LED headlights

Neil777 said:
My last three cars have had factory LED headlights but not had washer jets only self levelling.
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By chance, do you know if the self levelling is built into the light unit itself?

I'm interested about changing mine to LEDs on my B8 passat (currently a halogen unit). However, just curious to know if it needs more then just the whole unit replaced.
 
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tlrBeta said:
By chance, do you know if the self levelling is built into the light unit itself?

I'm interested about changing mine to LEDs on my B8 passat (currently a halogen unit). However, just curious to know if it needs more then just the whole unit replaced.
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Yes it is, but there's a good chance you'll need to do other work too e.g harnasses and making changes to the software as the car won't "know" it has LED lights.
 
I think the sensor that detects the 'level' is attached to the rear suspension and would need adding too, along with any wiring if it's not already installed.
 
TheVoice said:
Yes it is, but there's a good chance you'll need to do other work too e.g harnasses and making changes to the software as the car won't "know" it has LED lights.
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Kenai said:
I think the sensor that detects the 'level' is attached to the rear suspension and would need adding too, along with any wiring if it's not already installed.
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Thanks both, let me do some more digging.

Obviously, if the levelling is controlled by a sensor and/or the wires are missing - this is a non-starter :D
 
Nasher said:
Surely no one is ever actually going to check the self leveling thing works :p
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I did wonder how exactly how they test that at MOT.

If I can get assurance on if they are truly plug and play, and some sort of idea / how to replace the units - I might risk going for a self fit :)
 
Isn't the problem with the self levelling in that you can't control it manually? So if you install them without the sensors, they might be fine, or they might point down or up with no real way to control them? Legitimate question, I know I have factory LED bulbs in a projector housing that still uses the manual 0-4 levelling control on my light dial, not sure how a retrofit would work.
 
Self levelling lights are controlled using a height sensor on the rear suspension. I would assume a car without the lights wouldn't have the sensors/wiring/required control systems.
 
VaderDSL said:
Isn't the problem with the self levelling in that you can't control it manually? So if you install them without the sensors, they might be fine, or they might point down or up with no real way to control them? Legitimate question, I know I have factory LED bulbs in a projector housing that still uses the manual 0-4 levelling control on my light dial, not sure how a retrofit would work.
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Generally, if the suspension sensor fails, the lights will default to a 'safe for other drivers' position of pointing as far down as possible.

I would imagine if you fitted the lights without the sensor at all, they'd do the same and just default to their lowest possible angle.
 
Diagro said:
Absolutely fine.
Installed within 5 mins.

Much brighter than before. Not as bright as my Mazdas Xenons.. but not too far off.

Here's hoping they last.
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hi again @Diagro
I'm about to order these now as my bulbs have gone
before i do, can I ask if you have projector headlights or reflector ones?
if reflector, ill order some , if not ill get the same ones i have again


cheers
 
ShiWarrior said:
hi again @Diagro
I'm about to order these now as my bulbs have gone
before i do, can I ask if you have projector headlights or reflector ones?
if reflector, ill order some , if not ill get the same ones i have again


cheers
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I don't have the little dome lenses, so these are reflector I think.

Still as bright as when we installed them. Overall, very pleased.
 
Kenai said:
Generally, if the suspension sensor fails, the lights will default to a 'safe for other drivers' position of pointing as far down as possible.

I would imagine if you fitted the lights without the sensor at all, they'd do the same and just default to their lowest possible angle.
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I would imagine though that something as new as a 2018 Mondeo is going to throw a fit if the headlights are swapped for non standard units & just throw up errors?

Unless of course you get it plugged in & start changing settings which i'd imagine is more than possible, you'll also need to fit any missing sensors & looms otherwise the car again will just throw up errors i'd have thought.

On older cars it was easy, just get a set of factory Xenons, rewire them so that the motors take inputs from the manual leveller & then power the HID's directly from the battery with an inline fuse for each light & have the feed switched by a relay from the original light output.
 
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Upping the wattage of halogens isnt road legal either. But like many things no one is ever going to check as it means taking stuff off the car, which they arent allowed to do.

Also 100w bulbs will last half as long. Though I used some for about 4 years and didnt have one blow.
 
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