So my car has just failed its MOT. Headlight bulbs not working. Garage has checked them and both were completely smashed/exploded. Which is odd as they are Nightbreakers both installed just a few months ago when I got the car. I made sure I didn’t touch the glass when installing.

They have checked for any alternator errors on the logs and there are none. Kinda worrying. What on earth could cause both to blow up?

Cheers. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

If you’ve got single bulbs with shutters for dip to main beam the shutters have been known to touch the tip of the bulbs and they eventually smash!

You really need to upgrade to HiD lights especially as your car will have projector lenses. Many many folk on here have suffered the "blown bulb" syndrome especially when upgrading to high performance HB3 bulbs. I believe Halfords no longer offer guarantee for fitting bulbs to FL2' due to the number of claims. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I've got a 2014 SE Tech and my headlight units are full of bits of broken glass from exploded lamps (I have removed all the bits I can get out). So there's no doubt it happens, it's rubbish design. I think they just overheat because of the high/dip shutters which are very close to them.

I fitted the HID replacement lamps from ABD and no more exploding bulb problems also the lights are now of a usable brightness. Been through 3 MOTs with no comment also before anyone says it's an MOT fail.

Last edited by congoblue on 11th Jul 2023 12:40 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Interesting. I didn’t know it was such a common issue - I knew some of them failed, but not explode.

The HID kits aren’t technically MOT legal are they? Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Congo you replied just as I was 😂 interesting you’ve had no fails on the MOT. I will look into the kits. Which kit did you buy? Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

No, they are not technically legal.

However the headlamps are the same optics as the factory supplied HID version, the beam pattern is perfect, and all the lamp control modules fit inside the headlamp housing. So it would take a very picky MOT tester to give a fail.

I got the 35W HID conversion kit
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/hb3-hids...n-kit.html

My car has successfully passed 2 MOT'S since being fitted. I now feel more secure night driving having had BOTH headlight bulbs blow whilst driving across unlit country lanes. Not a great experience relying on fog lights over a 15 mile journey through Gloucestershire's country roads. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I suppose it’d be easy enough to simply pop the original bulbs back in before MOT if worried. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

I believe the bulbs in the headlamp run too hot, which can cause them to explode.

I'm not a fan OF HID conversions in normal headlamps, but a projector lamp should be fine. Just be aware that MOT tests are looking out for non OE bulbs, which could fail if found. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

Unless they read this forum, how would an MOT tester know that you had changed the bulbs though?
They look just like the LR factory fit HID headlamps. The only giveaway maybe is that you have a manual levelling control - I think the factory fitted ones have auto levelling.

Chuckalicious wrote:

I suppose it’d be easy enough to simply pop the original bulbs back in before MOT if worried.

Chuckalicious wrote:

Interesting. I didn’t know it was such a common issue - I knew some of them failed, but not explode.

Bitten the bullet and ordered a set from ADB…. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

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