Xenon in a Kia Rio with a Pilot Digital Line xenon kit

Xenon in a Kia Rio: a xenon kit that does what it's supposed to

Where other brands of xenon lighting gave up on Roland's Kia Rio, the Pilot Digital Line simply does its job. Even on the automatic light setting, the xenon bulbs switch on without a fuss. Roland found that out for himself.

Having tried a handful of other brands of xenon kits, he was understandably wary of the Pilot Digital Line. The other sellers had assured him (just as we did) that their xenon kit would work perfectly.

• The xenon kit works perfectly, even with the automatic light setting
• No bulb failure warning on the dashboard
• Even more light with the help of the Digital Cable
• The Digital Line xenon kit was fitted in about 1.5 hours

Take a look at all Hilox xenon kits.

What the customer said

"Today I got to receive the new Pilot Digital Line H7 6000K. After lots of problems with another supplier, I fitted this Pilot. Plugged the cable in with the connectors, and voilà, it works..!!

Even with automatic lights (where the lights and engine come on at the same moment), where the other system refuses, this xenon starts up nicely!"

Why automatic lights are tricky for a xenon kit

Roland got stuck on the automatic light setting with earlier kits. That is no coincidence. With automatic lights, the lighting and the engine come on at the same moment. That is exactly when the starter motor draws a lot of current and the battery voltage briefly dips.

A xenon bulb, meanwhile, needs a high ignition voltage to light up, which the ballast generates from the car's supply voltage. If the ballast isn't built for that, the bulb can't ignite properly during starting, goes straight back out, or keeps flickering. On cars with bulb monitoring, a warning can then pop up on the dashboard as well.

A kit for a modern car therefore has to do two things: ignite reliably even when the voltage briefly sags, and play nicely with the on-board computer. Read more about the second point in how to avoid xenon and a faulty on-board computer.

What you need to know about an H7 xenon kit

Roland chose an H7 kit in 6000K. H7 is a very common fitting for low beam. In the current range, the H7 Xenon Kit, Hilox Evolution II Black, Duo is the H7 kit. According to the product details:

• 2 x H7 xenon bulb, available in 4300K, 5500K or 6500K
• 2 x Hilox Evolution II ballast with IC chip, which keeps the current stable and prevents overheating and flickering bulbs
• a CAN-bus II module for cars with CAN-bus or bulb monitoring
• 2 years' warranty on both the bulbs and the ballasts

The matching H7 xenon bulb is 35W, delivers 4200 lumens per bulb and has a stated lifespan of 3600 hours. Please note: according to the product information, these kits have no ECE approval or E-mark and are not intended for public roads, but for the racetrack and private land.

About the colour: 6000K gives a bright white light with a slight blue tint. If you want warmer light, choose a lower Kelvin value. Always choose the same colour left and right.

Fitting it yourself: here is how

Roland's kit was fitted in about 1.5 hours. How long it takes you depends mostly on how much room there is behind the headlight. The steps:

1. Switch off the ignition and lights, and open the back of the headlight.
2. Take out the halogen bulb and fit the xenon bulb. Hold it by the base and don't touch the glass.
3. Connect the car's bulb connector to the ballast using the plugs, and the ballast to the bulb.
4. Test the kit, including with the light switch on the automatic setting, before you tuck everything away.
5. Fix the ballast in a solid, dry spot away from hot engine parts, and route the cables neatly.
6. Close the headlight up again so it is watertight.

Then check the beam pattern. After fitting, have the beam aligned and check that your car still meets the APK (the Dutch roadworthiness test) requirements; if in doubt, ask the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) or your inspector. You will find more explanation in xenon in your car: how to go about it.