HID to Standard

[rmcg_2011]

Hi Lads,

Finally getting around to sorting out my lights. Not been driving it much recently but NCT in May so needs sorting!

now that the NCT has declared that the perfectly good HID lights are in some way dangerous if you cant wash them (ridiculous) I need to change the bulbs to a standard so can someone please confirm that this can be done with the HID units ? ie - can standard bulbs be wired into the HID unit ? is there anything special that needs done before this can happen ?

organising with GVD to get the bumper off and want to make sure everything is in place before getting started.

im sure I asked this somewhere before but cant find the answer.

any help you might be able to give me would be great.

Cheers all.

[goz_83]

To the best of my knowledge, it cant be done. My kit was removed for the nct

The only work around i can see, is the standard bulbs being wired to the hid wires before the HID ballast, with a switch that will kill one loom, while activating the other. Of course, you still need to take out the bulb holders to screw the standard bulb holders in. That means bumper off job pretty much. Whatever set is inactive, should be secured and protected until you need to swap again. Hope this makes sense.

[rmcg_2011]

doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me to be fair but im not really surprised by that to be honest !! ill pass the info onto Robert in GVD and hopefully he will be able to understand and sort it all out.

very annoying to have to do it at all. no way are they as good as the HID. more annoying as well as I have new bulbs and ballasts bought and ready to go in before I heard about this NCT change.

don't suppose anyone has figured out any other way around the lights for the NCT ? is there ANY WAY AT ALL that the HID can go back in and get passed ?

[Bernard]

I assume that they can't fail you for having a HID ballast in place but not connected?
If that's the case then just disconnect the HID setup and reconnect the standard bulbs while leaving everything in place.
After the NCT it's just a case of swapping out the bulbs are reconnecting a few wires, 10 minutes at the most.
You definitely can't connect HID bulbs without the ballast or standard bulbs through the ballast, I'd say it would be dangerous to try.

I'm in favour of banning aftemarket HID kits mounted into light units that weren't designed to take them, they scatter light and blind traffic.
However, where the FTO is concerned and as far as I know the actual lens the bulb shines through is the same for both standard lights and factory installed HIDs, surely that makes things different?
On a side note...if your ballasts were mounted under the light unit, behind the bumper (where the factory fitted ones are) would they know the difference?
.

[rmcg_2011]

I actually think that its a visual thing to be honest. if they happen to notice that they are HID and not standard then the issue will arise but if they don't then it will pass all checks as normal. I am very tempted to put them back in place and hope for the best. as you say, if the ballast is out of sight then possibly it could be a case of being out of mind aswell !!

have a feeling that there may be a couple small bit and pieces that needs done anyway so if they fail me for the lights then I will just change them while getting anything else sorted for the retest !

[DubC]

What year is your car? One of the EVO lads was failed on his HIDs even though they come with them from factory. He contacted Mitsubishi and had them confirm they're standard with the car, brought the letter to the NCT centre and they passed him.

[rmcg_2011]

mine is a 98 - what you think ?

[Gerry]

I would be inclined to leave it as original and just bring
it to the nct and see what happens.
all depends who ya get on the day.
Take a chance

[DubC]

Well, if it's 98 then they came as standard.. I would suggest emailing Mitsubishi and get confirmation on that. That way you have something to bring with you if the issue does arise, and perhaps you can event post the e-mail here for others to use when they face the same problem.

[Bernard]

HIDs were optional on all facelifts but only standard on the vR, it's a shame the options catalogue is in Japanese it might be enough.

PDF here, if it's any use.

[rmcg_2011]

think im gonna just stick with the HID and hope for the best. will argue my case if it comes down to it ! fingers crossed !!

[Kace]

Very interested to see how you get on. I'm in the same boat with a May NCT and aftermarket HIDs. I am going to leave them in and do a simple swap out at NCT Centre if this is my only issue.

[goz_83]

Very interested to see how you get on. I'm in the same boat with a May NCT and aftermarket HIDs. I am going to leave them in and do a simple swap out at NCT Centre if this is my only issue.

Its not just a visual. If they fail you on hids and you swap to standards, they have to retest the lights.

[Kace]

Not in my experience. I did exactly the same thing with my Audi a couple of months ago. It was a 30 second visual.

[goz_83]

Not in my experience. I did exactly the same thing with my Audi a couple of months ago. It was a 30 second visual.

And yet just another example of the inconsistency and absolute joke of a national car test. I had to get mine retested when the standard bulbs were put in.

I wonder if it's possible that my FTO came with a hid kit originally. Anyone know?

[RatherBeDean]

Just to update this my GX has HID, as far as I can tell, from factory. Passed the NCT on Thursday without a word being said.

To avoid starting another topic on this; has anyone installed white LED side lamps or halo fogs to give an all white appearance?

[Bernard]

I have LED parking lights, no Halo fogs but SMD LEDS, they all match up fairly well.
Congrats on passing the NCT

From Youtube.com

[goz_83]

Mine also has white led parking lights and they look way better than the standard bulbs. Much brighter too. It now looks odd, because the hids came out for the nct last time

[technikhaus]

Halos here around the Fogs, but about to replace the stock CCFL ones with LEDs to look nicer