Help undoing Xenon conversion (05 facelift civic)

wallbanging

wallbanging

wallbanging

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So, my car has an xenon hid conversion(not done by me) which is now an MOT fail.

I'm looking for some help on how to revert this back to normal. The normal headlights require a h1 bulb but the wiring from the h4 plug to the bulb is gone and was replaced with the conversion rubbish. I'll attach pics.
15moawk.jpg

wh1cuu.jpg


On the second you can see the connector which goes from my car to the wee white box. I reckon thats where the connector would attach to the back of my bulb to power it, does that sound right?


What do i need to do to convert back to normal?
 
That white box is called a ballast. As its for a HID be very careful when handling it, as its job is to hold a lot of volts to start up the HID bulb (it takes much less volts to keep it lit).
In my old car with HIDs it had warning stickers about electric shock - thats the sort of current and volts we're talking about.

The black connector will be normal 12V from your cars lighting circuit. Although I'm not seeing the Red connected to the plug - is it terminated inside the sheathing?

You're going to need to find out what sort of fitting your cars regular bulbs are - I'm guessing H1s or H7s after 30 seconds on Halfords website - and make an adaptor between the black plug and a H1/H7 fitting.
You can buy those generic waterproof electrical connectors online, you poke the wires thru the assembly, crimp (or prefereably crimp and solder) a pin on and assemble.
 
Just out of interest - has a tester actually failed the car or are you just preparing? I am interested to see how now it is illegal testers get on with this. While I totally agree kits that blind you are totally inappropriate, running a HID conversion behind a (halogen) projector lamp although not ideal generally doesn't have any particular safety implications, so I'm more interested to see if MOT testers are actively failing cars with them now even if they have an OK beam pattern.
 
unrealrocks said:
Just out of interest - has a tester actually failed the car or are you just preparing? I am interested to see how now it is illegal testers get on with this. While I totally agree kits that blind you are totally inappropriate, running a HID conversion behind a (halogen) projector lamp although not ideal generally doesn't have any particular safety implications, so I'm more interested to see if MOT testers are actively failing cars with them now even if they have an OK beam pattern.
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Aye it failed its MOT. The guy testing it did seem like a grumpy **** so that may have something to do with it. You're more likely to get away with it at a small independent mot tester.
 
wallbanging said:
Aye it failed its MOT. The guy testing it did seem like a grumpy **** so that may have something to do with it. You're more likely to get away with it at a small independent mot tester.
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Interesting. Did they say exactly why it failed? Was it the beam pattern / tint, or just the fact that it exists? A friend of mine has a xenon conversion in his Focus (reflector lenses) - with a decent colour temperature and properly aimed, and it went through its latest MOT a month or two ago happily.
 
Howard said:
Interesting. Did they say exactly why it failed? Was it the beam pattern / tint, or just the fact that it exists? A friend of mine has a xenon conversion in his Focus (reflector lenses) - with a decent colour temperature and properly aimed, and it went through its latest MOT a month or two ago happily.
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HID kits have been illegal to use on the road for years now, primarily due to usually not being e-marked and the original headlights missing self-levelling and cleaning systems (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aftermarket-hid-headlamps/aftermarket-hid-headlamps), so the MOT change is just to bring it in line.

but, much like CAT removal, etc. some people will no doubt find a friendly MOT station and pass for years to come.
 
wallbanging said:
The wire running across the bottom of the screen is attached into the plug but its just part of this HID kit. I think the connector for the H1 bulb to fit into the plug is just straight missing.

Something like this would work https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Ci...pped-Headlight-Bulb-Holders-HID-/263565135856 . what ye think?
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You can find repair kits with wires which should make it easier to solder/crimp back on. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Repla...891889&hash=item419b7c4c5d:g:GFUAAOSwlAZaiCyf
Valeo make decent universal ones, I know I swaped it on a Friend's volvo C30 that used to melt the original ones and it's been fine since.
Obviosuly get the vehicle specific version - H1/H4 whatever it may be.
 
DereksDontRun said:
HID kits have been illegal to use on the road for years now, primarily due to usually not being e-marked and the original headlights missing self-levelling and cleaning systems.
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The MOT inspection manual states:
Vehicles with high intensity discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with a suspension or headlamp self-levelling system. If these systems have been fitted, they must work.
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and
You must inspect vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2009 equipped with headlamp washers.
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Neither of those points are relevant if the vehicle doesn't have them, in other words you cant be failed for something that doesnt exist and its not down to the MOT tester to know which vehicles left the factory with which spec.
 
SarGara said:
Neither of those points are relevant if the vehicle doesn't have them, in other words you cant be failed for something that doesnt exist and its not down to the MOT tester to know which vehicles left the factory with which spec.
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The problem being that manual makes it seem like it wouldn't be that hard to check if the headlight assembly was designed for HID.

No DCR mark + HID = fail

Realistically, I expect most just fail on alignment first, then HID second.
 
A decent projector housing will give a rather decent alignment, and there's aftermarket all in one screw on projectors. Not sure what the latest manual says, but in the EU you can't have Xenons without headlamp washers & a self leveling system. Normally even projector housings, although there are a few exceptions there.
 
SarGara said:
The MOT inspection manual states:

and


Neither of those points are relevant if the vehicle doesn't have them, in other words you cant be failed for something that doesnt exist and its not down to the MOT tester to know which vehicles left the factory with which spec.
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have a read of your link. Section 4.1.4
Existing halogen headlamp units shouldn’t be converted to be used with HID bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.
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So, it's been added to automatically fail a HID conversion - thus bringing the MOT in line with the law, which has stated they're illegal for road use for years... I don't understand where there is a debate.
 
Yes correct but thats failing because a conversion has been performed and not because "a self leveling and cleaning system" isn't present which is the point i was addressing thats not accurate.
 
DereksDontRun said:
I don't understand where there is a debate.
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As with all such arguments, debate usually stems from people making blanket statements that something is "illegal" without clarification. In many areas there is a difference between what it's legal for a manufacturer to fit/sell on a new car, what should pass an MOT, what *will* pass an MOT and what will pass for roadworthy in the eyes of a police officer/court.
 
kaiowas said:
As with all such arguments, debate usually stems from people making blanket statements that something is "illegal" without clarification. In many areas there is a difference between what it's legal for a manufacturer to fit/sell on a new car, what should pass an MOT, what *will* pass an MOT and what will pass for roadworthy in the eyes of a police officer/court.
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well, as I was the one stating it was illegal, then I guess you mean i didn't make it clear? As in my 1st msg - the gov site (linked above) stated that HID conversions are illegal for road use (they list reasons to back up their justification, such as levellers and washers, but that doesn't matter as their paragraph starts with "In the Department for Transport’s (DfT) view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon."). But people have ignored this (or just not known) as cars have passed MOTs which only checked for alignment. HID kit sellers have generally been clued up, as most have some small print on their websites along the lines "for off road use only" - which surely should raise eyebrows for anyone buying them. Part of the recent MOT changes now state (as also listed above, in section 4.1.4) that HID kits are a flat out automatic fail (no mention to check for levellers, etc, just a blanket fail).

So, no debate. It doesn't matter if the car has self-levelling or not, or washers or not, it's now an automatic fail to bring it in line with the previous government statement that they're illegal for road use.

Whether cars will still use/fit HID kits and pass MOTs, sure, as with other car mods, there's always the odd friendly tester... But users should be aware that what's fitted to their car is technically naughty.
 
If it's an MOT fail then they probably aren't declaring it on the insurance either, because they won't cover non-road legal mods.

So if they have a crash and the insurer sees it. Their insurance will be void.
 
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