Need help with Spec D headlights on a 2003 350Z
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Joined: Feb 2023
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From: Leland North Carolina
Need help with Spec D headlights on a 2003 350Z
I bought some Spec D Tuning projector headlamps for my son for Christmas, he picked them. The high and low beam doesn't work at all. The Halo and running lights work. Turn signal works but blinks fast when lights are turned all the way on. Normal when just the halo is turned on. It has an 8 pin connector. They said we needed a 8 to 6 pin connector so we bought one off Amazon.
What am I missing here? Different adapter? Send them back?
What am I missing here? Different adapter? Send them back?
It sounds like the adapter, but just to confirm a few things first...
Post up a link to the spec D headlights. There are a few out there.
Does your son's '03 have factory HID?
What bulbs and/or ballasts are you using?
When do the halos illuminate? Do they act as DRLs whenever the key is in the acc/on position, or when you turn on the low/hi?
Post up a link to the spec D headlights. There are a few out there.
Does your son's '03 have factory HID?
What bulbs and/or ballasts are you using?
When do the halos illuminate? Do they act as DRLs whenever the key is in the acc/on position, or when you turn on the low/hi?
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 64
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From: Leland North Carolina
First 2 pics factory, last 2 Spec lights. They are different.Sorry for my ignorance I'm an old Corvette /Viper guy. I don't know squat about Nissan. We should have done more research . Ordered them from a place called Redline. Nort sue what we need. His factory lights are a little weathered so he wanted new ones. Teenager still learning his car. Thanks for any advice
You're all good. No worries.
Your son has factory HID with the reflector-style projector which came on 03-05 models. An HID bulb is used for the low beam while the high beam is halogen. It's a similar setup with the aftermarket housings you got - just the projector is placed on the outer side of the housing and the high beam is towards the middle. However, I think the headlights you got use halogen in both low and high.
Spec-D's website states they're NOT compatible with factory stock HID headlights (which is what you have). https://specdtuning.com/2003-2005-ni...ng-smoke-lens/
Probably not PnP, but you could make them work with some different wiring. You will need to swap over the factory ballast and HID bulb from the OEM housing into the new headlights. The ballast significantly steps up the voltage to illuminate the HID bulb. Do this by removing the 3 silver phillips screws on the bottom of the OEM housing and then reinstall into the circular cutout area of the spec-d lights. Make sure all the wiring is connected properly from the spec-D harness to the ballast which then feeds power to the HID bulbs. However, in order to make sure you have all the wiring correct, you're going to have to test every individual pin-out.
IMO, it's not worth it to do all that unless you got them extremely cheap. I would just return them and get something that's an easy swap. Or, save your money and get one of those $30 headlight refinishing kits.
If you're looking for an upgrade, try to get some 06+ OEM lights or the DEPO equivalent which utilize one HID projector for low and high.
Your son has factory HID with the reflector-style projector which came on 03-05 models. An HID bulb is used for the low beam while the high beam is halogen. It's a similar setup with the aftermarket housings you got - just the projector is placed on the outer side of the housing and the high beam is towards the middle. However, I think the headlights you got use halogen in both low and high.
Spec-D's website states they're NOT compatible with factory stock HID headlights (which is what you have). https://specdtuning.com/2003-2005-ni...ng-smoke-lens/
Probably not PnP, but you could make them work with some different wiring. You will need to swap over the factory ballast and HID bulb from the OEM housing into the new headlights. The ballast significantly steps up the voltage to illuminate the HID bulb. Do this by removing the 3 silver phillips screws on the bottom of the OEM housing and then reinstall into the circular cutout area of the spec-d lights. Make sure all the wiring is connected properly from the spec-D harness to the ballast which then feeds power to the HID bulbs. However, in order to make sure you have all the wiring correct, you're going to have to test every individual pin-out.
IMO, it's not worth it to do all that unless you got them extremely cheap. I would just return them and get something that's an easy swap. Or, save your money and get one of those $30 headlight refinishing kits.
If you're looking for an upgrade, try to get some 06+ OEM lights or the DEPO equivalent which utilize one HID projector for low and high.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
From: Leland North Carolina
You're all good. No worries.
Your son has factory HID with the reflector-style projector which came on 03-05 models. An HID bulb is used for the low beam while the high beam is halogen. It's a similar setup with the aftermarket housings you got - just the projector is placed on the outer side of the housing and the high beam is towards the middle. However, I think the headlights you got use halogen in both low and high.
Spec-D's website states they're NOT compatible with factory stock HID headlights (which is what you have). https://specdtuning.com/2003-2005-ni...ng-smoke-lens/
Probably not PnP, but you could make them work with some different wiring. You will need to swap over the factory ballast and HID bulb from the OEM housing into the new headlights. The ballast significantly steps up the voltage to illuminate the HID bulb. Do this by removing the 3 silver phillips screws on the bottom of the OEM housing and then reinstall into the circular cutout area of the spec-d lights. Make sure all the wiring is connected properly from the spec-D harness to the ballast which then feeds power to the HID bulbs. However, in order to make sure you have all the wiring correct, you're going to have to test every individual pin-out.
IMO, it's not worth it to do all that unless you got them extremely cheap. I would just return them and get something that's an easy swap. Or, save your money and get one of those $30 headlight refinishing kits.
If you're looking for an upgrade, try to get some 06+ OEM lights or the DEPO equivalent which utilize one HID projector for low and high.
Your son has factory HID with the reflector-style projector which came on 03-05 models. An HID bulb is used for the low beam while the high beam is halogen. It's a similar setup with the aftermarket housings you got - just the projector is placed on the outer side of the housing and the high beam is towards the middle. However, I think the headlights you got use halogen in both low and high.
Spec-D's website states they're NOT compatible with factory stock HID headlights (which is what you have). https://specdtuning.com/2003-2005-ni...ng-smoke-lens/
Probably not PnP, but you could make them work with some different wiring. You will need to swap over the factory ballast and HID bulb from the OEM housing into the new headlights. The ballast significantly steps up the voltage to illuminate the HID bulb. Do this by removing the 3 silver phillips screws on the bottom of the OEM housing and then reinstall into the circular cutout area of the spec-d lights. Make sure all the wiring is connected properly from the spec-D harness to the ballast which then feeds power to the HID bulbs. However, in order to make sure you have all the wiring correct, you're going to have to test every individual pin-out.
IMO, it's not worth it to do all that unless you got them extremely cheap. I would just return them and get something that's an easy swap. Or, save your money and get one of those $30 headlight refinishing kits.
If you're looking for an upgrade, try to get some 06+ OEM lights or the DEPO equivalent which utilize one HID projector for low and high.
Last edited by TommyFox; Dec 18, 2023 at 01:00 PM.
Yep - it looks like those should work. You just need to swap over the OEM D2R HID bulbs into the low beam projector spot and also swap over the OEM ballasts. Just be careful not to touch the glass of the HID bulb as they get very hot and any type of contaminants on the glass can cause the bulb to fail. If you do accidentally touch it, be sure to clean it off with some isopropyl alcohol.
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