MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => How to Guides / Troubleshooting => Topic started by: leebob on November 17, 2014, 12:41:59 pm

Title: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: leebob on November 17, 2014, 12:41:59 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm after a little advice, a friend gave me a HID kit off his old mk5 which I fitted over the weekend but after taking the car out last night I soon found that they are way to bright and after getting loads of full beaming off of over road users I feel like a right tool.
although they are perfect to hitting around the lanes where I live, I'm unsure of how bright they really are but I know it too much.

Was wondering if its possible to reduce the brightness some how? without sounding too stupid is it possible to put some sort of dimmer switch in lol or even reduce the headlight percentage via vag-com.    just thought id ask before going back to standard bulbs

thanks in advance  :smiley:

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: xjay1337 on November 17, 2014, 12:55:15 pm

Take them out, throw them in the bin, put some uprated halogen bulbs in or buy a set of aftermarket Xenon-style headlights which will be able to deal with the higher lumen output of the HID bulbs.

You can dim the headlights on Vagcom but you will blow your HID's in a matter of days.

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: leebob on November 17, 2014, 01:04:22 pm

 :P knew I was going to get that response. just thought id try them as they were free! cheer for advice  :happy2:

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: cooljimy84 on November 17, 2014, 04:52:15 pm

Silly answer time..... put some tinting film/spray on the head lights ?

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: edd30 on November 17, 2014, 10:53:42 pm

You should be able to improve matters by re-aiming the lights down, but the beam pattern will still be wrong. HID burners do not work well with reflector lamps, the focus is wrong and all you get is scatter and glare. Stick with a decent H7 halogen.

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: NickU on November 18, 2014, 08:13:36 am

Throw them away and save up for some xenons with all the gubbins.

If your not fussed about spending loads on headlights, then just buy some better bulbs mate.
Just my 10p

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: edd30 on November 18, 2014, 08:31:31 am

Apart from getting proper xenon hid headlights, your alternative is to source some projector headlights, made by Hella or Depo. They work a lot better with hid burners (kit) and give you an acceptable beam pattern, still not quite as good as the oem xenon hid, but close enough.

Title: Re: HID Kit Way Too Bright- Is Brightness Reducing Possible!
Post by: MPS on November 23, 2014, 10:05:57 pm

Instant MOT failure and illegal for road use which means your insurance is probably void.