The low beam headlights of the 2008-2012 Honda Accord sedan have to be some of the worst of any modern vehicle on the road. I don't know if it's an inherent design flaw in the car's electrical system that doesn't send full power to the bulbs or what, but even when brand new, the car's headlights are terribly dim and brown. I can't say I blame the 9006 bulb design for the deficiency, as I've seen and driven plenty of other cars with 9006 bulbs that weren't nearly as terrible as they are in my Accord. After several near misses and then finally hitting a deer on an unlit country road (couldn't use high beams as there was oncoming traffic), I'd had enough of my car's poor headlight performance. After doing a little bit of research, I discovered I had 4 options: HID kit, HID retrofit, 9005 conversion, and 9012 conversion. The plug-and-play HID kit was immediately dismissed as it's not only illegal, but would blind other motorists with the glare caused by installing HIDs into a halogen-based reflector headlamp. The HID retrofit would be nice, but my car is a lease and I don't think Honda would appreciate me hacking the headlights on their car. Sure, I could buy an extra set of headlights to do the retrofit, but the project as a whole seems like a tremendous undertaking for someone like me who isn't mechanically-inclined. That left the 9005 and 9012 conversions. From what I read, the 9005 conversion would be an improvement over stock, but the reduced lifespan of the 9005 bulbs would be an issue for me. Replacing the low-beams in a 2011 Honda Accord is not a fun task, as you have to go through the fender liner to reach the bulbs and everything is done by feel as you can't see what you're doing. Plus, you usually don't make it through the process without at least one scrape on your forearm. So that left the Philips HIR2 9012 conversion as the only remaining option. I can say without a doubt that it is easily the best headlight upgrade for the money for any vehicle that uses 9006 low beams. And if you have a 2008-12 Honda Accord sedan you NEED to do this conversion as the car is just plain unsafe without it. While the difference isn't quite night and day (I'd say an HID retrofit would qualify for that description), the amount of usable light cast onto the road is greatly improved over the stock bulbs. I wouldn't say that the beam is wider or longer than before, but the added brightness fills out the existing beam pattern much better with the 9012 bulbs. On a dark two-lane road, I can now actually see further than just a few feet out without using my high beams. I've already avoided encounters with my 4-legged friends by being able to spot them well in advance, something I just could not do before with just the low beams. To give you a better idea of the increased brightness with the 9012's, they actually overpower the stock high beams! Before, the high beams would completely take over and drown out the muddy brown light cast by the low beams. Now, the low beams are actually brighter than the high beams until they reach their cut-off point. Needless to say, I don't use my high beams nearly as often now, which probably means that I should consider upgrading those next...
For anyone out there having doubts about doing this conversion, just do it. The modification required to make the 9012 bulb fit into the 9006 socket takes just a few seconds and all you really need is a pair of toe nail clippers (yes, toe nail clippers) and a pair of safety glasses. The plastic tabs on the bulbs are so thin that a few chomps with the clippers is all you need to get the job done. I recommend the safety glasses because a chunk of plastic could fly up and hit you in the eye while trimming (no kidding, as a piece actually hit me right above my left eye). Gloves are also recommended, as contaminating the bulb glass with oils from your skin can potentially cause the bulb to shatter once it's powered on.
I did have some difficulty with my passenger-side headlight. For some reason, I had to push in with a good deal of force to get the bulb to seat properly. As a result, I knocked the vertical aim of that headlight off a bit, causing it to point downward. Because of that little mishap, I recommend doing the install on a flat surface about 25 feet from a wall or garage door, marking the cutoff of your stock headlights with tape before installing the 9012's. This will insure that your lights are aimed properly afterwards and not pointing straight down, or worse, blinding oncoming traffic.
All-in-all, I'd say that this is the best 9006 upgrade in terms of performance and longevity. There are some that may come close to these, such as Philips's own X-treme Vision 9006 bulbs, but their lifespan leaves a lot to be desired. You'll go through roughly 3 pairs of those in the lifespan of the HIR2's (or the OEM bulbs, for that matter).
| Brand | Philips Automotive Lighting |
|---|---|
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Color | Clear |
| Auto Part Position | Right |
| Manufacturer | SYLVANIA |
| Automotive Fit Type | Vehicle Specific Fit |
| UPC | 046135329999 046677714208 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00046135329999, 00046677714208 |
| Model | 9012 |
| Item Weight | 0.864 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 1.49 x 6.5 x 2.94 inches |
| Item model number | 9012.BP |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Exterior | Machined |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 9012 |
| Mirror Lighting Type | automotive-exterior-headlight-bulbs |
