Driving abroad

[Jensencars]

Hi all,
I am going to France this summer and just thinking about my headlights,
I have the active bending lights any info on how to fit beam diffusers to these or do I just put them on in the normal place and be happy with that,,
Any ideas
Thanks

[Jensencars]

Sorry forgot to add.. XC60 2016 model

[Rex65]

There is no adjustment. The handbook states that the beam pattern is designed so as not to dazzle either when driving on the left or right.

[chrisfr]

A while ago i asked about oem numbers for headlights. The reason for this was because i was having a problem finding right hand traffic headlights for my uk volvo xc60 which has been exported to France.Even though the headlights are meant to have a flat beam, they do not. They have a kink upwards towards the uk nearside kerb. They will not pass a french mot for that reason. If you put the headlights on in fog you can distinctly see that the both headlights point towards the uk nearside.
The solution was found by complete chance. I was looking on aonther forum and read a post from a guy who said that he thought all headlights left or right hand traffic in fact had the same optical components and had different serial oem numbers because they were set up either for left or right hand traffic. The set up was simple via two adjustment screws on each headlight unit. I thought this was total BS and he got slated by most of the forum but I thought what the hell , ive tried everything else.
I went and had a careful look at my headlights and indeed there were two 6 mm adjustment screws. One was on top of the unit and the other was hidden and you needed to take the quick release clips out and tilt the unit forwards to see it. The one on top of the headlight unit did up and down beam adjustment and the hidden one did vertical left or right.
Basically it can be used to change the left hand traffic unit to right hand traffic or to fine tune the beam pattern.
I went to my mates french garage and used his headlight test unit to set the headlights up properly. The beams now favour the french nearside kerb. I then went to the french mot station up the road and they checked it and said it passed it without issue. The technician there was amazed when i explained him we had adjusted them as he thought we had changed the units.
New French units cost 1950 euros for the pair! These are active bending headlights.
This little trick also worked on my wifes uk Audi SQ5 which also had the adjustment screws. They are xenon headlights.. You may still find them on headlights that have a changeover lever or even a software solution via sensus.My theory is that they are meant for fine tuning the beams during the pdi process. I also have a little renault kangoo which is just a runabout to take stuff to,the tip. It had its uk headlights changed to french ones. I kept the old uk units and I cannot physically find any difference in the french units. They have different oem numbers, the same optics, and they both have adjustment screws which change vertical and horizontal settings.
So maybe you can adjust your headlights after all. Check your units for two small plastic adjustment screws, one on top of the unit and the other on the side hidden by the car wing. I have found them on three different makes of car.

[AndyJudge]

Originally Posted by Jensencars

Hi all,
I am going to France this summer and just thinking about my headlights,
I have the active bending lights any info on how to fit beam diffusers to these or do I just put them on in the normal place and be happy with that,,
Any ideas
Thanks

There's a setting under My Car to switch the Lights to Drive on the Right settings IIRC. Although I have a 2016 with the AHB/ABL so may be slightly different to you.

[megastef]

Had the contrary here : french car going through britain to scotland.

I used the "my car" setting to fit left side drive.

I never had flashing lights during my 3 weeks trip, though I never figured out if due to extreme politeness of local drivers.

Unfortunately, french drivers won't leave you in any doubt about your proper headlights settings.

[Rex65]

Never had an issue with dazzling French drivers in the 4 years I've had my XC60 without adjusting anything. No idea if it would pass the French "MOT" but I've never been flashed.

[noodle1066]

Originally Posted by Rex65

Never had an issue with dazzling French drivers in the 4 years I've had my XC60 without adjusting anything. No idea if it would pass the French "MOT" but I've never been flashed.

Same here.

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by Rex65

There is no adjustment. The handbook states that the beam pattern is designed so as not to dazzle either when driving on the left or right.

Do cars now have flat beams like sports bikes ?

My 2017 Focus has an opton in the menu for left and right hand drive for the Bi-Xenons. My Volvo has left and right hand drive headlights, the original UK lights are Valeo, the lights for Europe are aftermarket. takes ten minutes to switch them over.

[Rex65]

Originally Posted by GMcL

Do cars now have flat beams like sports bikes ?

My 2017 Focus has an opton in the menu for left and right hand drive for the Bi-Xenons. My Volvo has left and right hand drive headlights, the original UK lights are Valeo, the lights for Europe are aftermarket. takes ten minutes to switch them over.

No idea - I just read the manual that comes with my car.
My last car, a Skoda, had an option to switch for continental driving in the settings menu, my XC60 doesn't.