Nissan Pathfinder Bulb Size

If you are the proud owner of a Nissan Pathfinder, you know that this is an excellent mid-size SUV with more than enough power and space for everything that you need. Regardless of how long you had it, at a certain point, you will find yourself in a situation where you will need to replace a light bulb.

Even though most sellers already know the correct bulb sizes, we have put together a list of the correct bulb sizes for the Pathfinder.

Why would you replace a bulb on your Nissan Pathfinder?

Car owners usually tend to replace parts that are broken, and the bulbs are no exception. For safety reasons, replacing aa broken exterior bulb is very important, so there is one reason for making a replacement.

The second one is the will to upgrade. Newer vehicles come with LED bulbs from the factory, but that often depends on the model or the trim level. Owners that do not have that “luxury” will revert to upgrade the existing halogen or HID bulbs with LEDs.

The customization is the third reason why people decide to change their stock bulbs. Replacing an orange or yellowish light with a nice bright white one opens up for many options in aesthetics. Why is that? Because LEDs do not always have to be “that LED” look, they can mimic the halogen lights without looking too much out of place.

Another aspect of customizing is adding smoked lenses or amber turn signals on your front bumper, because it improves the overall look of the vehicle. Or maybe you are planning on some more serious modifications and want that “extra touch” before completing them? Anyhow, LEDs will deliver on any of these wishes for sure!

On the other hand, if you just want to keep it OEM, you can even go LED without making a change. Manufacturers offer LED upgrade kits for almost every existing type of halogen or HID kit on the market. In many cases, those are plug and play with no cutting necessary.

In this article we will cover some basic information about the LED lighting, as those bulbs have been changing so fast lately that an all-inclusive buyer’s guide would be obsolete before it is finished! Instead we will provide a few sources where to find detailed information about each aspect of LEDs. After covering these basics, we will give some examples of companies that produce aftermarket light assemblies and show some available options. First let’s take a look at what LEDs tick!

(NOTE: A glossary is included at the end of this article.)

What are LEDs? Light Emitting Diodes, or in short LED, are semiconductors that emit light when they are excited by an electric current. They were developed back in 1962 and used mostly for indicator lights since then. Back in 1990s it was discovered that their efficiency is much higher than all other types of display units, so now we use them not only for indicator lights but also for automotive lighting. The most visible result of these investments is the steady decrease of power consumption vs lumen output ratio over the past few years. Halogen headlight bulbs have around 15 lumens per watt, while modern HID systems have up to 55 lumen per watt. LED systems partially lag behind, but their power consumption is constantly getting lower as new types of diodes are developed.

The Good and the Bad about LEDs

While they offer many pros, there are also some cons that should be mentioned. The first thing you will notice when upgrading your car with an LED set is the price tag of the lights, because they are expensive! A cheap 50W halogen bulb might cost $5-10 at most; on the other hand, a single LED replacement can cost up to $60 or even more than $100 depending on manufacturer and type of bulb. “Why so much”, you ask? Simply because this whole technology is quite new in automotive industry ,and prices have not fallen just yet.

As far as safety is concerned, LEDs are just as safe as any other type of lights on the market. It is true that they can produce some high temperatures when working at their maximum capacity, but this happens only when being driven at very low currents. If you leave your car for a few hours (while the engine is off) with LED bulbs fully open (or worse, shorted out), you can be sure they will burn like crazy! But if you drive by them daily and do not try pulling all the current through single bulb or whatever else stupid things people sometimes do with automotive lighting, you should not worry too much about heat. On the other hand, there are more factors to consider regarding light output and longevity of LED bulbs.

So far, the price of LED replacement is the biggest drawback; but it looks like this could change in near future because many car manufacturers offer LED daytime running lights (DRL) as standard equipment on their vehicles. Soon after that, when enough people start installing them anyway, prices will drop and LEDs will be considered to be a normal upgrade option along with halogen or HID systems.

What would you get for replacing the bulbs on your Nissan Pathfinder?

You would be getting two things: reduces power consumption and bulbs that will last a lot longer.

LEDs are designed to be long-lasting, which is one of the main advantages to upgrade to them. Depending on the make and model, you may be looking at a bulb that will run without a problem for years to come.

The reduced power consumption is often overlooked, and that is wrong. Increased power consumption will not drain your battery, but will make the alternator work more to be able to produce the necessary power. Reducing the power requirement reduces the stress to it. It is a win-win situation.

This does not exclude the fact that they produce more heat than halogen bulbs – but as we’ll show you below, this is really such a small factor as to be negligible (that’s also if your car manufacturer has made allowance for it).

Now, there are some things about LEDs that can make them less than desirable for some people.

To begin with, the brightness is slightly different to that of your halogen lights – but most people will not notice any difference at all. It is designed this way so as not to irritate other drivers on the road (and I’m sure you don’t want to be seen as an annoyance, do you?).

The other thing that people are suspicious about is the initial cost of buying LED headlights.

There are cheaper options available, but they are not as bright nor are they up to the quality you would expect. So, why bother? The low-cost ones may seem like a good deal, but you really will be compromising on something important.

One of the most common misconceptions about LED lights is that they do not work very well in foggy conditions.

But what you need to understand here is that LEDs are more than capable of creating enough light for you to be able to see, so long as your vehicle manufacturer has allowed sufficient cooling around the unit (most cars nowadays allow this).

Another thing that you need to be aware of is the temperature around the place where you’ll be using your LEDs.

If it gets too hot, they will stop working altogether. Also, if you live in a very humid area, there is a possibility that moisture may get inside and cause problems further down the line.

How to replace a headlight bulb on a Nissan Pathfinder?

The replacement procedure for a headlight on a Pathfinder is dead simple and can be done in a minute.

Once you open the hood, make sure that the power from the battery is disconnected. Unplug the power cable from the back of the headlight assembly. If you are replacing the passenger side bulb, you will need to unscrew the plastic tank behind the headlight. Grab the bulb holder on the back and turn it counterclockwise and pull the bulb. When you replace it, make sure you are putting it on in the correct way and make sure to turn it clockwise and plug the cable.

Will I need any tools for replacing the headlight bulbs?

Probably not. If you can fit your hand to unplug the power cable from the back of the headlight assembly, you can do everything by hand.

Are the LEDs that are brighter than the old bulbs?

In general, most LEDs will shine brighter, and most of them are manufactured by the standard to fit the vehicle. You can put brighter ones, but check the laws to see if you are allowed to.

• Fourth generation R52 series (2013–present)
• Third generation R51 series (2005–2012)
• Second generation R50 series (1996–2004)
• First generation WD21 series (1986–1995)

See More

Nissan Pathfinder headlight bulb    Nissan Pathfinder hid headlights    Nissan Pathfinder led headlights    Nissan Pathfinder bulb size chart

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