Buying headlights from Europe

O

ocarros

Sunday Drivers
I've a 5th gen Subaru Legacy saloon (2011) and the front headlights need replacing as the Projector part of both units isn't working. Subaru Ireland want €1k for each unit! I've found a pair on autodoc for €340 / €350 each. They're advertised as "left" and "right". The car has a motor for headlamp leveling. My question is - if I buy these two headlamp units, is there anything I need to do to make them legal after the units are bolted to the car? Or does the headlamp leveling system look after that?

Alternatively, there are 'used' headlamp units on ebay.ie from Japan. However, being 'used' I run the risk of the Projector element not working in them.

Anyone have any tips or advices? Thanks.
 
It’s either the bulb or the Ballast both are cheap enough . Could even pick up a second hand set
The ballast will be screwed to the bottom of the headlight get the part number off it if you’d checked the bulbs
 
I don't have any symptoms that come with a bad ballast and I've had the bulbs themselves replaced. When I'm behind something or if you're looking at the front of the car, the lights appear normal. The car has passed NCTs for years with no issues and the headlights have been a problem for years. It's the projection of light down the road that's the problem. There is very little / none. I spoke to my local Subaru dealer who confirmed that the projector elements are prone to failure - which is what I've got
 
Done that and still the lights don't project down the road. As I've said it's the projector part that has stopped working
 
The levelling sensor is working fine

If I buy headlights from Europe will the sensors make them work ok for a RHD car or is there some work to do on them? The headlights are sold as Left and Right which makes me think that the levelling sensor will sort that out??
 
So you’re saying there is an issue with the glass in the projector?
Can you throw up a photo?
 
BazGF8 said:
So you’re saying there is an issue with the glass in the projector?
Can you throw up a photo?
Click to expand...
"Projectors are known to lose their reflective layer right to the point where they become black inside, causing dangerously low light output." - I took that from an online source - but have had it confirmed to me by Subaru that it's a known issue with Angel Eye units. I have an upgrade kit that should fix the issue but it's a lot of messing and I wouldn't have the expertise nor confidence to attempt to do the fix as it means opening up the headlight units from the front. Which is why I was thinking about swapping out the headlight units - but I'm not paying €2k ! If I'm restricted to buying units from the UK, Japan, Aus etc then that's a lot extra to consider in relation to shipping and import duties. So maybe I find someone to fit this upgrade for me
 
Unfortunately, LHD headlights won't work as cut off pattern will be pointing/aiming in the opposite direction of where there supposed to. If you can source the genuine projector units themselves, removing the lens and replacing the projector units themselves is not really that difficult.
Other than that, used units from breakers yard here or in the UK or last option is new from a stealership. Have you tried samora for spurious lights?
 
Also to add, all headlights will be advertised as either left or right, no mater if left hand drive or right hand drive, it's the internal parts that will be different however depending on country there designed for.
 
ben1973 said:
Unfortunately, LHD headlights won't work as cut off pattern will be pointing/aiming in the opposite direction of where there supposed to. If you can source the genuine projector units themselves, removing the lens and replacing the projector units themselves is not really that difficult.
Other than that, used units from breakers yard here or in the UK or last option is new from a stealership. Have you tried samora for spurious lights?
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. I've tried breaker units in the UK but nothing doing there. Haven't heard of nor tried samora. I'll give that a go
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top