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Mk2 Xenon Headlamp Retrofit


jon-v8
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As usual, I'm looking to change something on the car!

I really like the Xenon headlamps, but want to know if it is a straight forward 'plug and play'?

Mine are the standard chrome surround ones.

I did read up a while ago that Xenon lamps require self levelling adjusters and washer jets, and without these they would be illegal, but the MK2's I've seen driving around don't have either of those fitted?

Can anyone shed some light on this, or have done this mod?

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An Auto leveling system (self leveling suspension found on some estates is adequate) and washers are required by law on vehicles fitted with xenon headlights! Are you maybe confusing xenons with projection lenses? It wouldn't be viable financially to retrofit a Legal xenon setup to a car!

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Well I'll have to admit to being one of the rebels without the washers! I honestly don't know if I have the required levelling though. The lights move up and down when I first fire them up, and move when I turn the steering wheel. I haven't had them through MOT or anything, and don't think I'll bother as I have no intention of fitting the washers and I have the other lights in the shed.

What I do know is that the xenons are a brilliant (pun intended) upgrade, and I had them properly aligned as well so they're not blinding oncoming drivers. I check them before almost every journey to make sure they're clean as well.

I had adaptive cornering projector headlights in as standard, and my car being a Titanium has the fully populated 10-pin loom plug, so was a straight swap for me. Think some of the lower specs have a 7-pin plug, in which case a bit of re-wiring is needed. I'd imagine your Ghia would be a plug and play straight swap as well.

I'm sure you're aware, or soon will be, of all the legalities regarding xenons, so it's up to you really if you want to go ahead with it. Chrome ones can be got the odd time at a decent price, but expect to pay for black ones!

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Gforce have you declared this mod to insurance? Im just interested in what their view is? you run the risk of invalidating your insurance! I do agree with you if i was ever buying a new car xenons would definitely be on my options list, the light output is amazing and improves the look of any car, however im fed up driving along and getting hit up the bake with badly aligned aftermarket kits which are a chavy blue colour or buttery yellow lol!

Though since you have changed your entire headlight housing and not just added the bulb kit and had you lights aligned aaaand take care and clean your lenses before every journey... I guess your alright! You are considerate to other road users, if only others where like you!

That said even big bmws and mercs that have them fitted from factory dazzle you in certain road conditions so be careful!

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I dont believe there are ANY legal HID conversions out there. The only legal HID's are manufacturer factory fitted...

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Johnny, I can't remember if I've declared this, :ph34r: mainly for the reasons that it is illegal without the added extras. IF I hadn't declared it and announced it on here I'd be setting myself up for a few unnecessary lectures, so I'll leave it to you to decide, haha! ;)

I totally agree with the badly aligned HID kits...the blinding blue lights fitted to standard reflector headunits, not even in projector housings, and badly aligned and of illegal colour temps too. I believe there are different types of bulbs 'more suited' to reflector type headlights (with an R after the bulb name/number), but as said, they're still unsuitable.

To go the whole hog and install levellers, washers etc is a big task, and as you say will cost stupid money. I was given these headlights from an ex-Focus owner who had no need for em. He had a HID Kit fitted but supplied original bulbs and ballasts so I reverted them back to standard, plug and play fitment, and haven't looked back since. I've been stopped at many checkpoints (pretty common round here!), both day and night, where the cops have had a proper look around the car, and I've driven behind them at night as well, and they've never had any issue to pull me on it. I was asked last week by one, "Is she hard to run?". He was surprised to say the least when I told him it was a 2.0 diesel!

That's my take on it jon-v8. Maybe the legalities will make it a complete no no for you. If you can get a set and try them, I'd go for that. Can always sell them on if you decide against it. Or if you decide then that you can't be doing without them you could look into the retro-fitting of the required extras. I could only vouch for the genuine OEM headlamps, and not the aftermarket kits.

As James says though, it may be that all retro-fitted HID lamps are illegal. I think HIDs are the way forward and all new cars will eventually have them as standard, but until then, it's up to the individual really. And other drivers do appreciate a bit of consideration, hence why I try ensure mine are 'as close to legal as possible'.

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Thanks for your replies guys, but having read my post again, I think I've worded it incorrectly.

I am looking to swap over the complete headlamp units, with the Xenon/projector lights, not fitting an aftermarket HID Kit.

I prefer the look of these over my standard ones - which I believe they don't through that much light out anyway.

This is what I was referring to with regards to levelling sensors and headlight washers, I think these are now required, but seeing other Focus's around, they don't have the washer jets on the bumper, which makes me think they don't have levelling sensors either.

So, are the sensors and washers needed just for a retrofitted HID Kit, or are they needed if I changed the complete headlamp aswell?

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if you don't have a standard headlamp assembly, with standard fitment bulbs, and non xenon / HID nature then you do not need wipers / sprays.only once you have these do they become relevant. which is why 90% of the Focus' on the road don't have them.

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each to there own all ill say is if you have an accident you better believe the police will check those headlights out as will the insurance company ive heard of a few people done with it 1 hit the rear end of another car saying she braked suddenly she said she braked as his lights blinded her police checked and boom the woman was left with a wrecked car as the guy had no valid insurance another crashed on a windy road he was driving too fast but the assessor saw the lights and the engine remap and again invalid apparently they have a list of what to check and a hand held machine than can tell them if the engine map has been altered

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I've been stopped at many checkpoints (pretty common round here!), both day and night, where the cops have had a proper look around the car, and I've driven behind them at night as well, and they've never had any issue to pull me on it. I was asked last week by one, "Is she hard to run?". He was surprised to say the least when I told him it was a 2.0 diesel.

I take it back, in order to have a legal HID conversion you need:

1. headlight levelling sensors

-and-

2. headlight washers

OR

3. A very convincing ST replica! Haha ;)

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Does the focus estate rear adjusting suspension fit on the hatchback? i have been looking into this myself the legal way... washers would take some work but possible with some time and patience. Self leveling seems hard to get on the hatchbacks though, i was unable to find any generic self leveling kit for the lights so that left the only other option of self leveling suspension

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  • 4 months later...

Hey, does anybody know if it is possible to retrofit this auto leveling sensor (how does one enable it, Elmconfig?) to Focus mk2? My Focus does have headlight washers, so to get street legal Xenons I would need to retrofit this sensor, have new headlight modules (they need to be approved for Xenons), hid lamps and ballasts etc.?

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to pass an mot as of 2013 you need the auto levelling and the washers given its almost impossible to get the levelling fitted and when possible the price way out weighs the mod so ide forget about it since its now illegal to have it without both these systems and at an mot its an automatic fail meaning its now illegal on the road if you have it fitted easy for the cops to test now so youre then driving without valid insurance HID headlights can cause dazzle if they are dirty or aimed too high, so
they are generally (if light output exceeds 2000 lumens) fitted in
conjunction with headlamp cleaning and levelling systems. Where HID or
LED dipped beam headlamps are fitted the tester will switch on the
headlamps and check the operation of any headlamp levelling and cleaning
devices fitted.



The car will fail if a headlamp levelling or cleaning device is inoperative or otherwise obviously defective.

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Yeah most likely costs to make it legal will outweigth benefits... However, I checked out schematics and to retrofit original Ford Xenons (inclding autoleveling not including washers), at least these parts would be needed for Focus mk2:

- Rear level sensor

- Front level sensor

- HID control module

- HID headlight assembly left and right

Not sure if anything else, but wiring could not be compatible. Actually not that many parts are needed... IF wiring would be compatible, you could try to salvage these from wrecked car or something...

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Yeah most likely costs to make it legal will outweigth benefits... However, I checked out schematics and to retrofit original Ford Xenons (inclding autoleveling not including washers), at least these parts would be needed for Focus mk2:

- Rear level sensor

- Front level sensor

- HID control module

- HID headlight assembly left and right

Not sure if anything else, but wiring could not be compatible. Actually not that many parts are needed... IF wiring would be compatible, you could try to salvage these from wrecked car or something...

Good list. need more info on the wiring and where the sensors go and how they are connected to the headlamp.

It seems a bit strange that your focus is equipped with washers but no xenon? what's the purpose of the washers?

I want to add this mod to my list but i know cost wise it's just not worth it without knowing more of how it all works. Finding a wrecked focus with these futures is like trying to find waldo

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Unfortunatelly schematics wont say a word about locations of connectors or anything like that :/

I used a bit time to triple check schematics and really, there should be nothing else needed apart from wiring. To sum it up, halogen lights are driven by GEM, which takes inputs from Headlamp Switch and Multi Function Switch. Same goes with HID lights, they are driven by GEM etc. Hardware seems to be the same, connectors, wires and pin numbering etc. are the same.

However, with halogen lights there is wire from Headlamp Switch (manual leveling knob) to headlamp module(s) (for leveling motor of course). With HID lights there are no knob and this wire from lamps goes to HID Control Module instead, which takes inputs from Front Level Sensor and Rear Level Sensor.

Since the same physical wire and connector is used for leveling signal no matter if signal comes from manual knob or HID Controll Module, there seems to be "Jumper for Halogen Lights" which is used to reroute this signal (and some more signals for HID Control Module). I have no idea if this jumper is present on cars without HID lights...

Anyways, I would speculate that really, this would be needed to retrofit HID lights to Focus (again, if wirings would be the same):

- Add HID Control Module
- Add Front Level Sensor
- Add Rear Level Sensor
- Replace headlamp assemblys with HID versions
- Change "jumper for halogen lights" to HID position
- Use ELMConfig to check that you can communicate with HID Control Module. Configure it according to you car type.
- Use ELMConfig to reconfigure GEM for HID

I have NO IDEA if this actually would work or break something. But according to shcematics, this could be just enough... Now somebody please locate all these modules for us :)

Ps. No idea why I have headlamp washers. Perhaps original owner though it would be good idea to buy those as extras...

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Excellent research Jari, i would imagine the jumper is setting the elm config settings, there is an option in there to enable HID settings.

Next concern is a wiring loom for the sensors front and back going to the control module, i highly doubt this would be on the car.

Next concern is the wiring coming from the headlamp for level signal to the control module or the other way round is prefer.

Next question, where does the HID control module connects with the rest of the GEM? from the headlamp multi function switch? i had a look on the schematics myself although i did not go into harsh details.

I will have a look at my car because i do remember seeing a extra connector of some sort under the headlamp previously

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Further research, this HID Control Module is called "Electronic Headlamp Control Unit" and it just could be, that unit from AFS lights will work with HID lights if properly reconfigured using ELMConfig... Anyways it is something like this:

PartImage_d90fd3b9-967c-4e8a-ab76-e5e076

According to the schematincs and judging from the picture there is one big connector for this unit. Now, where is it? When I yesterday replaced cabin air filter I saw few unused connectors on center console, but I am not sure if any of them was big enough for this one... It just could be that there are no wires insalled on non-HID Focus...

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Jari you keep getting better and better. i went out and took a good look at my car under the headlamps and i found some connectors, first up i have the 10 pin connector not a 7 pin connector. i also know that i'm not missing any wiring going to the headlight switch from doing the auto light mod.

Anyways i seems to have another connector with 2 wires coming from the headlight loom on both side of the car i think this is for the washers. it would be truly greatful if you could pop your headlight out and confirm this for me by looking at your washers Jari it would help greatly in identifying the correct looms.

Here it is on the left and on the right is the headlamp 10 pin connector

mt7j.jpg

I then found one connector on the left side of the car with 6 pins, this was not on the right hand side too. It may be the needed connector for the Electronic headlamp control unit.

I can confirm this specific connector is also on the headlamp loom, not separate

crzt.jpg

Here is all three connectors, on the left is the 6 pin connector, top side is the 2 pin i suspect for washers and right side if the headlamp ten 10

jkw6.jpg

From the above image you can see a loom where the 6 pin connector comes from going downwards... this goes to the right hand side of the car for yet again the 2 and 10 pin connectors, it also leads upto the washer bottle where this had a large connector and with another connector going to the washer bottle.

I suspect that could be the washer bottle sensor but from what i know i don't have this sensor, anyways the connector has more looms at the washer bottle unused.

r4fi.jpg

Now if i could only find the location of where the sensor goes i can check to see if there is any connectors laying around that may fit the sensors

EDIT: The forum seems to be blocking my attempts to add direct image links without ads

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Wow, lot's of pictures :) I will try check my washers tomorrow and see how they are connected. I checked out schematics of headlight washers and there is not that much components in it. Probably quite possible to retrofit also if one founds suitable wrecked car. Buying parts as new would be too expensive I think...

However I didn't read schematics throughout enough, it seems they give hint about locations of these connectors. HID Control Module is connected to harness 14401 together with heater blower motor, navigation, radio, cluster, diagnostigs, heating control etc. It most likely is located somewhere in console...

Front leveling sensor is connected to the same harness than right head lamp (14K733), should be just next to it after right front sensor (no idea what it is). Cannot locate rear leveling sensors...

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Ah, those connectors are color coded for your convenience... Comparing them to your pictures, that 2 pin connector just next to you headlights, having black and green-yellow wires, it should be... C744 to headlamp washer :-) I'll try to verify that tomorrow if I have spare time.

That 6-pin connector, I do not know what it is. It seems not to be related to HID-lights, shape is wrong and colors also...

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Yes indeed they are C744 headlight washer. They match perfectly with the schematics. As you said the 6 pin connector does not however match up and have me lost too...

Not sure about the electronic headlamp control unit. i looked it up and it's listed with the same part number as automatic headlights. I have automatic lights and if this automatic light module is the same... i doubt it... then it's already there

Will check tomo if i can find the hid control module or the connectors for the sensor tomo

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The sensor looks something like this

$T2eC16F,!)MFIcBpVj,)BSJhNcLRwg~~60_12.J

This isn't the correct sensor but it looks almost exactly like this.

It connects like this on the front and rear of the suspension

2012-02-22_114622_6.jpg

2012-02-22_114556_7.jpg

The connector labeled as 1 hopefully is sitting there on my car when i have a look tomorrow ;- )

Judging by the photo i think i need to take the wheel off to get a good look, not sure if the wheel arch covers will be an issue though

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From what i can tell the sensor should be on the right hand side only, front and back where the wiring should be

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