St Xenon Headlight Advice

[Oliverb]

hi all ,,

if i was to get the ST Xenon head lamps .. is it just a straight swap and can i use my existing bulbs..

or is there anything extra i would need to do?

[Lenny]

hi all ,,

if i was to get the ST Xenon head lamps .. is it just a straight swap and can i use my existing Bulbs..

or is there anything extra i would need to do?

As far as I'm aware the xenon st headlights contain HID bulbs,

So to be road compliant require bumper washer jets and the auto level sensor fitted to the rear bumper area

Which levels the lens on the headlight as you drive.

Can be done though Harrison has done it on his prior to selling,

Perhaps he can be more specific

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/user/30730-haz93/

[Oliverb]

As far as I'm aware the xenon st headlights contain HID bulbs,

So to be road compliant require bumper washer jets and the auto level sensor fitted to the rear bumper area

Which levels the lens on the headlight as you drive.

Can be done though Harrison has done it on his prior to selling,

Perhaps he can be more specific

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/user/30730-haz93/

Hmmm ok ... Thanks Lenny

Is £150 a good price for the pair ?

[Lenny]

Hmmm ok ... Thanks Lenny

Is £150 a good price for the pair ?

They cost over 700 a pair from ford pal

http://www.european-parts.net/catalog/shopping_cart.php

[Oliverb]

Blimey ok !!

I might just get them anyways then :-P

[Focus-Jonny]

Oliver you have two options

A) fit ST xenons so they are compliant with current legislation (with washer jets and auto levelling system) this would cost a lot of ££££ then you wouldn't have to worry about insurance claims, mot failures etc

-or-

B) get the the xenon headlight units and bulbs wire them into a plug and play kit and swap with your originals when needs be eg. Mot time. Also be considerate and have them properly set and levelled again after each time you swap.

My opinion option b sounds sweeeeeet! As its waaay cheaper and will still look super cool!

[cuke]

Thus making the car un-roadworthy and uninsured. Waaay cheaper until you have an accident...

[Andy H Dibley]

Personally, don't go for the HID Kit option if you're keeping your regular headlights. It's a terrible compromise and illegal. It won't make your car uninsured but most definitely liable to getting a tug and a lot of flashes to remind you of how much you're blinding other people!

The Xenon head lamps are projector lenses that reject upward light into on coming cars. Because a halogen bulb isn't anywhere near as bright a bog standard reflector head light doesn't cause too much grief to on coming cars. Stick a HID Kit in and you'll soon be blinding lots of people.

I've been there, done it, had the tug, not worth the agro!

Get the proper lenses, at that price I would bite their hands off for them!

[Focus-Jonny]

Make sure you have that bluefin remap declared then Cuke ;)

[Focus-Jonny]

As highlighted Oliverb, non factory fitted hids are quite a touchy subject! Unfortunately all the chavs with cheap misaligned bright blue hid kits have generated a bad perception to this particular mod! That combined with the fact that they don't conform to regulations and invalidate insurance!

But if you want them mate, go get them!

At least your using a complete OEM xenon head unit and bulbs/ballasts so you shouldn't be blinding anyone just have them levelled down a tad since your missing auto levelling for speed bumps etc and keep them clean!

[artscot79]

as said as of march this year if hid are fitted it is now a requirement to test the levelling and washer system if you have neither of these its an automatic fail and having them fitted without these makes the car uninsured as you have illegally modified the car so watch the insurance company walk in the other direction as i said when i was haing my mot done a guy in front was failed for this very reason when he asked about having levelling etc fitted he was told save the money just put the original lights back in

[salsheikh]

according to the DVLA/VOSA you do not need to have self levellers or headlamp washers of fitting HID aftermarket kits. it is only required to be working IF your came with them originally.

I emailed them asking the same thing!

[cuke]

Make sure you have that bluefin remap declared then Cuke ;)

Declared to whom, my insurance company already know about it. Besides it is coming off next week...

[artscot79]

sal my friend read the new mot regs started this year no matter what vosa want to tell you heres the way it is and it has noithing to do with wether they were fitted originally or not it is if they are fitted regardless

Front and rear lights single operation.

Main beam warning light.

Steering lock mechanism.

Illumination of malfunction indicator light (MIL) for electric power
steering, electronic stability control, electronic park brake control,
brake fluid warning lamp, tyre pressure monitoring system and
airbag/pre-tensioner.

Drivers seat adjustment.

Speedometer.



Headlamp cleaning and self-levelling if high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps are fitted.

Products on the lens that reduce light output.



Continuity of towbar 13 pin electric socket.

Inappropriate towbar repairs or modifications.



Gas Leak detection spray to confirm the existence of a leak(LPG cars)



Rear passenger doors opening.

All door hinges, catches and pillars.



Catalytic converter missing.



Inappropriate brake system repairs or modifications.

Defective ABS or ESC components.



battery and wiring.

Power Steering oil level.

Damaged or corroded power steering pipes or hose.

Engine mountings.



Steering and suspension joint dust covers.

Inappropriate steering repairs or modifications.

Steering lock stops.

Steering box oil leakage.

Inappropriate suspension repairs or modifications.

Drive shaft support bearings and coupling gaiters.



And in more detail.



Lighting.

Headlamps. Vehicles fitted with High Intensity Discharge (HID) and LED
light sources will have a new reason for rejection, "A mandatory
headlamp levelling or cleaning device missing, inoperative or otherwise
obviously defective."aftermarket kits like all hid kits must have these fitted or it will be a fail as its mandatory where fitted



Steering control.

The law requires that vehicles are fitted with some sort of anti-theft
mechanism as minimum security protection. Commonly, this is achieved by
use of steering locks, transmission locks or gearshift locks. Where a
steering lock mechanism is fitted as standard, testers must now check if
one is present and operational.



Steering system.

Before the days of MOT Computerisation, many testers incorrectly failed
steering and suspension ball joints if the dust cover was split or
missing. Well, thanks to the Directive, these items will be included in
the test – so if a ball joint dust cover is missing or no longer keeps
the dirt out, testers will be able to correctly fail the vehicle.

Sub-section 2.2D covers the steering lock-to-lock check, and will now
also cover any significant oil leaks from the steering box and whether
any ‘fitted as standard’ steering lock stops are missing. This is more
likely to affect those of you testing larger Class 5 vehicles, as not
too many light vehicles are fitted with external lock stops.



Power steering.

Checks to power steering will now include a check of the fluid level.
But because there is no need to remove the reservoir cap, the check will
only apply where the fluid level is visible in the reservoir.

Any inappropriate repair or modification to a power steering component
will result in a failure – so a pair of tights in place of the drive
belt will not be acceptable! The serious misalignment or fouling of
power steering components is also an RfR.

The inspection of fluid pipes for damage and fouling will now also include excessive corrosion.

If a malfunction indicator lamp – fitted to warn the driver of a problem
with electronic power steering – is illuminated, indicating a failure
in the system, this will be an RfR.



Suspension, wheel bearings and drive shafts.

Testers should be careful to consider the guidance in the information
column and the introduction section of the MOT inspection manual before
rejecting any modified or repaired suspension components. But to make
life easier, the team at VOSA has replaced all the RfRs for unacceptable
repairs with a single RfR.

You are already checking all front drive shafts and those at the rear
that form part of the suspension. As a result of the Directive, you will
also have to check, where fitted, support bearings for excessive wear,
and drive shaft inner coupling gaiters that are missing. The RfR for
gaiters has also been changed to cover all aspects of the gaiter failing
to keep the dirt out. Front to rear propshafts still remain outside the
scope of the test.



Parking brake lever mechanism and associated mountings.

Electronic parking brake (EPB) controls have been added to this section,
and testers will have to make sure that all parking brake controls have
not been ‘inappropriately repaired or modified’. The team at VOSA has
defined this as ‘when the repair is obviously likely to adversely affect
the roadworthiness of the vehicle or if any modification has seriously
weakened the component’. If the vehicle is fitted with an EPB, testers
must also check that the EPB warning lamp does not indicate a fault.



service brake control.

As before, testers will be asked to check that the control has not been inappropriately repaired or modified.



Anti-lock braking systems

Also included under this section are checks to any electronic stability
control (ESC) system fitted – called variously ESC, Electronic Stability
Programme (ESP), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), etc. To take account
of the additional item, the section has been renamed ‘Anti-lock Braking
and Electronic Stability Control Systems’.

The new checks will cover the condition of ABS/ESC components (which are
generally common to both systems), electrical wiring, the ESC switch,
and the presence and operation of the ESC malfunction indicator lamp.



Mechanical brake components.

Additional checks of the security of brake cables, rods and joints must
be made and testers should fail any mechanical brake component if it has
been inappropriately repaired or modified. The condition and operation
of brake slack adjusters – usually only fitted to very large vehicles
with air braking systems – should also be checked.



Braking systems and additional braking devices.

To avoid the repetition of certain checks that apply to a number of
sub-sections, the team at VOSA has changed the title of sub-section 3.6A
of the inspection manual from ‘Leaks’ to ‘All Braking Systems’. Leaks
will still be part of this sub-section, but checks on the security,
condition and operation of braking system components have been added.
Checks for inappropriate repairs or modifications to braking system
components will also be included.

As well as brake valves, sub-section 3.6E will contain additional checks
on load-sensing valves. Originally only checking the linkage, testers
will now need to check if the valve itself is also:

• seized or inoperative

• defective so that its function is impaired

• incorrectly adjusted.

Testers already check the brake fluid level – but the brake fluid
warning lamp being illuminated or inoperative will be a new RfR.



Brake performance.

Another new RfR coming in at the end of 2011 is if, during a
decelerometer test, the vehicle deviates from a straight line when the
parking brake is applied.



All of the info listed above can be found in the excellent Matters Of Testing magazine which is available to view here , it is well worth looking through some of the previous issues here,
especially the Horror Story sections where garages send in pictures of
potentially disastrous car problems! (All of which will become more
common place should MOT's move to every 2 years!)



Other items that info will be added to

Insecure Batteries or those leaking electrolyte will now fail.

Engine mounts will be checked and will fail if missing or seriously
deteriorated resulting in excessive engine movement, or if the engine
mounting bracket is insecure, fractured or damaged so it is likely to
fail.

[artscot79]

and the additions in full beware anyone who fitted the traction control button to fill up the space they can fail the car if it doesnt do anything as they will assume the car came fitted with it and its not working

New 2013 MOT Changes

Posted 20th of March 2013 at 13:00:00

New changes to the MOT regulation from the 20th March 2013

Customers are advised that there have been changes made to the MOT testing regulations from March 2013.

The main changes



Electronic parking brake

Electronic parking brake controls are now included and must be present
and not inappropriately repaired or modified - repair obviously likely
to adversely affect the road worthiness of the vehicle or modification
that has seriously weakened the component.



(The 'inappropriately repaired or modified' check is to be applied to a
wide range of systems and components throughout the vehicle.)



The car will fail if an Electronic Parking Brake warning lamp is illuminated to indicate a malfunction.



Electronic Stability Control

Checks of anti lock brakes will be extended to include Electronic
Stability Control if fitted. The tester will check for the presence and
correct operation of the ESC malfunction warning light together with
looking for obviously missing, excessively damaged or inappropriately
repaired or modified components and electrical wiring, as well as an ESC
switch missing, insecure or faulty.



Warning lights

As well as electronic parking brake and electronic stability control
warning lights (where fitted) the MOT test will also include checks for
the correct function of the following, where fitted;



Headlight main beam warning light

Electronic power steering warning light

Brake fluid level warning light

Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light

Steering & suspension

The new test includes a check on the presence and correct function of the steering lock where fitted as standard.



Missing, or split/damaged dust covers on steering and suspension
ball-joints will result in failure if they will allow dirt to enter the
joint.



Power steering fluid level must be above the minimum level indicated on the reservoir.



Lighting

Products on the lens or light source that obviously reduce the light's
intensity or change its colour will become a reason for failure –
applies to front/rear position lamps, registration plate lamps, stop
lamps, rear fog and direction indicators,



Headlight requirements are updated to take account of the particular characteristics of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps.



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.



If a headlamp bulb is not seated correctly the resulting beam pattern will be indistinct and this will result in a test fail.



Electrical wiring and battery

An insecure battery will be a reason for failure as will a battery that is leaking electrolyte.



Visible wiring that is insecure, inadequately supported or likely to
cause a short will also result in a failure as will wires bared by
damaged insulation.



Trailer/caravan electrical socket

There will be a basic security/damage check of 7-pin sockets,



13-pin sockets will be subject to a full electrical connectivity check
and incorrectly connected or inoperative circuits will result in
failure.



Tyres

Tyre pressure monitoring systems fitted to vehicles first registered
after 1 January 2012 must be working correctly and not indicating a
malfunction.



Supplementary restraints

The vehicle will fail the test if any airbag fitted as original equipment is obviously missing or defective.



A seatbelt pre-tensioner fitted as original equipment but missing or that has obviously deployed will be a reason for failure.



Seatbelt load limiters that are missing where fitted as standard or
folding webbing type limiters that have obviously deployed are also
reasons for failure.



The vehicle will also fail if a Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) malfunction indicator lamp indicates a system malfunction.



Speedometer

The car will fail if a speedometer is not fitted, is incomplete,
inoperative, has a dial glass broken/missing or cannot be illuminated.



Seats

It must be possible to secure the driver's seat fore and aft adjustment
mechanism in two or three different positions. On electric seats the
motors must move the seat fore and aft.



Doors

A rear door that cannot be opened from the outside using the relevant control is a new reason for failure.



Doors must be easy to open and close – hinges, catches and pillars will be inspected.



Towbars

Inappropriate repair or modification to the towbar assembly will be a
reason for failure if judged likely to affect the roadworthiness of the
vehicle/trailer.



Exhaust

A catalytic convertor fitted as original equipment but missing will be a reason for failure.



Fuel system

Damaged or chafed fuel pipes will result in failure.

[salsheikh]

thanks for the info - hopefully this means that idiots/chavs with dodgy hids kits wont blind me on the roads anymore...well eventually

[artscot79]

i think that was the point the guy as i said in front of me failed for this very reason the seat one got me though i know a few who fitted electric leather seats but didnt have the wiring for the electric bit so left them as is so not sure how that one will work also found the door opening one strange as well i know theres a safety reason for it but still were getting a bit like spain where everything has to work over there if you have aircon it must work it cant be removed etc

[Focus-Jonny]

Declared to whom, my insurance company already know about it. Besides it is coming off next week...

Just checking ;)

Very informative read Artscot thanks for that! By the way things are going we soon wont be able to personalise our cars, but hey if it makes the roads safer/reduces accidents we cant complain.

[artscot79]

i dont mind people personlising to be honest and hids are a great idea but im the first to say i drive to work being blinded by many of them and over loud exhausts really annoy me hence the mot now caters for that too yipee no more my kids being woke up by my neighbours crap box citreon 1.2 that sounds like an impreza with a hole in the exhaust lol time to watch the boy racers cry into there weetabix