Really dim dipped headlights

x1nick

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Got my headlight bulbs replaced today as they both went within a day of each other.

Got my pants pulled down at halfords for £47 fitted for their ultra brilliance range H7 55w bulbs, haven't had time to do it myself working 90 hour weeks! :(

Upon removing the originals it turns out I was running 80w blue bulbs without having the wiring upgraded! so some of it has melted around the connectors, on the drivers side the bulb was actually soldered onto the cars wiring loom, nice!

Anyway the light out of the dipped beam is pathetic now, I can't see where I am going driving so these are clearly not road safe

This photo is actually showing more light than is coming through...
1001A35C-59E7-4DCC-A073-CF839D937AFA-18838-0000087F16F38F9C.jpg


High beam, this seems fine...
6D5BD717-D7F9-4F74-A917-B539D3CB5069-18838-0000087F13090B16.jpg


Clearly something wrong here, bulb the wrong way round maybe?

4ACB63B2-8FA2-4366-ACAD-917E206C31BD-18838-0000087F0ED19580.jpg


And the headlights in question, no idea what they are as they were put in by the previous owner

headlights.png


What should I do here? I don't fancy putting 80w bulbs back in as the wiring clearly can't take it
New headlight units maybe?
Any advice would be appreciated as my brain is fried from working far too much

Slightly tempted to just go get a A5 quattro on finance haha
 
Those dipped headlights are projector lights not reflectors. They are designed for xenons.

Chances are the previous owner tried xenons which then blew the wiper motor and swapped out the xenons for illegal halogens !

Halogen H7's (55w) are designed to be used in reflector headlights like your main beam.

Think you need to get another set of standard headlights !
 
Those dipped headlights are projector lights not reflectors. They are designed for xenons.

Chances are the previous owner tried xenons which then blew the wiper motor and swapped out the xenons for illegal halogens !

Halogen H7's (55w) are designed to be used in reflector headlights like your main beam.

Think you need to get another set of standard headlights !

Thanks for clearing that up

Are there any reflector headlights with the led strip that will fit my car that are half decent? Will do some google/searching later on this but nothing beats recomendations at the end of the day

Cheers
 
Thanks for clearing that up

Are there any reflector headlights with the led strip that will fit my car that are half decent? Will do some google/searching later on this but nothing beats recomendations at the end of the day

Cheers

I'm not sure mate but no doubt someone will be along soon to help.

Lots of threads on headlights so have a search on this forum for advice.
 
Cheers anyway, least I know where I stand now

Quite suprised the car got through its last MOT with no issues :O
 
Done a fair bit of reading, oh man so many posts on here 'use the search button'!

Anyway, as much as I would like some DRL style headlights with LEDs the options are quite limited
1) As much as I would like xenon lights after driving a leon around for a few weeks with them, I don't fancy spending £1k on fitting xenon lights, probably be more than this in the end by time I have broken things and bought the wrong things!
2) Had a look at these aftermarket ones AUDI A3 S3 8P LED DRL R8 style Black Headlights 03-08 | eBay and while they probably do the job, there still projector style ones and going to be stuck with H7 bulbs in, so will probably be back to square one!

Think my best bet is just to buy some standard ones and live with them, unless anyone has any other suggestions?

Still tempted to get a A5 on finance lol
 
I have standard reflector headlights and running the Halfords ultra H7 bulbs and find them great, nice white light and seem bright enough to me!

They are brighter and can see more of the road than my mates S3 with standard Xenons (don't know what kalvin bulbs he uses though but they illuminate everything blue!)