France - Headlamps

[gordonwd]

Anyone got any experience of converting your headlamps for driving in France ? Is it necessary ? Do my S Class headlamps need any special things or can I just use the stick-on things from Halfords ?


David

 

[*Thumper]

I've never done anything ..... just dipped em to the lowest setting ...... local plod aint interested.

I'm not condoning this ...... as the fines would sting the wallet ...... but experience tells me, the French Police, have better things to do with there time.

 

[teddycatkin]

As thumper--adjust them to dip right as far as you can-and thats it.
Dont buy anything from Hellfords--cut two pieces of black tape to stick on the lens
left centres if you feel they are going to sill dazzle approaching traffic.

 

[Rappey69]

the stick on beam deflectors suffice in this country to pass a mot .
A bit of black masking tape does the job, just stick it on and then no problems driving at night on the continent.

 

[whitenemesis]

There is a lever inside the headlamp to convert to Continental driving

 

[gordonwd]

This sounds good. Having taken a cursory glance under the hood, and subsequently looked at my owner's manual I can't see any obvious lever.

Is it easy to locate ?


David

There is a lever inside the headlamp to convert to Continental driving

 

[hairyg]

I always fit beam benders as I don't have the luxury of adjustable xenons. I'm not worried about the police in France, as others have said they have better things to do, but in some rural areas of France the locals have very expensive ways of showing their displeasure at being dazzled. Think agricultural implement dragged down the passenger side of your pride and joy

 

[whitenemesis]

This sounds good. Having taken a cursory glance under the hood, and subsequently looked at my owner's manual I can't see any obvious lever.

Is it easy to locate ?


David

You have to remove the cap on the headlamp unit to access the inside (as if to replace the bulb). The lever is tucked away to the off-side next to the bulb holder.

 

[whitenemesis]

You have to remove the cap on the headlamp unit to access the inside (as if to replace the bulb). The lever is tucked away to the off-side next to the bulb holder.

The dealer will often do this for you FOC

 

[killwilly]

You have to remove the cap on the headlamp unit to access the inside (as if to replace the bulb). The lever is tucked away to the off-side next to the bulb holder.

Does this apply to all models, or just the S class?

 

[whitenemesis]

Pretty much all models -

Models 164, 169, 171, 203, 204.0/2, 209, 211, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, 230, 245, 251
headlamp with projection system (halogen or xenon)

Models 204.0/2, 211 with Intelligent Light System from 1.6.06 and model 216 the headlamps are adjusted using STAR only.

 

[Myros]

having recently returned from the continent

I conducted my own sampling of the foreign cars coming to the UK. I didn't see a single s*dding one of them with beam deflectors on when entering the ferry, and many of the cars were old enough and simple enough to require them.

Nor did i see any "helpful" ferry line staff walking the line flogging them deflectors and pointing out the legal requirement to divert their beams. Nor did i see any of the specially marked " for german/French/belgian drivers" beambenders in the ship's shop being sold.

How unlike the situation when we boarded the ferry. Somehow I think we are being scammed here.
A few years ago my benders blew off in the rain in belgium. No-one told me off, and when I got to germany, our interim destination, could i find any in a motoring shop, could I not. The german AA said i could get some on the ferry. see above.

I continued the journey without, day and night driving, and lights on all the time in Austria and not so much as a murmur from anyone.

 

[tony jr]

Last year whilst on holiday in France we were pulled over twice in police spot-checks looking to see if you had a hi-vis jacket onboard. The also checked to see if we had a warning triange, spare bulbs and headlamp deflectors attached. We were advised by the locals to place the hi-vis jacket over the front passanger head rest so it could be seen from the outside. This worked a treat and allowed us to drive through several more police check points without being stopped.

 

[gordonwd]

Ok, I 've had a closer look into the headlamp unit and have so far failed to adjust a lever. Is it the white plastic thing in the attached photo ? If it is, I'm unclear about how to move it. Does it pivot ? Does it rotate ?

David

You have to remove the cap on the headlamp unit to access the inside (as if to replace the bulb). The lever is tucked away to the off-side next to the bulb holder.

 

[Phil D]

Last year whilst on holiday in France we were pulled over twice in police spot-checks looking to see if you had a hi-vis jacket onboard. The also checked to see if we had a warning triange, spare bulbs and headlamp deflectors attached. We were advised by the locals to place the hi-vis jacket over the front passanger head rest so it could be seen from the outside. This worked a treat and allowed us to drive through several more police check points without being stopped.

good shout Tony - can't see why anyone would be so keen to avoid the cost of stick on deflectors (£5 from amazon - free postage) as to take the chance of a fine, quite apart from the consideration point
alternatively you could buy the latest Audi A8, specify their sat nav & the lights adjust automatically according to your location - cool or what ?

 

[Myros]

I didn't avoid the cost

I bought mine before I set off, and enough hi-viz vests to start my own road crew. i was just a bit miffed to see the british motorists being well-reminded to bend their beams in Dover, while everyone else coming from the other side of the channel was left well alone in Calais. I can also state i've never seen anyone work the queue in Boulogne, Dunkirk, Ostend, Zeebrugge, Cherbourg or Caen. That's in 28 years of continental touring by yours truly. If that doesn't strike you as strange, I'll give up. Are we Brits more easily persuaded and law-abiding than our continental counterparts?

 

[gordonwd]

Ok, for anyone still following this thread.............thanks to whitenemesis
(cool handle or what?) I have now successfully adjusted my headlamps for continental driving.

Woohoo! La Rochelle here we come.


David

Pretty much all models -

Models 164, 169, 171, 203, 204.0/2, 209, 211, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, 230, 245, 251
headlamp with projection system (halogen or xenon)

Models 204.0/2, 211 with Intelligent Light System from 1.6.06 and model 216 the headlamps are adjusted using STAR only.

 

[Retired]

Trave l across the water a few times a year and I leave mine adjusted for driving on the right.

Only seems to cut off a bit of the beam and doesn't really make any difference when driving here in the UK.

Reason for adjusting isn't just to avoid the police it's so other drivers are not dazzled by your lights. Seems to me this is the more important reason for doing it.

 

[gordonwd]

I guess the only question that remains is how easy it is to convince the police that your headlamps have indeed been adjusted.

David

Trave l across the water a few times a year and I leave mine adjusted for driving on the right.

Only seems to cut off a bit of the beam and doesn't really make any difference when driving here in the UK.

Reason for adjusting isn't just to avoid the police it's so other drivers are not dazzled by your lights. Seems to me this is the more important reason for doing it.

 

[Pan]

Ok, for anyone still following this thread.............thanks to whitenemesis
(cool handle or what?) I have now successfully adjusted my headlamps for continental driving.

Woohoo! La Rochelle here we come.


David

OK, so gissaclue - was it the white plastic thingy? Or something else?

Peter