Need help regarding JDM headlights

[CyrilR]

Hi guys, sorry for posting in English, but I don't speak Finnish. I hope this is not against forum rules. I need specific help for Subaru vehicle in the context of Finland so I though this might be the perfect place for it.

I have a JDM 2004 Forester Cross Sports since 2020, in Finland. Car was imported by JDM Outlet in 2018. Some previous owner modified the headlights and fitted some kind of LED projectors (lähivalo) in the original headlight assembly. The vehicle failed the inspection last week and I was told this lähivalo is now illegal in Finland since November 2022.

So, I need to turn it back to OEM. That is not a problem, it is relatively easy to find on the second hand market.
The JDM OEM Subaru headlights for this generation are not halogen but they are HID and use D2R xenon bulbs, and are standard for the Cross Sports and STI trim.

I just need to make sure, are the OEM JDM Subaru headlights legal in Finland (HID xenon)? I don't want to import OEM parts from Japan for example and then discover that they are illegal in Finland. I assume they are, since there is quite a bit of JDM Subaru in Finland going around with their OEM headlights, but I'd like to be sure.

Thanks,
CyrilR

[Matway]

Hi!
Better make sure that you can change the lightpattern or beam on your headlights from righthand traffic to lefthand traffic otherwise it will fail again.
And with HID lights you will also need automatic levelcontrol, if you don't already have.

[Reetuhai2]

JDM headlights aren´t legal. That is because in japan have left-hand traffic, and here are right-hand traffic, so light pattern are in wrong way. BUT, what I´ve heard, atleast in some models, reflector inside lights can be turned, and then light pattern is right and legal. I don´t know is that possible in that forester.

I still recommend to ask another inspection place, cause in my opinion led projectors in xenon headlight should be legal. And laws about lights changed few years ago, and there was many things that helped with imported cars.

[CyrilR]

Thanks for you answers.

Yes, for the LHD/RHD orientation of the beam, I know I'll have to make sure it is adjusted properly. It's done by adjusting a screw on the back of each headlight. It is quite easy to do. This is mandatory in all cars imported from RHD countries.

But for the automatic level control, are you sure? It's an OEM part from Subaru for 2002-2005 and I don't think there is automatic level control but I could be wrong.

I think the problem with the LED projector they installed is that it is aftermarket and maybe not legal anymore. The guy from Plus Katsastus told me the law changed in November last year. In April 2021 and 2022, the car passed the inspection without any issues, so it is relatively new law I guess.

[CyrilR]

I think when mentioning that screw in my previous post I was confused with the vertical adjustment screw: https://www.subaruforester.org/attachme ... pg.492119/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But anyway, JDM vehicle are imported regularly in Helsinki and they somehow make the beam orientation legal for Finland so I assume this is doable one way or another, and I doubt they replace the whole thing.

[JayL]

JDM cars are often converted to LHD by swapping the entire headlamp to Euro-spec version. That's an option, but might be expensive

Automatic level control and headlamp washers are a legal requirement in Finland with HID headlamps, and it does not matter, whether the car is Euro-spec, JDM or US.

Edit: my UK STI has been converted to LHD by swapping the headlamps (no HID )

[CyrilR]

So maybe I wonder it is why the previous owner installed these LED projectors, in order to have it LHD-compatible.

I think my best option would be to contact JDM Outlet in Vantaa and see if they can advise on what is my best option.

Subaru dealer in Jyväskyla told me they can swap to halogen headlights for total cost of 1200€, but I am not 100% sure they understood that the original harness/headlight is HID.

[CyrilR]

I still recommend to ask another inspection place, cause in my opinion led projectors in xenon headlight should be legal. And laws about lights changed few years ago, and there was many things that helped with imported cars.

FYI, this is what I found online, on a website selling xenon/LED projectors:

“H type xenon/LED bulbs are not ECE-approved / don’t have an E-mark and must not be used on public roads in the EU. Within the EU only designated for use on circuit, own terrain, off-road, tuning / car shows.”

[JuPe]

Having imported and owned several of these over the years: your options in my opinion are as follow.

1. Find a MOT place that isn't this strickt and keep current setup.

2. Change headlight assemblies to euro spec units. If you go euro HID, make sure you have height sensors installed and automatic levelling working since it's pre-requisite for HID. Also headlight washers are required (if the rule has not changed lately). If you go halogen only minor harness mods are needed (if i remember right). Either way headlight assemblies are easy to get from for example ebay.de.

Your option IS NOT fitting jdm headlight assemby and modifying the pattern IF the headlights are not projector based. Non projector lights would need mods to the reflector shape and this is imppossible. IF they have projectors then the shader inside projector assembly can be modified to level out the beam pattern but in most cases a right hand upsweeping pattern is impossible to reproduce in good quality. This mod requires full dissassembly of the headlight unit but really is not that hard. I'd describe it as laborious.

[CyrilR]

Thanks JuPe.

Regarding option 2, the problem is that only JDM vehicle were equipped with HID for Forester of that generation. So if I want to go Euro spec, I have to install halogen units.

I think that is the way I will go, and I believe that is what Subaru offered me to do. I’ll check back with Subaru today and maybe I’ll swallow the pill. OEM new headlights aren’t exactly cheap, but it would be a nice refresh for the vehicle (current headlights are 20 years old).

[CyrilR]

Spoke with a guy from JDM Outlet in Vantaa today, sent him some pictures of my headlights and according to him there is nothing wrong/illegal with it, it is a common modification in JDM vehicles in Finland.

He recommended some other MOT place which is used to inspect JDM cars on a daily basis, In Vantaa, I'll go there and hopefully my setup will be ok. Fingers crossed.

[CyrilR]

Quick update, I went to the inspection place recommended by JDM Outlet and the car passed without any issues.
The place is Kehän Autokatsastus Ylästö if anyone is interested.