Xenon headlight law??

N

Neil_W

Member
Hello all,

I know there is a lot of talk on changing to Xenons after market and people thinking it is against the law. I dont see how it is, best I can tell is that all cars that are fitted with it from new need to have washer and auto level but this doesnt seem to apply to retrofit it is more of a car industry thing anyway. In the same way all new cars have to have seatbelts but if you took the rear seat belts out of the car (for whatever reason) after you bought it the CAR doenst become illigal, you couldnt be pulled over and fined for the seat belts if you were just driving along and no one was in the back (all be it if there was someone sat in that seat they could be but again thats the person not the car that commits the offence and its that person not the driver that is fined, assuming they are over 14)

Anyway point is, as long as it is decleared to the insurance company to cover that angle whats the problem? Can anyone think of any specific law that would be broken by having them fitted, everyone is quick to say they are against the law but does anyone know for fact they are and if so what law? The only thing I can think of is 'causing undew dazle' but if they were fitted correctly and checked that shoudnt be a problem.

I am going to get some for my car as the original lights arnt great and xenons look :D


Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
 
On the subject of buying them I am looking at kits now, can someone do me a favour and save me a trip outside in the rain! I am assuming the headlights have two diff bulbs one for dipped lights and one for main beam and they are H7 bulbs?
 
This was an excellent discussion on the subject of HIDs...
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16731&p=243148&hilit=+HID*+upgrade#p243148

There is the legal PDF on there as well.
 
reading though that as the lense is the same on the xenon and non xenon head lights the only problem seems to be the lack of self leveling. I am just going to get one and fit it. Given that I have the correct lense so wont get problems with the beam splitting etc and I have washers id be happy with that
 
The fact sheet from Crusoe explains it all and the legal requirements. There have been several threads on this Forum about making the change and not complying with the appropriate construction and use requirements. Some things to think about if you make the change: you will need to inform your insurance company, MOT - it will fail if not fitted correctly. The choice is of course yours.
 
Will fail? More like may fail! Prob more likely not too, I see 100'd of boy racer saxos round my way with them worst case just change it back for mot.
 
Neil_W said:
Will fail? More like may fail! Prob more likely not too, I see 100'd of boy racer saxos round my way with them worst case just change it back for mot.
Click to expand...

Neil, the choice is ultimately yours and the advice given is based on experience. Just watch your insurance company squirm if you fit and cause an accident through undue dazzle. As for the law - under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (UK) it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal. AND surely driving a Zed you dont want to put yourself in the Saxo Boy Racer category.... :poke:
 
Prob will pass the MOT, and never get pulled over by the police for it.... however now this is a big however....

If you dazzle an on comming driver causing an accident then regardless if you notify your insurance company and they pass an MOT you can and probably will be prosecuted.... and your insurance company may refuse to cover you as your car was unfit for the road.

Thats being said i had aftermarket HID kit in my old toyota celica for 3 years :lol: but would never buy a car without HID's now.
 
These threads fascinate me as they usually start with the exact position that you took Neil that basically says along the lines of is it an 'urban legend', name the law that says can't, etc. then once shown to be illegal moves to a 'doubt anyone will spot it'.

I hate the Saxo guys with badly fitted illegal HID's shoved into halogen units that were never designed for them, but if the cost and effort of doing the job correctly with washers, self levelling, oem units, etc. is too much, then a decent kit on a Z4 that really has almost identical units and well adjusted is probably a reasonable compromise or gamble.

I doubt any MOT station will ever spot it, nor any passing police officer pull anyone so long as you have the visible washers fitted or choose overly high colour temp bulbs. Doubt you'll ever be prosecuted unless in a freak accident a mechanic injured themselves on your xenon ballast not fitted in the correct place, or someone was dazzeld and drove off the road. All highly improbable!! Equally I can't see the point of notifying an insurer that you're going to fit an illegal system ??

End of the day it's all down to the risk / reward trade off.

Dreamer - HID is simply High Intensity Discharge. Xenon is the gas filling the tube that is excited. Bottom line is different terms for the same thing.
 
I just upgraded my standard halogen bulbs to philios xtreme and it made a big difference
If it were me I would try this £25 safe route first
 
I just upgraded the basic bulbs and adjusted them up a bit,much better now. No need for all thr hassle of fitting Xenon's imo.
 
Same here, upgraded/adjusted halogens are pretty good all said and done.

Personally I'm sticking with halogen because if I really wanted xenon that badly I'd just do it right for about £500 ish...

Dave
 
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