| John, I'll have to disagree with you as to the legality.
Type approved new fits are not illegal, retrofits are, see below...
The following is the legal rationale from the DFT:
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
However new vehicles have HID headlamps - this is because they comply to European type approval Regulations.
The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles, however we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable.
Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles, it would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles and the same level of safety should apply.
Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:
1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:
1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
As regards MOT's, providing the beam pattern falls within the acceptable tolerance and the lamp unit is securely fixed and undamaged it will pass, however, if the tester is aware that a HID burner is fitted, the tester is obliged under the MOT regs to advise the customer of this but can do nothing more.
I'd suggest that the actual chances of being prosecuted are slim to say the least, keep them correctly adjusted and very few folks will even raise an eyebrow...  |