My 2017 XE 3.5T has the old halogen lights on it, has anyone swapped them out with LED lights or is that not possible?

 

Very interested as well. Surprised it's not standard.

 

It’s been a subject of activity in a lot of cars since 2014, and the subject of a lot of discussion in Jaguar XEs and XFs since 2016.

A few reputable suppliers say it can be done, and they have what they call “Conversion Kits” for each particular make of car. The 2017 XE-type is included.

From what I’ve read, converting from any lighting system to Xenon is a DIY disaster (something only a pro tech shop should be hired to try). The Jaguar’s electrical system is so tight-fistedly designed, that if you so much as upgrade a tiny lamp in your puddle lights, the car gets pissed and starts electrical shutdowns somewhere else in the cabin.
I can only HOPE upgrading to the less transformer-heavy LED headlamp is easier and safer for DIY-ers.

The most famous supplier I know of is linked below. BE CAREFUL, and don’t do anything too risky to harm your beautiful baby!

https://www.carid.com/2017-jaguar-xe...nversion-kits/

 

I considered the LED's when I purchased the car, I decided against them because I liked the more classic round bulb look on my Jag (without running light led strips) , and I wanted the better performance and wider light spectrum of the Halogens.

In practice LED's do not add distance to your field of view vs the Halogens. Especially if you simply upgrade your Halogen bulbs to the Phillips X-Tremevision H7 XVB2 low beams....these bulbs about double the distance of the LED option and the distance of your current halogens, They cost less than $50.00, and you can install them yourself through the wheel well access panel. The light spectrum is a little wider frequency too. Those who bought the factory LED headlights DO NOT have the option to upgrade the intensity with a simple bulb change like the Halogen systems allow.

Jack with ANYTHING in the wiring of your Jaguar (any cuts or splices anywhere in the loom) and you can expect Jaguar to dance around any warranty responsibility immediately AND remotely relating to your electrical system, per my Jaguar Gold Certified Tech buddy.

 

In the past I converted cars from Halogen to HID. To do it properly it requires open-heart surgery on the headlight where you have to retrofit proper HID lens to work with HID bulbs. Then there is an issue of wiring ignitors, ballasts and so on. I wouldn't take on a project like that again, just not worth my time.

The issue with any retrofit is that each headlight is a precise optical system that calibrated for a light bulb behaving in a certain way. Your halogen bulb produces light arc in a certain spot. It also radiates light in a specific direction at specific intensity. All of this is reflected and focused through a set of mirrors and lenses. When you stick a bulb that acts differently, light ends up going all over place, you lose effective light where you want and gain stray light where you don't want it. It is very easy to end up with a system, that while is brighter end up less useful and blinds other traffic.

 

Right on, Austin 7! I concur with almost all of what you’ve stated here.

I had a Corolla whose standard headlamps finally deseased, and when exploring the possibilities, I opted to try some Philips Halogens over another maker’s standard replacement halogens. The result was superb---Their technology makes your halogens come alive, they offer various bulb designs for you to decide on different visibility options (versions for longer distance illumination, versions for anti-glare for on-coming traffic, versions for better illumination of road signs on the right side of your car). Philips is the LEADER if you simply want to improve the LIGHT efficiency of your current halogen headlights.

I’ve driven in the 2018 Jaguar XF as a loaner car, and though its Jag LED technology headlights are clearly not as outstandingly bright and clear on the road as the Jag’s Xenon headlamps, they are the best illumination I’ve seen from and LED headlamp on modern cars so far.
Austin is right again, though. The LEDs DON'T give greater distance on the road ahead of you, and they DO give everything that noticeably white color—they are not nearly as color-accurate as halogens or responsibly-designed Xenons.

If it’s the “crisp white” headlight effect you’re looking for (to give the front of your vehicle more "modern" character), the LED headlamp delivers that for you.

If it’s the most accurate recognition of objects at night, or a longer reach down the road with you illumination, DEFINITELY research the Philips line of stuff, and simply re-lamp your halogens (avoid the conversion task completely).

And yes, Austin! ROUND lamps in a modern luxury car look ROCK-SOLID cool, in my opinion.