Who is happy or unhappy with the standard H4 headlights?

[ZipcodeUK]

Well, I've installed some Philips 150% bulbs. Will test over the weekend to see what they are like, what I did notice straight away was the beam patter / spread was more compact or direct and the light emitted is a nice white...... rather than yellow. Hoping for a decent improvement.

 

[T6 Dave]

Hi all, the legalities are where my concerns lay, and having decided to update my rear lights to VW LED units with the associated costs, if VW won't help me out, then I'll update to H7 myself to gain good lights, as the coatings involved are not huge.

If it was as simples as just developing a replacement h4 LED bulb to gain led equipped headlights, I think VW & Phillips would have done it, and they wouldn't be wasting millions on Led headlight development.

My other interests including off roading lead me to look at these for non road use.

 

[ZipcodeUK]

If the bulb upgrade I've made doest give me enough confidence to drive at night, then I too will be looking into purchasing H7 units (at my own cost if need be).

 

[T6 Dave]

What bugs the hell out of me, is the number of people that upgrade this and that and spend a fortune on wheels and suspension, but expect to do nothing other than sling in a pair of LED bulbs to get daylight, rather than upgrading to h7, or buying the led system at order stage. I myself have yet to drive my h4 equipped machine, but if the headlights rant great, I'll follow @ZipcodeUK route of h4 150% or more Phillips bulbs, and then h7 lights with upgrade bulbs.

 

[T6 Dave]

@Captain Mainwaring , nice find ref legalities. What you are missing, is that if there is an issue ref h4, the goodwill is a quiet recall, and they have been seen to listen to customers without the recall process being entered into.

 

[CaliStu]

What bugs the hell out of me, is the number of people that upgrade this and that and spend a fortune on wheels and suspension, but expect to do nothing other than sling in a pair of LED bulbs to get daylight, rather than upgrading to h7, or buying the led system at order stage. I myself have yet to drive my h4 equipped machine, but if the headlights rant great, I'll follow @ZipcodeUK route of h4 150% or more Phillips bulbs, and then h7 lights with upgrade bulbs.

I would happily pay the original £1600 right now to get LED headlights if it was possible. But the £3500 or so asked for by hazzydayz.com is a bit steep

I'll be interested in how people get on with an H7 upgrade.

 

[Rslad]

Had I of known at the time of ordering how bad the h4s were I would have paid for the upgrade, but at the time it was an "unnecessary" expense. Lesson learnt! I've now fitted Phillips bulbs and they are better. I've got my local dealership pricing a pair of h7s and looking at whether I need any loom changes.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

Hi everybody, especially those with H4 Headlights. I have re-read every word of the July 2016 Van Brochure and the only lighting option that is mentioned as an upgrade is to LED headlights. There is NO MENTION THAT H4 ARE THE STANDARD HEADLIGHT AND NO MENTION OF THE AVAILABILITY OF AN H7 UPGRADE. If you bear in mind my previous post about the lack of knowledge of sales staff about basic specifications it is small wonder that so many customers have ended up with the poorest performing lights, the H4. It makes me wonder even more, since the possibility of the upgrade isn't mentioned in the brochure, whether the H7 was intended at one time to be the standard fit.

I posted this elsewhere but I thought it might fit in here too.

 

[ZipcodeUK]

Had I of known at the time of ordering how bad the h4s were I would have paid for the upgrade, but at the time it was an "unnecessary" expense. Lesson learnt! I've now fitted Phillips bulbs and they are better. I've got my local dealership pricing a pair of h7s and looking at whether I need any loom changes.

Mine was a demo model so I had no option on specifying the lights. That said, I'd think it's a difficult choice unless you had heard or read about how terrible the H4s are.

When you get it figured out, can you post your findings about costs and parts involved with upgrading to the H7 units please?

 

[ZipcodeUK]

@T6 Dave's Dad , maybe they knew how terrible they were and started developing the H7 unit instead. I'd like to know which is the std version you get now if ordering a new vehicle. H4 or H7. If it's H7, and we can somehow prove that VW have changed it to the H7 because the H4's are poor performing we would have a case in getting them to replace ours or at least subsidise the costs heavily to upgrade to H7.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@ZipcodeUK. Exactly so, but as an onlooker I have no stake in this other than to offer reason and advice. I find it strange that where there are three light modes available that the basic fit isn't quoted and neither is the intermediate offered as an upgrade. Conspiracy theorists would have a field day with this. Possibly when the supply contract for the H4 lights runs out the standard will be the H7. However, it will be classed as a revision no doubt.

 

[Roadrunner]

@CaliStu I notice there were two options on the Cali beach, either light & vision package which I'm not sure if it includes H7's or the exterior pack which does. Considering the price you should get at least H7 as std

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Roadrunner thanks for the update that cover the "leisure vehicles" (no disrespect) price list which is one half of the issue and my post above refers to the "working vehicles" the other half. I think that what we may have demonstrated between us is that there is no mention that the H4 lights are the standard fit and that the upgrade to the H7 system is either hidden or not even referred to in the respective brochures.

Once again, I posted this elsewhere but it fits here too.

 

[CaliStu]

@CaliStu I notice there were two options on the Cali beach, either light & vision package which I'm not sure if it includes H7's or the exterior pack which does. Considering the price you should get at least H7 as std

I've got the Light and Vision pack, which you might reasonably assume contains better lights. It doesn't :-( Only the inappropriately named Exterior Pack does.

I think on a Kombi there is a pack called Light and Vision Plus which does include H7s.

All so clear ;-) Especially when ordering back in December 2015

 

[T6 Dave]

July 2016 transporter shuttle brochure p26/27 window van std equipment bottom of page picture 04 "powerful halogen headlights" seems like a By VW, but can't tell if h4 or h7, if h7 then they have dropped h4... Question is WHY? We all appear to know the answer... More ammo, bring on the target.. I have plenty of .50 caliber and good at head shots !

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@CaliStu the trouble is that there is no mention in the Van Brochure of even the Light and Vision Pack but I can't speak for other documentation.

 

[Keeff]

Has anyone looked into the law on fitting LEDS into the h4 units . Is it the same as Hids or is there even a law on these new LEDS .
Another option is can we buy the VW Led units without bulbs and fit LEDs bulbs from eBay as these kits are simple to wire in. If we could get them to work with the manual levelling I would be happy to drive with them

 

[T6 Dave]

@Keeff oh you make it sound sooooo simples, YES there is a law ref this, and you need to be on the right side of it. The VW ones use sensors on all axles to keep them level, as otherwise they are BLINDING! CE approval means that h4 fitting CANNOT legally be used to fit an LED replacement bulb to a H4 light! The reflectors ARE NOT made for LED beam patterns! Whilst it might sort of work in one, it might NOT in another make!

Remember a little knowledge WILL get you in the shite! And assumption is the mother of ALL f&£Kups!

 

[Rslad]

July 2016 transporter shuttle brochure p26/27 window van std equipment bottom of page picture 04 "powerful halogen headlights" seems like a By VW, but can't tell if h4 or h7, if h7 then they have dropped h4... Question is WHY? We all appear to know the answer... More ammo, bring on the target.. I have plenty of .50 caliber and good at head shots !

View attachment 4584

That picture is h4.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

In that case the brochure is misleading as, in the opinion of many, the H4 is NOT a powerful headlight on the T6.