HID's... Are they legal?

[Jewson172]

Hi I've been thinking about getting some HID'S and as such I've been doing some research. Bit confused if these are legal come to MOT time. Please could some one clear up the confusion.
Cheers.

 

[SamP]

Not really no. They should fail an MOT now.

 

[JLister]

yeah i think they are, apparently you need auto leveling and light washers to have them

 

[MicKPM]

They're not strictly speaking "legal" but, with that said, my Scenic has gone thru the MOT with 6k units in without fuss for the past 2yrs and never once have I been stopped for dazzling people (Headlamp rig shows a good solidly focused beam pattern at the correct level without projector lenses). From Jan '12 the new MOT rules will specifically look at cars with "HID's" fitted for colour, intensity and to make sure headlamp washers and auto-levelling devices are working.

These rules makes no mention of checking for use of after market kits and I think its purely aimed at cars with factory fitted units and faulty position sensor so I don't forsee an issue unless you've got bright blue lamps burning the retinas of the tester out.

Mick

 

[NinjaGutz]

I thought they were only legal with projector lenses? Quite a few production cars with them on as standard/optional extra now.

 

[Andz22]

mine passed its mot with them with the background painted black !

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Bloody hope not, my VXT has passed a couple of MOTs with HIDs (they were on the car when I bought it)

 

[cjmbentley]

there 100% passable if they have a beam pattern. we get them at work all the time and they pass with patterns

 

[Gaz86]

I thought they were only legal with projector lenses? Quite a few production cars with them on as standard/optional extra now.

precisely this, retrofitting them in anything other than a projector is technically illegal, not to mention quite dangerous as they dazzle like crazy in normal reflector headlights.

most MOT testers don't know the difference though unless it's not projecting a pattern.