Will LED 501 sidelights fail MOT?

LewisStuart · 24 Sep 2011 at 18:49

I recently had a headlight blow out on the clio and changing them is a bumper off job, so thought I may as well change every bulb while I'm there.

I replaced all the main/dipped/cornering with standard halogen but used LED in the sides, these are a lot brighter, so was wondering if anyone has had issues when it comes to MOT?

Firestar_3x · 24 Sep 2011 at 18:51

Never had an issue with LED sidelights, however i'm not sure if the upcoming MOT changes will make it a problem.

realscot · 24 Sep 2011 at 19:03

NO. Test em all the time, and since many new cars come with them as standard I can't see it ever being an issue. Unless you got those really blue looking cheap ones!

baron02 · 24 Sep 2011 at 19:32

What led sidelights bulbs did you use ? and where from ?

LewisStuart · 24 Sep 2011 at 20:41

mattyprice4004 · 24 Sep 2011 at 20:44

Bumper off... to change a bulb?!

LewisStuart · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:45

mattyprice4004 said:
Bumper off... to change a bulb?!

Yes, must be a french thing, a place where you must by law carry an emergency bulb kit :confused:

Firestar_3x · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:46

Doesn't it have an access panels in the wheel arch like the Megane?

LewisStuart · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:54

No, I had to take them out completly to access a couple of bolts for the bumper.

Would be interested to know how much Renault would charge.

Firestar_3x · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:55

That's a total joke!

alchemistkevin · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:57

It wouldn't be the only car though...

Sin_Chase · 24 Sep 2011 at 21:59

I have to moonlight as a contortionist to change the S2000 sidelights. Has to be done blind, by touch and finish with destroyed hands.

That or jack the front, remove the front wheels entirely and the liners also.

CaptainFail! · 25 Sep 2011 at 00:27

My Clio 172 passed its MOT fine with LED sidelights in (changing the sidelights isn't a bumper off job btw)

Mine aren't really bright though (as can be seen in my sig)

I'm not a fan of the bulbs linked above, I think they look awful. Mine look like these.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Xenon-...arParts_SM&hash=item1e609cbb8d#ht_7599wt_1163

MikeHiow · 25 Sep 2011 at 00:34

If you are flexible enough, you can change the bulbs in the Clio without taking the light out.

Also, if you are only doing one side, you don't need to take the bumper off - the bolts for the headlight are accessible by just unclipping it from the wing and from the slam panel and pulling it out while leaving it bolted to the subframe underneath.

I have removing the OS headlight down to a tee - it can be done in around three minutes.

dalin80 · 25 Sep 2011 at 02:18

Recently had a fiat where the battery, battery holder, ecu fuse box and head lamp itself had to come out to change a bulb.

Customer threatened to take us to trading standards for charging 10mins labour 'just to change a bulb'.

some days customers just suck and so do headlamps. Both of which seem to be getting exponetially worse.

Sin_Chase · 25 Sep 2011 at 02:45

dalin80 said:
Recently had a fiat where the battery, battery holder, ecu fuse box and head lamp itself had to come out to change a bulb.

Customer threatened to take us to trading standards for charging 10mins labour 'just to change a bulb'.

I can sort of see the customers point of view. If I was not mechanically minded enough to do my own I would be livid at having to pay someone to change a bulb for me, all because it was in a stupid location.

You should not need to start taking parts off to change them, it's doubly moronic when the road law of that country dictates you need to carry spares.

mattyprice4004 · 25 Sep 2011 at 02:59

I must make a list of cars to keep a distance from, what a silly design

The_Abyss · 25 Sep 2011 at 06:50

I used these to replace my sidelights:

IMG_8797 by Greg Kingston, on Flickr

They are bright, and work well, however the colour balance is off from what I was looking for. The HIDs are 6000K so the LEDs must be approaching 8000K.

IMG_8951 by Greg Kingston, on Flickr

Clearly some work now required on the full beam..!

PhillyDee · 25 Sep 2011 at 08:05

I use LED sidelights. Just had MOT. They are fine.

I agree wit hthe utterly ridiculous headlights!

My lass has a 56 fiesta, the bumper has to be unscrewed and forcebly pushed down and away from the headlight. The whole headlight assembly has to come out, and the wiring removed to change a bulb. Its stupid, long winded, and results in a damaged bumper. It was damaged when she got it, and the bulb change is exactly why! Its not easy and simple like it should be.

My rover on the other hand, put hand in, remove dustcap, change bulb. It doesn;t get any simpler.

Lopéz · 25 Sep 2011 at 08:07

dalin80 said:
Recently had a fiat where the battery, battery holder, ecu fuse box and head lamp itself had to come out to change a bulb.

Customer threatened to take us to trading standards for charging 10mins labour 'just to change a bulb'.

some days customers just suck and so do headlamps. Both of which seem to be getting exponetially worse.

I offered to change a headlamp bulb on a Punto for a girl at work. I didn't expect to need a 10mm socket to remove the headlamp, but it was either that or the battery.

Another girl at work asked me to do the same for her on a new Megane. This time I had to do the contortionist thing, turn the wheel to full lock, remove the access panel and wedge my arm inside the inner wing whilst looking through the headlamp glass to see how close I was to getting the bulb in place.