Headlight fault

[Boostfreak600]

Hi guys need a little help I have an is220d a couple of years ago I fitted hid's to my car a couple of weeks ago the drivers side was not always coming on then wasn't coming on at all so today I decided to fit some LED lights. tackling the drivers side first i plugged it in and then checked to make sure it came on, it didn't so swapped to the other LED light this was the Same. So I took out the passenger side and tried both lights on this side and both worked fine so I know the new lights work perfect I even swapped the small cable that plugs into the bulb on both sides no broken wire there. Is there a separate fuse either side or am I looking at broken wire somewhere any help would be grateful 

[Herbie]

Sorry Shane, can't answer your question but are you aware that unless the car was designed with LEDs at the factory, any aftermarket LEDs will be an MOT failure?

[Boostfreak600]

I wasn't no thanks for the heads up

[Herbie]

6 minutes ago, Boostfreak600 said:

I wasn't no thanks for the heads up

No worries mate.

The new MOT makes almost any aftermarket conversion a failure in that the headlamp unit and the bulb itself must be compatible. So, a housing designed for a halogen bulb must have a halogen bulb in it, nothing else will do. Here's a screengrab:

 

[ColinBarber]

There are two 15 Amp fuses, one for each dipped beam.

[Linas.P]

Assuming you fitted HIDs, you should have ballasts for them, so it could be that ballast failed on aftermarket/fake HID and not the bulb. Btw fitting HIDs are same as fitting LEDs, technically MOT failure + technically you should have headlamp washers if you have HIDs - another MOT failure.

[johnatg]

It's a bit academic and obscure - but just to be pedantic, your second point is not actually the case. Headlamp washers (and self-levelling headlights) are an homologation issue, not an MoT one (ie a car will not get European approval unless it has washers and levelling when fitted with HIDs). And if they are fitted, they must work.

However you can import a car - eg apparently some japanese pick ups have HIDs but no washers or levellers (and no, I can't tell you which they are) and they are able to pass the MoT without them. And in the days when having HIDs in originally-halogen headlights was not an MoT failure (as long as the beam pattern was acceptable) you did not need washers and levellers. The requirements or not for washers and levellers have not changed.

My car failed on the basis of having HIDs in halogen housings, but I'm hearing that some test stations are passing cars with projector beam headlights fitted with HIDs even if they were originally halogen, as projector beam headlights are compatible with HIDs. (And they may or may not be fitted with washers and levellers) We shall see how that progesses - see if I need to put in a bit of time in the workshop before (and after) next year's MoT!

It's not something I'm prepared to contest with DVSA.

[Linas.P]

Important thing is that now MOT fails DIY HIDs/LEDs (well done!)... I am so tired of everyone blinding each other with poorly fitted mods. I know we discussed that in the past and yes it can be done correctly (heck you can get OE HID units and just fit them as a unit), but in 99% of cases it isn't..

The rest is kind of mundane point (even if you are correct and I am sure you are)...

First of all some MOT stations would pass your car without headlight fitted ... like at all. I know station where they don't even want to see the car, you just pay £90 (or whatever fee) and they give you certificate. My point - that some MOT stations passes otherwise not road worthy cars does not prove that certain modification is legitimate. I can think of dozen examples e.g. hexagon/honeycomb pattern number plates are no allowed - how many cars you see with such number plates fitted? Do you think they take them off before MOT and then re-fit them again? NO! Gel number/letter - same story etc. etc.

Secondly, if it is homologation rule... it basically means car without washers cannot be legally imported into EU without retrofitting them and I guess getting some sort of certification done... that is in theory. In practice obviously, nobody knows what kind of obscure Japanese Pickup has obscure HID option and obviously some can slip trough the net. Again that doesn't mean that car with HID conversion and without washers is compliant... 

As for the washers themselves my opinion that it is total waste of time. There are two occasion I can think of where they can come handy - going over mud pit and getting them covered in mud, in heavy snow storm when snow covers headlamps. Now first not applicable to IS250 or majority of entry-exec cars, only some capable SUVs I guess, second never happens in UK. So having washers in IS250 really have no purpose. I had 3 IS250's and probably another 4 cars with HIDs and washers and done combined ~350k+ miles and I only needed washers once! and that time they failed spectacularly! It was -17C and it was snow storm, I had -40C "approved" washing fluid, but once I tried clean headlamps the whole thing just froze open into massive ice sculpture covering entire headlight and part of bonnet.

In summary, considering current MOT rules I would suggest OP to restore the car to original configuration and get some good quality halogen bulbs. They not going to be exactly as good as original HIDs, but I doubt much worse then the fake ones.