JTD4
Member Since: 13 Dec 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 38
 
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| D4 Halogens to Xenons upgrade & Bulbs |
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Hi all,
Looking for some advice please.
I have a 2010 Discovery 4 XS. I have sourced some Xenons from a 2013 DISCOVERY 4.
Can someone please tell me what is needed to be done to get them working? And i assume they are a simple swap and fit?
Also is it worth me changing the xenon bulbs for better ones? if so could you point me in the right direction of what type i need? also should i change the sidelights AND main beam whilst i have the light units out ready to fit to the car?
Thanks 
JT
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 22nd Dec 2020 7:51 pm |
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kajtzu
Member Since: 10 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6778
  
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It is easy - Swap in place of the current halogens, edit CCF to enable xenon lights.
Not to get into a brand fight but Osram night breaker unlimited xenarc is “okay”. IMO, unless the current color looks weird (like purple-ish) no reason to change HID lights to new ones. You need D3S type lights and it should say that on a sticker on the light modules, too - like D3S/H7.
I would swap any halogens since their cost is marginal but also have a shorter lifetime. In the example above the high beam is type H7. Osram night breaker laser an “okay” bulb but there are many others. Side lights, etc. similarly.
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| 22nd Dec 2020 8:21 pm |
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Rockpaperscissors
Member Since: 23 Apr 2011
Location: Somewhere South North of Cardiff
Posts: 801
 
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Hi JT
I did the exact same mod back last year but I didn’t change the bulbs. I had to get the CCF Files updated at my local Indy but he did it for free.
I very, very rarely drive at night but the difference is far better than the candles before. I may look into changing the bulbs at some point but I’m not too keen on the price of the bulbs.
2010 D4 XS
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| 22nd Dec 2020 8:22 pm |
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JTD4
Member Since: 13 Dec 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 38
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Thanks both. Really appreciate the replies.
Will any independant garage with a diagnostic tool will be able to apply the correct settings for the xenons to work? Do you know what these settings are and where they are found once inside the CCF..
Sorry for all the questions.
Last edited by JTD4 on 22nd Dec 2020 9:40 pm. Edited 1 time in total
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| 22nd Dec 2020 8:32 pm |
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JTD4
Member Since: 13 Dec 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 38
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sorry. just checked it does say D3S/H7 on the sticker on light unit.
Anyone know what type bulb the fog lamps are? Thanks you.
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| 22nd Dec 2020 8:33 pm |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8247
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If you’ve got the lamps take them out and look, it should be stamped on the bulb, don’t touch the halogen bulbs with your fingers.
They may well work without updating the CFC, just a fraction slow at striking up . It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 22nd Dec 2020 10:26 pm |
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swansty
Member Since: 21 Sep 2008
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 943
 
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Rockpaperscissors wrote:Hi JT
I did the exact same mod back last year but I didn’t change the bulbs. I had to get the CCF Files updated at my local Indy but he did it for free.
I very, very rarely drive at night but the difference is far better than the candles before. I may look into changing the bulbs at some point but I’m not too keen on the price of the bulbs.
I have halogens in my D4 and would say they are excellent. Xenons may be beterr, i have never tried but i would rate my halogens above a lot of other cars xenons. I had a set of Hella black magic spots fitted and they never made any difference over the headlights.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 9:16 am |
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Hardware
Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 13050
 
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@swansty ... you really need to have a go in a pre-facelift D4 with Xenons. It's remarkably better than halogens.
although you may want to price the (fully legal) upgrade before doing so ... it's not cheap. .
Dean
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2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer  ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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| 23rd Dec 2020 9:50 am |
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Miffed_G
Member Since: 30 Nov 2020
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 22
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@Hardware depends on what's already fitted on the car does it not, self leveling suspension ticks one box and then headlight washers are the only other legal requirement no?
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| 23rd Dec 2020 11:37 am |
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JTD4
Member Since: 13 Dec 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 38
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It has self levelling suspension and has headlight washers.
Would this mean they may work without fiddling with the CCF?
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| 23rd Dec 2020 11:44 am |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8247
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They will work without changing the CCF, they may just flicker on start up. :thumbs-up:
When a xenon is switched on a higher voltage is sent to the bulb to ignite the lamp just like sodium and Mercury street lamps, when it is freezing cold they will flicker for a few seconds until they get warm, you may not even notice it, mercury(they are the blueish light) is the best example when it is cold is is liquid and needs high voltage to jump across the liquid to ignite, once hot it turns to a gas and the current can jump easily from particle to particle, this is why they get brighter as they warm up, xenons don’t get brighter they come on at full brightness, neither do they dip,a shutter in the lamp comes down on dip.
The CCF may even be already set to Xenon as IMO it is a cause of many halogen bulbs failing prematurely. It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 12:19 pm |
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Miffed_G
Member Since: 30 Nov 2020
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 22
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I did this upgrade as of course the Disco is self levelling and my car had the headlight washers from factory. Just candles for lights. 2012 MY12 model
I have the IID tool, but I did try it first after replacing the lights only. They did not work at all on dipped beam, tried several times, but in the end i had to edit the CCF and after that all was fine. If you can find someone local and are willing to pay the additional license fee (unless they have a pro version) then it is literally a 15 min job at most.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 12:44 pm |
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Hardware
Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 13050
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As I understand it, the proper xenon units have a shutter which moves to a dipped or full beam position as required. Halogen units have a manual shutter for lhd/rhd operation.
So the halogen units don't add extra xenon in full beam mode, just infill halogen from the other bulb position. .
Dean
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2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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| 23rd Dec 2020 1:17 pm |
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Miffed_G
Member Since: 30 Nov 2020
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 22
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@Hardware - as i understand it there are two versions of the Xenon units, one is Bi Xenon which is only dipped Xenon and Halogen High Beam, the newer version (Post 2014 i believe) is the version you describe which uses Xenon with the shutter system to switch the xenon from dipped to full beam.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 1:21 pm |
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Hardware
Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 13050
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I agree - ish.
The bi-xenon, as I took it, is the later one with NO infill halogen.
The early d4 xenon unit used the full power of the xenons PLUS infill on full beam .
Dean
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2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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| 23rd Dec 2020 2:24 pm |
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