Adjusting Headlamps for Driving in Europe

Gary Snail

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Bordon Hampshire
Your Mercedes
M Class 280 (06)
Headlamp Adjustment

Hi all
I am new on hear as only just got a Merc :) I have a 2006 M Class 280 and I am off to Euriope in a few weeks does anyone know if I can adjust the headlamps or do I need to get some of the beam deflector stickers

Cheers all :smile:
 
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whitenemesis

whitenemesis

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Your Mercedes
CLS55 AMG '05
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Do you have halogen or Xenon headlamps?
 

Botus

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Your Mercedes
S500/2010/500
Only info from the Owner's handbook is..

"Vehicles with halogen headlamps

It is not necessary to switch your headlamps to symmetrical dipped beam when driving in countries where vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the road to the country in which the vehicle is registered. Legal requirements are fulfilled without switching the headlamps to symmetrical dipped beam."

Must admit I'd like to know how this is achieved!

Didn't get all the way through the posts so someone may have come up with this reply / answer already....

Maybe the quote in the manual is referring to a vehicle with projector lamps (that look a lot like xenon's and but have yellow glow due to the halogen bulbs). My fathers w211 has these and are so dim I doubt they'd disturb anyone... but more to the point, do these just have the boring flat beam so "no adjustment is necessary"

FYI a friend has an insignia with xenon's. These only have the flat beam pattern (probably so corner light control doesn't cause fun) and they are the brightest headlights (on dipped beam) I've come across in any car. They are easily twice as good as the xenon lights in a 3 series BMW (which in themselves are about twice as bright as the ones in the w211 I refer to above) How you are supposed to see at night with those is interesting.
 
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Tonysmerc

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Kent
Your Mercedes
E350 Amg sport bluetec auto convertible
The adaptive lights were a great asset in Europe , push main stalk to main beam, and leave, great :D
 

Wal56

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Norwich, Norfolk, England
Your Mercedes
C220/BlueEff/2.1/Exec/SE
European light adjustment

I have a 2013 C220 with halogens and no apparent adjustment. It seems that I will need the sticky deflectors for Europe. My question is that as my headlight glass is clear, and with no apparent location marks, how do you fit the deflectors correctly?
Any thoughts.
 
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whitenemesis

whitenemesis

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CLS55 AMG '05
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I think you may find your headlamps don't require adjustment. Check in you handbook. I don't think any modern Merc require the use of deflectors on the lens.
 

abueloeddie

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Blyth Northumberland
Your Mercedes
A Class 180d ( Sport)
Your modern (post 2013) Mercedes does not need any adjustment for "furrin parts"(!). Last year I drove to Brittany and back without any problems from the headlights.

However in UK the level of the dipped headlights whilst being 'white' and bright is focussed at about 70 yards ahead and on busy 'B' roads, night time travel becomes hazardous. The main beam does the job better, but casts a yellow glow above the beam. Mercedes main dealer assures me that all is well but I would hope for a simple bulb change upgrade to light my progress adequately. Anyone any ideas. Car is E Class 2.2 CDi on a '14 plate
 

Roy124

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Lincolnshire
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E-Class/2005/2..1
What delectable past-times. In my case the sittings always overrun and then I am forced (all sympathy gratefully appreciated) to edge the car just that little bit past the speed limit (130KMpH which, at 1.3km per mile, would be 100MPH) to make the ferry.

I know this is an old post but the maths cannot go unchecked. 130 kph is well under 100 mph.

A rule of thumb, worked out over hundred of miles in Turkey (mile after mile of straight road at 55 kph! and an mph only speedometer was:

km times two, 260, divided by 3, 86.66, minus 5%, 4.33 = 82.33

This is accurate enough for Government work cf the actual conversion of 80.77.
 

kenuser

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Location
Italy
Your Mercedes
R172 MY '15
Headlamps with projection system
Model 172 and 204.9 with halogens are adjusted using the range controller (must be checked with headlamp aimer)

Hi, can you tell me how to do this?

I live in Italy, imported SLK from USA, I don't know if there is possible to adjust to asimmetric EU or buy new headlight. Halogens type.


Thanks
 

television

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Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Hi, can you tell me how to do this?

I live in Italy, imported SLK from USA, I don't know if there is possible to adjust to asimmetric EU or buy new headlight. Halogens type.


Thanks

Is not the car from USA all correct for Italy
 

LostKiwi

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Midlands / Charente-Maritime
Your Mercedes
'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Is not the car from USA all correct for Italy
US headlights conform to SAE standards which dictate a symmetrical beam pattern (flat all the way across) whereas Europe (including the UK) conform to UNECE regulations which define an assymmetrical beam pattern that kicks upwards on the passenger side.
The SAE pattern also has a softer cutoff to the beam pattern compared to the sharp cutoff of the UNECE pattern.
 

turbopete

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Spennymoor
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2017 '17' Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi ST Line X 180 (sorry)
I know this is an old post but the maths cannot go unchecked. 130 kph is well under 100 mph.

A rule of thumb, worked out over hundred of miles in Turkey (mile after mile of straight road at 55 kph! and an mph only speedometer was:

km times two, 260, divided by 3, 86.66, minus 5%, 4.33 = 82.33

This is accurate enough for Government work cf the actual conversion of 80.77.

not doubting your maths at all. I have a simpler solution to working this out myself as my speedo is dual calibrated. 50MPH = 80 km/h according to the dial so therefore as you rightly point out, 100 mph would cover 160km/h so applying a little logic would bring me to the same conclusion of around 80mph
 

ajlsl600

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france
Your Mercedes
clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
w208

w208 headlights .exactly right .just done that .changed them to get the french C ofC .
 
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Botus

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S500/2010/500
that post I guess meant 80 mph is less than 130 kph - Not 100 is less than 130
1 mile/hour (mph) = 1.609344 kilometer/hour
 
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Interagro

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Switzerland
Your Mercedes
CLS 250/2013/2158 Diesel
Mercedes CLS 250 CDI RHD to LHD Headlamp Adjustment

I have a UK registered 2013 CLS 250 CDI which I am in the process of importing into Switzerland. The "MOT" went well with the exception of the lights. The tester failed the car because the headlamps are not focussed to drive on the right.The car does not have the intelligent light system. I have read several threads on this forum about this issue that referenced lever adjustment to achieve the correct settings but in the main these referred to older vehicles. Can anyone advise if the lights on my car can be adjusted in this manner?
Many thanks,
 


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