So my missus has just swapped her old Seat Ateca SE Technology (with LED/ xenon headlights) with a new SE Karoq.

 

She loves the Karoq.. but hates the "yellow" halogen headlights.

 

I ordered a pair of LED H7 headlight bulbs with seperate resistors for bulb warning lights.. (and LED sidelight bulbs to match) but the headlight bulbs don't fit. The headlight bulbs are held in using these plastic brackets (see pic). The 2 pin connector is part of the bracket (not a seperate plug like on the slightly older VAG cars). This means the usual decent LED headlight bulbs with seperate resisors don't fit.

 

I have since fit some of the cheaper H7 LED headlight bulbs (see pic). They look good (nice clean white not chavvy blue) but the beam pattern is non existant so they just dazzle and dont light up the road. The ad said they had Can-bus resistors in them but they put the bulb warning light on aswell. I have removed them now.

 

Has anyone found a decent bright white H7 bulb option that fits in the Karoq headlight bulb holders and doesn't put the bulb warning light on?

You will not find a set of retrofit LEDs that have a good beam pattern, your only hope is to go for ones which have measurements exactly the same as a halogen bulb, they mount so that the LEDs point sideways also not up/down, i wouldnt waste your money.

Exactly, there is no such thing in practice as an LED or plasma discharge unit that will give a proper beam in a halogen shell. Despite some people's claims, I'd recommend Osram Nightbreaker +(+) .

There are no H7 LED bulbs that are E-Marked or therefore road legal for use in the UK, for the exact reasons you've mentioned. The headlights are designed to work with conventional bulbs with a filament.

 

I'd always pay the extra to have either xenon or LED headlights factory fitted, there is no way I'm going back to halogens. Unfortunately it pays to do your homework as your wife has found out.

 

As mentioned the best option for her now is to try either the Philips X-treme or OSRAM Nightbreakers...

 

         

 

They can be picked up on Amazon for around £20 per pair.

 

Edited 30 January, 20206 yr by silver1011

The problem with the Osram Nightbraker bulbs is they sacrifice output over longevity, it states something along those lines on the packaging.  I used them for about 3 or 4 years but reverted back to  normal bulbs as I was getting tired of replacing them every 12 months or so, normally late at night and when it was pouring down.  Up until I replaced a headlamp bulb last week, I cannot remember the last time I had replace one.

 

Another option is to check the headlights are aligned/set up correctly.  I was initially impressed with the light output on my vechicle compared to the car it replaced, however, that changed after I had a warranty repair carried out on the headlights.  After that it appeared to me the light output, and more importantly, range was severely diminished, hence using the Nightbreakers.  Practically every service after that  I asked them to check the lights were set up/aligned correctly and everytime I was told they were well within MoT tolerances. I recently took the car to a an indy for some other work to be carried out and asked if he could also have a look at the lights.  When I got the car back he said he had made a few adjustments, nothing major.  Whatever he did I felt there was a noticeable improvement to both output and range, I no longer felt I needed to use full beam on some of the local country roads which I used to have to do.

 

2 hours ago, FirstAndLastSkoda said:

I used them for about 3 or 4 years but reverted back to  normal bulbs as I was getting tired of replacing them every 12 months or so

Were they on in daylight too ?

26 minutes ago, agedbriar said:

Were they on in daylight too ?

 If required for the driving, weather and lighting conditions.

Thanks for the replies. Getting Xenons on the Karoq wasnt an viable option for us. The SE Tech doesnt even have them lol. She got a really good deal on the SE and the SEL etc are well into Tiguan money 🥴.

 

Looks like we will have to stick those halogen ones in 🙄.

 

She was happy with the light output from the standard bulbs. Just not the colour.

 

I have fit HID kits with perfect beam pattern before tbh. Seems to depend on the headlight design. If the headlights have caps over the end of the bulbs (Mk5/6 golf etc) they seem to give a better beam pattern. But they wouldnt fit with the Karoq bulb holders either 🤦🏽‍♂️.

 

Not used LED headlight bulbs before.. wont be again 

Retrofit led headlight bulbs are a MoT failure on a car. 

 

Tom