Xenon retrofit with no headlight washers?

BillJ

Hi guys,

I'm looking at buying a bmw 116i that has had xenon lights retrofitted by the current owner but I noticed it doesn't have headlight washers. I'm guessing they don't auto level either. I think I remember hearing that xenon lights need to have headlight washers to pass an nct.

Will this cause issues when it comes to NCT time? Any advice appreciated!

bazz26

Yes.

BillJ

Thanks Bazz, i'm not sure if these particular ones are aftermarket or OEM. Would after market ones be any different or it will be an issue regardless?

bazz26

BMW OEM xenons would have come with auto levelling and washer system to be road legal in the EU. Most likely aftermarket if they don't have auto levelling and a washer system which is a requirement for the NCT. What year is the car? The later F20 facelift M Sport models were fitted with full LED headlights rather than xenons that didn't need a washer system.

Tropheus

I would guess they are aftermarket and are xenon bulbs fitted to halogen reflectors. NCT will check for marking on the headlight to ensure it's made for xenon and that it has auto-levelling and washers. Issues with any of these will result in a fail.

JustJoe7240

By any chance are they HID bulbs rather than xenons?

Tropheus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117936949#Comment_117936949

Same thing.

JustJoe7240

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117952829#Comment_117952829

So it's just a case of changing the bulbs for the NCT?

kdevitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953633#Comment_117953633

If he's fitted HID bulbs in the original halogen headlights, then yes - just refit the correct bulbs. If he's fitted the OEM xenon units, then no, you can't just fit different bulbs.

The headlights throw will be manually adjustable, so I don't see that being an issue. The washers should be there - but I've yet to see a tester look at them. My brothers E46 - with factory xenons - just got a fresh NCT and it was only later that I noticed the washers weren't working at all.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117952829#Comment_117952829

Worse case scenario just replace them with a set of high quality LED headlights. They pass the NCT without washers/levelling and are usually better quality than xenon.

Casati

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117957560#Comment_117957560

How much would that cost?

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117957571#Comment_117957571

Around €80 to €120 for high quality bulbs with warranty & fitting

Casati

I might look into that, didn’t think you could get replacement LED headlights for less than 1000 a light

kdevitt

An LED bulb is just as much a reason for a fail as an HID one - they're both considered to be incorrect if fitted to a halogen headlamp. I know people who have passed, and others who have failed - but they should be a fail.

Check - Compatibility (HID/LED bulb and headlamp). Fail reason - (m).Light source and lamp not compatible.

Although it doesn't even look like headlight cleaning is required for retrofitted systems anymore - although I wouldn't fancy having the argument with the tester, they can be pretty intransigent.

Headlamp cleaning devices are mandatory to be fitted with HID lamps with the exception of bulbs specified to produce 2000 lumens or less, retrofitted systems and vehicles which were not originally manufactured (type approved) for Europe

You should really post pictures of the headlights so we can figure out if its a genuine BMW Xenon headlight which was retrofitted, or just a HID bulb in the halogen unit.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117958122#Comment_117958122

I’ve never heard of anyone fail with LED’s. And I’ve passed several times with them

kdevitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117972861#Comment_117972861

I have heard of people failing - it’s the main reason I didn’t fit them to my E30 - and the NCT handbook says they’re a fail, so it’s down to the tester on the day if they’re not checking. I can’t be arsed arguing the toss with the inspectors at the NCT centre these days.

Seth Brundle

My last E39 was a jap import with actory fitted Xenons but didn't have the washer system. Passed every NCT until the last one which failed on the lack of washers.

The tester wanted me to get a letter from BMW stating that this is the way it was built. I picked up a bit of a stink there and his colleague ended up passing me a short while later just to get me away from there.

dingding

I had a lexus that had a faulty washer pump and failed. New pump and sorted. It was faulty for years and got through several NCT'S prior to the failure.

warreng1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058209773/xenon-retrofit-with-no-headlight-washers

Just wondering if you ever had any closure on this? Was just about to purchase xenon headlights for retrofit on my E90 and it occurred to me that they usually require washers. Don't fancy retrofitting the washers too but may have to 🤷‍♂️

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953633#Comment_117953633

They can blind other drivers, so they should be changed out if they're not compliant.

LEDs can be fitted to reflector headlamps, as new LED emitters are small and sit in the same position as the previous tungsten filament, and so should be okay. Like below…

This other, cheaper style though, will throw light all over the place inside the reflector housing, and blind others, as will HID Xenon bulbs.

See how the light in the diagram below, all comes from a single point, and the reflector mirror is designed to accommodate that fact. If you were to place in the LED with multiple emitters (or a Xenon) the light would come from multiple sources and so reflect in lots of different directions.