How to choose the perfect headlight bulbs for Jeep Cherokee?

The Cherokee is one of the few SUVs today that promises to be good on the road and off the road, and it largely delivers. There is almost no other competitor in its segment that offers all the traits the Cherokee does, which makes it a very popular choice with buyers.

Being a vehicle that will spend its life on a variety of terrains and in a variety of conditions, the Cherokee must be served with good headlights. Safety in the most severe conditions should always be No1 priority and for that reason, here we will talk about ways to improve the headlights on your Cherokee.

We will even throw a replacement guide if you don’t have time to visit the mechanic and want to change the bulbs yourself. Interested? Read on to find out!

The Cherokee, a vehicle designed for a multitude of terrains and conditions, necessitates the use of high-quality headlights to ensure utmost safety. Recognizing that safe navigation through the harshest environments should always be the top priority, it’s crucial to consider various methods to enhance the headlight system of your Cherokee.

From selecting the right bulb types for optimal illumination to understanding the intricacies of headlight alignment for maximum road coverage, our discussion covers all aspects of headlight improvement.

Moreover, for those who prefer hands-on maintenance or are pressed for time, we also offer a comprehensive guide for replacing the headlight bulbs yourself. This guide is tailored to be user-friendly, ensuring that even those with limited mechanical experience can confidently undertake the task.

Stay tuned to learn valuable insights and practical tips on upgrading and maintaining your Cherokee’s headlights, a key component in ensuring safe travels across all your adventures.

Fifth generation (KL)

Jeep Cherokee XJ (1984–2001)

How to find the right headlight bulbs for Jeep Cherokee?

The latest generation of Jeep Cherokee uses 9012 bulbs with a dual filament for both the low beam and high beam. This means that even when one of the filaments goes away, you must change the whole bulb in order to have a low or high beam. Older models have different combinations of bulbs. The best way to tell which bulb your Cherokee has is to check in the owner’s manual, ask at a mechanic or Jeep dealer, or even remove the bulb and go to the store to compare it to the bulbs on the shelves.

How to upgrade Jeep Cherokee headlights?

An easy way to upgrade the headlights of your Cherokee is to replace the bulbs with more powerful halogen bulbs from a reputable manufacturer. These don’t cost a fortune and are very easy to install. However, the difference will be minor at best – you may even not be able to notice the difference.

A better option is HID bulbs, which produce more powerful light and last longer than halogen bulbs. However, they cost more and can be installed only with a conversion kit. That is unless your Cherokee already has Xenon (HID bulb only for the low beam) or bi-Xenon headlights (HID bulbs for both low and high beam), which naturally uses HID bulbs.

Another alternative is LED bulbs, which shine even brighter than both HID and Halogen bulbs, while also consuming less energy. However, even though the output will be brighter, due to the design of the housing, the light may not reach as far as with other headlight bulb types. It all depends on the vehicle though, and your mileage may vary.

Light bulbs replacement guide

Replacing the headlight bulbs on the Jeep Cherokee is no easy task and we strongly recommend doing it at a mechanic or your nearest Jeep dealer. If you still want to do it yourself, you will need a ¼” drive ratchet and an 8mm socket. The full list of steps if below if you’re interested:

• Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left to change the left bulb and vice versa;
• Slightly remove the plastic wheel liner by unscrewing the two 8mm screws;
• You should now see the black plastic bulb cover. Remove it by twisting counterclockwise;
• Rotate the base of the bulb by ¼ counterclockwise and pull toward you;
• Push the retaining clips so you can remove the bulb from the wiring harness;
• Reconnect the new bulb to the wiring harness. Be careful not to touch the glass with your fingers as that may shorten the life of the bulb.

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