Mike J

Did anyone get the Vertex recall of their HID kits?

As the text states: "Vertex Automotive has decided that certain HID kits do not conform to the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment" and may produce excessive glare to oncoming traffic that obstructs visibility and may increase the risk of a vehice crash".

If you return the kit, they are refunding the amount. No damages related to labor, or the cost of replacing the kit with something.

Sounds like the Fed's are clamping down on HID's, and Vertex got caught. This could cost them a lot of money, and they are not a big operation. I visited them once, it just a shop and a parts area.

I am in good old Canada, and it states that kits sold for export outside the United States are not subject to the recall.

I wonder how many people is going to take them up on the offer? Its certainly voluntary, and I suspect if you elect not to return the units, you are taking on the liability. What do I know about US law, I am a Canadian.

Cheers,

Mike

gonzilla

Sucks.

stace

with all the problems in the world I'm sure glad the Obama govt is focused on the really important problems facing our nation!!!

David in LA

Aftermarket HIDs have been illegal for awhile now and there was a big crackdown a few years ago when kits were still selling for $150-200/per. Eventually the paranoia dissipated and kits came looking back onto the market and drove prices to $75-100 recently.

jo-hans

I am pretty sure we are okay with our projector style headlights. It is the non-projector style headlights that is the problem where the light is being scattered in all directions and blinding oncoming traffic - some even upgrade their fog-lights with HID which is another big no-no!

Arena993

They will have to pry them from my cold dead hands (in Charlton Heston voice)

Mike

AOW162435

But our stock fogs are projector...


Andreas

ltc

Another reason to go with OEM Litronics kit

TheOtherEric

I fail to see your logic. Aren't the OEM Litronics essentially identical to aftermarket HIDs in terms of light scatter (which is the subject of this "recall")?

Arena993

+993 fail to see the logic as well. They are essentially the same product.

Mike

JPP

I've never pulled mine to look at them. Do they really have projector housings inside?

ltc

No.
As an OEM "as delivered" product, they would not be considered "aftermarket" and would be subject to a much different recall.

In essence, the DOT would have to claim that a car which was sold as US legal (i.e. OEM Litronics) was now no longer legal. AFAIK (after a quick search) that is not the case in this instance.

Mike J

We would all go with Litronics I am sure if they were not stupidly expensive...must be at least 10x the cost of the HID kits.

JPS

Isn't it really driven by how you have the headlights pointed? Or is the point that even with them adjusted, they are too scattered in their light distribution?

All I know is even with my Vertex HID on high beams, I NEVER get flashed by oncoming traffic if I forget to dim them. They are STILL dimmer than "modern" cars...

tj90

Just what the world needs are more gov't bueracrats! Thank you Vertex for making them available for the group buy years ago. Im still using mine and they dramatically improve nighttime visibility and safety. F you government, I will not be sending them back!!