Bi-xenon projectors failed my MOT

Crgwal

A2OC Donor
Scotland
Hi,

So I just put my car into Halfords for its MOT.

It failed on the bi-xenon lights I had fitted to it. (Not legal)

I'm confused since when was this a thing?

Thanks in advance,
Craig
 
Formally i think that is correct, but I havent tried them here in the swedish inspection so I dont know how they will react. Btw, I bought the same as you. Besides the Mot are you happy with the light?
 
There's been a recent update to (UK) testers specifically about headlights. Basically, anything other than OEM is a fail, ie LEDs and retrofit HIDs.
The A2's headlight was designed for a bulb prefixed "H" (ie H7 etc). The H stands for Halogen, so, anything other than a Halogen bulb is a fail.

Section 4.1.4 now states the following:

“Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp”
I guess it depends how hard they look, but the beam pattern is a bit of a give away.
Mac.
 
Found this article a few weeks ago giving the background to PlasticMac's definitive reply

I fitted Philips H4 LED bulbs to my wife's car and it always passed the MOT with the tester being very complimentary about the controlled beam pattern and sharp cut off (unlike the HID bulbs I tried in the A2, and quickly replaced with Osram Nightbreakers)

Cheers Spike
 
Formally i think that is correct, but I havent tried them here in the swedish inspection so I dont know how they will react. Btw, I bought the same as you. Besides the Mot are you happy with the light?

They were great, legal in Europe only I guess.

Oh well back to the old ones
 
Hid bulbs in a standard non project headlamp just produces a ball of light, there is very little/no beam pattern.

Construction and use rules state that cars with hid headlamps must have headlamp wash and self levelling devices fitted from the factory.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hid bulbs in a standard non project headlamp just produces a ball of light, there is very little/no beam pattern.

Construction and use rules state that cars with hid headlamps must have headlamp wash and self levelling devices fitted from the factory.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I believe headlight washers, on HID lights are only mandatory on cars registered from 2009 on. If they are fitted to a car of any year, they must work.
I also believe the self levelling requirement is also "if fitted must work"
Mac.
 
From gov.uk:

HID headlamp unit requirements

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the aftermarket should:


  • be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component
  • when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place)
  • comply with RVLR as far as “use” is concerned

In practice this means:


  • 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
  • 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
  • the headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly in the same way as any other headlamp

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.


In summary: it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.

RAB
 
As a curiosity, with 35W xenon you do not need washer nor level-control ref. early Tesla Model S. Anyway, not legal in A2 headlight-housing in any case.
 
it's not the 35w, it's the 2000 lumen output that specifies if washers / levelling are needed or not.

I asked here recently if I could use the new Osram LEDs which are approved by TÜV for road use and was told "no", but that's up for argument. At least LHD versions of all sorts of older cars can now legally use those in Germany.
 
Well I will remove and pack away my illegal retrofit.

What I have is below in the picture, if its of any use to anyone perhaps in another country drop me a message...

Hopfully anyone reading this will not make the mistake I made.

Best,
C
 

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This is some what down the the mot tester
My mot man knows that I have hid bulbs fitted in projectors and comments every year on the quality of the beam pattern
His view is if the beam pattern is good then he will pass but if the beam pattern is bad. Ie the ball of light that happens if you fit hid or led into reflector headlights then it’s a fail
Some what helped because he cannot remove the bonnet from the A2 and cannot see the bulb which is in the projector

I always remove the bonnet for him to look and in turn he doesn’t see the chokes for the hids

Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Paul, the new MOT rules came in on Jan 1st 2021 and the testers are now compelled to fail healights retrofitted with LED or HID bulbs. Even with quality bulbs where the beam pattern, colour and cut off are ok, the light intensity measured by the beam tester will be a give away.
Would be interesting to get your testers unofficial opinion on the new rules if you have chance for a quiet word before your next MOT

Cheers Spike
 
This is some what down the the mot tester
My mot man knows that I have hid bulbs fitted in projectors and comments every year on the quality of the beam pattern
His view is if the beam pattern is good then he will pass but if the beam pattern is bad. Ie the ball of light that happens if you fit hid or led into reflector headlights then it’s a fail
Some what helped because he cannot remove the bonnet from the A2 and cannot see the bulb which is in the projector

I always remove the bonnet for him to look and in turn he doesn’t see the chokes for the hids

Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As Paul says, it's a bit of a lottery, the guy that does mine always ask me to remove the bonnet, so I do. No problem there, but he has in the past advised me about certain things but we have an understanding if you know what I mean, if it is a fail due to something dangerous then it's a fail, if it's something that won't cause a loss of life then its just a a word in my ear, you get the drift.

I have four A2s booked in with him every year at the moment so he is a bit understanding.
 
I watched as the guy removed the bonnet at my most recent MOT, without me having said yay or nay .... should he not have done?
The MOT is clear, they are not allowed to disassemble the car
if a bonnet / door etc open on an hinge then they are free to open the bonnet / door etc
however on the A2 the bonnet must be removed and as such this is classed as diassembling the vehicle which they are not allowed to do
same as they cannot remove a wheel to check brakes etc

They can ask you to remove the bonnet, and if you agree then to then they can conduct the mot with the bonnet off, if you refuse they do the test but state on the certificate that the bonnet could not be removed and therefore anything that would have been checked under the bonnet was not checked

Cheers,
Paul
 
Paul, the new MOT rules came in on Jan 1st 2021 and the testers are now compelled to fail healights retrofitted with LED or HID bulbs. Even with quality bulbs where the beam pattern, colour and cut off are ok, the light intensity measured by the beam tester will be a give away.
Would be interesting to get your testers unofficial opinion on the new rules if you have chance for a quiet word before your next MOT

Cheers Spike
I will be doing next time I have cause for an informal chat
I was aware of the HID's being a failure for the last few years, but it sounds like this as been brought to the attension again as of the 1st Jan 2021

I still have a set of 'MOT' headlights that I bought in case of trouble with the HID's, but they are boxed up as never been needed

Paul
 
I will be doing next time I have cause for an informal chat
I was aware of the HID's being a failure for the last few years, but it sounds like this as been brought to the attension again as of the 1st Jan 2021

I still have a set of 'MOT' headlights that I bought in case of trouble with the HID's, but they are boxed up as never been needed

Paul

I just thought of this
 
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The MOT is clear, they are not allowed to disassemble the car
if a bonnet / door etc open on an hinge then they are free to open the bonnet / door etc
however on the A2 the bonnet must be removed and as such this is classed as diassembling the vehicle which they are not allowed to do
same as they cannot remove a wheel to check brakes etc

They can ask you to remove the bonnet, and if you agree then to then they can conduct the mot with the bonnet off, if you refuse they do the test but state on the certificate that the bonnet could not be removed and therefore anything that would have been checked under the bonnet was not checked

Cheers,
Paul

This is true?

I'm confused so no breaks were checked on my car since they didn't ask to remove my wheels?
 
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