Headlights for continental driving

[ukden]

My MY18 XC60 is equipped with LED headlights with high beam assist (not adaptive).

Is there a way of adjusting the dip pattern for driving on the right? I cannot find anything in the manual.

Or do I have to resort to sticking gaffa tape on the lens.
If so where?

[NickV90]

I looked into this at length for my v90 momentum.
There is no way to set these lights for continental driving.

They are supposed not to dazzle but several people flashed me...

[ukden]

Originally Posted by NickV90

They are supposed not to dazzle but several people flashed me...

The adaptive lights are not supposed to dazzle, but the simple (non-adaptive) LED lights most certainly will dazzle oncoming traffic, due to their fixed asymmetric light pattern.

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by ukden

The adaptive lights are not supposed to dazzle, but the simple (non-adaptive) LED lights most certainly will dazzle oncoming traffic, due to their fixed asymmetric light pattern.

My XC90 with adaptive headlights have a setting in sensus to temporary change them to right hand drive, my understanding is that non adaptive have a flatter beam pattern and should not dazzle when driving on the right, if you have your car loaded up so it drops the rear end (standard spring suspension) the lights may shine higher and dazzle. But best thing to do if not in the owners manual is call the dealer for advice,

[ukden]

There is definitely no facility for changing them in Sensus.

They do give a very sharp cut off with the light beam being horinzontal to the offside, but the beam being angled by about 20 to 30 degrees upwards to the nearside in a very clearly defined straight line. It would clearly dazzle oncoming traffic on that side.

The loading of the car is not an issue as the headlight self levelling system works well. It is fascinating when you start the car in the dark. The lights go through a levelling procedure, they first go fully up, then fully down before settling at the correct height to suit the car loading. Very entertaining.

I suspect the answer is going to be blanking part of the light with tape. Very low tech. Unless someone knows better.

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by ukden

There is definitely no facility for changing them in Sensus.

They do give a very sharp cut off with the light beam being horinzontal to the offside, but the beam being angled by about 20 to 30 degrees upwards to the nearside in a very clearly defined straight line. It would clearly dazzle oncoming traffic on that side.

The loading of the car is not an issue as the headlight self levelling system works well. It is fascinating when you start the car in the dark. The lights go through a levelling procedure, they first go fully up, then fully down before settling at the correct height to suit the car loading. Very entertaining.

I suspect the answer is going to be blanking part of the light with tape. Very low tech. Unless someone knows better.

There is "definitely" a setting in sensus on the XC90 to change to right hand drive. With adaptive led headlights. Normal led will not have this setting.

Screenshot_2017-10-17-23-28-11.jpg

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by ukden

The loading of the car is not an issue as the headlight self levelling system works well. It is fascinating when you start the car in the dark. The lights go through a levelling procedure, they first go fully up, then fully down before settling at the correct height to suit the car loading. Very entertaining..

The headlight self levelling will work great as long as your car is fully loaded and all passengers are on board before you turn your engine on, if you turn your engine on and then load the boot or cargo area up or passengers get in the back this will alter the car trim.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by ukden

My MY18 XC60 is equipped with LED headlights with high beam assist (not adaptive).

Is there a way of adjusting the dip pattern for driving on the right? I cannot find anything in the manual.

Or do I have to resort to sticking gaffa tape on the lens.
If so where?

There is always something in the handbook about this IF there is an adjustment . On some of the other LED models the book says that no adjustment is needed as the beam is almost flat .
Why don't you get your garage to lower the headlamp beam a certain amount before you go , it might me slightly on the high side . Yes you can adjust self levelling headlamps .

[ukden]

Well, four weeks after asking Customer Support and after two prompts including sending them a copy of the photo of my beam pattern I have an answer:

"Our Product Department have confirmed that the height of the ‘flick’ is below legal limits that require alteration when driving on the other side of the road."

So even though the headlights are specifically made for RHD (it says so on the label on top of the light unit) Volvo think they are OK when driving on the right.

I have to disagree, if that is what they intended, the dipped beam should have a straight horizontal cut off. I have a friend with a BMW X3 with LED lights, his dipped beam is a straight horizontal line. My lights will certainly dazzle oncoming drivers If I am driving on the right.

As I suspected all along, I will have to resort to blanking part of the beam with sticky tape, as I have done with every other car I have owned.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by ukden

"Our Product Department have confirmed that the height of the ‘flick’ is below legal limits that require alteration when driving on the other side of the road."

That doesn't make sense. The height of the flick when it hits another car is dependent upon the lateral distance between the light source and the other car. Jeez, you don't have to be a mathematician to work that out.