You may be one of the thousands of drivers who have been waiting years to put approved LED bulbs in their halogen headlights. Well, the wait is over: starting today you can do it.
The latest revision of the Workshop Reform Manual published by the Ministry of Industry allows manufacturers to approve replacement LED bulbs for halogen headlights in Spain if the same model is approved in another European country.
Thanks to this, the big brands already have approved replacement LED bulbs for sale in Spain. But how much do they cost? And, above all, is it as simple as removing the halogens and putting in the LEDs?
Much more than an aesthetic improvement
It's hard to believe that something as basic as legalizing the replacement of halogen bulbs with LED lights has been so complicated, but the time has finally come: starting today you can do it, not only to improve the aesthetics of your car with more modern lights, but to gain security.
As time goes on, some technologies outperform others and make the old ones obsolete. LED lights are more efficient than halogen, provide better lighting, and have greater durability, which is why we stopped using halogen at home years ago to switch to LED.
Little by little, the same has also been done on public roads and car manufacturers have done the same, to the point that it is frankly difficult to find a new model with halogen lights.
However, as absurd as it may seem, and despite the fact that there is a huge replacement market, in Spain it was not legal to change the halogen lights of your car for replacement LED lights that illuminate better, give your vehicle greater visibility, last longer than halogen lamps and, incidentally, improve their aesthetics.
In November 2022 it seemed that it was finally legal to do so, but the rule change was so poorly done that, in practice, it was still impossible to legally fit replacement LED lights into halogen headlights. Simply because there were no models that conformed to the regulations.
Several months later, the Vehicle Reform Manual has changed again so that manufacturers can approve replacement LED lights in Spain and users can finally put these bulbs in their cars to replace the halogen ones.
It has been difficult, but the regulations contemplate the approval of replacement LED lights that are already sold in other European countries. The only thing you need in the face of the ITV and the authorities is to carry an equivalent replacement certificate; it is unlikely that someone will ask you for it, but keeping it in the glove compartment of the car along with the rest of the documents will avoid any problem.
The manufacturer of the lights will provide it to you and you will only have to download it. It is the way to distinguish the few bulb models that are already approved from those that are not.
When it comes down to it, most ITV stations are turning a blind eye to any car that has replacement LED lights since the new regulations came into force last November.
Of course, as long as they are well regulated; if they are not, it is easy (and logical) that they end up "throwing" you, as happens with halogen lights. That is why it is highly recommended that you go to a workshop when you put on your new replacement LED lights so that they can be adjusted by professionals and you do not dazzle other road users. It will cost you little money, you will lose little time and you make sure you do things right.
But the first thing is to buy the bulbs. Today there are only two brands (more should arrive soon) that sell approved replacement LED lights in Spain: Philips and Osram. Both manufacturers sell H7 and H4 bulbs for low beams and high beams.
Before buying either of the two, you should check the compatibility list of each manufacturer, since they are approving their bulbs car by car and only some models can legally carry them in Spain. The list will be expanded over the next few months, so if your car is not on it, it is likely that it will soon be.
Philips allows you to check the compatibility list on its website and Osram too. Both one and the other indicate what type of bulb each model has (H4 or H7) and if you need any accessory, such as an adapter or a cover to be installed in the headlight or a Canbus so that it does not fail when putting it on. If they need any of that, Philips and Osram indicate which accessory it is so you can buy it.
Approved LED bulbs can be purchased in physical stores and online. The Osram Night Breaker H7-LED and the Osram Night Breaker H4-LED are now available on Amazon; The first ones cost 106.53 euros (the pack of two) and the second ones are more expensive: 146.99 euros.
The Philips Ultinon Pro6000 LED is also for sale online and the pack of two H7s costs 121 euros, while the pack of two H4s costs 129 euros. In the box there is a QR code that contains the approval certificate, you have to scan it with the camera of your mobile phone and print the document.
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