Headlamps dip to the right!

[CMR]

Hope this right section to post...

Quick question:

My RHD W203 2001 C240 has failed its MOT on having the dipped headlamp beam 'kick up' to the offside. Can they be adjusted at all? (Re-test is tomorrow)


Background info:
The car has already gone through two MOT's already with no problem so I don't know why its only come up now, however, that said, it is not to say that the above is necessarily wrong, only maybe the beam direction hasn't been noticed before because its a RHD drive vehicle and may have been taken for granted by some 'get it through quick' testers.

Regardless, with the W203 lamps I fear that they cannot be adjusted? and is
there any way of knowing if these are actually set for LHD? The rear fog lamp lights up on the right, is that RHD?

The car is German built (not SA as some of C Class were) and according to MB made for Switzerland however as far as I know, it was only destined for the UK market and registered there with only 1 UK owner. You would have thought a Pre Delivery Inspection would have picked up the beam direction? Technically it is an import (but not a grey import)

Any thoughts? and where do I go from here to get it through the re-test?
I've ordered stickers to hopefully keep the tester happy in the short term.

Thanks for any help...

 

[television]

To me it looks as though the car was registered in the UK it could have the Swiss spec for lights.

Are they Xenon or normal

 

[CMR]

They are normal ones. If headlamps were LHD wouldnt the rear fog lamp be too? I presume there is no adjustment then?

 

[television]

headlamps of the normal type are not adjustable for dipping, only the beam.

re the rear fog, you can fit a bulb in either side normally

 

[jberks]

Headlamps kick up to the right and made initially for Switzerland - points to lighting set up for LHD roads though as you say, the fog light is right.
The first thing I'd check is that the bulbs are in correctly. Misaligned bulbs can wreak havok with the beam pattern. If they are then perhaps the pattern is wrong.

Projector and Xenon headlights can be switched L/R normally, but conventional headlamps take their beam pattern from the lense pattern which is embossed into the glass.
I suspect the correct solution would be to source a couple of UK headlamps. You could try the breakers - Mercman or Dronsfields or else your dealer. On a lot of Mercs, it's possible to change the front lense glass (easier if you break a headlight) so a call to the dealer may not be as futile or expensive as you expect.

 

[CMR]

Great thanks for your replies. I doubt it is misalignment (unless it is easy to misalign bulbs?) as these are the original and it would mean that both happen to be misligned but worth a go anyway. What do I do? twiddle them round a bit? (Mb dealer said that I would have to buy two new whole units for replacement).

 

[television]

You will have to buy two new units as Jberks says, a breaker is a good source.

Yours will sell on Ebay

 

[jberks]

Are we sure you can't get the glass?
I know you could on a 202 and I am pretty sure you can on a 210. Not sure about the 203 admittedly but I'd always taken it as an MB tradition.

 

[CMR]

Not sure, but the fact that during my quick research these units are all stated as either LHD or RHD would seem just the glass isn't an option but I will make some calls. Thanks for your help anyway (tv & jberks), why the original owner got LHD in the first place on a RHD for the UK god only knows

 

[motman]

re headlamps

headlamp masks are acceptable for mot,it even has a ready made advise in computer saying headlamp masks fitted,rule book says for temporary use but temporary is not defined.