Switching the lights to European.

P

Pilly

Member
Thought I would have a quick go at weekend about changing my lights for my Euro trip. Found it easy enough to get into the lights but for life of me I couldn't find the lever to switch lights over. I have an 07 2.0i Sport, post facelift. Am I just being blind and thick or am missing something.

Don't travel till the 5th July so got enough time to sort this, I hope :?
 
It doesn't really look like a proper lever, just a flat piece of metal coming out of the side of the light, bent at 90 degrees toward you. Well, that's halogens at least.

If you really are stuck aim a camera at it and post the pic, someone will point out what you're after.
 
Or why bother ... In the 23 years I have been traveling between the UK and NL, I have never done anything with my lights ...
 
Agreed, seems like a lot of hassle. I don't bother with a gb symbol and the like and no issues. Guess it's a gamble but a fairly safe one...
 
Positive you haven't got Xenon's? (which you can't adjust, and don't need adjusting anyway). I did the same, took the covers off and started looking for the lever. An hour later I figured out I had xenons :oops:

I'd echo the comments made about not bothering. Have you ever seen a French car driving in England with headlamp adjusters on?
 
Xenons can still be adjusted though as you are illuminating the wrong side. The X5 at night is quite fun abroad, the M has never been flashed though.
 
I def haven't got xenons. If I was doing a week I would consider not bothering but I am doing a month. It's going to cost me enough as it is, don't need fines etc added on top.
 
Its simple to switch, for the sake of a few minutes of your time. You could always do it on the Train/Ferry.

I don't have a picture but if you slide you hand in next to the dip beam housing there is a little bit of metal sticking out, push it up or down (don't remember which). When you switch it it changes the beam pattern to level.
Its much better than those head light stickers as they are a pain to peal off if they have been on for a while.
 
I was looking at this last night as am off to NL at the end of next week. It shows it in the manual (I think it's page 86), but not had a chance to look on the car yet to see how easy/difficult it is to get to!
 
Pilly said:
I am def thick. Tried again at lunchtime. Still couldnt even find the switch :0(
Click to expand...


You are not alone! I couldn't find it either. I took it into the dealer and the boys in the workshop did it FOC. I'll be doing the same again this year. My neck is knackered (old age wear and tear) and I don't want to make it any worse!
 
Took a snap of the adjuster today.. hope this helps (click image for bigger)

When the adjustment is set you can see the beam pattern is straight. __ __ rather than \_ \_

 
I would like to confirm that I am thick as s**t. It probably would have helped my cause and made things easier if I had taken the black plastic cover off of the actual light fittings. No wonder my firms IT is in a mess, ha ha ha.
 
So can anyone say definitively whether the Xenons (2006 on) need to be adjusted (surely they would need to be assymetric for optimum beam pattern the UK) and if they do, how is it done? There is no reference to how to do this in the standard manual or the M supplement, only for halogen bulbs.

I've got Xenons (Z4M) and will need to use them at night whilst in France and Spain. Given that it's a requirement in France to carry spare bulbs and you can't do that for Xenons, I'd feel happier if I can demonstrate to Le Plod that I've done everything necessary to comply.

Sorry if I pinched the OP's question but it seemed relevant to this thread.
 
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