Headlights Fail Mot ?!?

[darren49]

I Recently bought a Carina E 1.6, K reg, and am very happy with it. Took it for its MOT yesterday and its failed on the headlights.

According to them it has the LHD headlights for on the continent which wouldn't be so strange except that they look like they've been in since 'the year dot', i've got copies of most of the previous pass certificates and he says the VIN doesn't look like it's an import.

To look at, they seem OK to me with the triangular pattern on the lense where i think it should be (very similar to every other cars headlights i compare them with).

Does anyone know if it's just the lense that is different on LHD/RHD or if it's also to do with the bulb and/or reflector aswell?

Maybe he's just having me on? (He's doing a quote for me).

Any idea's or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Saltrampen]

Had the same problem with my Corolla when Toyota fitted the wrong unit, they failed it on the MOT. Anyway they fitted the correct unit, but the mechamic showed me that the beam pattern is different, on a LHD unit passenger side unit, there is

a "Flare" in the pattern on the RHS (bonnet side), in a UK RHD unit the flare in the

pattern is on the LHS (ie. lights up the verge).

Try holding a white sheet of card about 1ft from the headlight on a darkish day

and look at the pattern.

The pattern on the glass is only half the story, it is also the pattern of the mirrored reflector behind the bulb as well.

A new headlight quickly ends up looking like one thats been on the car since the year dot after only a few months! - possibly previous owner had it replaced and a wrong unit was sent.

On a Corolla the numbers on the glass should be the same on the RH and LH units apart from the letters "L" and "R". On a LHD unit they were different in several places.

Hope this helps

S.

[darren49]

Thanks for the information Saltrampen.

On doing some more research (via the internet) i've found out that the lenses are the correct ones, there is an arrow pointing to the right on the UK version, the 'flare' is also pointing the correct way as far as i can tell, maybe its the reflector part thats wrong as you imply.

I've since taken it to a different garage who also said they were wrong (although he said they were 'out of whack' rather than LHD). He didn't charge me either cos he had a Toyota himself!

Thanks again, I'll let you know..................

[darren49]

Sorted!!!!

It was the bulbs.

After a heated debate with the MOT guy who wouldn't believe that they were the correct lenses (nobody i asked 'in the trade' had a clue what the markings on headlights meant) he offered to show me first hand with his beam checker gadget.

They were indeed pointing the wrong way. He then offered to put in a different bulb to prove that it wouldn't make a difference.

To his surprise (and my relief) the beam now came out perfectly.

They looked almost identical but on closer examination the bulb was rotated in its mounting by about 30 degrees so that the internal 'hood' over the dipped filament was in a different position.

The lettering etc stamped on the bulbs were almost identical so i don't know if they were faulty (unlikely as they were both the same) or they were specifically designed to have the effect they did, i don't know (or care).

Sleep at last............................