Anyone risked life......... ? (V6)

[Powerslide]

I need to change a headlight bulb on our Aero V6 (02)........
There are three bulbs on each side, two are standard and easy to access and change. The Third one, main beam, has a plate on the back .......



The guys at Halfords wouldn't touch it, and had not seen the likes of it.

Any suggestions?

[Ron Miel]

High Intensity Discharge (HID) xenon or similar, arc lamps, with 25,000 volts/10 amps initiators. Don't meddle - take to a specialist.

[Powerslide]

Thanks for the speedy reply Ron, much appreciated.

Anyone know of, or recommend anywhere in the Cardiff area who could sort this out for me?

Thanks again

Ian

[Northern Bongolow]

i used to know someone, but he got it wrong once------just the once.

[Ron Miel]

In reality, I imagine there should be safety interlocks in the HID system, preventing you powering it up while the back cover is off - but I've never had them, and don't really know for sure. The "keep out" sign might just be health and safety gone mad, instead of just saying if you power it up, cover off, keep your hands away from it. On the other hand, it may be a kamikaze Mazda system, so better ask somebody at least - Yelloe Pages will surely identify somebody local to call.

Unless you've got the manual the warning notice refers to, I imagine you would have to take out the discharge tube to identify which one - Philips, who claim to have pioneered arc (HID) lamps for cars, apparently sell some mercury arc tubes, which can explode, releasing toxic mercury. On the other hand, there are plenty of HID upgrade kits available but how much you have to handle the innards to install them, isn't clear, so still better safe than sorry - ask around, unless you get better advice here.

BTW, from 1 January 2012, new MOT regs say that all HID systems must include wipers and self-levelling capability, to prevent unnecessary dazzling of other drivers: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=53078

[teenmal]

Hi Powerslide,

Just make sure that the headlights are not switched on.if in doubt disconnect the main battery.

Cheers.

[lpgimports]

Hi

It is saying what it kind of means but like anything in Japane in English which is a translation via americans or Japanese who learnt english in America. So has their kind of better put a warning on it in case we are sued.

I have seen, do not operate cooker whilst vehicle is in motion, do not exit the vehicle whilst the vehicle is in motion risk of death!! etc..

Treat HID light like airbags, switch lights and ignition off give it a couple of minutes and then swap bulbs, if unsure or worried any decent motor factor will do it for you.

Paul

[Simon Jones]

BTW, from 1 January 2012, new MOT regs say that all HID systems must include wipers and self-levelling capability, to prevent unnecessary dazzling of other drivers: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=53078

Quite a few of us with later Aeros have factory fitted HID systems and while they have electric levelling adjustments, they don't have have washer jets. Not sure how the new regs may impact on grey imports as they were never intended for use in the UK. In guess I'll find out next autumn when it's due for the MOT.

[Simon Jones]

I need to change a headlight bulb on our Aero V6 (02)........
There are three bulbs on each side, two are standard and easy to access and change. The Third one, main beam, has a plate on the back .......

FYI the HID is for the dipped beam rather than main beam which is a more traditional bulb

[AeroNut]

"from 1 January 2012, new MOT regs say that all HID systems must include wipers and self-levelling capability, to prevent unnecessary dazzling of other drivers"

Hi ... I here there bringing in this rule .... but can anyone say how having wipers and washers... prevents the dazzling? ... and lets face it even with levelling features you have to have the brians to use the switch to make it happen...???

However... the reason for my post... when I got mine Aero 10 months ago I noticed it had slightly different coloured headlights... It's now quite obvious.... I'm assuming that that's a no no now as well for an MOT. This will be looming in the next month or so. I've only ever seem the whole kits for sale.........

Does anyone know where you can get just the bulbs from and which ones they are?

Regards
Terry

[Powerslide]

Hi all, thanks for your interest / replies. I had a quick look at the info on the AA site and the way I see it.....

“A car will fail if a mandatory headlamp cleaning or levelling system is missing, doesn't work or is obviously defective.”
... I interpret this to mean if they are fitted (and all new cars should have them fitted if they have HiD) then they should be functional.

“Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with properly working washer and levelling systems".
... I interpret this to mean any aftermarket kits should include wash and leveling system.

As for an Aero Bongo, fitted with HiD lights, manufactured before legislation requiring the wash and level system........ I would say as long as they all work as they should that should not constitute a fail, providing patterns fall within regulations......
Just my opinion, but I am not too worried about my next MOT(as long as I can get a new lamp!!)

I am with Terry and still don’t know what lamp to get or where to get it from........

[Powerslide]

Just had a look here : http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_170.htm
and that pretty much confirms what I was thinking. We (Aero with OEM HiD) should be OK

[Ron Miel]

I........still don’t know what lamp to get or where to get it from........

..........if unsure or worried any decent motor factor will do it for you....

Drive to a decent motor factor? Obviously not Halfords, judging by your opening post

[Powerslide]

Anyone know of any decent motorfactors in the Cardiff area.......please?

[Ron Miel]

Anyone know of any decent motorfactors in the Cardiff area.......please?

http://www.yell.com/s/motor+factors-cardiff.html