Installing a fuse tap — Tommy’s Great Outdoors
Heads-up
What I didn’t test
I didn’t measure brightness—this is what I noticed driving. And check the headlight rules where you live.
Which Jeep
Fitment
Fit my 2015 JKU. Depending on your Jeep, you might need adapters or an anti-flicker harness, so check what’s in the box.
The good stuff
What I like
- Huge improvement over the stock headlights
- The main light plugs into the factory harness
- Built-in turn signals and running lights
- The halo looks good on a JK
Before you buy
What to know
- The turn signals and running lights take extra wiring
- A fuse tap leaves the running lights on whenever the Jeep runs
- Easy to install crooked—check before tightening
- You have to aim them afterward
- The high beams are pretty useless
Bottom line
Would I buy them again?
Yes. They’re still the first thing I’d tell a new JK owner to change. Just aim them so you don’t become that Jeep driver.
Questions I get
Quick questions
How are the high beams?
Honestly, pretty useless. I hardly ever need them, though—the low beams and my fog lights are plenty.
Are JK LED headlights plug-and-play?
The main headlight was on my 2015 JKU. The HWSTAR turn signals and running lights need extra wiring—I used Posi-Taps and a fuse tap.
What tool do you need to remove JK headlights?
A T15 Torx screwdriver. The grille has to come off first.
Can you turn the running lights off?
Not if you power them from a fuse tap like I did—they stay on whenever the Jeep runs. Tapping the running-light circuit instead makes them come on with your headlights.
How do you aim JK headlights?
I followed this Northridge4x4 video, measured and put tape on the wall, then aimed them with the Torx screwdriver. The same T15 works the adjusters, so there’s no need to pull the grille.