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IPF Headlight Harness Issue

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Old 04-10-2012, 06:20 AM
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Just an update since I've had this issue flare up again...

The side that I snipped and direct wired in is working like a champ. The other side where I replaced the original harness with one of the "newer" harnesses has died again. I'll be snipping and direct wiring that side as well.
Old 04-14-2012, 04:37 PM
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This is a great forum. I have the IPF kit from Northridge and have the same issues discussed. Narrowed it down to the IPF harness male H4 pigtail, where it connects to the stock h13 housing. The IPF pigtail clicks in fine, but the H4 terminals are too small and don’t make strong connect inside the h13 housing. This will eventually cause a host of messy problems, burnt bulbs, burnt stock h13 pigtails, and in my case, even after repeatedly replacing with new IPF harnesses – lights that go out after only a few hours of use.

Seems like the only real solution is to hardwire the two together. For those who have done this, is it ok that I just twist the wires together and put some shrink wrap on them? I have never soldered anything, so wouldn’t know how to go about this. Any tips?

Thanks for your help.


By the way - The IPF headlight is a great improvement over stock, but ARB and Northridge must know they are selling it with a defective/low quality harness. We shouldn’t have to rewire our vehicles to get their product to work.
Old 04-14-2012, 04:43 PM
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Wow, mine were plug and play no issues except for the fact the headlight aren't sealed worth a crap and end up with condensation in them. 1 tube of silicone and there much better.
Old 04-14-2012, 08:33 PM
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I have been having problems as well the harness crapped out and the seal was no good, so bad it leaked mud in the lights and they both cracked and stopped working I di-electric greased all connecters and cleaned the mud out. I will take the advice of silicone! Should clear them up thanks!
Old 05-25-2012, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by CdnJeepDan
Just an update since I've had this issue flare up again...

The side that I snipped and direct wired in is working like a champ. The other side where I replaced the original harness with one of the "newer" harnesses has died again. I'll be snipping and direct wiring that side as well.
I finally had a chance to get back in there and fix the the other harness. As I'd expected, the ground terminal on the female H4 (Jeep side) was blackened/burnt. Basically, the Jeep's H4 connector was destroyed so going back to stock wasn't even an option any more. I snipped the H4 off and direct wired it to the H13 pigtail. The wires on the passenger side are friggin' short so it's tough to get at them to do it but it's working fine now.
Old 02-20-2013, 11:32 AM
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Default Meh.

My passenger side low beam stopped working this morning, but the high beam still works. So either my wiring's come loose or the low bulb burnt out in only nine months (I replaced both bulbs with a new set when I direct wired the harness in May 2012)

I like the lights over stock but they've been a damn hassle every winter since.
Old 02-20-2013, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by CdnJeepDan
My passenger side low beam stopped working this morning, but the high beam still works. So either my wiring's come loose or the low bulb burnt out in only nine months (I replaced both bulbs with a new set when I direct wired the harness in May 2012)

I like the lights over stock but they've been a damn hassle every winter since.
Direct to the battery? Or direct to the OE harness?
Old 02-21-2013, 06:08 AM
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Originally Posted by JK-Ford
Direct to the battery? Or direct to the OE harness?
I snipped the ends off the connectors and wired directly to the OE harness.
Old 08-10-2013, 04:43 PM
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These things are crap. I wish I'd just stayed stock. I've had my frickin' grill off so many times trying to get these things to work consistently I could do it blindfolded now.

I'm on my second set of XT42 bulbs. Currently, the passenger side low beam is burnt out and needs to be replaced. The driver's side is functional some times as long as I can keep the cable connector on the back of the bulb at exactly the right position and never hit any bumps. (Right?) I'm at a loss how to get it to stay on.

Absolute junk... and I'm stuck with them because the pigtail harnesses burnt/melted my original OEM connectors so badly I had to snip them off and direct wire.
Old 08-10-2013, 05:17 PM
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I can't push this point hard enough , you need to use relays and 12 gage wire from the bat ,
use factory wiring to trigger the relays
or shut off the auto light on / off , when they turn off they dim first, the bulbs don't like that .

Last edited by tazzdogsocal; 08-10-2013 at 05:39 PM.


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