HID's & the law

[AndyP]

After reading this, can anybody confirm what 'E' marking the headlights need? My ellipsoids are marked 'E1' is this right?

I also note that VOSA are now saying that along with headlight washers the lights need to be self levelling, which would rule out the manual adjusters on the S2?

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...+Police.&mid=0

See section 1.7

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/technicalpenpicture3-lighting.pdf

[djh]

miserable bunch of people over on pistonheads arn't they.

[A80Avant]

tell them you have a self levelling suspension!

let the police figure that out..

i think that the fact of self levelling is stupid rather than the manual, as 'self' leveling can get stuck and then you have no way around fixing it unless you go and replace the lamps. I know that from my brother's focus ST. If the self leveling system fails, you are unable to drive at night, otherwise you blind every1.

manual is simpler, and at the end of the day you still have the option of dipping the beams manually with the allen key, whereas in newer HID headlamps, you loose that ability as well.

Who makes these laws??? are they utterly stupid??

[poor-boy]

tell them you have a self levelling suspension!

let the police figure that out..

i think that the fact of self levelling is stupid rather than the manual, as 'self' leveling can get stuck and then you have no way around fixing it unless you go and replace the lamps. I know that from my brother's focus ST. If the self leveling system fails, you are unable to drive at night, otherwise you blind every1.

manual is simpler, and at the end of the day you still have the option of dipping the beams manually with the allen key, whereas in newer HID headlamps, you loose that ability as well.

Who makes these laws??? are they utterly stupid??

Utterly stupid people do make these laws... Atleast with the HID's (if fitted right) you can see where your going and people can see you coming

[s2_bo]

Right bunch of old farts on pistonheads arnt they.. I love my hids. Without them long journeys at night would become hard work but with a good strong white beam i can happily drive all night with out any issues..

I think there should be some sort of law though so that not just any old **** can fit them in to there bangers. Maybe garages should be required to set them up right with the car once fitted. That would stop a lot of dazzling.

[europeanme]

I had HID's on my old coupe, I'm runnng a set on my avant and the wifes got them on her A2....never every had any problem with them MOT or anything else.....now my windows, thats a different story...

[Sonic]

Mine passed barely a week ago with HID's

[AndyP]

The new test is not coming in until 1st Jan 2012.

To be honest, I agree with what they are saying on Pistonheads about fitting HID's to older H4 style lights. The lens's on these are not designed to project the light from this type of bulb, resulting in the light being scattered badly, this is what dazzles and annoys people. HID's fitted to the right sort of light and correctly aligned are not a problem.

[dubmeister]

Im an MOT tester and love HIDS, but, if they are fiited to the older h4 stle lamps then they are useless, no definate pattern and they scatter all over the place!! so if you want to fit them use them with elipisodal reflector lights- with hidden ignitors and not the stupid blue bulbs the tester cannot fail you as they arent allowed to remove any covers to check bulbs- half the new proposals that are due to be brought in 1/1/12 are on hold anyway pending a government decision. you need to be more worried about the engine management lights/airbag lights and catalyst proposals anyway these are the ones that are designed to keep the old cars off the roads!!

[4WheelDrifter]

I have already looked into fitting self levelling sensors to my S2. There is no way I can go back to halogen headlights.

I also agree that self levelling isn't fool proof. Our S3 self levelling doesn't work, my Boxster self levelling has just failed the other day too, a PITA with Litronics. The lights just stay on the floor.

However. I do feel that something needed to be done to stop people fitting HIDs to any old thing. It was ok when people were using them sensibly.

I hear what you're saying dubmeister. Tom C warned me about ESP, airbag, MILs and so on. A simple lamp delay should get around that, for those that disable these modern annoyances.
I guess they have to find new ways to get these old cars off the road. No good having a car that's all bought and paid for. We need more people in more debt with new cars on finance.

[LHD_Kid]

I was reading an article yesterday in a trade magazine. The HID self levelling will form part of the MOT in 2012.
If you have them fitted to your S2, it will fail...
My friendly mechainc has a seminar to go to in January to have an update on all the changes....

[Fat Audi 80]

I have never had a problem with HID's at MOT time. (Mine are fitted into Elipsoids and the ballasts are tucked away behind the engine covers....

[Lloyd]

I don't see the problem. Check out page 28 on here.....

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20Inspection%20Manual.pdf

Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.

Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems. In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given.

- So, if your projector HID's are properly setup and you have a working manual leveller and headlight washer you have no problem. Right, wrong?

[Ross]

I think the worst that comes out of this will be a requirement to swap bulbs once a year and by-pass those ballasts... a bit of a PITA but at least it's not under tha car like the cats :mischeif:

To be honest, I hope this gives more way to 'friendly' corrupt MOT testers - if they make it too difficult to get one legitimately, that's the way it will go.

[A80Avant]

its the manual level rather than self levelling