Acura CL (1G) Low-Beam HID Conversion
Introduction
This guide covers installing an aftermarket 9006 HID conversion kit into the low-beam reflector housings of a first-generation Acura CL, replacing the stock halogen low beams with brighter xenon output. It walks through freeing up engine-bay space by removing the battery and trays, seating the HID capsules, mounting the ballasts and relay, and wiring power directly from the battery. Color temperatures commonly run from about 4300K (closest to a factory white look) up to 6000K (cooler and bluer). Note that these kits drop into the car's existing reflector housings and are not a projector retrofit, so the beam will not have the sharp cutoff a projector produces. Many modern kits are fully plug-and-play and skip the soldering described here. Adapted from a community writeup by Mulk on AcuraZine (https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-cl-diy-faq-74/hid-conversion-470941/), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- 10mm socket
- 12mm socket and ratchet
- Flathead screwdriver
- Pliers
- Wire ties (zip ties)
- 3M emblem/side molding double-sided tape
- Electrical tape
- Soldering iron and solder (only if fabricating a socket adapter)
Parts Required
-
9006 HID conversion kit (bulbs, ballasts, relay harness) in the desired color temperature, e.g. 6000K
-
One inexpensive 9006 halogen bulb to sacrifice for its plastic base (only if the kit lacks a factory-style plug)
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ Disconnect the battery before starting and reconnect the terminals last.
- ⚠ This is a reflector-housing conversion, not a projector retrofit; without projectors the beam has no sharp cutoff and can glare oncoming drivers. HID kits in reflector headlights are not street-legal in many jurisdictions.
- ⚠ High beams may still be required to pass safety inspection, so keep them fully functional.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Prepare a factory-plug adapter (skip if plug-and-play)
Older kits provide only a bare two-wire pigtail (typically one black and one white lead) on the vehicle side. To avoid cutting into the car's headlight harness, sacrifice a cheap 9006 halogen bulb for its plastic base: wrap the glass in a rag, crush it carefully with pliers, and strip away all the metal contacts until only the connector remains. Solder the relay-harness leads to this reclaimed socket and insulate the joints with electrical tape. If your kit already includes a matching 9006 connector, it plugs straight into the factory socket and this step is unnecessary.
2 Remove the battery and battery trays
Park the car and take off the plastic shroud covering the radiator and headlights. Disconnect the battery terminals, negative first, and lift the battery out. Unbolt the plastic battery tray, then the metal tray below it, which is held by four 12mm bolts plus a single 10mm bolt for the negative cable, and finally the support bracket underneath it, secured by two 12mm bolts. Removing this hardware opens access to the low-beam housings and gives you surfaces to mount the ballasts.
3 Install the HID capsules in the low-beam housings
Twist the halogen low-beam bulbs out of both headlight assemblies. Seat each 9006 HID capsule into the low-beam socket and turn it clockwise to lock, exactly as the halogen bulb seated. Because the arc capsule sits in the same location the halogen filament occupied, the reflector produces a comparable beam pattern, only brighter.
4 Mount the ballasts
Each ballast mounts on a clean, dry, flat surface, so wipe the chosen spots first. On the driver side, stick the ballast just beneath the battery-tray support bracket using 3M emblem/side molding double-sided tape, which is strong enough to hold these heavy units. The passenger side has little room; a spot roughly a foot behind the headlight works well, after moving the plastic cover and wire harness out of the way.
5 Mount the relay and run the power feed
Fasten the relay to the ground bolt for the negative battery cable, located just ahead of the battery. Attach the harness ground ring to the negative post, then run the fused positive lead beneath the tray, bringing it up to the battery's positive terminal. Keep the inline fuse where you can reach it.
6 Connect the ballasts and factory plug
Route the driver-side ballast power lead from the relay down to the ballast under the tray and plug it in; the factory-plug adapter snaps into the low-beam socket. Because the passenger-side ballast sits farther back, its supplied lead may be barely long enough; run it across the top of the radiator and cooling fans and secure it to the fan-shroud brackets with wire ties. Connect each ballast to its HID capsule.
7 Reassemble, secure the wiring, and break in the bulbs
Refit the support bracket, both trays, and the battery, then reconnect the terminals. Dress all wiring with ties so nothing rubs against moving or hot components. On first use, run the engine and leave the HIDs on for about ten minutes to break them in, as several kit instructions recommend.
Pro Tips
- 💡 Plug-and-play kits remove the soldering and harness fabrication entirely; you connect to the factory socket and the battery, which drops install time to well under an hour.
- 💡 Kit quality lives mostly in the ballast. Cheaper units are more prone to flicker and short life, so choose a reputable kit backed by a solid warranty.
- 💡 Lower color temperatures such as 4300K generally throw more usable light and look closest to OEM white, while 6000K appears cooler and bluer.
- 💡 Some kits already include a ready-made 9006 plug housing, so you do not have to sacrifice a halogen bulb for its base.
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