what is the difference between USDM headlights and JDM headlights in terms of beam pattern?

[ShinotakuX]

i would like to change headlights, but im having difficulty in deciding which one to get, I dont want to regret buying the wrong ones, so help me out. Also does HIDs run better in JDM headlights? thank u.

[BlueIntegraBoy]

If you are getting 96-00 JDM Civic headlights, they don't have the bulb shield. So if you are running HID's, you'll be blinding everyone.

[ejoner]

Also the jdm headlights beam is aimed opposite of the usdm one

[NOFX]

From another thread where I answered a similar question.

Originally Posted by 5lugSlug

whats the difference between 96-98 SiR headlights and just

regular 96-98 headlights?

Originally Posted by NOFX

SiR is a trim that denotes several different vehicles in several different countries. This means they have several different headlights due to local laws.

The USDM headlights have amber bar reflectors along the bottom of the turn signal housing and an amber cap on top of the turn signal bulb socket. They also have kind of a t-shaped diffuser (the little silver cap that sits in front of the headlight bulb), with the top of the "t" curving down on either side. USDM headlights are made so that the passenger (right, sitting inside car) headlight kind of aims a little bit higher and outwards so the driver can view people and objects along the side of the road. USDM '96-'98 Civic headlights were made by Stanley and have a stamp on the front denoting this.

JDM headlights ('96-'98 non-Type R) have no reflector along the bottom of the turn signal and no amber cap on top of the turn signal bulb socket. They have no diffuser. They do have a city light socket. Since Japanese vehicles are RHD, the passenger (left, sitting inside car) headlight does the same thing the right headlight does in the US. JDM '96-'98 Civic headlights were also made by Stanley and have a stamp on the front denoting this.

European headlights ('96-'98) (besides ones from the UK and Ireland) also have no reflector along the bottom of the turn signal and no amber cap on top of the turn signal bulb socket. They have a full diffuser that's shaped like a circle. They do have a city light socket. These cars came with the LHD pattern. EDM '96-'98 Civic headlights were made by Valeo (unless they're they're from the UK or Ireland) and have a stamp on the front denoting this.***

Headlights from the UK (and Ireland too, I suspect) ('96-'98) also have no reflector along the bottom of the turn signal and no amber cap on top of the turn signal bulb socket. They also have kind of a t-shaped diffuser (the little silver cap that sits in front of the headlight bulb), with the top of the "t" curving down on either side. They do have a city light socket. Headlights from Ireland and the UK have the RHD headlight beam pattern. The UK headlights were made by Stanley and have a stamp on the front denoting this. I'm not yet sure of who made the Irish headlights.

I think I got most of it.

More research has found the following:

UK, Ireland
RHD
Valeo

Germany, Holland
LHD
Valeo

??, Arabian countries
LHD
Stanley

North Europe (Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland)
LHD
Stanley

Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Mozambique, Surinam, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Sarawak, Sabah, Norfolk, Cyprus, Malta, Sudan, South Africa, Guana, Papua, Barbados, Pakistan, Seychelles, British Guiana, Malawi, Itthihad, Honiara,
RHD
Stanley


Modified by NOFX at 1:13 AM 4/2/2008

[BlueIntegraBoy]

That's odd that Stanley makes all of the markets except Europe (Valeo). I would think the UK and Australia share the same headlights.

[NOFX]

Originally Posted by BlueIntegraBoy

That's odd that Stanley makes all of the markets except Europe (Valeo). I would think the UK and Australia share the same headlights.

I'd have to check the part numbers in each category. The "EDM" Epc does not support searches as easily as the US one does. Perhaps I will sit down and do this tomorrow, but Eran is calling me to bed.

[NOFX]

Found more. It looks like UK, Ireland, Germany and Holland all use lights made by Valeo, but the British and Irish ones are RHD while the German and Dutch are LHD. Other EDM lights should be made by Stanley.

[BlueIntegraBoy]

From these pics, the AUDM Civic headlights look like UKDM.






An AUDM Civic VTI-R EM1 (I wish NA got a Taffeta White EM1)




More AUDM headlight pics






Modified by BlueIntegraBoy at 10:36 PM 4/1/2008

[NOFX]

Valeo and Stanley lights can look the same, but I haven't seen the same diffusers on them yet. I'm thinking this could either be a manufacturer difference or a market difference.

[richyef9]

2 questions doees anyone know what marke central america is in for exampe guatemala el salvador and honduras cuz they get some nice jap cars we dont see here so obviusly its not usdm

2nd question is there a size diference on the headlights from a 1988 to 1991 civic hatch usdm to jdm ????