Steve
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Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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quote:
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.
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.
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.
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Corsa_davies
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Registered: 28th Jan 07
Location: Southport, Merseyside
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good find
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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finder: Joff
source: http://www.vagweb.co.uk
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whitter45
Member
Registered: 15th Nov 02
Location: Norton
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but as stated on the other thread testers do not test the headlight washer function so there are some grey areas
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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yup, just saying to those that think they are legal because they fit "deflectors"
iv a feeling the laws around testing will tighten up in time anyway
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Nick-S
Member
Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
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that dosent count for projectors dose it?
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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what about cars that get hid's as a factory option but the person didn't get it?
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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all depends if the projector lenses were originally designed for hids
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben G
what about cars that get hid's as a factory option but the person didn't get it?
not quite sure what you mean there?
any car without hids from the factory will have different headlight units
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flybikeslee
Member
Registered: 2nd Jan 07
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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 owel 
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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Nick-S
Member
Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
all depends if the projector lenses were originally designed for hids
how wud they be designed any diffrent apart from self leavaling and washer jets
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Ben G
what about cars that get hid's as a factory option but the person didn't get it?
not quite sure what you mean there?
any car without hids from the factory will have different headlight units
thats the answer i was looking for  just didn't know the actual headlight unit was different to one without hid's from the same car
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by GSi_16v
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
all depends if the projector lenses were originally designed for hids
how wud they be designed any diffrent apart from self leavaling and washer jets
i dont know im just saying if they werent designed for hids they wont be legal, if they were then youve got nothing to worry about
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flybikeslee
Member
Registered: 2nd Jan 07
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
mine are illegal, not in projector headlights, but are aimed as far down as possible and do not blind other drivers
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Nick-S
Member
Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
User status: Offline
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dont think ive got out to worry about any way as am useing 4300k and they look factory fit and dont dassel 1 bit 
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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doesnt really matter what you use, or how they look, if the units werent designed for hids they will be illegal, think that report suggests they need levellers and washers too
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Superlite Ltd.
Member
Registered: 9th Jan 07
User status: Offline
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also...
just because your car passes an MOT doesn't mean its all legal. You could have Bin Laden in the back of your car and still pass a flippin MOT
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Nick-S
Member
Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
doesnt really matter what you use, or how they look, if the units werent designed for hids they will be illegal, think that report suggests they need levellers and washers too
you mean auto levelers?
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VegasPhil
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
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Just something extra to unplug come MoT Time ahha. I'll be putting mine in this year for the MoT thought to see if it fails on them.
Corsa 2.0 16v Vegas - Sold
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flybikeslee
Member
Registered: 2nd Jan 07
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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same with decat and everything though isnt it. i dont have levelers either
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VegasPhil
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
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They do look good though 
Corsa 2.0 16v Vegas - Sold
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DaNnY_LaD
Member
Registered: 30th Nov 05
Location: Walkden,Manchester
User status: Offline
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Steve are these kits alright on the ibiza cupras?
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by GSi_16v
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
doesnt really matter what you use, or how they look, if the units werent designed for hids they will be illegal, think that report suggests they need levellers and washers too
you mean auto levelers?
no i mean, the levellers band
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mattk
Member
Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
User status: Offline
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mine passed with HIDs and a decat Lee
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