Nissan X-Trail (2001 - 2007) - 05 2.1 Wrong headlamps?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Mon 23 Mar 2009 19:04
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Franjill
Last year I bought a T-Spec X-trail which was supplied with its first MOT by the garage. I have just taken it to a Nissan main dealer for major service and 2nd MOT. It has failed due to the wrong headlamps being fitted, i.e left hand drive headlamps therefore ?adversely affecting the beam image?. The car was obviously fitted with the wrong headlamps when I bought it but the first MOT did not pick this up. Does anyone know of any other incidences of this nature with T-Spec X Trails as I may have a fight on my hands and wonder if I will have a leg to stand on with Nissan. Help please !!!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 23 Mar 2009 19:55
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Altea Ego
where did you buy it? they are you first port of call not nissan.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 23 Mar 2009 20:03
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Franjill
Hi thanks for your reply - I have contacted the local garage that I bought it from and they have said they will make enquiries of the previous owner and the original selling main dealer. I doubt if the previous owner changed the headlamps, it only had 8000 miles on it when I bought it. What worries me is that if I do have to resort to going to Nissan they will say it passed the first MOT so it must have been okay then.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 23 Mar 2009 20:51
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - injection doc
It may well of had headlamp beam deflectors fitted on the day of test
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 23 Mar 2009 21:45
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - pmh2
If it is necessary to get your MoT (ie the old has expired and you need to use the car), just tape out the necessary area. Permissible under MoT rules provided that

Masks or converter kits Right hand dip headlamps can be temporarily altered for use in the UK by fitting masks or converter kits which remove the beam ?kick-up? to the right. A headlamp altered in this way is not a reason for rejection, if a. the headlamp aim is not rejected for the reasons listed under diagram 1 (except that the top of the beam image will be a straight line) b. the light output is not unduly reduced - not usually a problem with commercially produced kits c. the mask or converter is securely attached

Then directly from the MoT manual.


p
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 24 Mar 2009 07:15
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
5 years old and only done 8k miles a dodgy MOT cert and a pair of left hane leadlamps,I would say the car has had an accident rebuild and the back street repairer got hold of the headlamps cheap or its been converted from lhd a very easy job on an x trail plus I would have the docs checked properly.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 24 Mar 2009 09:24
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - xtrailman
When i looked at a imported 2004 xtrail, the SUV did not have the factory fit alarm, does your x have the motion senses fitted half way up the inside of the A pillars?

The cars were from Cyprus.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 24 Mar 2009 12:49
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - jc2
Ex hire???
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 24 Mar 2009 12:57
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}
Only 8000 miles at three years old -sounds suspicious. Is the steering wheel on the right hand side but the dip goes the wrong way? Sounds like the previous owner used car abroad then imported it to UK. As said an MOT may be granted with beam deflectors/blockers in place.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 24 Mar 2009 22:08
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Franjill
Thanks for all the feedback. This car was bought from a reputable dealer with a full service history, the book being stamped by the main dealer who supplied the car to the previous owner. It is a genuine low mileage car. I have spoken to the previous owner who confirmed the car had never been abroad and to the main dealer who confirmed the service history. I spoke to trading standards who have advised that the onus is on the dealer who sold me the car as it was sold "unfit for purpose" and therefore "in breach of contract". The dealer has agreed to make extensive enquiries to try and find out how this car came to have the wrong headlamps and is contacting Nissan as they believe it may be a case of the wrong ones being fitted at the factory. I can only assume that the garage that supplied the first MOT did not carry out a proper check on the headlamps. Having spoken to them they cannot explain how this happened! In the meantime I am able to get an MOT with the deflectors in place as some have suggested. I will pursue the seller of this car to put it right as it seems they are liable. Thanks again for all suggestions.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 07:29
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
I woundn't believe a word take the VIN and contact Nissan and find its build and for which country it was built for.There cannot be many service stamps in a vehicle that has only done 8k.Just because its a main dealer don't think for one minute they are honest Joe they know every scam in the book,the previous owner will more than likely have clocked the car commom practice until the first MOT, service books are two a penny.Dig a bit deeper it may be genuine but I very much doubt it one option is the dealer has brought it in new from Cyprus and sold it along side his genuine stock.

Edited by Andy Bairsto on 25/03/2009 at 07:31

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 07:40
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - jc2
Headlight beam would normally be checked on the assembly line and should also be checked again at PDI.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 09:36
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - rtj70
one option is the dealer has brought it in new from Cyprus and sold it along side his
genuine stock.


But that should have the right lights if from Cyprus?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 13:35
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
"Cyprus only for example" it could have come from Japan,Northern Cyprus but a pound to penny its got a chequered history.

Edited by Andy Bairsto on 25/03/2009 at 13:37

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 13:53
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Adam {P}
"Cyprus only for example" it could have come from Japan Northern Cyprus but a pound
to penny its got a chequered history.



Wouldn't Rob's point still stand though?


Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 14:06
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
Are you trying to wind me up the point is its not a UK spec vehicle unless its its had a front end bump and has been rebuilt with ebay parts.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 14:17
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Adam {P}
I'm hurt. Would I try to wind you up?

My point is, it's a RHD car with LHD headlights. Whichever (presumably RHD) country it came from, you would think, would require RHD headlights.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 18:54
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - injection doc
is there a possibility were missing something here, it doesn't have something stupid like the change over levers in the back of the headlamps & they have been set for abroad. Now I know that this would produce a flat beam pattern but could the MOt tester be getting excited. I doubt it but its just a long shot. many a time has confusion been caused by more than one scenario of something being wrong.
Many an aircraft crash are caused by a cataloge of events!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 Mar 2009 21:32
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - xtrailman
The milage could easily be genuine, i know a old lady who has only a couple of k miles on a 5 year old car! It just sits in the garage.

Have you checked the beams yourself, surely if the beams are set wrong, all the cars on the road would be flashing you?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 Mar 2009 00:33
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - rtj70
Thanks Adam. We're both thinking the same. If it came from a country driving on the left (so RHD vehicle) the lights would be correct. You and I know Japan drive on the left too - so the headlamps will be the same.

As it's top spec I too thought about Xenon lights with a switch to swapover but it seems to obvious.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 Mar 2009 13:13
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
You cannot switch zenon lights they are the same lhd and rhd.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 Mar 2009 13:19
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - rtj70
On some cars Xenons can be switched from RHD to LHD and vice versa with a switch. Why they all cannot do that I don't know.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 Mar 2009 15:12
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Collos25
Which cars you switch because our BMW,Citroen,Jaguar and my old Renault and Honda you can't.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 Mar 2009 15:35
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - rtj70
I seem to recall a mention of Volvo on here once. All can be switched but not easily - i.e. removing bits to get access. I think the Volvo's have a user accessible lever to move the cutoff shield or something like that.

I think this applies to any projector style headlamp.

Edited by rtj70 on 26/03/2009 at 15:37

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Mar 2009 05:15
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - Dave_TD
Which cars [can] you switch because [on] our BMW,Citroen,Jaguar and my old Renault and Honda you can't


Audi, for one.

Edited by Dave_TD {P} on 29/03/2009 at 05:16

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Mar 2009 09:30
05 2.1 Wrong headlamps? - jc2
Late model Scorpio.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide