MOT - Changes to headlights

[Matthew McGuinness]

I have been made aware of new changes to MOT in relation to headlights.

It looks like putting LED's or HID's into a halogen bulb housing will now fail you.

Thought id put this up as I know many on here like me are currently using the CEUK LED Bulbs.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment#section-4-1-4

Its in section 4.1.4

 

"Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp."

[pragmatix]

I always thought that to be the case.

[Jonro2009]

People are getting all excited about the 'new' MOT guidelines, when in reality all they have done is added the word LED to the wording. Nothing has really changed @pragmatix you're right. 

My car was tested recently and has LEDs, it passed no problem at all.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

I was amusing myself recently watching old "Wheeler Dealers" repeats (Mike Brewer looks quite slim and Ed China hasn't got grey hair). Whenever they get to a bit where Ed is messing with lights, a warning now comes up that under current regulations converting halogen headlights is not allowed.

[TomsFocus]

4 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I was amusing myself recently watching old "Wheeler Dealers" repeats (Mike Brewer looks quite slim and Ed China hasn't got grey hair). Whenever they get to a bit where Ed is messing with lights, a warning now comes up that under current regulations converting halogen headlights is not allowed.

I noticed that too...  Was it the scruffy Lexus episode?  

I'm sure Salvage Hunters:Classic Cars are now buying up all of the old Wheeler Dealer cars and returning them to standard!!  They did a Mk1 Fiesta yesterday...sold for £24k!!! 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

I noticed that too...  Was it the scruffy Lexus episode?  

Certainly came up on that episode, I've seen a few others though. They seemed to be obsessed with changing lights at one time.

Glad to see you're also spending lockdown constructively!😃

[Eric Bloodaxe]

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I'm sure Salvage Hunters:Classic Cars are now buying up all of the old Wheeler Dealer cars and returning them to standard!!  They did a Mk1 Fiesta yesterday...sold for £24k!!! 

I hate what Drew gets up to with some of those cars. I thought the pale blue MGA they did recently looked horrible!😃

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Certainly came up on that episode, I've seen a few others though. They seemed to be obsessed with changing lights at one time.

Glad to see you're also spending lockdown constructively!😃

Not sure if you've seen Vintage Voltage?  They fully electrify old cars.  Ironically having to fit a radiator to an old Porshe 914 for the water-cooled Tesla engine recently lol.  The main guy on there often wants to fit LED lights to keep power consumption down, but just has to 'test fit' on road cars, stating that it's not legal to retrofit yet...  

 

3 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I hate what Drew gets up to with some of those cars. I thought the pale blue MGA they did recently looked horrible!😃

Ah yes, agreed on that one!  Most of them look good though, they also did an Elise yesterday which was a vast improvement on the WD Elise (which was bought just a couple of miles from my home lol)!  I just wish they'd show more of the mechanical processes instead of the haggling.

On the subject of WD...remember the purple Ford Pop they did many years ago?  I saw that one at a steam rally a few years back.  

[Eric Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Not sure if you've seen Vintage Voltage?  

Not looked at that one yet, I record this stuff to watch when there's nothing interesting on (ie most of the time at present) but my hard disc is getting full!