On the 13th-gen F-150 the low beam is a plain H11 halogen capsule, but Ford packed the engine bay so tightly that reaching behind the housing with the assembly in place is miserable - especially on the driver side where the battery sits right there. The standard approach is to pop the push pins on the black radiator cover, loosen the grille edge, pull two 7 mm bolts and slide the whole headlamp forward. That takes an extra five minutes and turns a knuckle-busting job into an easy one.
What varies is the headlamp, not the engine. Base and mid trims get halogen reflector lamps with H11 low beams; Platinum, Limited and optional LED packages on 2018-2020 trucks use sealed LED projectors with nothing to unscrew. The mistake people make most often is grabbing the new bulb's glass bare-handed, or cranking the 7 mm bolts down hard into the plastic mounting ears and stripping them.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Push pin / trim clip removal tool Plastic fork-style trim tool set Pops the radiator cover and grille retaining pins so the headlamp can slide forward. | Required | shop |
| Socket, 7 mm 7 mm 6-point, 1/4 in drive Removes the two hex-flange bolts holding the top of the headlamp assembly. | Required | shop |
| Socket, 8 mm 8 mm 6-point, 1/4 in drive Some grille, radiator cover and bumper-cover screws use 8 mm heads. | Recommended | shop |
| Ratchet and extension 1/4 in drive ratchet, 3 in and 6 in extensions Reaches the recessed headlamp bolts behind the grille edge. | Required | shop |
| Flashlight or headlamp LED, hands-free preferred The bulb socket area behind the housing is dark and tight. | Required | shop |
| Nitrile gloves Disposable Keeps skin oil off the new halogen capsule, which causes early failure. | Safety | shop |
| H11 low-beam bulb H11 (55 W halogen) - buy in pairs The low-beam capsule on halogen-equipped 2015-2020 F-150s. | Parts | shop |
| Isopropyl alcohol wipe 70%+ isopropyl Cleans fingerprints off the glass if you touch it. | Consumables | shop |
| Dielectric grease Silicone dielectric compound Small dab in the bulb connector keeps moisture and corrosion out. | Consumables | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/4 in drive, in-lb range Headlamp bolts thread into plastic/composite brackets and strip easily. | Recommended | shop |
| Fender cover or towel Protects the aluminum fender and painted grille while you work. | Recommended | shop |
Bulb and tool sizes do not change with the 2.7 or 3.5 EcoBoost, 5.0 V8 or 3.3 V6 - only the trim's headlamp type matters. Halogen trucks use an H11 low beam behind two 7 mm bolts; factory LED headlamps have no serviceable bulb. Driver-side access is tighter on all engines because of the battery, so removing the assembly is worth it there.
| Headlamp assembly mounting bolts (7 mm) | verify in the service manual - snug only, roughly 4-6 Nm |
| Grille / radiator cover screws | verify in the service manual - hand snug |
The H11 low beam and 7 mm headlamp bolts are correct for halogen-equipped 2015-2020 F-150s, but confirm your bulb type on the old capsule and check your trim for factory LED headlamps before buying.
Halogen-equipped trucks use an H11 low beam and a 9005/HB3 high beam. Trims with the factory LED projector headlamps have no replaceable bulb.
On the passenger side some people can reach it, but on the driver side the battery is in the way. Releasing the grille pins and pulling two 7 mm bolts to slide the housing forward is faster and safer than fighting it blind.
Usually oil from bare fingers on the glass, or moisture in the housing from a cracked seal or missing bulb boot. Handle bulbs with gloves and check the connector for corrosion or melted pins.
You can physically fit them, but the reflector housings are designed for a halogen filament and LEDs scatter glare into oncoming traffic; they are not DOT-legal in these reflectors. Some also flicker or set bulb-out messages without a decoder.