Noticed something missing here on the car I just bought, can anyone tell me what it's for? Also, can anyone tell if I have factory HID's by those pics?

 

What year car are we talking about here? That may help narrow down the options. Also, was this a car that was destined for the US or one for Mexico? There are slight variations between the two. I was initially thinking it was the cover for the headlight washers, but those are located above the chrome strip (between the headlights). I am thinking it may be part of the parking system for the later year X-Types. That is about the only thing I can think of.

As for whether you have HID headlights or not, from the pics, it would somewhat appear that you have standard bulbs. But, the true test is to open up the drivers door and look in at where the hinges are. You should see a silver sticker there if you have HID bulbs. Also, when you turn on the headlights, do they come on bright right away or do that start kinda yellow and then brighten up over about 2 seconds? If they are bright right away, you have the standard bulbs. If they are kinda yellow initially and then get brighter over a second or so, then you have HIDs.

 

the car was manufactured 03/03, I have no idea if it was destined for Mexico. I am in the los angeles area, but it has a CA title.

As for the lights, when I turned them on without turning on the car, they seemed to come on bright and stay that way, but when I turned on the car they did get brighter over a few seconds. There was also no sticker anywhere on the driver side door, just the airbag sticker and the manufacturer sticker with built date, etc.

 

Mine just has a cover over that hole, the same color as the bumper so it is flush and not too noticeable.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...pictureid=4503

Also, those are definitely standard halogen bulbs.

 

Ah, ok, I guess the cover on mine fell off.


Damn, I was hoping to have HID's, I was confused since you can't see the bulb, although in those pictures the flash on the camera made the bulb visible.

 

Last time I looked in the manual it had something to do when your towing the vehicle on a flatbed.. I think a hook goes there but don't quote me on it. Ill have to check again and make sure, and on the HID's Im not sure.. they look like that in the picture because the projectors light up when there's a flash. The only way to know if you have HID's is by doing what Thermo said, hope this helps!

 

Are the projectors the same for both HID and Halogen bulbs? Every X-Type pic I've seen has the same projectors.

 

That opening is for towing. Not sure on this car as i dont see where you can thread the part from the trunk/boot to attach the hook from the tow truck. I know on my 04 that you can screw in the part for towing. Had it done on mine when two tires blew out on the freeway. Cant be too expensive to replace. just a little plastic piece. Paint to match would probably be the big cost.

 

I would have to assume so..

 

Not sure if the projectors are the same but it is relatively easy to put a HID kit into the regular housing.

Disclaimer:Not saying it's legal or wont blind other drivers (didn't seem any worse for people when I would come head on with my x-type while driving my other vehicle.)

 

Ah, I might be wrong, but isn't the tow hook/hold down loop located a bit further down in the lower valance? Atleast on my 03, there is a screw in piece in the opening for the lower valance that matches the tow hook in the trunk. Maybe that was something from the 02's. Who knows.

As for determining if you have HIDs or not, you can also pull off the covers on the back of the headlights and look inside. If you don't have HIDs, the inside is going to be fairly empty. But the HID housings are going to be packed full of stuff and you will see a big box sitting inside of each one. This box is the ballast for the headlights.

 

You can see the took hook receiver through the lower mesh grill on the left. What is that area that the missing cover covered? I don't have that on my bumper.

 

i believe it's just a place to put the towing hook.

 

Bill586, do you mean to connect it or store it?

 

Connect it, the hook on mine is stored in the back.

 

Alright. I can't see how but I do notice that you have the cover attached on your bumper, sidewalkman. Does your owners manual detail how to attach the front tow hook?