HID headlights are known for their customization options, specifically for the array of colors available for their headlight displays. This article is going to expose everything you could want to know about HID headlight colors, from how to pick one that fits the look of your car to what the specific differences are between the various available headlight colors. After all, when you put in the time to install HID headlights, you don’t want to end up with mismatched colors or an uneven appearance.

1 – What are the difference between the color temperatures and the color of headlights I get?
This may be the most confusing aspect regarding HIDs and selecting a color for your car’s new headlights. The color temperature corresponds to the actual color output you get from the headlight beams. 3000K equates to a vivid yellow color, and temperatures go all the way up to 12000K, which provides piercing blue light. Though this may not be intuitive, the temperatures have nothing to do with the intensity of light you get. A 3000K HID is just as bright as an 8000K or 12000K one. Other available options include a white light (5000K), the very popular light blue light (6000K), as well as soft purple (8000K) and deep purple (10000K) lights.

2 – How do I pick the right color for my car?
This decision can be a bit tricky to make, and depends on a lot of factors, so we’ll just keep it as simple as possible. If you have high beams, low beams, and fog lights that you all want to utilize HIDs, go for 2 different colors max. Three colors can be unsightly and hurt the visual appeal of your car, while also being extraordinarily distracting to other drivers. A two-color punch, such as blue low beams and high beams, and white fog lights, can actually create a cool visual effect. Just be sure to pick light colors that don’t clash with the color of your car’s exterior. Purple headlights may seem like a great addition to a neon green car, but it may also end up making your car look more like a grapevine that a fearsome-looking racer.

3 – There’s something wrong with the HID’s light output. What’s happened?
First, if you’ve just installed your car’s new HIDs, don’t panic yet. This is the most commonplace time for people noticing a problem, and usually surfaces because a driver panics because he/she just spent 2 hours installing HIDs and is frustrated they’re not working. If you notice some light humming coming from the HIDs just after installation, as long as the humming stops in 10 or so minutes, you should be fine. If it doesn’t stop, check to make sure the ballast and other components are completely secure. Another issue you may notice just after installation is that the color of the HIDs lights are uneven, and similarly to the humming mentioned earlier, this can freak out some exhausted installers. Let the lights run naturally for a few hours before determining if they’re actually off. It takes some time for the balance to level out, but after that time the colors should be a dead match.