General LED headlights.

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General LED headlights.

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May 15, 2007
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Hi guys, Has anybody fitted LED headlights to the panda 2004 without destroying the plastic covering the lamps? Is there a way to do this?
thanks . regards to all from Malta.
 
here in the UK its illegal to fit LED bulbs to housings that weren't designed for them.

This applies to HID burners but I'm not sure it applies to LEDs. But whatever is fitted the light must not cause dazzle, so a plain ordinary halogen that's not correctly set will be illegal.

I have H7 LEDs in the bike headlight and they are just as well focused as the halogens, but the emitters are small. They are considerably safer than the halogens because the standard headlight is frankly useless with standard bulbs. The bike has passed two MoTs with H7 LED bulbs fitted.

In the Panda, I have a pair of H4s on test at the moment.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIGHTEYE-H4-9003-HB2-LED-Headlight-Bulb-Light-Hi-Lo-Beam-Kit-6500K-HID-White-2Pc/152959582523?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

They fit inside the headlights and the covers fit though I have chiseled away the plastic ribs on the insides of the covers just to be sure. I have not tried but would not expect the passive heat sink type to fit - too long at the back.

The issues are that these bulbs set to the same headlight angle as the old halogens will cause dazzle. I have adjusted mine to full down angle and they are now ok but main beam is too low to be useful. I think the problem is caused by the LED emitters being too big which messes up the focus. Running like that is clearly illegal.
 
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here in the UK a halogen headlamp unit must use halogen bulbs anything else is illegal. There's no grey area its written in EU law.

Also in the UK it is illegal is blue washer jets, front dark tinted windows and loud exhausts. Just because others fit them doesn't make them legal.

The only way to legally fit LED's is to use a headlight unit that was designed for them and has the correct type approval unit. Normally cars where a higher model variant have them as an options. Most on ebay have fake markings.

Also it is considered an upgrade and insurance company needs informing.
 
here in the UK a halogen headlamp unit must use halogen bulbs anything else is illegal. There's no grey area its written in EU law.

Also in the UK it is illegal is blue washer jets, front dark tinted windows and loud exhausts. Just because others fit them doesn't make them legal.

The only way to legally fit LED's is to use a headlight unit that was designed for them and has the correct type approval unit. Normally cars where a higher model variant have them as an options. Most on ebay have fake markings.

Also it is considered an upgrade and insurance company needs informing.

Fair comment. So ignore what your MoT tester thinks. I'm not being facetious its clear they don't understand such details.
 
you be unlucky to get caught.

one of those random stop checks the most likely. Most of those seem to concentrate on boy racers cars, HGV's and people towing.

you either get 14 day to show its been changed via a garage stamp (been here for a bulb out)

or not allowed to move the car until they are changed

Also they can fine up to £1000.
 
if you car has previously been fitted with pound shop bulbs then changing to a decent brand will make a huge difference to both the light output and beam pattern and well worth doing.


Also if the lens on the front is badly pitted, scratched or sandblasted then a percentage of the light is being shattered. This can be got back by polishing and resealing the lenses


You can fit brighter bulbs but there's no free lunch. Something like Philips RacingVision cost nearly £30 and have a life of only 200 hours
 
you be unlucky to get caught.

one of those random stop checks the most likely. Most of those seem to concentrate on boy racers cars, HGV's and people towing.

you either get 14 day to show its been changed via a garage stamp (been here for a bulb out)

or not allowed to move the car until they are changed

Also they can fine up to £1000.

I was going on about dazzle. Basically, if your lights have a good dipped cutoff they wont get noticed. Why should they if nobody is being harmed. Technically not legal though.
Someone should take on the idiot motorcyclists who run on main beam all the time "because they get noticed". Oh yes they certainly do but dazzling everyone for a mile down the road is seriously not helpful. AND when they get close you cant see the heck where they are for the spots in your eyes.
 
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Note that the MOT now checks for headlight modifications (and correct operation of leveling including automatic leveling and washers which are mandated for LED) so you "should" fail the MOT if you replace halogen bulbs with LEDs. Worst case is insurance does not pay out after an accident and you could end up paying tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds. Yes, they have to pay the third party, but they can come after you to get the money back.

Robert G8RPI.
 
I wouldn't worry! If you can find a way of fitting Led lights to your satisfaction, just go ahead and do it.

Having lived on Malta and Gozo for twenty years, the Vrt ( laughingly the same as the UK Mot) is a joke, and the testers won't even notice what you've done to your car.

I've seen a tester in Birkirkara snag his jeans on the wires sticking out of a bald tyre on a 4x4, and still it passed!
 
Note that the MOT now checks for headlight modifications (and correct operation of leveling including automatic leveling and washers which are mandated for LED) so you "should" fail the MOT if you replace halogen bulbs with LEDs. Worst case is insurance does not pay out after an accident and you could end up paying tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds. Yes, they have to pay the third party, but they can come after you to get the money back.

Robert G8RPI.

As things stand in the UK in 2019, LED headlamps do NOT need self levelling and washers, nor because of an omission in the MoT guidelines do HiDs. However IF washers and self levelling are fitted they MUST be working or it will be a fail. Whatever type of bulb is fitted they must comply with the required beam pattern and alignment. LEDS currently have slipped through the net. Other comments about E marking of the headlamp unit will apply but are unlikely to be checked.

Most of the legislation regarding uprated headlamps only applies to HiD kits although they may include LEDs at the next revision if someone reminds them
 
As things stand in the UK in 2019, LED headlamps do NOT need self levelling and washers, nor because of an omission in the MoT guidelines do HiDs. However IF washers and self levelling are fitted they MUST be working or it will be a fail. Whatever type of bulb is fitted they must comply with the required beam pattern and alignment. LEDS currently have slipped through the net. Other comments about E marking of the headlamp unit will apply but are unlikely to be checked.

Most of the legislation regarding uprated headlamps only applies to HiD kits although they may include LEDs at the next revision if someone reminds them

Maybe I wasn't clear when I said " levelling including automatic leveling and washers which are mandated for LED" This is not a MOT requirement it's a vehicle approval requirement and only the minimum of manual levelling is mandated. You are correct that the MOT requires them to be working if fitted.
Sorry for any confusion.

Robert G8RPI.
 
My led converted headlights passed mot last Saturday no problem
I was there when it was being tested, and saw the beam pattern was spot on
also newly fitted led DRL's were fine half brightness with side light and headlights on
Also the strobing DRL's when air horn is used presented no issues, and was commented as being a good idea by MOT Guy, also confirming has seen this on a lot of new cars this year
LUIGI
 
This is not a MOT requirement it's a vehicle approval requirement and only the minimum of manual levelling is mandated. You are correct that the MOT requires them to be working if fitted.

Still not being clear there.

The LED Headlights on our Countryman do not have washers or automatic levelling.

There are plenty of early Japanese cars that where fitted with HID lights and sold for U.K. use but did not have auto levelling or washers. Circa late 90s early 2000s
 
H4 LED bulbs will fit the lamps and are hidden behind the bulb cup reflectors. However you will have to set the beam to its lowest angle to avoid dazzle. It's all too easy to break off an adjuster or drop the reflector off the end of its mechanism.

For what they cost you are better replacing the fogs with long range LED spot lamps. Wire them to work with main beam.
Take care to avoid flood lamps as they will dazzle the whole town. The very bright cone of light makes them completely unsuitable for anything other than very close range use.
 
It is true that many cars fitted with OEM LED lamps do not have washers or automatic levelling. This includes Mini and most of the BMW/Audi/VW Group/Ford range etc etc.

The EU regulations state that headlamps with an output below 2000 lumens do NOT require washers and only require manual levelling. This applies to all types of headlamp, including LED, HiD and those fitted with super-bright incandescent bulbs. (Apparently Ford used to fit 35 watt LED bulbs with washers and self levelling until they hit on using 25 watt LEDS which don't require the washers and auto levelling)
 
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