By Daniel Stern, DVN Global Editor
Aftermarket “HID kits”, consisting of base-adapted HID bulbs and ballasts for installation in halogen-bulb headlamps, are widely and easily available over the internet and throughout the world, especially (but not exclusively) in countries like the U.S. and Canada where vehicle roadworthiness inspections are cursory or nonexistent and regulations do not require type-approval of automotive safety components.
HID Kit 35W DSP SLIM compatible H1 bulb Price 99€ |
Most of the kits come from China, complete with counterfeit packaging bearing names and logos belonging to reputable lighting manufacturers. See this page for the variety of counterfeit kits available from just one Chinese maker; perhaps you see your company’s livery. Such kits spoil the performance and safety compliance of any headlamp they’re installed in, which is why they are illegal throughout the world. Regulatory scrutiny of the effect on safety of “HID kits” has been focused on the deleterious effect on headlamp safety performance (seeing and glare) caused by the installation of HID light sources in headlamps meant to use tungsten-halogen light sources.
Improper lighting is bad enough, but now these kits are posing a new and frightening safety threat: Drivers are reporting, after installing “HID kits” in their vehicles, severe and random malfunctions in their vehicles’ electronic systems including tire pressure monitoring, electric power steering, traction control, electronic stability control, windshield wipers, brake system fault warning, FM radio, and others. Complaints are countless, see 2 samples here , and here .