Dim Dip MOT legality

Hello all.

New to the site and relatively new to Land Rover ownership. I'm just looking for info on a subject that seems to have lots of threads but i cant find anything on a specific point. I've just fitted new LED headlights and found that when i switch my lights to the first click, side lights, the dipped headlights also come on. After searching various forums i have found out about the issue of Dim Dip. I have found lots of threads about how to solve the issue, replacing relays, removing resistors etc. I am just looking to find out, if i just want to leave the lights as they are is it ok as far as an MOT is concerned, mine is due end of the month.

Thank for any information.

PeteMc1960 said:

Hello all.

New to the site and relatively new to Land Rover ownership. I'm just looking for info on a subject that seems to have lots of threads but i cant find anything on a specific point. I've just fitted new LED headlights and found that when i switch my lights to the first click, side lights, the dipped headlights also come on. After searching various forums i have found out about the issue of Dim Dip. I have found lots of threads about how to solve the issue, replacing relays, removing resistors etc. I am just looking to find out, if i just want to leave the lights as they are is it ok as far as an MOT is concerned, mine is due end of the month.

Thank for any information.

Click to expand...

Hi Pal best to leave them until yer mot is passed, I fitted leds & all ive had is electrical gremlins to the point im going to remove
them. Sometimes they work or not, indicators work then flash rapid then dont work until I swap out the hazard switch.
Then headlight popped, high low worked on one side then not. Sick of them tbh

Earths its always earths.

Welcome to lz tho.

Hi. Thanks for getting back. I've already fitted them and to be honest, other than the dim dip thing which I only found out after by accident, I have no problems with them. looking online, It seems to have caught out a few people also not aware of the dim dip issue, but as I said if they're ok for MOT I'll just leave them rather than mess about swapping out relays and the likes. They're good lights, ORE LTPRTZ ones. I got them as they seemed to be the lights of choice for lots of YouTube types. Non of them mentioned anything about the dreaded dim dip thing tho!

What car do you have ?
What year ?
What engine ?

Why did you fit LED's ?

Car. Defender 110
Year. 2003
Engine. TD5

I guess i got LEDs for the same reason most do. To get better night visibility over halogen bulbs.

Providing you are sure your vehicle wiring is not the issue, I would send them back. End of

So.
Vehicles first manufactured on or after 1 April 1987 had to be fitted with a dim-dip device or running lamps and provide an intensity of between 10 and 20 per cent of the normal dipped beam.
In 1998 (12 years later) it was scrapped and since then there has been no 'requirement in law' to have dim-dip headlamps.

Why they were fitted to vehicles after 1990 is a mystery to me, maybe LR still had stock of them ?
The answer to your question is that they are NOT needed for an MOT so you can do whatever you feel is easier/best to remove the function.

I don't know much about the TD5 electrical system other than it is overly complex and fraught with failure.
I am also not a fan on LED headlamps although I do have LED front and rear sidelight bulbs as I can leave them on for a day or three without flattening the battery.

The problem with LED headlamps (especially up here in Scotland) is on those feezingly cold, dreich/sleety nights, the snow and ice build up on the face of the lamp and you get less light than off a nice warm 55W headlamp.

I have an LED light bar (fitted above the winch) for when I need additional light, ie when beetling around the country lanes or across the fields in the dark. Most of the time it's off.

One method of implementing dim-dip was to have a big resistor in the wiring, so that it was placed in series with the headlights when the engine is running and sidelights switched on. The current passing through the resistor drops the voltage to the headlights and they come on dimly lit. Now, your LED lamps will draw considerably less current, so the voltage drop is less, hence the behaviour you're seeing. The neatest and best solution is to rewire the circuit to eliminate the dim-dip relay, but the quickest and simplest option for now is to just unplug the resistor. This will revert the headlights to "normal" operation.

Thanks for the advice. Decided to go for unplugging the under wing resistor, it seems the easiest route. Just been out and done that and.. result, the lights are behaving as they should. Side lights only, then dipped and side lights. I haven't got a clue about all things electric and so was wary about messing with relays and resistors. But the general consensus seems to be keep it simple and unplugging the resistor was just that. Thanks again.

miktdish said:

Why they were fitted to vehicles after 1990 is a mystery to me, maybe LR still had stock of them ?
The answer to your question is that they are NOT needed for an MOT so you can do whatever you feel is easier/best to remove the function.

Click to expand...

I always thought this was odd, my 1990 Ninety did/does not have the dim dip but my friend who farmed next door had the same model 1990 Ninety which did have them!
Us both having same colour Landys both H reg did cause confusion, postman would stop and give the wrong mail, Someone would say "I saw you down the pub" "Er no not me."
After being in his farm one night I drove off and was half way home before realising I was in the wrong truck.

just in case and time to fit a hot wash system then used one years ago fitted into the heater hose and heated the washer fluid to keep the screen clear but would adapt to head light washers

PeteMc1960 said:

Hello all.

New to the site and relatively new to Land Rover ownership. I'm just looking for info on a subject that seems to have lots of threads but i cant find anything on a specific point. I've just fitted new LED headlights and found that when i switch my lights to the first click, side lights, the dipped headlights also come on. After searching various forums i have found out about the issue of Dim Dip. I have found lots of threads about how to solve the issue, replacing relays, removing resistors etc. I am just looking to find out, if i just want to leave the lights as they are is it ok as far as an MOT is concerned, mine is due end of the month.

Thank for any information.

Click to expand...

Either buy a dim dip relay bypass part number YWZ10003L or click below:

genuine LR dim dip relay bypass

OR and what most of us TD5 peeps do cos we aint paying £30 for a relay

1) Remove pink relay
2) Fit jumper as in pic to the relay socket
3) Open a beer

PeteMc1960 said:

Thanks for the advice. Decided to go for unplugging the under wing resistor, it seems the easiest route. Just been out and done that and.. result, the lights are behaving as they should. Side lights only, then dipped and side lights. I haven't got a clue about all things electric and so was wary about messing with relays and resistors. But the general consensus seems to be keep it simple and unplugging the resistor was just that. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

,