General Osram LED headlights

[crispyy]

Dearest forum members,

I'm thinking about replacing the halogen headlight bulbs on my 2024 Panda 1.0 Mild Hybrid with LEDs. Osram models are officially approved and street-legal for the Panda here in Germany, but I have a few concerns before I pull the trigger.

My main worry is the cooling fans. I've heard that LED bulb fans can be loud, sometimes even audible inside the cabin. Since the mild hybrid shuts the engine off at traffic lights, I'm a bit concerned the whining noise will be noticeable. Has anyone here experienced this on their Panda?

I'm currently looking at three options:

• Osram Night Breaker Speed: This one has the same shape/footprint as a regular halogen, so it's plug-and-play. However, the light is a very cold white compared to standard halogens.
• Osram Night Breaker Start: Their entry model. It has a larger footprint at the back, meaning the stock dust cap won't fit over it. Since it is dimmer than the others, it might also be quieter?
• Osram Night Breaker Vintage: This one is a warm white (which I like, as it mimics the classic halogen look) and is brighter than the Start model. Like the Start, it also requires a larger dust cap.

So did anyone have any experience with LED bulbs so far?

Cheers from Munich!

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

It’s a shame that the UK regulators haven’t approved Osrams LED ‘bulbs’ for use here… currently any headlamp designed for a halogen bulb will be failed at the MOT if an LED upgrade ‘bulb’ is installed. (Curiously, this doesn’t apply to any age of motorbikes, or cars registered before 1986.). In Britain, using LEDs in place of filament bulbs in any other lights in a car is not permitted (technically), but is not an MOT fail (contrary to popular belief).

The only LED headlight upgrades that are acceptable under UK rules are where the whole lamp unit is replaced with one with a fixed (non replaceable) LED light source. And for replacement headlights they must be clearly marked as right hand drive (dipping to the left, shown by an arrow pointing to the left under the ‘E’ mark circle)

Given many of this forum’s members are in the UK, you might not get a lot of helpful response to your question.

However… I personally find the ‘warm white’ lights much better than the ‘daylight blue’ at night. The human eye has better night vision towards the yellower part of the spectrum — all to do with the circadian rhythm My 2013 Defender has Nightbreaker halogens which I find more visually comfortable compared to the LED headlights in our Skoda - especially in the rain. Also, If a light is ‘too bright’, this can be counterproductive, as it makes the dark, unlit areas beyond the beam seem darker.

 

[The Panda Nut]

It’s a shame that the UK regulators haven’t approved Osrams LED ‘bulbs’ for use here… currently any headlamp designed for a halogen bulb will be failed at the MOT if an LED upgrade ‘bulb’ is installed. (Curiously, this doesn’t apply to any age of motorbikes, or cars registered before 1986.). In Britain, using LEDs in place of filament bulbs in any other lights in a car is not permitted (technically), but is not an MOT fail (contrary to popular belief).
⁷
The only LED headlight upgrades that are acceptable under UK rules are where the whole lamp unit is replaced with one with a fixed (non replaceable) LED light source. And for replacement headlights they must be clearly marked as right hand drive (dipping to the left, shown by an arrow pointing to the left under the ‘E’ mark circle)

Given many of this forum’s members are in the UK, you might not get a lot of helpful response to your question.

However… I personally find the ‘warm white’ lights much better than the ‘daylight blue’ at night. The human eye has better night vision towards the yellower part of the spectrum — all to do with the circadian rhythm My 2013 Defender has Nightbreaker halogens which I find more visually comfortable compared to the LED headlights in our Skoda - especially in the rain. Also, If a light is ‘too bright’, this can be counterproductive, as it makes the dark, unlit areas beyond the beam seem darker.

Thats an insightful reply and interesting comparison comments Thanks

 

[Corone]

I have approved Led headlights on my Panda. Probably Osram. Haven’t noticed any noise, but the reason might be the Twinair engine taking care of steady background hum. And anyway my hearing hasn’t been that good since army times.

 

[crispyy]

It’s a shame that the UK regulators haven’t approved Osrams LED ‘bulbs’ for use here… currently any headlamp designed for a halogen bulb will be failed at the MOT if an LED upgrade ‘bulb’ is installed. (Curiously, this doesn’t apply to any age of motorbikes, or cars registered before 1986.). In Britain, using LEDs in place of filament bulbs in any other lights in a car is not permitted (technically), but is not an MOT fail (contrary to popular belief).

The only LED headlight upgrades that are acceptable under UK rules are where the whole lamp unit is replaced with one with a fixed (non replaceable) LED light source. And for replacement headlights they must be clearly marked as right hand drive (dipping to the left, shown by an arrow pointing to the left under the ‘E’ mark circle)

Given many of this forum’s members are in the UK, you might not get a lot of helpful response to your question.

Thanks for the comprehensive reply!

To be honest I only want to install LED bulbs because most other cars here have LED and it makes it absolutely impossible for me to see anything. Either they illuminate the whole road and then when they are gone my eyes can't see in the dark anymore, or they just blind me through my mirrors.
The other day I got blinded by someone's LED daytime running lights!

I don't know how it is over in the UK but I could imagine it's a little better due to these LED bulbs not being approved. I'm sure having to replace the whole assembly puts people off and they stick to halogen.

However… I personally find the ‘warm white’ lights much better than the ‘daylight blue’ at night. The human eye has better night vision towards the yellower part of the spectrum — all to do with the circadian rhythm My 2013 Defender has Nightbreaker halogens which I find more visually comfortable compared to the LED headlights in our Skoda - especially in the rain. Also, If a light is ‘too bright’, this can be counterproductive, as it makes the dark, unlit areas beyond the beam seem darker.

Totally agree. Cooler white also blinds you more easily, according to a study done by a car club here in Germany.
I will probably get the vintage bulbs from Osram if I end up getting LED bulbs, just because they are yellow like halogens.

I just wanted to see if I get someone's first hand experience about the fan noise first.

 

[crispyy]

I have approved Led headlights on my Panda. Probably Osram. Haven’t noticed any noise, but the reason might be the Twinair engine taking care of steady background hum. And anyway my hearing hasn’t been that good since army times.

Thanks for replying! Do you hear the fans if you open the hood?

P.S.: Sorry about the hearing

 

[Corone]

I have to look in to that when i get my hands on the vehicle. I will be using it at the of the March. It has been in storage over the winter.