Can you run xenons...

[nothingness]

Without the headlight washer and leveler system?

And then for MOT's just take the headlights off and fit the normal ones?

I am looking at an a3 it has full spec except no xenons.

Alternativly has the HID issue been fixed yet and if so where can I buy some projector headlights that I can fit them to ?

All the ones I have found, from say FK tuning are chavvy or have DRL's inside that do not look standard.

Cheers

 

[JohnE]

Of course you can - but ask yourself why that stuff is fitted and required by law on all new cars with HID lights.

 

[jb0o]

As said, this is possible.

Friend of mine did it, lowering the xenons right down in order to reduce the flash/glare to other drivers and seemed to work fine. Though still illegal and not recommended, obviously.

 

[TDI140]

Im doing it lol everything seems fine ive got MOT in june but the guy said it seems fine

 

[Double J]

As long as the beam pattern is set correctly it shouldn't be an issue.

Better than HIDs in reflector housing at any rate...

 

[Staz]

It's certainly possible but might be a lot of hassle.

My car was registered in Germany for a time and I had to change my headlights for continental ones. Instead of forking out for bi-xenons I fitted halogens. To do this I had to rewire the headlight connector and recode them on VCDS.

It's not a major job but going back and forth to pass and MOT might be a bit of a pain. I think I'd prefer to just fit top end halogen bulbs.

 

[MrLapou]

Yeah true, but it's the glare that's the killer...

As long as the beam pattern is set correctly it shouldn't be an issue.

Better than HIDs in reflector housing at any rate...

 

[Jack_tdi]

I would of thought it would be fine.

I'm pretty sure they aren't required for an mot but are required to work only if fitted.

There are cars on the market that run xenon and don't have washers or levellers as standard.

 

[nothingness]

Its fitting the washers that is the expensive part :/

 

[notta3]

so how would you set the beam pattern correctly? I was under the impression you needed auto levellers and washers as a legal requirement? but I too have seen cars with xenons but no washers etc...

 

[Jack_tdi]

so how would you set the beam pattern correctly? I was under the impression you needed auto levellers and washers as a legal requirement? but I too have seen cars with xenons but no washers etc...

Use a beam setter all MOT Stations have them or body repair shops maybe even your average mechanic will have one.......

I've spoken to a friend if a friend about the washers and levellers and he said that if there fitted they must work. Rear window wipers are similar sort of crack. If there attached they need to work of there not...... They they can't fail them.

 

[notta3]

Use a beam setter all MOT Stations have them or body repair shops maybe even your average mechanic will have one.......

thanks for the advice.

As for the legality issue, I was under the impression that although they would pass the MOT they still wouldnt be road legal. Can anyone clarify or point to any documentation? Ive had a bit of a google and cant bring anything up.

 

[JohnE]

There are cars on the market that run xenon and don't have washers or levellers as standard.

Not any more - there were a very few in the past but current construction and use regs for new cars require them and have done for some time.

As for MOT - here are the rules - of course you can ignore them or change 'em and then change 'em back - I guess it's a question of whether you care about actually being legal or just what you can get away with. Given the amount of illegal mods I see every day, you must be in with a good chance if all you want is to get away with.

http://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/MOT Changes - Lighting.pdf

"Dazzle can also be caused if the lamps are dirty or aimed too high due to, for example, carrying
rear seat passengers and/or heavy items in the boot. Vehicles with HID headlamps are therefore
required to have a headlamp washing system (a wiper is not required) and be self levelling, which
may be achieved either by the use of either headlamp or suspension levelling systems.
The presence and operation of these headlamp cleaning and levelling devices has been
added to the test. Therefore, if a mandatory headlamp levelling or cleaning device is missing,
inoperative or otherwise obviously defective, the vehicle will fail.
This raises the question of whether these checks apply to vehicles fitted with after-market HID
lighting kits. These kits convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID Xenon and they are
widely sold and fitted to vehicles used on the road. The Department for Transport considers
that after-market systems should be required to meet the same safety standards as that applied
in respect of these lamps at vehicle Type Approval. Therefore, in order to pass the MOT
test, vehicles fitted with after-market HID systems would also need to be fitted with headlamp
cleaning and self-levelling systems. Some high specification estate cars are fitted with a selflevelling suspension system and this would be considered as adequate for the purpose."

 

[Jack_tdi]

Therefore, if a mandatory headlamp levelling or cleaning device is missing,
inoperative or otherwise obviously defective, the vehicle will fail.
This raises the question of whether these checks apply to vehicles fitted with after-market HID
lighting kits. These kits convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID Xenon and they are
widely sold and fitted to vehicles used on the road. The Department for Transport considers
that after-market systems should be required to meet the same safety standards as that applied
in respect of these lamps at vehicle Type Approval. Therefore, in order to pass the MOT
test."[/I]

So all the vehicles with xenon and no washer / levellers are to fail an mot........

 

[JohnE]

So all the vehicles with xenon and no washer / levellers are to fail an mot........

Well, according to VOSA, yes. However, as we all know, not every tester is 100% up to date at all times, and those folk who want to get away with it will probably be able to. I'm amazed at how little interest in cars some MOT testers have. I took my old Mondeo (which had had fully legal factory HID/xenons with washers and levelling) for MOT once and the guy checking the beam aim asked me to move the thumbwheel thingy to change the beam height - I explained the levelling was automatic and therefore there was no thumbwheel and he was genuinely surprised and I could tell he doubted my word.

Given that the people who want to fit HIDs without going to the bother of doing it properly won't complain if a tester passes it, there's not going to be a lot of comeback on any tester who ignores the VOSA rules.

By the way - as I said at the start - why do you think levellers and washers are required by law for new vehicles?

 

[nothingness]

This is why my plan was come MOT time to simply swap the headlights over.

 

[notta3]

This is why my plan was come MOT time to simply swap the headlights over.

I was thinking about doing this too, however I think its not just bumper off and swap the lights/adaptor over. Do you not need to run a wire to the CEM to get high beam working? Sounds like alot of work! or maybe I'm just being lazy!

 

[blazedani]

Without the headlight washer and leveler system?

And then for MOT's just take the headlights off and fit the normal ones?

I am looking at an a3 it has full spec except no xenons.

Alternativly has the HID issue been fixed yet and if so where can I buy some projector headlights that I can fit them to ?

All the ones I have found, from say FK tuning are chavvy or have DRL's inside that do not look standard.

Cheers

Only if your headlights has "DC / DCR" mark & the HID you are using is below 2000 Lumen.

Otherwise you will need to install the headlight washer and leveler system.