Do I have bendy beams?

[savoyad]

Is there a way to check if I have bendy beam headlights?

I have a 59 plate SE Lux. I think it's MY09 but it might be MY10 I guess. So the brochure from then says they are standard.

But there's a small aftermarket DAB radio stuck (hard) to the lower console right over where the middle button would be. So if I do have them, the control button has been put out of reach. This makes me think whoever did this was surely covering a blank rather than an actual button, and I don't have them after all.

Is there a way to check?

[I realise I could check if they are working by turning the steering wheel in the dark. But I mean can I check whether they are fitted at all, regardless of whether they are working]

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by savoyad

Is there a way to check if I have bendy beam headlights?

I have a 59 plate SE Lux. I think it's MY09 but it might be MY10 I guess. So the brochure from then says they are standard.

But there's a small aftermarket DAB radio stuck (hard) to the lower console right over where the middle button would be. So if I do have them, the control button has been put out of reach. This makes me think whoever did this was surely covering a blank rather than an actual button, and I don't have them after all.

Is there a way to check?

[I realise I could check if they are working by turning the steering wheel in the dark. But I mean can I check whether they are fitted at all, regardless of whether they are working]

As you say you would see the light easily if you were driving, it’s not a subtle effect.

The switch on my 2012 SELux is large and I struggle to understand how it could be blocked by a DAB radio as it’s a fair bit below/ lower down the dash.

Can you reach the button and push it?

[noddycat]

I would guess it's not present if you have no button (and why would someone cover up an active button?), as the button itself seems pretty integral to the system. On mine it's used to deactivate it if required, or a long press sets the lights for either left-hand or right-hand driving - ie if you drive on the Continent you don't need any light lens masks. It's a very nice thing to have (especially if you drive on the Continent a lot) but I'd say doesn't make a huge world of difference when it comes to the actual moving lights bit. Perhaps most useful on very dark country roads at unlit intersections or T-junctions, but not essential. The xenon lights though are very bright - best I've ever had.

[Tannaton]

Not sure where I read it but I thought that all 2008MY onwards XC90's with HID's where ABL's.

Easy to check - do you have a large glass marble like lens in the headlight? If so you have ABL.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8


If you have large reflectors with bulbs hidden in a metal tube - then you have reflector HID's (non bendy)

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8

FYI When checking if they bend - they will only do so above above about 5mph with the headlight switch in dipped beam (or auto with them on).

The ABL system is a complicated thing and if they don't work - there will be an error on the dash and some fault codes to be read with VIDA.