MOT fail, HID with no washers or self levelling

[Chris tii]

So the Forester STI failed its MOT tonight for 3 reasons;
No washers on HID headlights.
No self levelling on HID headlights.
No dual speedometer. (My car has been converted to MPH, but its MPH only)

I've been warned about this on the cars thread so I was half expecting it, but I was under the impression it only gets called out if the inspector is jobsworth and I'd likely get away with it.

Anyone wants to write 'I told you so' nows the time!

The speedo isn't a big deal, I've already ordered stickers off eBay to add KPH.
Though I'm not too sure about what to do about the lights. I'm pretty sure they are HID from factory, and not aftermarket. If I make a DIY pipe running from the windscreen washers, this doesn't help with the self level part. It would still fail. The guys that do the DIY water pipe thing, do you have self levelling ok on your cars?

The guy that failed me said I should just look at replacing the bulbs with standard ones so I don't need washers or self levelling. Though I don't think it's that simple, is it? You need HID conversion kits doing it the other way round so I doubt you can just swap the bulbs? I'll have a look at the bulbs tomorrow in the daylight to see if it's easy enough to try at least.

The other option is to buy 2 used headlights from a standard UK Forester from a breakers. Then swap the headlights, and have the adjustment checked every time the MOT is due. Though this would be the most expensive option. I've messaged a couple of sellers on eBay who are breaking UK Forester XTs, I'll wait and see the price.

Heres the stickers I've ordered from eBay I'm going to try.

 

[McFall1984]

Surely you would need to modify wiring for the non hid bulbs I’d they are factory?
Is there a separate ballast somewere?
Factory HID’s ballasts are usually bolted to the underside of the headlight so you would know if they are genuine or aftermarket

 

[Chris tii]

Surely you would need to modify wiring for the non hid bulbs I’d they are factory?
Is there a separate ballast somewere?
Factory HID’s ballasts are usually bolted to the underside of the headlight so you would know if they are genuine or aftermarket

I'm going to have a good nosey tomorrow in the day light. Though yeah, I think there will have to be some re-wiring involved to replace the bulbs.

I might give Micheal from OMA a ring tomorrow, I'm guessing this is something he's had to deal with plenty of times before.

 

[Larry3200]

Had the exact same problem on my DC2 a few years ago. My mechanic at the time just installed a DIY headlight wash system running from small hoses under the bonnet. He also told me there's no way for the MOT tester to visually check if the self levelling works. I was skeptical but threw it in for a retest anyway and it passed. It passed every year since.

 

[Chris tii]

Had the exact same problem on my DC2 a few years ago. My mechanic at the time just installed a DIY headlight wash system running from small hoses under the bonnet. He also told me there's no way for the MOT tester to visually check if the self levelling works. I was skeptical but threw it in for a retest anyway and it passed. It passed every year since.

Cool thanks, do you have any pictures of the DIY job? And do you have to re-fit them every year? Or just keep it there?

 

[Larry3200]

Cool thanks, do you have any pictures of the DIY job? And do you have to re-fit them every year? Or just keep it there?

I don't mate sorry, I don't own the car anymore but I kept them installed - it was more effort than it was worth removing them. They ran along the inside of the bonnet and sat flush with the top of the headlights. They weren't noticeable at all unless you were looking for them.

 

[colin84]

Do a search, it's been covered before, so you should find some useful information. Running a pipe from the windscreen washers is technically enough. I believe that if the car has "sports suspension" it doesn't need to have leveling, but it's covered in one of those threads

On my accord Type R I had the same problem, so I ordered small headlight washers off another car on ebay, ones that were fixed on top of the bumper, I can't remember which car they were from as it was a long time ago, but nobody ever noticed them. Then I just ran a pipe from a T peice on the windscreen washers.

 

[Ben]

You don’t need self levellers if you have “Sports” suspension.

 

[Chris tii]

You don’t need self levellers if you have “Sports” suspension.

Ok. I just say I have sports suspension and that’s enough?

It’s such a stupid rule, it’s seems ridiculous that it can pass ok in England but our MOT has to be awkward. You would think if it’s from factory it should be fine. My Wolseley passes every year and doesn’t have any seat belts!

 

[SH4U11]

Done this on a friends laurel. Just T'd off the washers.... Friend currently doing it for his euro R. Only he's fitting s2000 headlight washers into his bumper so he doesn't have to strip all out for next mot

 

[colin84]

Yeah is ridiculous, like a lot of the vehicle rules here compared with GB. I think in GB they only have to be working if fitted, but here they have to be fitted.

 

[Artoir]

Just T off from the screen washers.

 

[Coog]

T off screen wash, stick a sport badge to the back of it and be prepared to argue it.

 

[Enda]

Is the dual speedo applicable to all cars? The M4 only has mph on the dial but there is an option for a digital speed display too, so I guess that could be set to KPH if needed.

 

[Coog]

Is the dual speedo applicable to all cars? The M4 only has mph on the dial but there is an option for a digital speed display too, so I guess that could be set to KPH if needed.

Yes digital is fine, my cayenne is the same. Actually its digital in mph at the minute, so theres probably a digging session in the menus to get it to read kmh!

 

[Eager]

Coilovers or sports suspension is your get out for self levelling.

 

[RevT]

Some plain washer tube and a couple of T pieces will sort out the washer problem. Stick a bit of masking tape on the front two corners of the bonnet holding the tube in place to spray over the headlight and then take it out and keep it for next year after the MOT. Suspension thing shouldn’t matter if you’ve got coilovers or ‘sports’ suspension fitted.

The rules are ridiculous. I had the same problem with Evo’s and DC5’s.

 

[gpaevo]

Some plain washer tube and a couple of T pieces will sort out the washer problem. Stick a bit of masking tape on the front two corners of the bonnet holding the tube in place to spray over the headlight and then take it out and keep it for next year after the MOT. Suspension thing shouldn’t matter if you’ve got coilovers or ‘sports’ suspension fitted.

The rules are ridiculous. I had the same problem with Evo’s and DC5’s.

This, I had to do it on my Evo VII. I ran mine from intercooler spray. 5 mins to rig up.

 

[Gambit]

@lennyd might be able to give advise on what he done to get his Fozzy sti through! - im sure he had some way of showing MPH via clocks or something

I might give Micheal from OMA a ring tomorrow, I'm guessing this is something he's had to deal with plenty of times before.

yep good call also

 

[lennyd]

I've coilovers and stopped bothering with teeing off the windscreen washers and still got a pass. I was paranoid about the lights on my old legacy and switched them out for halogen ones from a uk spec. As for mph I've a HKS type 1 turbo timer that displays mph from the ecu

 

['96dc2]

Get someone who’s friendly with the mot station you use. Won’t have an issue.

 

[Chris tii]

In theory then, you could put one of these on your dash every MOT.
I’ll go with the stickers for now since their already on the way.

 

[Nickyyy]

You'd think after all these years, common sense would prevail. Sadly that's not the case.

 

[Chris tii]

Get someone who’s friendly with the mot station you use. Won’t have an issue.

Yeah I was thinking about getting my mechanic to take it for me as he’s there all the time. Though that won’t work now that the fail certificate says the reasons it failed. No one would risk ignoring it now.

 

[lennyd]

In theory then, you could put one of these on your dash every MOT.
I’ll go with the stickers for now since their already on the way.
View attachment 311030

No, can't be GPS i away explained that mine was wired to ecu and showed engine revs as proof