There's a lot of information on here about after-market HIDs and the MoT, but not all of it is accurate and I'm still unsure as to whether I can switch to HID lamps without risking an MoT failure. (I.e. whether I'll need to remove them for the MoT!)

I have the earlier headlights with separate lamps for dipped and main beam, however, looking at the headlights themselves the dipped beam slot has embossed lettering on the front reading H7 / D1S (pic 1) and on the rear it lists both H7 and D1S (35W) as usable (pic 2).

AIUI D1S are Discharge (i.e. HID) lamps? Does this mean I can legally use 35W HID lamps in these headlights and they will pass the MoT OK? If so, will the average MoT tester realise this? (N.B. main beam lamps are only marked H7 so no HID there, presumably because they're used for flashing and take time to stabilise at full brightness.)

If it has projector dips, then you would likely get away with it, although my wife's Eos didn't.
If it has reflectors for dip, then you're unlikely too get away with it.

Can you put a picture from the front? 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

It’s a reflector, but it does have that D1S marking.

It's just the same headlamp shell used for all the lamp units, which is why it's got all the bulb numbers on.

The type of bulbs allowed are on the sticker on top of the headlamp shell.

If it's got refector headlamps, then it's H7 bulbs only, at least legally. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

[quote="pab"]There's a lot of information on here about after-market HIDs and the MoT, but not all of it is accurate and I'm still unsure as to whether I can switch to HID lamps without risking an MoT failure. (I.e. whether I'll need to remove them for the MoT!)

I have the earlier headlights with separate lamps for dipped and main beam, however, looking at the headlights themselves the dipped beam slot has embossed lettering on the front reading H7 / D1S (pic 1) and on the rear it lists both H7 and D1S (35W) as usable (pic 2).

AIUI D1S are Discharge (i.e. HID) lamps? Does this mean I can legally use 35W HID lamps in these headlights and they will pass the MoT OK? If so, will the average MoT tester realise this? (N.B. main beam lamps are only marked H7 so no HID there, presumably because they're used for flashing and take time to stabilise at full brightness.)




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If there is a sticker on the top of the headlight what does it say?
Does your vehicle have a manual headlight levelling switc?
These issues will determine whether your car had HID as original or not.

If not then it is an MOT failure to use a HID bulb. If the dip beam headlight is a reflector and not a projector as I think it is on pre 2013 facelift cars then an HID bulb will also not perform well. FL2 SD4 XS 2013 Orkney Grey

Self-levelling is tested to establish if it works but only if fitted. If fitted and it does not work, fail.

HID equipped cars must have functioning headlight washers. No headlamp washers, fail.

Cars were built by a number of manufacturers without self levelling but fitted with HIDs in the early stages of HID development, so you can pass an MOT completely legitimately without the self levelling equipment being present, but if it is present it must work (reiterating the first point above).

The markings you show on the lens confirm that an HID lamp can be used in that headlamp enclosure (that the enclosure is dual use and could be built with a projector or reflector)

The sticker on the top of the housing dictates if HID was fitted at factory. If it says the car left the factory with halogen lamps fitted and you present the car with HIDs it should fail as the regs specifically forbid changing the light source from the original spec. The marking on the front of the lens simply describes 2 possible uses for the enclosure, the sticker is the definitive of how the car was built/certified.



Stickers have been known to come off

So if you have a projector housing in that lamp enclosure, you could fit an aftermarket 35w HID in the projecter only (keep Halogen in your full beam reflector), accidentally lose the sticker while performing an under-bonnet detailing session, and you should be ok.

However, as you do not have a projector fitted, then you cannot.

image taken from your album showing that you do not have projector headlamps.

 Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

A very precise explanation - thank you.
I retro fitted a pair of HID Metropolis units onto my MY2013 XS and the manual levelling works fine. Never had an MOT issue.
Night driving has been transformed! FL2 SD4 XS 2013 Orkney Grey

At least it only takes a few minutes to swap the lamps at the appropriate time…

Why bother when you can get Osram Nightbreaker bulbs which will be MOT compliant. 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

pab wrote:

At least it only takes a few minutes to swap the lamps at the appropriate time…

tenet wrote:

Why bother when you can get Osram Nightbreaker bulbs which will be MOT compliant.

Night breakers are what the HIDs replaced. The HIDs (Hids4u D1R) are definitely superior and so long as the lights are kept clean they don’t dazzle oncoming traffic. N.B. The D1R is designed for use in reflector lights and has additional shielding to manage the beam pattern. Seems pretty effective.

Yes . Am I correct in thinking that the HID bulb in the post 2013 facelift vehicles is a DS3 designed for projector lamps? FL2 SD4 XS 2013 Orkney Grey

Nodge68 wrote:

pab wrote:

At least it only takes a few minutes to swap the lamps at the appropriate time…

But if a police officer (traffic most likely) doesn't like being blinded and pulls you over to see why, you'll be hit with a fine, potential MOT cancellation, and points on your licence for driving a vehicle unfit for highway use.

It's the new vehicles with LED lights that are really bad these days - very often trying to burn through your retinas as they approach - how can that be good.
Granted a lot of cars modified to HID lights shouldn't be - but there seems to be little deterrent to so doing.
I always make a point of buying cars with xenon's if I can - especially Freelanders