The Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in America — period. Over four decades on top, and millions of them are rolling around right now with dim, yellowish halogen headlights. Whether you're towing a trailer at night, hauling gear down an unlit country road, or just commuting on a dark highway, those stock halogens aren't cutting it.
The good news: the F-150 has one of the most LED-friendly halogen setups on the market. Same H11 low / 9005 high bulb sizes across the entire 2015–2024 halogen range — no generation-specific quirks. Only catch: Ford's CANBUS system can trigger a "bulb out" warning with non-OEM bulbs, so you'll want a built-in decoder (our Summit has one).
Contents
Configuration A — 2015–2024 F-150 (Halogen Trims)
Who this fits: XL, XLT (all years) / STX (2018–2020) / Lariat & King Ranch (2015–2017 standard halogen; 2018+ LED standard) / all 2015–2016 trims including Platinum, Limited
Identifier: Round chrome halogen reflector bowl. If your headlights are yellowish-warm with no sharp cutoff line, you're halogen. 2017+ Platinum, Limited, and Raptor come standard with factory LED (not covered here). Lariat defaults to LED from 2018+ but halogen was a configurable option.
| Position | Bulb Size |
|---|---|
| Low Beam | H11 |
| High Beam | 9005 (HB3) |
| Fog Light | H10 / 9145 — special order |
Fog lights use H10 (also called 9145) — we don't keep this size in standard stock, but we can source it. Contact us with your Year/Make/Model/Trim for pricing and lead time.
Note: Ford's BCM is known to trigger "bulb out" warnings and flickering with non-OEM LED bulbs. We recommend Summit only for F-150 — its built-in CANBUS decoder prevents both issues.
Complete Upgrade
Driveon Summit — H11 + 9005
Low beam · High beam
2 pairs · 50W · 10,000LM · 6000K · Free US Shipping
$129.98
Trim × Year — Halogen vs Factory LED
Use this table to confirm your truck is bulb-upgradeable. Factory LED trims have sealed LED assemblies — they're already bright white and can't be swapped with standard LED bulbs.
| Year | Halogen (upgradeable with this guide) | Factory LED (not bulb-replaceable) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited | — |
| 2016 | XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited | — |
| 2017 | XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch | Platinum, Limited, Raptor |
| 2018–2020 | XL, XLT, STX, Lariat (standard), King Ranch (standard) | Platinum, Limited, Raptor. Lariat/King Ranch LED optional via packages. |
| 2021–2024 | XL, XLT (base, without 302A / Sport / Black Appearance Package) | Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, Tremor, Raptor, Raptor R. XLT with appearance packages = LED. |
Quick check: Halogen = round chrome reflector bowl, yellowish glow. Factory LED = projector lens, bright white, sharp cutoff.
Summit vs Coast — Which Series Should You Pick?
| Summit (Premium) | Coast (Value) | |
|---|---|---|
| Lumens | 10,000LM/pair | 5,000LM/pair |
| Power | 50W/bulb | 23W/bulb |
| Cooling | 12,000 RPM fan + heat pipes | Fanless (copper PCB) |
| CANBUS | Built-in decoder | No built-in decoder |
| Noise | Silent fan | Zero (no fan) |
| Body | 71mm × 24.3mm | 63mm × 30mm (1:1 halogen) |
| Best for | Towing, off-road, dark rural roads | Daily driver, city, budget-friendly |
Our recommendation for F-150: Summit only. Ford's BCM requires a built-in CANBUS decoder to avoid "bulb out" warnings and flickering — the Coast doesn't have one and may trigger warnings on 2018+ trucks.
Ford CANBUS / "Bulb Out" Warning
Ford trucks — including the F-150 — are well known for being picky about aftermarket bulbs. The truck's computer monitors electrical draw on each headlight circuit. When it detects a change (like an LED drawing less current than a halogen), it can throw a "bulb out" warning on the dashboard even though the bulb is working fine.
The Summit solves this automatically. It has a built-in CANBUS decoder that draws enough current to keep the truck's computer happy. Install it and drive — no warnings, no flicker.
This is why we recommend Summit only for the F-150. It's the one series engineered for Ford's picky BCM, and it removes the guesswork.
How to Install LED Headlights on an F-150
No mechanic needed. No tools required. The F-150 has a wide-open engine bay — this is one of the easiest LED swaps you'll do.
1. Pop the hood and locate the headlight housing. The back of the headlight assembly is clearly visible on both sides. No need to remove the battery or air intake.
2. Remove the dust cap. Twist the round dust cap counterclockwise and pull it off to expose the bulb.
3. Remove the old halogen bulb. Twist the bulb socket counterclockwise (about a quarter turn) and pull it straight out. Disconnect the electrical connector.
4. Install the LED bulb. Plug the Driveon LED bulb into the connector. Insert it into the housing and twist clockwise to lock it in. Position the LED chips at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock (horizontal) for the correct beam pattern.
5. Test before closing up. Turn on your headlights. Aim at a wall or garage door — you should see a sharp, flat cutoff line on low beam with no glare above it.
6. Repeat for the other side.
Total time: 15–20 minutes for both sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will LED headlights throw "bulb out" error codes on my F-150?
Ford trucks can be picky — their BCM monitors current draw on the headlight circuit and will flag LEDs that draw less than halogen. The Summit has a built-in CANBUS decoder specifically to prevent this — no dashboard warnings, no flickering. That's why we recommend Summit only for F-150. See the CANBUS section above for details.
I have a Lariat / King Ranch — do I have halogen or LED?
It depends on the year and packages: - 2015–2017: Lariat and King Ranch came standard with halogen (could be optioned with LED on 2017+) - 2018+: Lariat and King Ranch generally come standard with LED, but halogen was still a configurable option on 2018–2020 - 2021+: Lariat and above are factory LED standard
Easiest way to tell: if your headlights have a projector lens with a bright white output, they're LED. If a round reflector bowl with a yellowish glow, they're halogen.
What about the fog lights?
The F-150 uses 9145 (also called H10) fog light bulbs across all halogen-equipped model years (2015–2023). 9145 and H10 are cross-compatible — same physical size, same connector. Driveon doesn't stock this size in the standard catalog — contact us for special-order options.
My 2024 F-150 — do I have halogen or LED?
Most 2024 F-150 trims are now factory LED by default. Only the base XL and XLT (without an appearance package) may still ship with halogen. Check your truck — if the headlights are bright white with a sharp cutoff, they're LED.
Are LED headlights legal on the F-150?
Yes. LED replacement bulbs are legal for on-road use as long as they produce a proper beam pattern with a sharp cutoff line that doesn't blind oncoming drivers. Both the Summit and Coast replicate the factory halogen beam pattern.
How long do LED headlights last?
Both the Coast and Summit are rated for 50,000+ hours. At 2 hours of driving per day, that's over 68 years. You'll sell the truck long before the bulbs die.
What color temperature are the LEDs?
Both series are 6000K — a crisp, cool white that matches the look of modern factory LED headlights. A huge upgrade from the yellowish 3000K halogen.
Not sure which bulb fits your vehicle? Contact us with your Year, Make, Model, and Trim — we'll confirm for free.