2011 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
20112013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
The KDM version of the Kia Optima Hybrid has LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL’s), but the US
version does not. The LED’s in the DRL’s are not very bright, and hard to see in full sunlight. This guide
will show you how to upgrade the LED’s to a much brighter version that looks very similar to Audi or
Mercedes OEM. Replacing the LED’s is not that hard and should only take an hour or two, even for a
first‐timer. Installing the DRL’s takes longer, as it involves cutting the bumper support; but still the
entire project can be completed in a day.
Parts to Order
Mobis OEM Hybrid DRL’s
92201‐4U000 (Lamp Assy – Frt Fog, LH) and 92202‐4U000 (Lamp Assy – Frt Fog, RH)
Note that the non‐hybrid DRL’s will not fit the hybrid model. The hybrid DRL’s come as a single
unit including the fog light housing. These normally come as a set, and I recommend purchasing
them from k5optimastore.com ( http://www.k5optimastore.com/products/hybriddrls ). One
thing to note is that the fog light housing uses a different bulb. The US hybrid model has a right‐
angle 881 bulb for the fog lights, whereas the KDM version uses a straight 880 bulb. The 880
bulb is included with the lights, but if you have previously upgraded your fog light bulb (xenon,
LED, etc); it will not fit.
Wiring harness
0K000‐009021 (Pack Connector Asy 21)
These come 3 in a pack, and you only need 2. This is optional, but highly recommended for a
cleaner install. The KDM DRL has a 4 pin connector (2 for the fog lights, and 2 for the LED’s),
whereas the US version only has a 2 pin connector (for the fog lights only). The KDM DRL’s do
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
not come with a wiring harness, as they are Korean OEM replacement parts. If you do not buy
the harness, you will have to drill a hole in the housing and run the fog light wire and the LED
wire through the hole, and then splice into the existing fog light wire. Buying this harness makes
for a clean install, and you can easily disconnect the lights if you remove the bumper again. You
can Google the part number and find places online that sell this part for around $9, but the
shipping is usually outrageous (like $12.95). I ended up calling my local dealer and was able to
get it ordered in less than a week for a little over $15.
LED light strip
High Power LED Flexible Light Strip NFLS‐X3, specifically NFLS‐NW30X3‐BK‐LC2: Natural White
(5600K)
( http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/top‐emitting/high‐power‐led‐flexible‐light‐strip‐‐
nfls‐x3/1465/ )
Superbrightleds.com seems to move their pages around a lot resulting in broken links after a
month or two. If the link no longer works, try this navigation: Bars / Strips ‐> Flexible LED Light
Strips ‐> Top Emitting Flexible Light Strips ‐ and look for one of the first items with 5050 SMD for
the LED Type. There are 3 different white colors to choose from: Cool White (7500K), Natural
White (5600K), and Warm White (3250K). I highly recommend the Natural White as it is a very
bright white with no hint of blue – looks like Audi or Mercedes OEM. For length you can buy
either two 50cm (19.7in) or one 100cm (39.3in) and cut it yourself. The connectors are free, so I
selected with connectors. Had I known it would come with a connector at each end, I would
have just bought the 100cm and cut it (saving $2). There are clear markings where the strips can
be cut.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
Opening the light housings
Tools Needed:
Oven
Aluminum foil
Flat screwdriver
Phillips screwdriver
Towel
Pot holders (preferably 2)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees, while the oven is heating, do steps 2‐6.
2. Unscrew the Phillips screw on the back of the housing (green arrow).
3. Remove the 2 plastic caps on the back of the housing (blue arrows).
4. Unscrew the fog light bulb cover on the back of the housing (red arrow).
5. Inside the bulb cover, unscrew the fog light bulb socket from the housing. If you look from the
front, you can see when the bulb is lined up with the opening. There is a rubber gasket around
it, so you might have to pull firmly. Do not touch the bulb.
6. Remove the fog light bulb from the plug (pull the black plug out from the round black bottom,
the round black base is part of the bulb).
7. Place the light housing into the oven on a piece of aluminum foil with the clear lens facing up.
Be careful that the light is not touching the sides or top of the oven. Also make sure the lens is
not touching anything (not even the foil).
8. Bake for 8‐10 minutes. Baking the light does two things: softens the black plastic so that the 11
tabs holding the lens can be pried back without snapping, and softens the waterproof sealant
that is also holding the lens on.
9. Carefully remove the housing from the oven with pot holders (and turn it off), it should be hot
to the touch, but somewhat manageable. Place it on the towel to work on it.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
10. With the flat screwdriver, pry back all 11 tabs holding the lens on. If the black plastic is not soft
enough to easily bend, put it back in the oven for 1‐2 minutes. You don’t want to apply too
much force or you risk snapping the black plastic.
11. Starting with the smaller, pointed side of the lens, gently pry the clear lens off of the black
plastic. The glue should easily come apart, but make sure all the tabs are clear as you pry it
apart. The wiring for the LED’s will still be attached (green and black wires), so don’t pull the
two pieces too far apart.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
Replacing the LED’s
Tools Needed:
Flat screwdriver
Phillips screwdriver
Wire cutters
Crimp connectors (or whatever you want to use to splice the wiring)
New LED strips
Instructions
1. Start by cutting the black and green wires, leaving a few inches of wire on the plug side (the side
attached to the black housing).
2. Unscrew the 3 phillips screws holding the LED bar to the lens (blue arrows), and remove the LED
bar.
3. Unscrew the 2 phillips screws holding the circuit board to the LED bar (red arrows).
4. The middle of the bar has the wiring connector from the circuit board on it. Slide the flat
screwdriver under the tab on the underside of the connector and the metal bracket will slide up
and off.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
5. Gently pry up the LED strip from the bar (it is just glued on and should come up fairly easily), and
remove it.
6. Assuming you have the 50cm LED strips, the strip will be longer than you need. Look on the
strip itself and you will see scissor icons where it is safe to cut the strip (every 3 LED’s). Cut one
section (3 LED’s) off of one end.
7. You will notice that the lens housing has 6 lenses where the LED’s were, these correspond with
the 6 metal pads on the LED bar. When attaching the new LED strip, it is important to get an
LED in the correct spot on the metal pad so that it will shine directly through the lens. Look at
the location on the LED strip that you removed, not all LED’s go directly in the center of the
metal pads. Yes, there are way more LED’s than we need, and some will not be seen once the
housing is reassembled. Starting with the end of the LED strip you just cut (with no wiring
connector), remove the paper backing and stick the first LED on the metal pad on the LED bar at
the end that goes into the narrow end of the lens (the end where the “steps” are shorter).
8. Continue placing the LED’s in the correct positions on the metal pads working your way one pad
at a time. There will be a lot of slack between the 1st ‐ 2nd and 3rd ‐ 4th pads, this is OK as there is
space inside the housing. Make sure that you don’t bend the LED strip too much as it will
weaken the internal wiring.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
9. Once all the LED’s are in place, test fit the LED bar into the housing. Each LED should line up
with a lens. If you need to adjust the LED’s slightly, you can.
10. Attach the LED bar to the housing with the 3 phillips screws, being careful that the LED’s still line
up and the LED strip is not being pinched anywhere.
11. Assuming you bought the LED strip with connectors, cut the connector off leaving about 6” of
wire. Attach the red LED wire to the green housing wire with a crimp connector (or solder and
shrink tube, whatever you like). Attach the black LED wire to the black housing wire in the same
manner.
12. Test the LED’s using a 12V power source, the positive connection is the top left pin, the negative
is the top right pin. If the LED’s do not light up, try reversing the wires (as LED’s are polarity
sensitive). Make sure everything is correct and working before reassembling the light.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
Reassembling the light housings
Tools Needed:
Oven
Aluminum foil
Phillips screwdriver
Towel
Pot holders (preferably 2)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees, while the oven is heating, do step 2.
2. Place the lens and black plastic housing back together in about the correct position. You should
not try to force it back together at this point, just put it roughly back together. Make sure all the
plastic tabs line up and that the new LED wire is not hanging down into the fog light lens. It
helps if you pull any LED wire slack up through the fog light bulb cover hole.
3. Place the light housing into the oven on a piece of aluminum foil with the clear lens facing up.
Be careful that the light is not touching the sides or top of the oven. Also make sure the lens is
not touching anything (not even the foil).
4. Bake for 8‐10 minutes. Baking the light does two things: softens the black plastic so that the 11
tabs holding the lens can be pushed back into place, and softens the waterproof sealant to
reseal the light.
5. Carefully remove the housing from the oven with pot holders (and turn it off), it should be hot
to the touch, but somewhat manageable. Place it on the towel to work on it.
6. Verify that the two sides are still correctly aligned. With the pot holders, push the two sides of
the housing tightly back together, it is easier if you start with the wide end of the housing and
work towards the narrow end. Also with the pot holders, push back all 11 tabs to hold the lens
on. Work each one individually ‐ bending it back into place, holding for about 5 seconds, then
moving on to the next one. If the black plastic is not soft enough to easily bend, put it back in
the oven for 1‐2 minutes. You don’t want to apply too much force or you risk snapping the black
plastic.
7. Once all the tabs are back in place, let the light housing cool.
8. Once cool, check the edges for any gaps in the sealant. There shouldn’t be any, but if there are,
fill them with a waterproof silicone sealant.
9. Reattach the fog light bulb to the plug. Do not touch the bulb.
10. Screw the fog light bulb socket back into the housing. Again looking from the front helps you
make sure the bulb is lined up correctly. There is a rubber gasket around it, so you do have to
push firmly.
11. Screw the fog light bulb cover onto the back of the housing.
12. Replace the 2 plastic caps on the back of the housing.
13. Screw the Phillips screw onto the back of the housing.
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2011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
Comparisons
The LED’s themselves:
DRL’s in shade (stock on left, upgraded on right):
Page 102011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
DRL’s in sun (stock on left, upgraded on right):
DRL’s in total darkness (upgraded on left, stock on right):
Page 112011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
Installing the DRL’s
Tools Needed:
Ratchet with 10mm and 8mm sockets
Phillips screwdriver
Wire cutters
Wire (about 12 feet)
Crimp connectors (or whatever you want to use to splice the wiring)
Instructions
1. Remove the bumper (follow any of the DIY’s on the topic, there are several). There is no
difference between removing the hybrid bumper and the non‐hybrid bumper. Yes, you will
have to cut the bumper supports to fit the hybrid DRL’s.
2. Once the bumper is removed, disconnect the 2 pin wiring harness from each fog light.
3. Remove the 5 screws holding each fog light on.
4. Remove the 2 additional screws holding the plastic blanking plate where the DRL LED’s will go
(some of the fog light screws held this as well).
5. Install the DRL’s in the opening holding them with 4 screws each.
6. Cut the 2 pin fog light wire about 2 inches from the connector (wires are orange and black).
Page 122011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
7. Looking at the new 4 pin harness with the clip at the top, you will notice the top two wires are of
a higher gauge (thinner) than the bottom two wires. The top wires are for the LED’s, the bottom
are for the fog lights. Connect one of the bottom wires to the orange fog light wire, and the
other bottom wire to the black fog light wire. Polarity does not matter for the standard fog light
bulbs.
8. For the LED wires you can either connect the ground to the same ground as the fog lights (black
wire), and only run a power wire the rest of the way; or you can run a pair of wires for power
and ground. I personally ran power and ground, as I had paired wire already. I ran the wire
from the passenger side DRL across under the bumper support to the driver side DRL, and then
up to the engine fuse box. If you are looking at the back of the harness (the side with the wires),
the top left is the LED + wire, and the top right is the LED ‐ wire.
9. Once you connect both DRL + and – wires, run the wire up in front of the driver side wheel well
to the engine fuse box. It is entirely up to you where you get your power and ground from – but
make sure the power is only on when the car is on, and off otherwise. You can also run the
wires all the way into the cabin and use the under dash fuse box – it is your choice. I personally
used the ground point right behind the engine fuse box (10mm bolt about 4 inches from the
fuse box where other wires are grounded). For power I used an ATM size Add A Fuse (available
at most auto part stores or many places online) and tapped into the [ESC‐3] fuse in the engine
fuse box.
10. Make sure you test the wiring and make sure everything lights up correctly (both DRL’s and both
fog lights) before putting the bumper back on. If one or both DRL’s do not light, try reversing
the polarity of the wires.
Page 132011‐2013 Kia Optima Hybrid DRL Upgrade and Install DIY
By A.J. Biddles ‐ Version 1.0 ‐ 5/2014
The Finished Product:
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