Driving in Europe - headlight alignment

[V8mate]

For general mooching about I drive a late Citroen C5 (2005-)

It has automatic, bi-directional, xenon headlamps (to be clear: they switch on, on their own, are that pretty bluey white and shine 'round corners' as you steer the car)

Last time I went to Europe, I called my local Citroen dealer to ask about the black sticky triangle things to stop me dazzling drivers on the Continent. They said I didn't need them. because the lights didn't dazzle like traditional ones.

I wasn't sure, so travelled without.

Am off again in a week or so and will be doing a fair bit of night driving. If you look at my lights, the left and right certainly cast different light shapes; one side much longer and the other more to the side.

So was the dealer correct? Why don't my lights dazzle in Europe? Because they have xenon bulbs? Because the car can 'sense' when it's in its homeland?

[paoloh]

"Xenon's don't dazzle" my arse.

Whenever I drive stock with Xenon's, you get other drivers keep flashing you because they think you've got high beam on.

[TomM]

I asked my dealer the same question when we went to Europe in the summer - and they said no, the stickers wont help on Xenons, but they can be adjusted. Pretty sure it also says the same in cars handbook.

I never bothered. Didnt do much night driving anyways.

[joncon]

dont know if this helps, but my mg zt 260 had xenons, which had a little lever behind the rubber covers which allowed you to change the beam patern for uk to europe.
dont know on your car, maybe something in your handbook.

[astroarcadia]

I'm taking my dad's Q5 to France this xmas and had the same thoughts as you regarding the lights. The car has Xenon lights fitted and whilst playing with the computer I found an option under lighting to adjust the headlight alignment for European roads.

[davepoth]

Cars with HID lights do have some funky levelling systems, and lots of them have adjusters. But the lights do definitely need to be adjusted somehow for foreign driving.

[V8mate]

Been traipsing round the web. Found this:

The latest information obtained from our Technical Department confirms that there is no legal requirement for the fitment of headlight templates for the Citroën C5 model range. Vehicles with non-Xenon light fitments have an internal beam adjustment (please refer to owner’s manual) to ensure that lights can be lowered to avoid dazzling on-coming continental drivers and vehicles with Xenon light fitments have automatic adjustment and the fitting of a template can damage the light unit.
I hope the above clarifies matters and I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Yours sincerely
CITROËN UK LIMITED

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t...


Still don't understand how it works; the beams are definitely set up for RHD. Maybe they don't shine up as much as normal bulbs?

[jonlk]

Morning all,

I don't suppose anyone knows how to adjust the headlights on a 2010 Tiguan for European driving?

Tia

[jonlk]

Apparently turning the adjustment wheel to 3 is sufficient.