EcoSport’s luggage compartment’s light bulb may be replaced by prying out the luggage compartment’s light bulb assembly, and then replacing the bulb by pulling it out from its socket. The luggage compartment light uses a W5W light bulb, identical to the ones used in cabin dome and reading lights as well as the rear plate number lights, with LED replacements available.
One of our readers sent me a set of LED replacement for the cabin and external lights (2 for the dome lights, 1 for the luggage light, 1 for the map light, and 2 for the rear plate lights). While the car does not need bulb replacement at the moment (no busted bulb yet), I may try swapping the LEDs just to try them out. I will be posting a tutorial and a review about these LEDs soon.
Every EcoSport owner must know how to replace the headlight bulbs. Not only that it is unsafe to drive with defective headlights, the law also requires turning the headlights on not later than one-half hour after sunset and until at least one-half hour before sunrise, and whenever weather conditions require—something you cannot comply with if your headlights are defective.
To replace a defective headlight bulb, follow the steps below:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the headlight cover.
3. Remove the bulb socket.
4. Remove the bulb (by removing the bulb’s clip).
5. Replace the bulb (H4).
6. Secure the bulb’s clip.
7. Replace the bulb’s socket.
8. Replace the headlight cover.
9. Close the hood.
Fog lights are very useful in illuminating the road during weather conditions that may hamper visibility, such as heavy rains and fog. It is important to replace busted fog lights as soon as you notice them.
EcoSport’s fog lights use an H11 halogen bulb. This can be replaced by an H11-compatible LED lamp.
Before I upgraded to a hi-performance headlight bulb, I also tried out this pair of EUROLITE Amber (Yellow) H4 bulbs I purchased at a local hardware store. This is essentially a low-cost halogen bulb coated with thin yellow filter. I have used this lamp during two recent 12-hour night-time trips to Bicol. These amber headlight bulbs are good enough for well-lit city streets, but a little too dim for poorly-lit zigzag roads, especially for our heavily-tinted EcoSport.
I only paid 300 pesos for the pair (in contrast to 2700 per pair of hi-performance bulbs), so I did not expect much from it.
To watch a test video showing a comparison between the stock headlight and this yellow bulb both in hi and low beams, head directly to Yellow Headlight Bulb (H4). To view the reviews of other EcoSport-related accessories, click here.
I have recently replaced one of the bulbs that illuminate the rear registration plate of our EcoSport. While no tools are needed to replace the bulb, a flat head screw driver may be useful in prying out the light bulb assembly. The stock bulbs (called T10 bulbs) are filament types which cost around 50 pesos or 1 US dollar per pair (more expensive LED type replacement “bulbs” are also available). Local traffic regulations require that the rear plate’s light bulb “shall render the number plate clearly visible at night.”
I’ve upgraded the stock halogen headlight bulb of our EcoSport from 55/60W to 90/100W bulb. It resulted to more light output but generated a lot of heat. It also posed greater electrical load than the stock bulb, thus requiring a thicker wire harness. I used 4 relays (two for high beams, two for low beams), a few meters of thick stranded wire (harness) with protective sleeve, two ceramic bulb socket connectors, and two 10A fuses.
Notice the difference in the amount of light output in high and low beams with the high wattage halogen bulb (90/100 watts) and stock halogen bulb (55/60 watts).
Never install high wattage bulbs without the proper upgrades in wiring (harness) and fuse protection, doing so may cause the stock wiring to fail as they were never designed to accommodate load beyond the rated load of the stock bulb.
I have also tested light bulbs with 100W low beam and 130W high beam, and despite the increase in wattage, the headlight assembly dissipates the heat well. After a few months of testing, there appears to be no damage to the reflector (I will update this post if melting or any sort of damage occurs later on).
To watch a video on how I replaced the stock bulb with a high-wattage bulb (up to 130W), head directly to Installing High-Wattage Headlights. To learn how to use a relay, click here.
The following product review is NOT sponsored by Osram. There are NO sponsored reviews nor advertisements on this website, EcoSport DIY Series.
EcoSport’s headlights are designed to accept bulbs with H4 specifications. H4 and HS1 bulbs are different bulb specifications but with almost identical dimensions—HS1 bulbs have wider center pin (A) compared to an H4 (B). Also, a standard HS1 bulb is rated at 35W/35W, while a standard H4 bulb is rated at 60W/55W (HS1 is less bright than an H4).
With just a minor modification, it is possible to swap the H4 with an HS1 bulb. While an H4 bulb fits on an HS1 mounting fixture without modification, fitting an HS1 on an H4 slot requires bending of its reference pin.
HS1 bulbs are intended for use in motorcycle headlights as they feature low wattage and relatively high light output. In this particular modification, I used an OSRAM 12V 35W-35W HS1 bulb. Due to lower wattage than the stock bulb (35W vs 55W), the light output appears to be a bit dim, but adequate enough for normal city driving conditions.
Important: This is just a test to see if HS1 and H4 bulbs can be swapped. I’ll be reverting back soon to an H4 OSRAM Night Breaker Laser .
Cabin lights not only illuminate the inside of your cabin, it also alerts you of an open door (when set to auto, the lights dim only when all doors are closed). To replace a busted bulb, simply pull the cabin light assembly by applying slight pressure on the appropriate tabs. No tools are needed to remove the cabin light assembly, but it can be very difficult to remove if done incorrectly. The front and rear cabin lights can be removed following the same procedure.
To watch a video showing how to remove the cabin light assembly (front and rear) and replace a busted bulb, head directly to Replacing Cabin Light’s Light Bulb.
EcoSport’s stock halogen fog light bulbs may be upgraded to dual-color LEDs. These LEDs feature white and yellow colors that may come handy in various weather conditions. Switching between white and yellow is as simple as pressing the on-off switch (depending on your preference, tri-color LEDs are also available in the market).
To watch a video in how to install an LED fog light to an EcoSport, head directly to Dual-Color LED Fog Lights.
