HID's, what is the current situation legally?

[Blackie]

First off all I apologise for reviving a topic but I've done a bit of a search and the last threads I can find seem to start and finish in 2013.

From the gist of what I've read the DVANI have stuck to their idiotic guns and simply said "tough lad, deal with it!" regardless of the rule/law being passed after many (mostly jap) cars had been manufactured with HID/Xenons as either standard or a factory option.

I know that the VOSA on the mainland changed their wording which allows many cars to have them fitted.

Is it still illegal unless cars have self levelling headlamps (except for cars fitted with sports suspension) and have headlamp washer jets?

If so I presume there was never a coordinated effort at petitioning the DVANI to change the wording?

Now that the DVANI have all but moved their HQ to Swansea do we not now fall under the mainland rules and therefore VOSA rules?

 

[stevieturbo]

No UK car ever had HID's without washers etc though. It seems all the problems are with imports, but yes it is stupid and the rules still apply and yes it is only here it applies, not the mainland who did alter their wording.

And Nothing to do with MOT testing in Northern Ireland has moved to Swansea, and VOSA do not exist anymore, it's DVSA

 

[KyleR]

In NI, if you have HID bulbs fitted, you must have projector headlights, self levelling system and headlight washers, it's as simple as that, although, if you get a tester with some common sense, they have been known to let the headlight washer requirement slide and they can't test for self levelling.

 

[NotKG]

http://webarchive.nationalarchives....ormation-sheets/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf

 

[Blackie]

Thanks for the info. I have a set of Vectra b xenon headlamps, but as far as I'm aware the Vectra b didn't come with auto headlamp levelling, on headlamp washers.

Also has the confusion around "sports suspension" been cleared up? My Vectra is an SRi so technically a "sports" model?

 

[Coog]

Aye its a SRI itll be grand. Just make sure the other bits are there.

 

[Smurf.]

there is uk cars with hid lights as standard that didnt come with washers. Vectra being one of them. Very easily fitted if you wanna go down that route but think you will slip threw under the
'Sports suspension' loop hole.

 

[AIRFORCE1]

No UK car ever had HID's without washers etc though. It seems all the problems are with imports, but yes it is stupid and the rules still apply and yes it is only here it applies, not the mainland who did alter their wording.

And Nothing to do with MOT testing in Northern Ireland has moved to Swansea, and VOSA do not exist anymore, it's DVSA

Totally disagree. Every official UK EVO 7-9 with Hid lights fails mot for this . A Japanese manufactured car yes. But it is technically an official UK car they are now saying isn't road legal in the form it was sold.

 

[stevieturbo]

Totally disagree. Every official UK EVO 7-9 with Hid lights fails mot for this . A Japanese manufactured car yes. But it is technically an official UK car they are now saying isn't road legal in the form it was sold.

They kick up about VW emissions....and nobody kicked up about this then ? lol

 

[AIRFORCE1]

They kick up about VW emissions....and nobody kicked up about this then ? lol

They only fail in this idiotic country. Fine in mainland. Every EVO ends up with a T piece into windy washers to dribble water onto headlights and they pass. Total farce

 

[stevieturbo]

It does beggar belief....must be a local politician who made up the rules here !!

 

[Rossӏmac]

Will be putting a T in my windscreens washers for my MOT come January!

 

[DaddyCC]

Just to dig up an old relevant thread...

What's the craic with cars and the sports suspension bypassing the need for self leveling headlights? Is this because any weight shouldn't tilt the car to the sky allegedly?

So if you fit sports suspension, retrofit xenon headlights and fit some sort of washer you're good to go?

 

[Rossӏmac]

That's it!

 

[_Stu_]

Just to dig up an old relevant thread...

What's the craic with cars and the sports suspension bypassing the need for self leveling headlights? Is this because any weight shouldn't tilt the car to the sky allegedly?

So if you fit sports suspension, retrofit xenon headlights and fit some sort of washer you're good to go?

Yeah you can get around it as long as you have sports suspension and some sort of washers. I know of a couple of people who have done this with modified cars and got away with it.

 

[Rossӏmac]

Like my washer system is the most laughable thing. Literally 2 pipes stuck down above the lights with gaffa tape. Looks awful but it's removable.

 

[VEN©M]

i didn't bother with the washers last time round and nothing was said. i think some testers have an ounce of common sense.

 

[_Stu_]

Must depend on the tester. The MINI has OEM xenons with self levelling and washers but the washer pump stopped working and the MOT tester told me he could have failed me but let me off with it. I did get it fixed soon after but wouldn’t want to risk failing an MOT over something so trivial.

 

[NickR]

My Impreza passed with a simple t-piece into the washers for the windscreen and some tubing taped to the top of the headlight. The tester was actually joking with me about it.

 

[gpaevo]

Think it is all tester dependant. I got tortured by them when I had the Evo but last two Mot on my saab which has HID's not once have they asked me to demonstrate headlight wash

 

[stevieturbo]

Everything is tester dependent.

Although I'm sure I seen notes to the English MOT that at some point, if not already that retrofitted HID's will not be accepted in any case.

 

[Mark_C]

2018 and the NI roadwatch type sites are still calling them VOSA

 

[m00k]

No UK car ever had HID's without washers etc though. It seems all the problems are with imports, but yes it is stupid and the rules still apply and yes it is only here it applies, not the mainland who did alter their wording.

And Nothing to do with MOT testing in Northern Ireland has moved to Swansea, and VOSA do not exist anymore, it's DVSA

Near sure pre facelift accord type r’s didn’t have the washers?

 

[gpaevo]

Everything is tester dependent.

Although I'm sure I seen notes to the English MOT that at some point, if not already that retrofitted HID's will not be accepted in any case.

Yeah, but in England you can get an MOT without the car even being there for a few extra quid. Remember, most garages can do Mot, I lived in a rural part of England for ten years and you could collect your MOT cert at the local over a pint.

 

[stevieturbo]

Near sure pre facelift accord type r’s didn’t have the washers?

If there was any fully legit UK car that didnt have them, then pretty sure you'd have a very good argument at MOT time, along with a letter from the manufacturer.

But it seems that most cars that dont follow their silly rules were Jap or imports from other regions.

Are aftermarket HID headlights legal in the UK? Will they pass an MOT? What about LED headlights? | Greyhead.co.uk

Not sure if it did actually come into force yet though