How to install LED lamps on a car. Is it legal to use LED lamps in car headlights? How to install LED headlight lamps

Good reliability and high luminous efficiency are good incentives for the widespread use of LED lamps, and they have not spared cars. Many automakers already install LED lamps in the headlights of their cars, but installing LEDs yourself may result in a fine from the traffic police or deprivation of your license for up to one year.

In this article, we tried to identify and systematize all the issues of installing LED light sources on a vehicle and highlight the main nuances of interaction with the traffic police inspector in the event of claims against the driver regarding violations of the lighting devices.

Options for using LED headlights

The operation of any vehicle involves only three options for using LED lamps, two of which are permitted by law:

• high or low beam lamps with light-emitting diodes are already installed in the car at the manufacturer's factory;
• independent installation of LED high or low beam lamps, if more expensive models of this vehicle series provide for their installation;
• installation of LED bulbs in standard halogen headlights of a vehicle.

In the latter case, the traffic police inspector may have claims, the validity and nature of which we will consider further.

In what case can you install LED lamps in headlights?

As noted above, LED high or low beam lamps can be installed in the headlights of a vehicle in the design of which this type of lamp is already used by the car manufacturer. In this case, there are no claims or fines from the traffic police, however, when replacing LED lamps, it is necessary to strictly observe the labeling of the lamp and its light characteristics.

If the car has headlights with halogen lamps, but the vehicle is equipped with LED lighting, then the headlights must be changed completely. Such a replacement is not considered a change in design and does not lead to punishment in the form of a fine by the traffic police, which is confirmed by the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union 018/2011 - Chapter V, Section 4, paragraph 77.

Additional requirements

Additional requirements for headlights with LED light sources are also formulated in the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union on the safety of vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the Technical Regulations).

Article 1.3.7 of this regulation specifically states that low-beam headlights with LED lamps are equipped with automatic angle correctors, and headlights with a luminous flux of more than 2000 lm are required to be equipped with cleaning devices.

1.3.7. Adaptive front lighting systems that perform the function of low beam, regardless of the light source used, low beam headlights with LED light sources, as well as low beam and fog headlights with light sources of any class having a rated luminous flux of more than 2000 lumens, must be equipped with automatic correction device for adjusting the headlight angle.

Marking of headlights for possible installation of LED lamps

The Definitions section (Section II) of the Technical Regulations provides the basic designations for marking all types of high and low beam headlights:

• headlights with halogen lamps are designated by combinations of the English letters HR, HC or HCR, where type HR denotes low beam devices, HC - high beam, and the designation HCR means dual-mode (low/high beam) light source;
• headlights with traditional incandescent lamps are marked with letters such as R, C or CR;
• gas discharge (xenon) headlights are designated by the abbreviations DR, DC or DCR.

The Technical Regulations also indicate the designation of fog lights - type B or F3.

One of the features of the operation of headlights with LEDs is the fact that the Technical Regulations do not have a designation for LED light sources as such, and manufacturers, in their designations of factory-installed headlights, label such devices as halogen.

The validity of such markings for LED headlights is confirmed by communication with traffic police inspectors, who clearly equate lighting devices with LED lamps to halogen light sources.

Installing LED lamps in halogen headlights

Now let's move directly to the issue of installing LED lamps in halogen headlights and possible liability for such actions. The process of installing lighting devices itself is not technically difficult, but it conflicts with the List of faults prohibiting the operation of vehicles, paragraph 3.1 of which reads:

3.1. The number, type, color, location and operating mode of external lighting devices do not meet the requirements of the vehicle design. Note. On discontinued vehicles, it is permitted to install external lighting devices from vehicles of other makes and models.

The situation is explained by the fact that a lamp based on light-emitting diodes differs slightly in light characteristics from a halogen light bulb, and its use with halogen-optimized reflectors violates the operating mode of the lighting device, as indicated in paragraph 3.1.

In practice, replacing halogen with LEDs does not make such a difference as, for example, replacing with xenon lamps. The exception is cheap Chinese models of LED lamps, the cut-off line of which can be quite blurred.
When installing xenon lamps instead of halogen ones, the cut-off line is very blurred, and sometimes it is even difficult to determine. Therefore, xenon lamps are easily identified by traffic police officers.

As a result, we can formulate the conclusion that the reflectors of halogen headlights with LED lamps do not distort the light characteristics as much as happens with xenon.

Penalty for installing LED lamps in headlights

Driving a vehicle with LED lamps in halogen headlights entails an administrative fine of 500 rubles. The amount of the fine is established for driving a car with malfunctions under paragraph 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO):

1. Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, operation of the vehicle is prohibited, with the exception of malfunctions and conditions specified in parts 2 - 7 of this article, entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.

In practice, traffic police inspectors and courts try to bring the driver to justice under paragraph 3, article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses:

3. Driving a vehicle on the front of which there are installed lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the mode of operation of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials ensuring road safety - entails deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of six months to one year with confiscation of the specified devices and accessories.

From the above text we can conclude that the punishment under this article looks like a real deprivation of rights for a serious period of 6 to 12 months.

The mistake of law enforcement officers lies in the free interpretation of the necessary combination of two conditions (color of light signals and operating mode), and the punishment in the form of deprivation of rights follows only one point - violation of the operating mode. This follows from the fact that LED headlights do not interfere with the color of the lights, which by law can be white, orange or yellow.

But even the deprivation of rights for the mode of operation does not seem legally correct, since the discrepancy between the type of lamp and the marking of the headlight is not a violation of the mode, which by law is interpreted only as constant or flashing.

The real situation with LED lamps in headlights

The real situation with the punishment of vehicle drivers for LED lamps in halogen lighting devices is that proving the very fact of a violation poses considerable difficulty for traffic police officers, which is determined by a number of factors:

• According to internal documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, control over the technical characteristics of headlights can only be carried out by inspectors of technical services and only at equipped stationary technical diagnostic points of the traffic police. Diagnostic tools must be registered in the state register;
• The inspector conducts an external inspection at the place where the car is stopped without opening the hood, and access to the engine compartment is already called an inspection and requires the presence of two witnesses or the use of video recording;
• Even if there are witnesses and the condition of the engine compartment is recorded, opening or disassembling the headlights is not allowed, as this leads to a violation of paragraph 1 of Article 27.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses:

1. An inspection of a vehicle of any kind, that is, an examination of a vehicle carried out without violating its structural integrity, is carried out in order to detect instruments or objects of an administrative offense.

A particular difficulty in diagnosing the presence of low-beam or high-beam LED lamps in halogen devices is that the light and technical parameters of LEDs are in many respects practically no different from halogen light sources. The universal nature of LEDs lies in the fact that the LED manufacturer can easily reproduce any parameters of halogen lamps - brightness, luminous flux or color temperature.

A complex algorithm for detecting and proving the presence of LEDs in halogen headlights leads to the fact that traffic police officers prefer not to touch owners of headlights with LED lamps, except in cases of outright violation of light conditions or a direct threat to traffic safety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that simply replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps does not always leave its mark on the car’s electronic systems. Different resistances of light-emitting diodes and halogen light sources can lead to redistribution of current loads and problems in the vehicle electronics.

Read also

Good afternoon. In today's article, I will tell you everything about LED lamps in headlights, you will find a comparative analysis of LED H4 lamps, a short review of sellers and manufacturers, and find out the opinion of the traffic police on such a modification.

How does an LED lamp differ from a regular H4 lamp from the average person's point of view?

We won’t go into technical details and physics, just compare 2 pictures:

H4 halogen and LED lamps.

Naturally, without a headlight reflector, the lamp will shine in all directions. Thanks to the reflector, the light is collected into a beam and illuminates the road.

Obviously, the headlight reflector and lamp are calculated and manufactured very precisely, since otherwise the quality of light will be unsatisfactory.

Thus, when installing a lamp (xenon, halogen) not intended for this particular headlight, the light will not be optimal.

If everything turns out to be relatively accurate– the lamps will illuminate the road with sufficient quality and will not dazzle drivers of oncoming cars.

Overview of types of LED lamps in headlights.

Let's agree on the shore - Even halogen lamps are not produced in Russia into the headlights. Everything has been imported from China for a long time, so let’s not feed the greedy middlemen, let’s look straight into the Middle Kingdom.

LED bulbs, which you definitely can’t buy for driving in the city:

Lamps of this type will shine anywhere except the road, and since the LEDs are not in the focus of the headlights and they do not differ in workmanship.

Such lamps will only give white light, a wide beam, but driving on public roads with such lamps is disrespect for other drivers and your driver’s license!

When traveling in the forest lamps have a right to exist, since their price is not high, and the glass of the headlight does not heat up, so there is no risk that it will crack if water gets in.

LED lamps that “can” be installed in headlights:

Let's clarify one point - lamps of this type will shine relatively correctly, but as expected, they will not shine, since the lens is out of focus and there will be no clear boundary!

How should the headlights shine:

If you set up such lamps well– they will shine and will not attract the attention of the traffic police, but this is not respect for other road users, without a clear boundary you will have difficulty seeing the “edge” of your light beam, and this “edge” will already blind oncoming drivers!

So, either lower the light under your nose, which makes the whole idea meaningless, or do it wisely.

I see the following lamp as the optimal choice in terms of lamp quality, light intensity and “beam accuracy”:

I used similar ones from May 2016 to December 2017. The light was good and the traffic police didn’t have any questions!

Here's a short demo video:

You can buy these lamps here (directly in China).

No need to buy lamps for $10-20, It's a waste of money - good things don't come cheap!

I stopped using such lamps because I need rights to work, and on the drive I read about the case of deprivation of rights for installation LED lamps in the headlights, although there the driver himself did not behave correctly, but my nerves are more valuable.

I replaced the standard headlights with LED optics, but I was lucky, since Niva’s headlights are standard and compatible with many cars. We have a separate article about this.

What does the traffic police think about LED lamps?

In short - nothing good! If a technical supervision inspector (they are rarely on duty on the roads) reveals the installation of LED, as well as gas-discharge (xenon) lamps in headlights not intended for this purpose, they will probably try to deprive the driver of such a car of his license.

The driver installing LED lamps in headlights not intended for them violates clause 3.1. Traffic rules of the Russian Federation

Quantity, type, color, location and operating mode of external lighting devices do not meet the requirements of the vehicle design.

The key here is the TYPE of lighting devices, the headlight is halogen, and the lamp is LED or xenon...

The inspector will try to deceive you part 3 of article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses

Driving a vehicle on the front of which are installed lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the mode of operation of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of safety officials road traffic, entails deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of six months to one year with confiscation of the specified devices and accessories.

Initially, this article was used to prevent drivers from installing sirens, beacons, etc. specialist. signals, but due to the crooked law enforcement and corruption of the courts and law enforcement officials, this article applies to everyone.

See:

— the color of the headlights has not changed – WHITE.

- the operating mode has not changed - they still shine the light, they don’t blink.

Talk away from the inspector and leave with a fine of 500 rubles. it’s possible, but why take the risk and spoil your nerves... it’s better to install LED optics! This way you are guaranteed not to lose your rights and save your nerves.

Here is a photo of the court decision - you won’t be deprived of your rights for LED lamps, but it will fray your nerves.

But there is an option - to lose your rights! Here is an example of another solution:

Brief conclusions:

— You can put lamps in the headlights, they will shine.

— the quality of light is questionable.

— if you don’t install “blue” LEDs and don’t turn up the light, everything will be OK.

— The traffic police won’t deprive you of your rights if you build your defense competently, but it will fray your nerves, and you may even have to go to court.

That's all for me today. I hope that the article was useful to you and that you no longer have any questions about installing LED lamps in headlights.

Today, many car owners install LED lamps instead of standard halogen lamps. They are more durable and have a better color temperature, which improves visibility of the road.

But according to existing laws, the installation of light not provided for by the standard design, which must be indicated in the operational documentation, will be regarded as an administrative offense.

Owners of such converted vehicles may receive a fine. In some cases, in case of gross violations of the operating conditions of the headlights, the sanctions will be more serious, including deprivation of rights with dismantling and confiscation of the object of violation.

Legal aspects of retrofitting car lighting

Is it allowed to install LED lamps on cars?

Part 1 art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

It is possible to install a mounted spotlight on almost any car, if such an option is allowed according to the technical conditions of the automaker. Additionally, the car can be equipped with one additional forced braking signal, a pair of additional fog lights and a pair of fog lights.

Installation of other lighting sources, both built-in and mounted (not specified by the manufacturer in the operational design documentation of the vehicle) unacceptable. If such changes in the design are detected, it is regarded as a violation of the operating conditions of the vehicle and will lead to an administrative fine.

Are LED low beam lamps allowed?

Part 3 art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

Installation of LED lamps in the front high and low beam headlights, when they are not structurally provided for in the operational documentation, is an administrative violation and entails an administrative fine or withdrawal of the vehicle’s driving privileges for a period of up to one year.

A precedent for an administrative offense will arise if the installed LED lamps violate the light signaling regimes established by law.

Is it possible to install LED lamps in dimensions?

By law, it is not permitted to operate vehicles if the available side and running lights do not meet the following criteria:

• fog lights are standard white or yellow, other colors are not allowed;
• reflective devices are exclusively white;
• white reversing and registration plate lights;
• turn indicators with only yellow or orange lights.

Real operating conditions of LED lamps

Replacing halogen lights with LED lights in a car's parking lights with regular white LEDs that do not change their color (like decorative lighting or installing LED lighting in the cabin) cannot be regarded as a violation of the light indication mode.

The presence of an LED lamp in the side headlight can only be proven by dismantling the headlight cover; naturally, no one will do this. Therefore, the answer to the question whether it is possible to install diode lamps in dimensions is definitely “YES”.

The main problems arise when installing headlights in headlights. The light beam angle of a conventional LED matrix is ​​about 120 degrees, which is significantly less than that of halogen lamps.

A standard reflector in a headlight is not capable of providing the necessary focusing of the light flux under such conditions; this worsens the illumination of the roadway and can blind oncoming drivers. Naturally, such car owners will inevitably be held accountable.

Today, LEDs in headlights are installed as standard only on electric vehicles and some hybrid vehicles. Therefore, in the operational documentation of the vast majority of cars, the class of LED lamps is missing as such.

Installing LED lamps in headlights

Re-equipping headlights with LEDs is the most problematic issue. For high and low beam, only special lamps with reflectors can be used. Any other option will not be focused by the standard reflector.

Among the budget models imported from China, there is no worthy replacement for halogen lamps yet. Their actual brightness may be higher than halogen, but often the LED does not fall into the focus of the reflector. This reduces visibility and quality of lighting.

Is it worth fooling around? Their cost is quite high, even budget options from China start from $50 per pair. In this case, you risk getting a lamp with lower brightness than a halogen one and, in addition, that does not correspond to the focal point of the reflector.

The low beam of such models is usually quite good, but the high beam does not stand up to criticism. Headlights from Cree and Philips already cost more than $100. Their design is much more advanced than copies from China, but even so there is no guarantee that they will definitely fit your reflector.

Is it worth installing LED bulbs in headlights? There are definitely no Chinese copies. Even if you accept some “shortcomings” in their work, the automobile inspector is unlikely to turn a blind eye to this. Brands are indeed capable of providing a high-quality replacement for halogen ones, but first it is still recommended to look for successful experience in converting similar cars.

What kind of service is this?

LED headlights are becoming increasingly popular among car enthusiasts. They combine stylish appearance and high practicality. Installation of LED headlights in general, it is produced the same for all models, although there are many variations.

In most cases, drivers use LED lamps as a decorative device, although they provide practical benefits when installed and configured correctly. This way the light spot becomes more saturated, does not blind oncoming drivers and is adjustable.

Installing LED running lights in headlights

This process is not very complicated, but you need to follow a number of recommendations in order to get the maximum benefit from such an upgrade. LED elements are connected to the battery in a parallel-series circuit, which allows you to power several lamps at once and at the same time maintain the same voltage. Typically, a 9 V voltage stabilizer is used for this, and gel silicone is squeezed into the housing for insulation. To protect the car from excessive heating, its elements can be coated with nitro paint. carried out in parallel with the installation of the main headlights as standard or as an additional option.

Before installation, it is necessary to develop a connection diagram in advance. In this case, you can create a light pattern of almost any shape. For this purpose it is better not to use superglue, but regular assembly glue. This will help you easily replace a failed element in the future. Installing LED lamps in headlights made by drilling holes of the required size (depending on the type of LED element). However, do not forget that the light from such lamps is scattered and must be focused. But the easiest way is to find a specialist who will answer all your questions and even.

Keep in mind

Many car enthusiasts ask the question: “ Is it possible to install LED bulbs in headlights?"? In some cases, the traffic police may classify modification of lights as an offense. Therefore, before installing LED headlights, you should consult with specialists.

• Use only certified products.
• There is no need to mount the LEDs “tightly” - in the future, if they break down, they can be easily replaced.
• It is recommended to hire specialists to adjust and configure electronics if you do not have the necessary skills.