Converting HIDs back to normal headlights
Discussion
Hey guys,
I've got a 2003 Seat Cupra R with some HIDs that I would like taken out. They are in my opinion too bright and probably more hassle than it's worth come MOT time since they can cause "beam adjustment" issues. Tonight, I went out for a quick drive with my brother and they were flickering. They usually take a minute to warm up to full power but tonight, for the first 3 or 4 minutes of the drive they flickered intermittently. I'm thinking either loose wiring or a knackered bulb-head-thing.
I want to remove them, but understand that HIDs are a full kit with a rear reflector placed inside the lamp housing. Is it a bit of a job to go back to normal bulbs? Ideally, I'd like them back to completely standard spec. I am not sure what the situation is with the wiring behind the lights, I'm hoping the original wiring is still in there. Is this conversion something I could do myself or is it really a job for experts?
Personally I don't see what is so bad about normal lights, wish the previous owner had not fiddled with them in the first place, these HIDs are ridiculously bright!
I've got a 2003 Seat Cupra R with some HIDs that I would like taken out. They are in my opinion too bright and probably more hassle than it's worth come MOT time since they can cause "beam adjustment" issues. Tonight, I went out for a quick drive with my brother and they were flickering. They usually take a minute to warm up to full power but tonight, for the first 3 or 4 minutes of the drive they flickered intermittently. I'm thinking either loose wiring or a knackered bulb-head-thing.
I want to remove them, but understand that HIDs are a full kit with a rear reflector placed inside the lamp housing. Is it a bit of a job to go back to normal bulbs? Ideally, I'd like them back to completely standard spec. I am not sure what the situation is with the wiring behind the lights, I'm hoping the original wiring is still in there. Is this conversion something I could do myself or is it really a job for experts?
Personally I don't see what is so bad about normal lights, wish the previous owner had not fiddled with them in the first place, these HIDs are ridiculously bright!
Fox- said:
I'm assuming these are a mod because I don't think the Leon Cupra R had HID's from the factory.
Should be a case of just removing them and replacing with standard bulbs - dont forget to remove the ballasts as well.
Yeah I know they come with a reflector arch thing, if I pull that out and stick a normal bulb in will I be good to go, or will the regular bulb require a reflector of some sort in with it?Should be a case of just removing them and replacing with standard bulbs - dont forget to remove the ballasts as well.
I'm pretty sure I will have to do some modification to the wiring, HIDs use a step up transformer do they not, because they need more power than normal lights?
Edited by Mastodon2 on Thursday 31st March 22:43
DAVEVO9 said:
OP.
If your car has an HID kit fitted then you can take it off and put halogen bulbs back in.
If your car has factory fitted HID's then you are stuffed. You can't fit halogen bulbs to factory HID headlights.
I think they are aftermarket, as mentioned earlier it looks like Cupra Rs were not offered with HIDs. If they were factory I'd live with them, but since they are on the blink now I don't want the hassle and just want good, old fashioned dim headlight bulbs If your car has an HID kit fitted then you can take it off and put halogen bulbs back in.
If your car has factory fitted HID's then you are stuffed. You can't fit halogen bulbs to factory HID headlights.
Mastodon2 said:
I think they are aftermarket, as mentioned earlier it looks like Cupra Rs were not offered with HIDs. If they were factory I'd live with them, but since they are on the blink now I don't want the hassle and just want good, old fashioned dim headlight bulbs
Apologies I have just re-read your post.Most HID kits are plug n play.. So long as nobody has cut/joined any wires, you should be able to just unplug it all and put the halogen bulbs back in.
Have a look at the HID ballast.. there will be 2 connections off that, 1 is the feed to the HID kit bulb (a double wire) the other should be a feed to the ballast from your original headlight bulb.
If this is the case do this..
Take out the kit bulb from your headlight.. Unplug the ballast connections.. you should be left with one plug with a double wire and a connection/plug that will connect to the original halogen bulb.
HTH.
Mastodon2 said:
Thanks man, I will get under the bonnet when I'm off work on Saturday and see what I've got to work with. Looks like I will need to get a couple of headlight bulbs ordered too!
You are welcome.Whatever you do make sure your headlights are not switched on when you are messing around disconnecting anything..
You will endure extreme pain if you get a belt off one of those ballasts.
You should find a little ballast box (normally ~3 inch square). If it is an aftermarket mod (probably is), all that will have happened is the old owner will have unclipped the wire out of the standard buld and plugged it into the ballast box, then some wires come out of the box and plug into the new HID light exactly where the old, normal bulb was.
Best way to do it would be to simply unplug the ballast box, unclip the light bulb and remove, you should then be able to put a normal bulb back in and plug the wire that was in the ballast box into the normal fitting. (I think the normal bulb you would need is a H7 - about £5 from Halfrauds!)
One thing to be careful of with the aftermarket ones is the frame that some people use to hold the ballast box in and still - they generally come with self-tapping screws so will need to be checked to ensure they haven't pierced anything they shouldn't have done before you pull them out!!
Best way to do it would be to simply unplug the ballast box, unclip the light bulb and remove, you should then be able to put a normal bulb back in and plug the wire that was in the ballast box into the normal fitting. (I think the normal bulb you would need is a H7 - about £5 from Halfrauds!)
One thing to be careful of with the aftermarket ones is the frame that some people use to hold the ballast box in and still - they generally come with self-tapping screws so will need to be checked to ensure they haven't pierced anything they shouldn't have done before you pull them out!!
If the previous owner has cut the original cable it could be tricky. Most after Market kits don't require any cutting.
Only way to find out is to lift the bonnet, pull out the ballast and hid bulb and hopefully you'll be left with an original cable that plugs straight onto a normal bulb.
Only way to find out is to lift the bonnet, pull out the ballast and hid bulb and hopefully you'll be left with an original cable that plugs straight onto a normal bulb.
Mastodon2 said:
Yeah I know they come with a reflector arch thing, if I pull that out and stick a normal bulb in will I be good to go,
Be careful pulling things out - some normal halogen lamps have a "top hat" sort of thing over the bulb (the Golf V has one). Don't assume things are part of the HID kit, they may be part of the lamp itself.Usually HID kits are just a bulb, cable and ballast box, with no other parts fitting to the reflectors or anything.
mrdelmonti said:
Efbe said:
calibrax said:
Efbe said:
no helpful input. just a big thank you. Badly adjusted HIDs are the devils own work.
EFA.a range rover with HIDs coming over the brow of a hill often means I actually have to stop, can't see a frickin thing.
Efbe said:
I just really hate the fact you think you are being flashed when HIDs are following/approaching on bumpy ground/over hills to which there are a lot of both around my way.
a range rover with HIDs coming over the brow of a hill often means I actually have to stop, can't see a frickin thing.
Dont look directly at them? a range rover with HIDs coming over the brow of a hill often means I actually have to stop, can't see a frickin thing.
ImDesigner said:
Efbe said:
I just really hate the fact you think you are being flashed when HIDs are following/approaching on bumpy ground/over hills to which there are a lot of both around my way.
a range rover with HIDs coming over the brow of a hill often means I actually have to stop, can't see a frickin thing.
Dont look directly at them? a range rover with HIDs coming over the brow of a hill often means I actually have to stop, can't see a frickin thing.
good advice bro
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