Forum-Gallery-Shop-Sponsors

« Advertise on Freel2.com

Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Latest MOT Rules Regarding Halogen Headlight Conversions.
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 4 1234>
Print this entire topic · 
sadler32



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 74

United Kingdom 2009 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto Bali Blue
Latest MOT Rules Regarding Halogen Headlight Conversions.

This doesn’t effect me but just interested after listening to a conversation in my local MOT station.

Has anyone failed an MOT because their halogen headlights had been converted to either HID or LED bulbs.

Post #422317 13th Jun 2022 8:17 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
jules



Member Since: 13 Dec 2007
Location: The Wilds of Warwickshire
Posts: 4517

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Firenze Red

Mine has passed 2 MOTs with a HID conversion for the later projector lens headlight with single halogen bulb. Jules

Post #422324 13th Jun 2022 10:35 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Mikey



Member Since: 07 Jun 2008
Location: Dundee
Posts: 778

Scotland 2012 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Baltic Blue
Re: Latest MOT Rules Regarding Halogen Headlight Conversions

sadler32 wrote:
This doesn’t effect me but just interested after listening to a conversation in my local MOT station.

Has anyone failed an MOT because their halogen headlights had been converted to either HID or LED bulbs.


Yes, halogen lenses are not approved for use with LED pr Xenon bulbs

Thr projector lenses are, but technically still a fail, as they should have self leveling and headlight wash functions

Post #422327 14th Jun 2022 5:37 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Send e-mail Reply with quote
congoblue



Member Since: 28 Dec 2019
Location: Hull
Posts: 139

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Loire Blue

Mine has also passed 2 MOTS with aftermarket HID conversion fitted to the halogen headlights. The MY2014 halogen headlights have projector type optics though.

The car does have headlamp washers but manual beam levelling.

Post #422336 14th Jun 2022 8:10 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Lakelander



Member Since: 07 Nov 2019
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 212

United Kingdom 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 XS Auto Orkney Grey

Most Freelanders have headlamp washers and I think there is some doubt over the the MOT requirements for self levelling lights. If they are fitted they have to be in working order but not sure they are an MOT requirement. Long may it remain a grey area for HID lamps.
There is no doubt the conversion kits should strictly fail an MOT despite the fact that the post 2013 projector lights were designed for HID and are identical to those fitted to cars with hid as original equipment.
strictly post 2013 cars with halogen HB3s should all fail the MOT as the light performance is so poor ! FL2 SD4 XS 2013 Orkney Grey

Post #422337 14th Jun 2022 8:15 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Send e-mail Reply with quote
tenet



Member Since: 23 Jul 2009
Location: cotswolds
Posts: 1069

United Kingdom 2015 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey

Totally agree Lakelander - I now feel confident driving at night around the unlit roads of Gloucestershire. 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

Post #422339 14th Jun 2022 9:07 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
jules



Member Since: 13 Dec 2007
Location: The Wilds of Warwickshire
Posts: 4517

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Firenze Red

Lakelander wrote:

strictly post 2013 cars with halogen HB3s should all fail the MOT as the light performance is so poor !


Not only is the illumination poor but they overheat which results in reduced bulb life, especially if you try higher performance bulbs in an attempt to see where you are going- a rubbish design, contemptuous of its customers.
Even worse was the JLR fix that made them even dimmer !! - its no longer available. Jules

Post #422347 14th Jun 2022 11:01 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
congoblue



Member Since: 28 Dec 2019
Location: Hull
Posts: 139

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Loire Blue

I'm not really sure how an MOT tester would spot the HID upgrade as the ballast/ignitor modules are all fitted within the headlamp housing, and it looks identical to the vehicles which came with HID as standard. Unless they were really badly adjusted or something, but the ABD HID units give perfect beam pattern so that's unlikely.

Post #422353 14th Jun 2022 11:52 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
tenet



Member Since: 23 Jul 2009
Location: cotswolds
Posts: 1069

United Kingdom 2015 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey

Jules is absolutely right - I had both Osram HB3 Nightbreakers blow whilst travelling back on unlit roads from Burford to Stroud (about 30 miles). Quite scarry driving on just fog lights. Reverted back to OEM bulbs for a while until I thankfully fitted conversion kit having read reports on this forum. 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

Post #422359 14th Jun 2022 2:10 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Nodge68



Member Since: 15 Jul 2020
Location: Newquay
Posts: 1769

United Kingdom 2009 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Rimini Red

congoblue wrote:
I'm not really sure how an MOT tester would spot the HID upgrade as the ballast/ignitor modules are all fitted within the headlamp housing, and it looks identical to the vehicles which came with HID as standard. Unless they were really badly adjusted or something, but the ABD HID units give perfect beam pattern so that's unlikely.

It's pretty obvious to see an HID or LED instead of a conventional incandescent bulb.

The light colour is wrong, and the way the bulbs start up is different too.

Halogen bulbs take half a second to reach full brightness. They take a second or so to go out when switched off, dimming down to nothing over that second.
HID flick on in a burst of light as they ignite, then take several seconds to reach full brightness. They go out quickly, but can still be seen glowing slightly for some seconds as the discharge globe cools down.
LEDs come straight on at full brightness. They also go straight out again, when turned off.

So yes it's pretty easy to tell what is fitted with doing anything more than looking in the front of the lens, if you know what to look for. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. My daily driver.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

Post #422361 14th Jun 2022 4:16 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
NoDo$h



Member Since: 27 May 2008
Location: fings go booooom.
Posts: 490

England 2010 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto Santorini Black

I just took delivery of an Evoque rear subframe and there, staring me in the face, is the oojamafingy that senses height/load and adjusts the headlight angle.

Anyone fancy a project? Whistle Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Post #422369 14th Jun 2022 6:37 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
congoblue



Member Since: 28 Dec 2019
Location: Hull
Posts: 139

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Loire Blue

Nodge68 wrote:

It's pretty obvious to see an HID or LED instead of a conventional incandescent bulb.



Yes I agree it's easy to identify HID/LED/Halogen lamps, what I meant was for HID lamps how would the tester know that it was an aftermarket mod and not factory fit? It was an LR fit option.

LED would be a giveaway as no vehicles were made with LED.

Post #422383 15th Jun 2022 10:38 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
PRadd



Member Since: 09 Apr 2020
Location: East Lancs
Posts: 350

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 Dynamic Manual Santorini Black

A factory HID FL2 would not have the manual headlight levelling switch - HID's require a self levelling system not fitted to factory halogen FL2's 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 Manual Dynamic
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover - undergoing restoration

Post #422384 15th Jun 2022 11:25 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
NoDo$h



Member Since: 27 May 2008
Location: fings go booooom.
Posts: 490

England 2010 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto Santorini Black

Round and round and round we go.....

The defect per the MOT manual is ‘Light source and lamp not compatible’

The projector lamps are dual marked for Halogen and HID on the lens

If a dual HID/Halogen headlamp is presented and has an HID light source installed then in isolation that is ok as the lamp matches the markings on the headlamp lens. Just don't look too closely at any parts stickers on the top of the headlamp housing that may say otherwise (what sticker? There was never a sticker there?). It's only the permanently stamped markings on the lenses that matter to the strict definition, but a tester MAY see the stickers and call foul - but as stickers are non permanent, then they'd have to be present to cause a problem.

The self levelling can only be tested IF FITTED

Same applies to headlamp washers - you can only test for operation IF FITTED


While Construction and Use regs may require self levelling to be fitted, MOT regs only require it to be tested as functioning if it is fitted.

As long as the beam pattern is tight then the MOT regs as currently written aren't a problem for FL2 with projectors, as the projector headlamps have been designed for and are correctly marked for use with HID as well as Halogen.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications...onversions Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Post #422385 15th Jun 2022 12:23 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
jules



Member Since: 13 Dec 2007
Location: The Wilds of Warwickshire
Posts: 4517

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Firenze Red

Thanks NoDosh
Thats all we not to know really - much obliged Jules

Post #422387 15th Jun 2022 1:04 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 4 1234>
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
Freel2.com RSS Feed - All Forums


Switch to Mobile site