H16 LED Bulbs

Many people are looking for H16 bulbs of a specific wattage, as this is the bulb size they need for their vehicle based on the owner’s manual. Yet, they may face certain situations. Some LED light bulbs are L-shaped, some H11 will not fit in the H8 housing, some headlight bulbs are especially designed for fog lights/DRL use only. When you start reading about this on forums, some will say it’s the same as H11, the others will say it’s the same as 5202, or the same as 9005. But the answer is very simple. Yes, the H16 is the same as the H11. Keep reading on to find out more technical details. If you are looking for the brightest H16 bulbs, consider LED, or halogen bulbs by Philips or Osram.

Let’s face it: H16 bulbs are not so common on the modern US-built vehicles. Not all headlight bulb manufacturers list H16 in their inventory, but what if that is the bulb size that is required by the vehicle manufacturer?

Let’s look into this bulb size closer from the technical point of view and see, what replacement LEDs you need if you plan on upgrading your headlights or fog lights to LEDs.

H16 bulb: the same as what?

Physically, the shape of the H16 bulb is exactly the same as the H11. So, it’s safe to say, that you can install an H11 bulb instead of the H16, and it will fit the socket right.

H16 High Output LED Bulbs

H16 LED Bulb Car Fog Lights

However, there is one technical difference you need to be aware of. OE H16 light bulbs normally run at lower power, than H11s. This fact does not mean, that you will necessarily have any kind of problem with replacement bulbs operation. When it comes to the replacement LED bulbs, you may need an extra load resistor wired into the chain to prevent the light bulbs from hyper flickering or causing that ‘bulb out’ error.

SHOP NOW

The most common confusion

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to the H16 bulbs. Let us consider certain facts that will help you understand the reason for this confusion. See, what other bulb sizes may be sometimes referred to as H16 bulbs.

H16 bulbs fit properly into the H11 socket.
Halogen H11 bulbs normally operate at lower power, than H16s.
In Europe, H16 bulbs differ from the US H16s. European H16s are the same as 5202 bulbs. This is because in Europe, they used H16 to denote the newer tab-lock style of bulb.
If you are looking for the tab-lock style of bulbs in the US, you will need 5202 bulbs, not H16.
Some bulb manufacturers may mark 5202 bulbs as H16-EU. Neither of these 2 is compatible with American H11 bulb size.

H11/H16 cross reference

If you are looking for the cross-reference list of the bulb sizes for H11/H16, check the list below:

H11;
H11B;
H11ST;
H11SU;
H11XV;
H16 (H11 style, without side tabs).

Hikari H11/H16 LED bulbs

There are many vehicle applications that take H11/H16 bulb sizes, here are just some of them:

2015-2018 Chevrolet Colorado;
2015-2017 Ford F-150;
2012-2016 Honda Civic Si.

Hikari offers LED replacement H11/H16 LED bulbs only in the Ultra LED series at the moment: Ultra LED conversion kits.

SHOP NOW

Check rating, price & availability of these bulbs

LED Headlight Bulbs: Questions & Answers

How to adjust LED headlight bulbs?

Normally, headlights use a Phillips screwdriver pattern. So, to adjust headlights, pop the hood, locate the opening at the backside of the headlight assemblies. Next. use a screwdriver, put it in the hole to engage with the teeth of the gear. Push down to get the lights lined up. Going one way is vertical up alignment, and going the other way is vertical down alignment.

What is the best brand of LED headlight bulbs?

There are many quality LED bulb brands. But here are the ones many reputable car magazines and body shops really consider the best: OPT7, Hikari, Akarui, Philips, Osram (Sylvania), AUXbeam, Cougar, BeamTech, SeaLight. Note, that there are many other brands that offer quality LED bulbs. You may conduct your own research to get a better understanding of the best LED headlight bulbs on the market.

Are LED headlights better?

There are many factors, that prove, that LED headlight bulbs are better than the traditional incandescent bulbs. LEDs consume less power and are brighter than regular bulbs. Besides, LEDs last way longer since they do not contain any fragile glass elements and tungsten. Plus, LED headlight bulbs are resistant to vibration, temperature changes, and humidity, so they last longer.

How to install LED headlight bulbs?

If you pick the right bulb size of the LEDs, the installation is just plug-and-play. You just remove the duct cover, uninstall the OE bulb, install the LED bulb and make sure it fits along with the cooling unit. Next, you need to install the duct cover and have your new LED bulbs properly aligned.