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DonH2000



Member Since: 12 Jan 2015
Location: North Kent
Posts: 551

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
LED and Hid bulbs and the MOT

Click image to enlarge


For the experts seeing this note re MOT and lights failing the test, does this mean just fitting bulbs is a fail or fitting complete new front lights a fail?

Looking for clarification. Cheers Don.
Post #893816 25th Mar 2021 11:33am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17392

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Widely discussed elsewhere on this forum, your headlights should now fail the MOT if they were designed for an H4 Halogen bulb and anything other than an H4 Halogen bulb is fitted.

If you have replaced the complete headlamp unit with, for example, an LED unit, then provided that the unit is properly approved and E marked etc it will not fail. I believe that HID units legally require self levelling and washers, but LED units do not.

Sadly it does mean that having a good quality LED "bulb" fitted in a light unit designed for an H4 bulb is now an automatic fail (if the tester notices) despite having a fully compliant beam pattern. The reasoning behind this is almost certainly that as the light unit was type approved for an H4 bulb, anything other than an H4 bulb invalidates the type approval.
Post #893818 25th Mar 2021 11:44am
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MichaelE



Member Since: 18 Jan 2020
Location: Crawley West Sussex
Posts: 155

England 
Fitting replacement LED/HID bulbs in to a standard light unit that originally took normal filament bulbs is a fail. Fitting complete new all-in-one LED units is ok [assuming they are correctly identified for UK fitment, which I'm not going in to here]

Started and posted this before Mr Blackwolf's reply, else I wouldn't have repeated the same
Post #893820 25th Mar 2021 11:47am
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DonH2000



Member Since: 12 Jan 2015
Location: North Kent
Posts: 551

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
Thanks Blackwolf and MichaelE for making it quite clear.

Yes I saw the discussions elsewhere on the forum but my computer started to smoke and catch fire reading some of the comments!!!!! Cheers Don.
Post #893821 25th Mar 2021 11:50am
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camelman



Member Since: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Peak District
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Doesn't apply to those with 'classics' however (pre 1986) Wink 
Post #893832 25th Mar 2021 12:46pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
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United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
or 'sensible' MOT testers.......... Razz
Post #893844 25th Mar 2021 1:30pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
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United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
It is hugely frustrating since (with good quality LED "bulbs") it is purely a technicality, and not because of any fundamental problem with safety, usability, or light output. It is simply because the "LED modules" are not type approved and the headlamp unit was type approved with a different type of light source. Perhaps someone could persuade Wipac to submit a set of Crystals for test with LED "bulbs" and then scoop up a huge market share of the ensuing sales boom.

Unlike the inference in some other threads, I don't believe that fitting such "bulbs", whilst it may be illegal and have other implications, is necessarily the first step towards a life of crime and becoming an outlaw. Laughing
Post #893890 25th Mar 2021 4:02pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17392

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
90 Dreamer wrote:
or 'sensible' MOT testers.......... Razz


The only problem here is that if the sensible pragmatic tester continues to pass these lights, he may end up losing his livelihood since both his and his employer's testing licences may be revoked.

Rather than put him on the spot, it would be kinder to pop a pair H4s back in just for the test.
Post #893892 25th Mar 2021 4:04pm
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Adammacky



Member Since: 28 Dec 2019
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 309

United Kingdom 
Really depends on the MOT tester wether they will fail or not but even if they do pass it doesn't mean they are LEGAL by any means, having said that...

I have LED bulbs in h4 projector lights with accurate beam pattern.
Post #893899 25th Mar 2021 4:33pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
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United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
MOT test aplies at that date & time, no more........
Post #893959 25th Mar 2021 8:41pm
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markb110



Member Since: 22 May 2010
Location: Guildford
Posts: 2639

England 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
I am waiting for the clocks to go forwards before i put the H4 paraffin candles back in Big Cry

I am thinking that an additional set of these might be useful, at least i stand a chance of being seen even if i cant see. Laughing


Post #893960 25th Mar 2021 8:42pm
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camelman



Member Since: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Peak District
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United Kingdom 
90 Dreamer wrote:
MOT test aplies at that date & time, no more........



I agree but unfortunately they're still technically illegal for the rest of the year under the current regs Sad 
Post #893969 25th Mar 2021 9:08pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2161

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Haven't argued they aren't but was simply suggesting the tester wouldn't be to blame.....

Either way its a personal descision just the same as sitting at 85 on a Motorway.......
Post #893971 25th Mar 2021 9:11pm
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3677

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
blackwolf wrote:


Unlike the inference in some other threads, I don't believe that fitting such "bulbs", whilst it may be illegal and have other implications, is necessarily the first step towards a life of crime and becoming an outlaw. Laughing


You mean this isn’t a gateway modification that could lead to a life on the run..?! Rolling with laughter
Post #894010 26th Mar 2021 5:59am
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

90 Dreamer wrote:
MOT test aplies at that date & time, no more........


if your car fitted with or has components remover and invaded in an accident or stop on the road side for inspersion Censored you will be hung out dry
Post #894046 26th Mar 2021 9:13am
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