This doesn’t effect me but just interested after listening to a conversation in my local MOT station.

Has anyone failed an MOT because their halogen headlights had been converted to either HID or LED bulbs.

Mine has passed 2 MOTs with a HID conversion for the later projector lens headlight with single halogen bulb. Jules

sadler32 wrote:

This doesn’t effect me but just interested after listening to a conversation in my local MOT station.

Has anyone failed an MOT because their halogen headlights had been converted to either HID or LED bulbs.

Mine has also passed 2 MOTS with aftermarket HID conversion fitted to the halogen headlights. The MY2014 halogen headlights have projector type optics though.

The car does have headlamp washers but manual beam levelling.

Most Freelanders have headlamp washers and I think there is some doubt over the the MOT requirements for self levelling lights. If they are fitted they have to be in working order but not sure they are an MOT requirement. Long may it remain a grey area for HID lamps.
There is no doubt the conversion kits should strictly fail an MOT despite the fact that the post 2013 projector lights were designed for HID and are identical to those fitted to cars with hid as original equipment.
strictly post 2013 cars with halogen HB3s should all fail the MOT as the light performance is so poor ! FL2 SD4 XS 2013 Orkney Grey

Totally agree Lakelander - I now feel confident driving at night around the unlit roads of Gloucestershire. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

Lakelander wrote:

strictly post 2013 cars with halogen HB3s should all fail the MOT as the light performance is so poor !

I'm not really sure how an MOT tester would spot the HID upgrade as the ballast/ignitor modules are all fitted within the headlamp housing, and it looks identical to the vehicles which came with HID as standard. Unless they were really badly adjusted or something, but the ABD HID units give perfect beam pattern so that's unlikely.

Jules is absolutely right - I had both Osram HB3 Nightbreakers blow whilst travelling back on unlit roads from Burford to Stroud (about 30 miles). Quite scarry driving on just fog lights. Reverted back to OEM bulbs for a while until I thankfully fitted conversion kit having read reports on this forum. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

congoblue wrote:

I'm not really sure how an MOT tester would spot the HID upgrade as the ballast/ignitor modules are all fitted within the headlamp housing, and it looks identical to the vehicles which came with HID as standard. Unless they were really badly adjusted or something, but the ABD HID units give perfect beam pattern so that's unlikely.

I just took delivery of an Evoque rear subframe and there, staring me in the face, is the oojamafingy that senses height/load and adjusts the headlight angle.

Anyone fancy a project?  Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Nodge68 wrote:

It's pretty obvious to see an HID or LED instead of a conventional incandescent bulb.

A factory HID FL2 would not have the manual headlight levelling switch - HID's require a self levelling system not fitted to factory halogen FL2's 2014 Freelander 2 TD4 Manual Dynamic
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover - undergoing restoration

Round and round and round we go.....

The defect per the MOT manual is ‘Light source and lamp not compatible’

The projector lamps are dual marked for Halogen and HID on the lens

If a dual HID/Halogen headlamp is presented and has an HID light source installed then in isolation that is ok as the lamp matches the markings on the headlamp lens. Just don't look too closely at any parts stickers on the top of the headlamp housing that may say otherwise (what sticker? There was never a sticker there?). It's only the permanently stamped markings on the lenses that matter to the strict definition, but a tester MAY see the stickers and call foul - but as stickers are non permanent, then they'd have to be present to cause a problem.

The self levelling can only be tested IF FITTED

Same applies to headlamp washers - you can only test for operation IF FITTED


While Construction and Use regs may require self levelling to be fitted, MOT regs only require it to be tested as functioning if it is fitted.

As long as the beam pattern is tight then the MOT regs as currently written aren't a problem for FL2 with projectors, as the projector headlamps have been designed for and are correctly marked for use with HID as well as Halogen.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications...onversions Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Thanks NoDosh
Thats all we not to know really - much obliged Jules