How to Make the Headlights Brighter on a Toyota Corolla

Are your headlights frustratingly dim? Is it becoming a safety issue? In this post I discuss the best ways and bulbs to use to increase the intensity of the headlights in a Toyota Corolla.

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In this article, we will discuss the following methods to increase the intensity of Corolla headlights.

Replace halogen bulbs with LED bulbs.
Polish the lenses of your headlights – method.

How to Change to LED Bulbs in a Toyota Corolla

The simplest way to increase the intensity of your headlights is to swap out the standard halogen bulbs for more modern LED bulbs. Not only are they brighter, but they are more energy efficient.

I recommend the following LED headlight bulbs because they do not require any modifications to the wiring of the vehicle (Source: Carfax). The other nice thing about these Fahren bulbs is that they maintain directionality, so you don’t blind on-coming drivers, unlike some of the off-brand LED bulbs available.

Fahren (part# 9005) High Beams (LED headlight bulbs – Corolla – 2-pack)
Fahren (part# 9006) Low Beams (LED headlight bulbs – Corolla – 2-pack)

To replace the bulbs, pop the hood and locate the back of the headlight. Rotate the old bulb assembly counterclockwise (lefty loosey) and then pull it out.

There is a small plastic clip on the back of the connector. Press the clip while pulling the old bulb out of the connector.

Take the new LED bulb and insert it into the bulb socket, lining up the tabs. Rotate it clockwise (right) to click it in place.

One the LED bulb is installed, plug in the connector. Note that it can only go in one way. Line up the clip and press it in until it clicks.

That’s it! Should take all of about 15 minutes to do both sides.

Fahren (part# 9005) High Beams (LED headlight bulbs – Corolla – 2-pack)
Fahren (part# 9006) Low Beams (LED headlight bulbs – Corolla – 2-pack)

How to Polish Headlight Lenses

Here’s the deal. Over time, the polycarbonate lenses on your headlights degrade due to breakdown from UV rays from the Sun. The good news is that you can at least partially reverse this damage by polishing your headlight lenses.

To do this, you will follow these steps: