Got XENON HID ? See this ...

[edmong]

if they come with the car from new (factory fit) then they MUST have self-leveling & washers - EU directive.

If you fit them yourself afterwards, usually by just changing the bulbs, then the following applies:

1. the lights are NOT to EU standards/directives so ARE ILLEGAL to use on public roads, only police or DOT inspectors (usually working with the police) can do anything about this.

2. they WILL pass a MOT as this only looks at the allignment & beam patteren, as long as these are correct the inspector can't fail it - even knowing that it's illegal to use on the road

Again this is for UK roads .... dont know for other areas

I've got a HID-bulb kit on my Leon and it's passed 2 (or 3) MOT's, will be in for it's next in a few weeks and i won't be taking them off for it


Dave

Im a Vehicle Examiner for the Department for Transport (VOSA).

Firstly we do not need the Police to stop vehicles, we now have an addition to are warrant which allows us to stop anything being used on the public highway.

Secondly at test the testers are also looking at the headlights to make sure they are a matched pair, they emit more white or yellow than any other colour and they ere secure.

Thirdly when it comes to EU directives and other laws there is nothing that I or the police can do for non standard (aftermarket HIDS) headlights fitted to a vehicle.

I work to 'The Caterisaton of Defects' (check out the VOSA website) when on the side of the road and there is nothing in there which says to look for EU markings when checking headlights or bulbs.

So in my professional opinion aftermarket HIDS are fine as long as they are within the standards set out at MOT.

Anyway im getting mine at the end of the month

 

[Tam]

The department for transport ruling..

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

summary:

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

And for those that don't want to click the link please note it rules that the HID/Xenon conversion kits are not legal.

 

[skahigh]

The way I read that, aftermarket hids are fine as long the entire headlamp is replaced (not just the bulb), there is headlamp cleaning in place and auto leveling.....good luck getting that on a mk 1 leon

 

[ADAM_84]

The automatic headlamp leveling thing is too slow anyway, how can the headlight adjust itself before it goes over the bump? it can't so there will always be some point where the on coming driver will be dazzled. My car has just passed an mot, all they did was lower the beam more on to road and nothing was said about it, providing you don't get the blue HID's then you shouldn't have any problem, like said before theres loads of cars that have mis-aligned headlights which are just as bad, difference is we can see where we're going on country lanes they can't.

 

[Tam]

The automatic headlamp leveling thing is too slow anyway, how can the headlight adjust itself before it goes over the bump? it can't so there will always be some point where the on coming driver will be dazzled.

That's not how it works.
When you turn them on, it checks the level of the car (i.e. if you have a boot load of stuff or a caravan attached to the back) and aligns the headlamp to the correct level so its not shining too high in the air, or pointing too close to the ground.

 

[ADAM_84]

On the new mini's it different, we test them on cobbles and something thats called the waves, basically it twists the car slightly as it drives over them, now the mini's with Xenon headlights adjust them selves as the car rolls from side to side as it points the front of the car up then points it down and you can see the beam auto adjusting on the surrounding fence then when you come off of them it adjusts itslef again.

 

[UncleFester]

The department for transport ruling..

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

summary:

And for those that don't want to click the link please note it rules that the HID/Xenon conversion kits are not legal.

Whatever might be said there i don't think anyone has been arrested for it yet or had their vehicle impounded for being in a non roadworthy state because of it.

If you really want to focus the light output from HID, you need a projector lens not a reflector one.

You can see the beam pattern on mine through reflectors is pin perfect, is aligned correctly ( MOT station did it and checked the lights too) and doesn't scatter.

As someone who was never happy with the original Leon light unit output i can safely say i'm happy with it now and won't be taking it off.

 

[Tam]

On the new mini's it different, we test them on cobbles and something thats called the waves, basically it twists the car slightly as it drives over them, now the mini's with Xenon headlights adjust them selves as the car rolls from side to side as it points the front of the car up then points it down and you can see the beam auto adjusting on the surrounding fence then when you come off of them it adjusts itslef again.

Ahh.. very cleaver .... certainly on my leon, i've never noticed them move up and down when driving, side to side yes (when going round corners) but thats because they come with afs so are meant to!

 

[Havok316]

at the end of the day it bogs down to your reflectors. Some cars reflectors do scatter the beams but SEAT cars are fine. The kit I had was ECE approved which is legal! and no one can do a damn thing about it as long as the pattern hasnt changed bein omitted. This subject is touchy and has many grey areas but to date myself and plenty of others dont have a problem and ive never herd of anybody to have been told to have them removed or get a fine!

 

[Tam]

at the end of the day it bogs down to your reflectors. Some cars reflectors do scatter the beams but SEAT cars are fine. The kit I had was ECE approved which is legal! and no one can do a damn thing about it as long as the pattern hasnt changed bein omitted. This subject is touchy and has many grey areas but to date myself and plenty of others dont have a problem and ive never herd of anybody to have been told to have them removed or get a fine!

And that's exactly the point .. The Leons/ Ibiza because of their clear glass headlamps, and the rear reflective bit doing all the light beam pattern, work fantastically well, and therefore shouldn't ever cause an issue to another driver.. And if it doesn't cause an issue, then you should never have an issue with an MOT/police.

Getting back to the original point in this post, the car that auto-express tested didn't have clear glass headlight, it had the old style glass which reflects the beam in the correct way, and because of this, it caused the glare and stuff.

Your hid kit although may have the correct markings, is "technically" still illegal, as you are using it in the wrong headlamp housing, as I'm sure you've already mentioned you don't have self-levelling and you don't have washers fitted. (but this *IS* being picky!) and as I said above, you are unlikely to ever be pulled up for it as it is working just as well as the correct units, but calling yours legal is incorrect.

 

[edmong]

The department for transport ruling..

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

summary:

And for those that don't want to click the link please note it rules that the HID/Xenon conversion kits are not legal.

Like I said in my previous reply, there is nothing we can do as an 'agency' (VOSA who enforce these laws and acts!) can do.

Until I recieve conformation that I have to physically check for 'e' markings, self levelling and washers on aftermarket HIDS then they are still ok to fit and use.

For us to put these extra checks into an MOT test would mean increasing the MOT fee which the public will not like and the time taken for a test would increase which MOT testing stations will not like.

As a whole I can see that nothing will happen with regards to enforcement of HIDS. If I do recieve anything from the powers above I will post it on here for everyone.

In my personal opinion the above DfT link is written to keep the safety campaigners happy for a while.

If you have any other queries dont hesitate to contact me or leave a reply on here. Hope this helps a little more.

 

[Havok316]

And that's exactly the point .. The Leons/ Ibiza because of their clear glass headlamps, and the rear reflective bit doing all the light beam pattern, work fantastically well, and therefore shouldn't ever cause an issue to another driver.. And if it doesn't cause an issue, then you should never have an issue with an MOT/police.

Getting back to the original point in this post, the car that auto-express tested didn't have clear glass headlight, it had the old style glass which reflects the beam in the correct way, and because of this, it caused the glare and stuff.

Your hid kit although may have the correct markings, is "technically" still illegal, as you are using it in the wrong headlamp housing, as I'm sure you've already mentioned you don't have self-levelling and you don't have washers fitted. (but this *IS* being picky!) and as I said above, you are unlikely to ever be pulled up for it as it is working just as well as the correct units, but calling yours legal is incorrect.

yup on those terms i agree not all cars a suited and generally this is probably why they want to make it illegal but use SEAT fan boys are fine but I know what you mean by being technically "illegal" but my argument is it ever is questioned is that my headlight cluster and lamp kit is ECE approved and both E-Marked hehehe