How to Wire Projection Headlights

Most factory-installed headlights are called reflector headlights, a name that refers to the reflectors in the headlight housing that disburse the light onto the road. Projection headlights feature a ring around the headlight bulb that focuses the headlight bulb light into a beam, or projection. If you are dissatisfied with the brightness or appearance of your headlights, changing them to projection headlights may be a good choice. Expect to spend a couple hundred dollars on this aftermarket option.

• 1

  Gather the two black and two white wires on the back of the projection headlights into same-color pairs: a pair of black wires and a pair of white wires.

• 2

  Strip the ends of the black and white wires to expose the bare copper leads inside the insulation. Braid these leads around the other in each pair, so the bare wire from each pair forms a point.

• 3

  Cover each lead of the pairs of wires with a male crimp connector, and clamp the crimp connector over the lead, using your pliers. Wrap some electrical tape over the male crimp connector and the wires to prevent moisture from entering the circuit.

• 4

  Strip the insulation off of the end of the spare black wire and the red wire that comes with the projection headlights. Clamp a female crimp connector over the leads of each of these wires, and seal the connection with electrical tape.

• 5

  Test which of the three wires in the headlight wiring harness attached to your vehicle is the positive wire. The positive wire has power running through it. Connect the negative end of the voltmeter to the negative terminal on the battery, and the positive lead of the voltmeter to a wire on the voltmeter. Check which one has power running through it. Usually, it is the red wire.

• 6

  Connect the positive wire of the wiring harness to the red wire with the female connector, using your quick connector. Clamp the connection down with your pliers. Repeat this process for the neutral wire of the wiring harness and the black wire with the female connector.

• 7

  Insert the male crimp connectors from the pairs of wires on the projection headlights to the female connectors from the red and black wires that function as your new wiring harness. Seal these connections with electrical tape.