Sylvania 9006: LED Fog Light Bulb, 6000K Cool White Light, 2 Pack

Just installed the H13SLBX2 in my 2009 Hummer H3, which has notoriously poor visibility due to the lamp housings. The low beams are significantly better than before, based on the fact that the original lower driving lamps no longer overpower the low beams. I upgraded those as well and we will see tonight how well they work. My only real concern is longevity. Traditionally LEDs themselves have always been a longer lasting light source, but now that high-powered Chip On Board (COB) LEDs have become a new standard for lighting, many are being overpowered and/or improperly cooled. I secured the in-line module to the underside of the radiator support directly using my own cable ties. Sadly, the instructions did not include any information regarding the "proper" way to secure these; my main concern was reducing the amount of mass tugging at the harness. In retrospect I would probably, and may still, use silicone thermal putty to add a cushion between the module and the steel, then re-tie it with more force. The included cable ties were weak, and the latch snapped off. I also worry that a user might overtighten the cable tie around the wire, creating a point for the wire jacketing to chaff and wear through. It would have been best to include a cable tie mount, to be affixed to the module, so that the cable tie does not slip off the end of the housing. This is one more improvement I can make myself. The cooling fan is also a concern. An active cooling fan in an area as dirty as an engine bay is prone to collect a lot of dirt. I have not yet determined which direction the fan is moving air, if it is pulling or pushing air past the heatsink, but in either case I believe a plastic cased foam filter would not be a bad idea. After all, we are talking about a $100 investment. It would reflect on the manufacturer badly if these were to fail in less than the five years implied. Of course, since these aren't "DOT Approved" my warranty could be void anyway.

I purchased both high and low beam applications of these bulbs with high hopes since Sylvania is a top quality company. I used Sylvania's application chart to select bulbs for my 2004 Silverado - the bulbs do not physically fit. The large fan assembly on the back of the bulb comes in contact with the headlight mounting panel long before the headlight is in its installed position. Unfortunately, while I could modify the plastic headlight mounting panel to make room for the low beam bulb, the high beam bulb would require cutting the metal radiator support behind the headlight panel.Truthfully I could easily do this modification also, but I really don't want to cut up my truck for bulbs that are represented as "drop-in". I also purchased Sylvania's ZEVO bulbs for the turn signals, and was very disappointed with them as they are virtually undetectable when operating in daylight conditions, so I'm certainly not feeling that cutting up my truck to try the LED headlights - which I may equally unhappy with their performance - is a good idea. I even purchased brand new GM headlight and turn signal assemblies to assure correct patterns and clear lenses, and was looking forward to enjoying LED performance - such a total disappointment in what should have been top quality products. Sylvania should re-evaluate their applications both from a fitment and lighting performance standpoint.