MkV Headlight replacements.

[l3lazin]

Hi All,

Wanting to replace my headlamps on my MKV Gti. I know the main headlights are a H7 and my fogs are a H7. Just wanting to know if anyone can confirm this and how hard is it to replace them?

Thanks,

l3lazin.

[team_v]

RTFM would be the best start.

Or google, i found the guide straight away on vortex

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2374154&postid=25894709#25894709

[l3lazin]

awesome, thanks Team V!..

Also to note, in NSW whats the legal limit for headlights 5000K or less?

[team_v]

awesome, thanks Team V!..

Also to note, in NSW whats the legal limit for headlights 5000K or less?

Check the RTA guides.
6000K is the legal limit in QLD though so it should be similar.
Any higher and you will be going illegal.

[gregozedobe]

If you are putting HIDs in and want to be legal make sure the headlight units (reflectors and lenses) are approved for HID globes, that you have working auto level adjusters (not manual dial adjustment), and headlight washers.

As you are modifying your car it is probably a good idea to tell your insurers as well.

There have been heaps of threads about HID conversions on here in the past, they usually degenerate into slanging matches

[Manaz]

If you are putting HIDs in and want to be legal make sure the headlight units (reflectors and lenses) are approved for HID globes, that you have working auto level adjusters (not manual dial adjustment), and headlight washers.

As you are modifying your car it is probably a good idea to tell your insurers as well.

There have been heaps of threads about HID conversions on here in the past, they usually degenerate into slanging matches

Headlamp washers are not a requirement according to the ADRs. Auto-levelling certainly is though.

Putting HIDs into standard reflector-style headlights is a bad idea due to their design (reflectors spray light everywhere, and HID bulbs tend to have their arc aligned differently to filament bulbs, making the issue worse) - HIDs should go into projector style headlights only, as they have much better cutoff and focus than reflectors.

[Oli]

and you have buyer for your old headlights...
Oli

[Jase]

FYI l3lazin, you're foggies will be 9006 / HB4 globes, not H7. Headlight globes are easy to replace. Fogs aren't that straight forward - owners manual will show how to pull the panel surround off from around the lights to access them.

[gregozedobe]

Headlamp washers are not a requirement according to the ADRs.

In the interests of accuracy I have to respectfully disagree. I think if you look more carefully at the ADRs they are required (but admittedly it is specified in a roundabout way in an obscure place in the ADRs). IIRC corectly it says something like all low beams that ouput above a certain number of lumens must have headlight washers, and pretty well all OEM HIDs put out more than the specified number of lumens.

So yes, HIDs do need headlight washers to be legal in Oz, as would any other halogen (or LED) headlights that have more than the specified ouput level.

[l3lazin]

Woah! Appreciate the responses everyone!...

Yeah, def not thinking of changing them to HID, was just thinking of replacing the bulb in there with one of the Philips ones from Autobahn and putting a whiter light and then I thought, it would look a bit weird if I didn't change the fogs as well.

Sorry I typed the fogs in wrong, Jase, are you sure their HB4 I was searching them and some places it says H11, I'll go through the manual tonight.

Thanks.

[curtisjackson]

If all else fails it goes to the dealership of to an expert mechanic that is very knowledgeable in replacing those parts.