[gunderwood21]

HI!, so i have a 2011 kia optima hybrid and i have just installed my new led lights... they work great! they both work perfectly except in my drivers side the light is dimmed. this is originally why i related the lights because i thought it was going out. turns out it’s not. i know the light works fine. so can anyon guide me as to why the light would be dimmed. if it works perfectly on the passenger side? maybe the reflector is busted or i need to adjust it? i’m not sure...

 

[Infrasonic]

I have a 2012 EX-Turbo and I received a recall letter in the mail last year that states if I ever have a problem of one of the headlights becoming dim I can bring it to the dealer and they'll replace the headlamp assembly. (Note: they won't cover burnt-out or dim bulbs, just defective headlamp assemblies)

Ask your local dealer if there is a recall for your vehicle too, though you might want to put your old incandescent bulbs back in so they don't blame your new LED bulbs.

 

[Turbonut]

Well if the light was replaced and still dim, that sort of knocks out the Kia extended coverage on the headlight. Check voltage at headlight, check ground wire.

 

[gunderwood21]

I have a 2012 EX-Turbo and I received a recall letter in the mail last year that states if I ever have a problem of one of the headlights becoming dim I can bring it to the dealer and they'll replace the headlamp assembly. (Note: they won't cover burnt-out or dim bulbs, just defective headlamp assemblies)

Ask your local dealer if there is a recall for your vehicle too, though you might want to put your old incandescent bulbs back in so they don't blame your new LED bulbs.

okay cool, my plan was to put them back in and take it to the dealer and just see if they will just tell me what’s wrong with it.

 

[tonester]

You sure that maybe this might not apply?

Headlight reflector TSB

This isn't to say that the suggestion Turbonut brought up might not reveal the culprit but given the symptom and MY of OP's vehicle it seems to point to the issue described in the above TSB.

 

[Turbonut]

You sure that maybe this might not apply?

Headlight reflector TSB

This isn't to say that the suggestion Turbonut brought up might not reveal the culprit but given the symptom and MY of OP's vehicle it seems to point to the issue described in the above TSB.

Got me!
Read too quickly as I thought the headlight was replaced and still dim, but second reading proves that it was just the bulbs and must agree the warranty may come into play. However, the OP might want to check the reflector on both to verify that the reflector in the dim light assembly is faulty/flaking.

 

[gunderwood21]

Got me!
Read too quickly as I thought the headlight was replaced and still dim, but second reading proves that it was just the bulb and must agree the warranty may come into play. However, the OP might want to check the reflector on both to verify that the reflector in the dim light assembly is faulty/flaking.

how do i check the reflector? i didn’t grow up working on cars so i need some guidance 😂

 

[tonester]

The TSB has photos showing where to check, but in simple terms it is the silver/chrome-colored reflective backing inside the housing itself. Since you mentioned that it's just the driver's side that's dim, you can compare the condition of the backing between driver and passenger side headlight housings.

 

[gandpz2]

HI!, so i have a 2011 kia optima hybrid and i have just installed my new led lights... they work great! they both work perfectly except in my drivers side the light is dimmed. this is originally why i related the lights because i thought it was going out. turns out it’s not. i know the light works fine. so can anyon guide me as to why the light would be dimmed. if it works perfectly on the passenger side? maybe the reflector is busted or i need to adjust it? i’m not sure...

did you replace the housing or just the bulb? the reletor material on the housing will flak off and make a short.

 

[OPTIMA_K5]

I recently had an ex-Kia mechanic replace both of the bulbs in our 2015 Optima (he noted this time that it wasn't the wiring). The only issue we are experiencing now is that they are dim (not dangerously dim but not how they were when we bought the darn thing). I asked him about the dullness and he said he saw Optima's come in ALL the time for headlight issues and he's replaced so many bulbs, housings and wiring that he could do it with his eyes closed. He bought the bulbs for me and installed them (ofc I paid him for it) and now we don't have to drive with the high beams on...Kia really needs to do something about the headlights for ALL 2011-2015 model years. Its an issue across the board. I want to through my LED bulbs back in but I'm hesitant to do so because that's what caused the issues the first time.