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Weak Headlights - Contact Volvo

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Old Jan 19th, 2018, 01:03   #261
phutyle
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Originally Posted by niggly View Post
Come on someone, give them a go in one of your Volvos with useless lights and post a thread.
Im half tempted to try them just to see if they work, but I just spent the evening cleaning my projector lenses and fitting Bosch Gigalights, so I’ll wait and see what effect that has on the dark roads.
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Old Jan 19th, 2018, 12:55   #262
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Im half tempted to try them just to see if they work, but I just spent the evening cleaning my projector lenses and fitting Bosch Gigalights, so I’ll wait and see what effect that has on the dark roads.
make sure to post some pics&conclusion after testing
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Old Jan 20th, 2018, 11:42   #263
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make sure to post some pics&conclusion after testing
Very unscientific pictures from my driveway. Definitive improvement after the projector clean and installing the Bosch Gigalights, but I haven’t driven on any unlit roads yet.

Before:



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Old Jan 22nd, 2018, 13:22   #264
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Same here running HIDS4U 55W Stealth kit for over 2 years now with 5000K bulbs.
Saying this my car just passed the MOT with this set up for headlights but on there web-site they say as of May 2018

Major changes to the MOT test on 20th of May 2018

Some of you may have already heard that there are big changes coming to the MOT test this May. Here are just a few of the biggest changes that are most likely to affect you. Please take these with a pinch of salt as nothing will be finalised until the end of April and will probably still be subject to change after that date. Remember it will take your MOT tester time to get up to speed with these too!

So...

Advisories are being replaced with minor fails. These are all pre written & approved by DVSA. You will still get a pass but they will be noted on your test certificate. Manual advisories are still being worked out but may disappear completely.

Those of you who have changed your standard headlight bulbs for HID's will now get a major fail even if the aim is correct. It has always been an offence to fit HID bulbs to halogen headlamps so the MOT is now in line with that.

Reverse lights are now part of the MOT for any car registered from 1st September 2009 (59 plate onwards). Daytime running lamps (DRL's) & front fog lamps must work on vehicles registered from March 2018 (18 plate onwards).

Engine Management Light is now a major fail. It must come on with the ignition and then turn off when the engine is started.

Brake pad warning lights are a major fail

Handbrake with excessive travel is now a major fail. Before it would only a fail if there was no reserve travel.

Contaminated (dirty) brake fluid is a major fail. Not sure how that will work as the MOT tester isn't allowed to remove the fluid cap.

Oil leaks (engine, gearbox etc.) can be a major failure if they are deemed large enough.

It seems they have removed the failure for tyres not being fitted according to sidewall instructions. Inner/outer or rotation incorrect.

Any modifications/removal to emissions related devices, this includes DPF'S and EGR's is now a major fail.

Where a DPF canister has clearly been cut open and re-welded, it will now fail.

A vehicle fitted with a DPF that emits any kind of visible smoke during the metered test will now fail

Emissions limits for diesels registered on or after 1st of January 2014 have been reduced. All diesels will now need to pass the limit that was set by the manufacturer when the car was new. This can be found on the VIN plate. For example the current limit for your diesel car may be 1.50. That could change to as low as 0.30 with the new rules.

These are just some of the bigger changes to the MOT test the average motorist is likely to be affected by. There are dozens, perhaps even over 100 changes to the actual MOT test and to the way testers record tests on the MOT computer. Please remember these are all subject to change in the coming months and remember spare a thought for your MOT tester before you say...

"Well it passed like that last year!"
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Old Jan 22nd, 2018, 14:12   #265
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EML light.... :/ why would it be an issue if it wasnt so far and car pass all emission tests?
(just a digression as Im not really MOT related, thankfully...)
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Old Jan 22nd, 2018, 15:59   #266
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Those of you who have changed your standard headlight bulbs for HID's will now get a major fail even if the aim is correct. It has always been an offence to fit HID bulbs to halogen headlamps so the MOT is now in line with that.
Interestingly, draft MOT 2018 update states this...

It is not permitted to convert existing halogen headlamp units for use with HID bulbs.

The way I read that, it's not permitted to convert halogen headlamps to be used to HIDs - Well we all have xenon type projector headlamps anyway don't we?

I see this statement as a way of stopping the chavs in Saxo's/Pug 106's putting xenons in reflector (halogen) headlamps.

There is no difference between the headlamp of a car with genuine/OEM (call it what you want) xenons and ours. We haven't 'converted' anything to do with our lamps, as they're already projectors/HID ready, we just changed the bulbs and added a ballast.

I'll keep mine in and see how it goes at Volvo come next Sept If I'm wrong it's 5 minutes to put halogens back in, though LizardOfBodom's setup may take a bit more time to revert lol.

Last edited by FunkyMelon; Jan 22nd, 2018 at 16:01.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2018, 18:16   #267
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I'll keep mine in and see how it goes at Volvo come next Sept If I'm wrong it's 5 minutes to put halogens back in, though LizardOfBodom's setup may take a bit more time to revert lol.
Ha, thats exactly why I kept my old H7 gray headlamps that I had a great pleasure driving on just week ago! It was the only sensible solution and I simply have spare pair for such occasions, although I swear - no idea how that can be called "headlamp" and bear in mind those are cleaned OEM projectors with decent OSRAM bulbs....



But back on topic - I think you are misinterpreting the statement a bit:

"It is not permitted to convert existing halogen headlamp units for use with HID bulbs. "

It basically means that if headlamp is a halogen unit (stated by the correct labelling etc) it shouldnt be fitted with any HID light source. Also, our OEM projectors unfortunately are NOT "HID ready" - those are different than OEM xenon projectors not only by bulb base (h7 vs D2s / D1S) but also differs in actual light spreadout. There is more light leaks and longer cutoff than it should be with more powerful lights and although could be set correctly without dazzling, its far from good xenon setup. So technically - no, our halogen headlamps are not the same as OEM xenons unfortunately so that rule would also apply :/
Saxos and 106's on the other hand with "H7HID ultimate 12000K" setups are a different breed and needs to be exterminated, agreed
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Old Jan 23rd, 2018, 10:50   #268
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Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom View Post
Ha, thats exactly why I kept my old H7 gray headlamps that I had a great pleasure driving on just week ago! It was the only sensible solution and I simply have spare pair for such occasions, although I swear - no idea how that can be called "headlamp" and bear in mind those are cleaned OEM projectors with decent OSRAM bulbs....



But back on topic - I think you are misinterpreting the statement a bit:

"It is not permitted to convert existing halogen headlamp units for use with HID bulbs. "

It basically means that if headlamp is a halogen unit (stated by the correct labelling etc) it shouldnt be fitted with any HID light source. Also, our OEM projectors unfortunately are NOT "HID ready" - those are different than OEM xenon projectors not only by bulb base (h7 vs D2s / D1S) but also differs in actual light spreadout. There is more light leaks and longer cutoff than it should be with more powerful lights and although could be set correctly without dazzling, its far from good xenon setup. So technically - no, our halogen headlamps are not the same as OEM xenons unfortunately so that rule would also apply :/
Saxos and 106's on the other hand with "H7HID ultimate 12000K" setups are a different breed and needs to be exterminated, agreed
It's hard to believe they'll fail our cars with decent aligned xenon kits, yet they'll pass it with the absolutely, shockingly sh*t halogens in standard form that barely light up more than 3 feet in front of you
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Old Jan 23rd, 2018, 12:04   #269
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It's hard to believe they'll fail our cars with decent aligned xenon kits, yet they'll pass it with the absolutely, shockingly sh*t halogens in standard form that barely light up more than 3 feet in front of you
yep, agreed 100%. They just test if its road-use compliant and as per car's spec, thats it. In Ireland I think they dont even fail for lights too low so technically you can just point them 1meter from the bumper and you will pass (atleast havent seen any rule in NCT info stating otherwise).
To be honest I was tempted to go with my HID hit just to see if it'll be noticed, but didnt want the hassle of retest and 22eur out of pocket.
It passed with LED plate lights though so HA, in your face, tester! :P
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Old Jan 31st, 2018, 14:59   #270
V50France
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Lightbulb Swapping to continental spec lights in France...

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Hello,

I am also new here. I bought an 05 S40 in December and the lighting is rubbish, I am amazed at Volvo as you associate them with safety, or did. I live in France so the headlights are set to the continental B setting. I am on the point of buying a new set of LHD headlights to see if there is any improvement? I do have an HID conversion kit available but am a tad put off by the earthing comments on the forum.

Thanks for any advise,

Charlie.
Hi Charlie, I drove full time in France on my UK spec lights for a few years, with the dipped beam aim switch in the proper posn. for driving over here. But, like you, I figured that changing over to continental spec lights would bring about a worthwhile improvement - because I would get the extra dipped beam kick-up to the right. I bought 2 headlamps from a breaker. They were in good order and they did bring about a small improvement as expected. But the bottom line was that the lights were still too poor to be considered safe.
Hence I went for the STEALTH HID conversion I described a little earlier in this thread. The improvement is massively better than you will get from changing to continental lights. The earthing issue is well documented and simple enough to deal with. The concern about the life expectancy of the HID kit is also well documented but feedback from others, who have contributed here, suggests that the kits have worked well over several years or more - BUT ONLY IF YOU DO NOT USE DRL set-up.

I read now that HID conversions may be a failure under the forthcoming revisions to the UK MoT test and so I assume the same may apply to the CT in France. In my case I can simply swap in my old units for the CT test day. However, without that luxury I would still go for the HID conversion and undertake to slip the halogen bulbs back in for the CT.
Not sure where you are in your 2 year CT cycle but if it is coming up this year then it may well be worth getting the test done before the new regs get introduced. That then gives you 2 years of HID use before the next CT is due. My first CT with HID conversion will be in March, so it will be interesting to see what gets said.
Happy to discuss any of this if it helps.
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