Headlamp adjustment

[Frank B]

I have a current generation V70SE Lux with the Xenon headlamps. I am taking the car to France soon and looking at the handbook I should be able to change the headlamp beam from under the bonnet using the headlamp control unit. The drawing in the handbook is useless, can anyone point me in the direction of how to find this switch ?

Many thanks

[NewVolvo]

Most likely you'll have the "Bending" version of these lights. In such case, you may have a button on the console (below climate unit) - this button is a headlight with an arrow either side. If you do noy have this button, like my new XC60, then you will have everything in the car's menu.

Under "Light" option, scroll down and you should find bending option and RH/LH options. Works a treat.

[Frank B]

Thanks for the suggestion but my car does not have anything on the menus about changing the light pattern. As mentioned in my query the handbook says how to do it but it is not very clear where the headlamp control unit is situated

[NewVolvo]

I see. Perhaps the older version in such case.

Sorry, can't help you to locate this unit switch.

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by Frank B

Thanks for the suggestion but my car does not have anything on the menus about changing the light pattern. As mentioned in my query the handbook says how to do it but it is not very clear where the headlamp control unit is situated

Does the new V70 use the blade system first seen on the S40/V50 and XC90 ? If so, might be easier to take the light unit out and have a look around.

Sorry can't be of more help, still stuck in the ark with my S60.

[Martin42]

Right, sorted this as I had to also do if for an upcoming holiday. The picture in the manual is useless, but I finally figured out how to do this. First you need to take the headlight assebly out. This is actually very easy to do. You first need to pull out the 2 silver retaining mechanisms that hold the housing in place. These just pull out. Next pull the housing as far as the cable will let you. You then need to remove the plastic cover from the back of the unit. Don't forget to move the wire clip first. Then inside the unit, you will see the main headlight unit, and along side it is a silver metal "switch". You need to pull this towards the back of the unit. This will set the patten for Europe.

You then need to do the other side

Hope this helps.

This only works for the Xenon headlights. Normal headlights will need to use the plastic masks applied to the headlights.

[mglason]

Am having the exact same problem myself this morning on the same car - a 2009 V70 with Bi-Xenon lights. I agree the diagram on page 82 of the manual is hopeless and I don't get the impression it's a picture of the interior of the light housing at all. Looks more like the engine bay. Am prepared to take the lights apart if that's what it takes but the manual mentions nothing of this. The impression is that the switch controls both lights from afar. Help

[Frank B]

Hi Martin

Thanks for the info.

The lamp pulls apart very easily, but when the back of the bulb is exposed together with the little unit with the over centre clip, together with death warnings I could not find the switch. What I did find was a network of thin silver plates which held the bulb in place. Which one did you "switch" ?

Thanks for the help. Not a job to do on a dark quayside unless you know what you are doing !

Frank

[Martin42]

I'll try to take some pics for you, and post them

[Martin42]

Okay, I've taken a picture of the passenger side headlight cluster. I've taken the unit out as described above, and the lever is maked by the arrow. It's black not silver as I previoulsy stated and you pull it towards you to convert to use on the continent.