Today we are walking through a Morimoto Elite HID system install on a 2013 Ford Focus for a customer here in Atlanta. Before we ever touched the car, we laid out every single part that comes with the kit so you know exactly what each piece does and, just as importantly, what each piece is not for. HID conversions can look intimidating when you dump the box out on the bench, but once you understand the ballast choices, the wiring options, and the little extras like the test lead and the pass-through wiring, the whole thing comes together quickly. Let us break it all down the way we did on the workbench.
Choosing Your Ballast: 35W vs 55W
The first decision with the Morimoto Elite HID system is which ballast you want. You get a choice between the Morimoto 35 and the Morimoto 55. The 35W ballast is the industry standard as far as power output goes. The 55W version is actually a 50 watt ballast, so it is a little bit boosted compared to the conventional 35 watts. That extra output gives you a slightly brighter light, but it does run a little bit hotter too. For most street applications the 35W is plenty, and it stays cooler over the long haul, but if you want that extra punch, the 55W is there for you.
Along with the ballast you get some mounting hardware. It is pretty basic, just some screws and bolts that are used to attach the included bracket to the backside of the ballast. The bracket slides right into the channel on the ballast, and there are two holes that mount it in your car. We recommend using it because it does two things at once. It helps transfer a little bit of heat away from the ballast, and it grounds the ballast a little bit as well. Small detail, but it matters for long-term reliability.
The Bulbs: Morimoto XP35 4300K H7
For this particular Focus install, we are using our new Morimoto XP35 4300K H7 bulbs. The 4300K color temperature gives you that clean, slightly warm white that actually performs well on the road rather than the blue-heavy tints that look flashy but scatter light. The H7 is the correct fitment for this vehicle, so that is what went in the box for this customer.
The Elite platform is built around whatever bulb size your vehicle uses, so if you are shopping a different fitment, the parts and process carry over almost identically. For example, the H11 Elite HID System kit follows the exact same layout with a different bulb, and you can also see the H1 Elite HID System on Morimoto’s site if you want to compare specs across sizes. If you want a second look at another vendor’s listing, here is Headlight Revolution’s H11 Elite kit as well.
Wiring Options: Canbus Harness vs Relay Harness
For the wiring, the Elite system gives you two different options. The first is our Standalone Canbus harnesses, which are used to cancel out any error codes that would appear on the dash after changing the headlights. There are two of those in a set, one for each side of the car. The second option that comes standard is the Heavy Duty Relay Harness, which is more of a conventional harness. It has grounds, it has a connection for the positive battery terminal, and it powers the ballasts through two cube relays.
For this Focus, we went with the Standalone 2.0 CANbus Harness because it handles the error codes cleanly on both sides of the car without adding a separate battery-fed relay setup. Which one you choose largely depends on your vehicle and how its electrical system reacts to the HID conversion. If you want to see how the same platform behaves on a different vehicle, take a look at our Range Rover Evoque Elite HID install walkthrough.
Capacitor Links and Resistor Links
Depending on your application, you may or may not see a couple of extra pieces of wiring in the box. One is a capacitor link, which goes along with the input on the harness. It has a capacitor integrated into it and it connects to a ground on the car. What it does is absorb and smooth out any pulsating voltage that comes out from the car, which is common in the case of a daytime running light or a canbus system that may be present.
The other option is a resistor link, which helps add resistance back into the headlight circuit after the headlights are changed. Once you swap in HIDs, the computer may recognize the change, so this resistor link fools the computer into thinking that nothing has ever changed. These two pieces are not universal. You may or may not have them, and it just depends on the application. If your kit includes them, use them where the instructions call for it. If your kit does not, you do not need them. If you are cross-shopping fitments, the full lineup of Universal HID Systems is a good place to confirm what ships with each application.
The Test Lead: What It Actually Does
The very last thing that comes with every kit is a test lead, and this one confuses a lot of people. Essentially all it is is a 906 female socket with some wiring plugged into the end of it. This will not actually be used in the final installation. Basically it is a plug for the ballast, and once it is connected (with a bulb plugged in), you can touch the ends of it to the positive and negative terminals on the battery to test fire the ballast.
It is there in case you need to do any troubleshooting, for example if something is not working right off the bat. We include it purely as a convenience item. There is really nothing you need to do with it during the install. If you end up not needing it, great, just set it aside. We always recommend a quick bench test before final assembly so you are not chasing a bad bulb or ballast after everything is buttoned up behind the bumper.
Morimoto Elite HID System Install Steps
With all the parts explained, we took the bumper off the car to gain access to the rear side of the headlights. From there, the process depends on which of two scenarios you are dealing with behind the headlight.
Step 1: Identify Your Headlight Access Type
Once you have the headlights off (or accessible), you will encounter one of two scenarios. Scenario A is where the headlights are completely sealed up in the back, enclosed by either a rubber or plastic cap, with no connector going directly into the back of the bulb. In that case the bulb is hidden inside the housing underneath the cap. The other scenario is where the bulb is directly accessible on the back of the headlight, with the wiring coming from the car straight into the back of the bulb. This Focus is the sealed type, so it needs a little extra work on the cap.
Step 2: Understand the Pass-Through Wiring
Because the bulb is sealed behind the cap, you need to modify that cap so the wiring for the bulb can come through it. This is where the extra pass-through cable comes in, the one that confuses a lot of folks. The connector that goes to the back of your halogen bulb connects to the pins on the end of this pass-through wire. You then feed that wire through the cap to the back of the housing, and ultimately it plugs into the input on your relay harness (on one side of the car) or into the Standalone Canbus harnesses (on both sides of the car).
Step 3: Drill the 7/8 Inch Hole in the Cap
To route that pass-through wiring, you need to drill a 7/8 inch hole in the cap so the rubber grommet on the pass-through can fit through there and reseal the headlight perfectly. Take your time here and keep the hole clean so the seal stays weathertight. A sloppy hole invites moisture, which is the enemy of any headlight housing.
Step 4: Install the Pass-Through and Harnesses
With the cap modified, we installed the pass-through, then connected the Standalone Canbus harnesses. The pass-through feeds through the cap, reseals the housing, and connects to the bulb on one end and the harness on the other. On this canbus setup, both sides of the car get their own harness.
Step 5: Mount the Ballast and Reassemble
Last, we mounted the ballast using the included bracket and hardware, which again helps with heat transfer and grounding. From there it is a matter of routing the wiring cleanly, securing everything so nothing rubs or rattles, and putting the headlights and bumper back on the car. Once buttoned up, the Focus fires up its new HIDs with no dash errors thanks to the canbus harnesses.
Final Thoughts
The Morimoto Elite HID system is one of the more complete kits we install because it accounts for the electrical quirks that trip up so many conversions. Between the ballast choice, the two wiring options, and the application-specific capacitor and resistor links, most of the guesswork is removed before you ever pick up a drill. The only real handwork on this Focus was modifying the sealed cap, and once you understand what the pass-through wiring is for, that step is straightforward. Bench test with the included lead, mount everything cleanly, and you will end up with a bright, error-free HID setup that looks factory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Morimoto 35W and 55W ballasts?
The 35W ballast is the industry standard output, while the 55W version is boosted to roughly 50 watts for brighter output, though it runs a bit hotter.
What wiring options come with the Morimoto Elite HID kit?
You can choose Standalone Canbus Harnesses, which cancel dash error codes after installing HIDs, or the Heavy Duty Relay Harness, which includes grounds, a positive battery connection, and two cube relays.
What is the test lead used for in the kit?
The test lead is a 906 female socket wire that plugs into the ballast so you can touch it to the battery terminals and bench test the ballast and bulb before final installation. It is not used in the actual install.
What do the capacitor link and resistor link do?
The capacitor link absorbs and smooths pulsating voltage from DRL or canbus systems, while the resistor link adds resistance back into the headlight circuit to prevent the car’s computer from detecting the HID conversion. Both are included only for certain applications.
How do you route HID wiring into a sealed headlight housing?
If the bulb is enclosed behind a rubber or plastic cap with no direct connector access, you drill a 7/8 inch hole in the cap so the bulb’s pass-through wiring can feed through and reseal properly before connecting to the harness.
Meet the Experts Behind The Retrofit Source
Tyler Jordan – Technical Writer
Tyler works directly with the TRS product R&D team, bringing over a decade of automotive aftermarket lighting experience to every article. An avid enthusiast with hundreds of personal installations under his belt, his content is built on hands-on knowledge from the workbench, not spec sheets.
Caleb Morgan – Marketing Manager
Caleb brings over a decade of automotive lighting industry experience and works with TRS customers daily on the front lines. With hundreds of personal lighting installations and a direct feedback loop from real buyers, his content addresses the questions and problems that actually matter.
