Are xenon lights illegal?

1. ldowse95 Newbie Joined: Jan 2014 Posts: 1

   #1 9th January 2014, 12:45

   Hi i want to change my headlight bulbs to something like the xenon ones, but are these legal? If they are not legal can anyone else suggest any alternatives. Thanks
2. Manu Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned

   #2 9th January 2014, 12:50
3. Jizanthapus Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2012 Posts: 3593

   #3 9th January 2014, 13:00

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by ldowse95 Hi i want to change my headlight bulbs to something like the xenon ones, but are these legal? If they are not legal can anyone else suggest any alternatives. Thanks

   A few years ago, yes you might get pulled, but now every new car has some kind of stupidly bright LED 'daytime lights' or HIDs that flicker from blue to purple to white as theyre coming towards you.
   And they police don't pull them over so you should be fine.
4. user_15989 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: May 2007 Posts: 4857

   #4 9th January 2014, 17:31

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by ldowse95 Hi i want to change my headlight bulbs to something like the xenon ones, but are these legal? If they are not legal can anyone else suggest any alternatives. Thanks

   Under UK laws road vehicles have to comply with vehicle regulations defined by law. The default in the UK is if not otherwise exempt gas discharge lights ( AKA Xenons, AKA HIDs ) are not permitted.
   
   There is one exemption that permits some gas discharge lights. This is European type approval. So new cars that comply with EU type approval are permitted.
   
   This is how some new vehicles legally come with gas discharge lights. However the retrofit of none EU approved gas discharge lights is illegal for road use.
   
   All the kits you see that that fit a gas discharge (HID/Xenon) bulb in place of a Halogen bulb are not road legal and you would be committing an offence using them on the road.
   
   The law is actually very clear on this. There is also substantial legal president to the road vehicle lighting regulations being used. Its often used to enforce other similar issues of none compliant lighting. If you ever had to fight braking this one in court you would struggle to defend your self.
5. Dave_P Established Member Joined: Dec 2010 Aberdeen Posts: 2129 Race: 106 Rallye 16v. Road: Mercedes Vito 120 CDI

   #5 9th January 2014, 18:30

   Saxo headlights are crap, were all agree on that, if you were intent of fitting a HID kit to your car i would suggest also buying a set of angel eyes headlights, at least that way your headlight (dipped beam) would be a projector headlight which wont blind oncoming traffic so readily like a HID bulb in a reflector headlight.
   
   If you want to keep it legal try some osram nightbreaker plus bulbs.

   1 user thanked this post: user_39461
6. Russell19 Newbie Joined: Nov 2011 Blackpool Posts: 12 1.2 16v clio, phs2 vtr

   #6 15th January 2014, 23:23

   I've been told if it doesn't come standard on the vehicle as if from the factory then it's not legal my old car failed it's mot because of them
7. welshpug Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jul 2010 South Wales Posts: 3078 ZX 16v, 205 GTI, 309 Goodwood, 405 MI16.

   #7 16th January 2014, 10:26

   Pretty much, however on many high end German vehicles even in the late 90's some did have HID's as optional fitment, as long as you fit ALL the appropriate components you'll be fine.
   
   That includes either self levelling rear suspension, or self adjusting headlamps.
   
   late MK1 focus ST had factory HID's I found out, whilst stripping apart a 2004 ST for a kitcar donor