Headlight converters
We are about to take our first trip abroad with the van and hope we have understood nearly all requirements.
However I cannot make up my mind on one issue. Do I need headlight converters? Advice on all sites checked so far suggests it is compulsory, however my Land Rover manual states that the headlights are set in a way that does not need conversion.
My belief therefore is I do not need a converyer, but would the French police agree.
Anyone have exact knowledge of this question. Guidance would be very much appreciated.
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Don't know what LR you have, but my previous LR (later models) with halogen units had one 'bulb' per headlamp unit and a shutter activated for dipped and full beam. This gave a flat beam on dipped, so perfectly acceptable whatever side of the road you drove on. Older models also had a lever under the bonnet adjacent to headlamp where two 'bulbs' per headlamp were in use.
My present new car has xenon units but still use the shutter system, again no faffing needed abroad.
Like you, I was initially apprehensive so I got LR customer services to Email me it in writing.
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Thanks Metheven, we have the same headlight system it appears, so I guess you had no problem abroad.
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Depending on make and model, some cars have an symmetrical beam pattern that doesn't require any action, or an asymmetrical beam pattern can be changed either by hand at the headlamp units themselves or by using the on-board computer menu. Some even recognise which side of the road one is driving on and change an asymmetrical beam pattern automatically. The owner's handbook should give details.
If none of the above applies I would recommend simply setting the beam as low as possible so the asymmetrical 'kick up' to the left does not dazzle oncoming traffic on the Continent. After all, that is all that that the law requires. Beam converters can cause reflections and hence scatter within the headlamp unit which can do exactly the opposite of their intention. In fact, for exactly that reason, xenon and other high energy discharge headlamps must not be used in conjunction with headlamp converters.
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My previous car and this one has no markers on the lens for deflector fitting, and flat beam needs no modification. The halogen ones did have a levelling thumbwheel but that was meant for the loading adjustment of the car.
My xenon ones are self levelling and require no adjustment for varying car loading, plus with it being shutter controlled there is no 'kick up' to worry about.
It was apparent when travelling through the long tunnels abroad, that traffic from the opposite direction was not dazzled or blinded by my lights which gave me confidence LR were correct (for once).
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Thanks Guys that puts my mind at rest.
Metheven If you still have your LR and experience any DPF issues, ask for the Throttle Body to be checked. I had several weeks of issues until an experienced fitter checked mine and replaced. Issue has since disappeared. The issue was that the sticking valve was preventing correct fuel level provision for the re-gen to take place.
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Beam converters can cause reflections and hence scatter within the headlamp unit which can do exactly the opposite of their intention. In fact, for exactly that reason, xenon and other high energy discharge headlamps must not be used in conjunction with headlamp converters.
When we last went, as our xenon headlights had a kick up, and I could find no other way of correcting them, I bought some converters. The AA certainly think they are OK for xenon, Q6 on the frequently asked questions. It was also stated on the packet.
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My RR also uses ad-blue but faced a very large bill for a replacement Filter following warning lights and LR telling me it was my driving style and not accepting a warranty issue. Turned out to be the Throttle Body faulty, not thefilter.
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The advice given by the AA is contrary to what the product design engineer responsible for vehicle lighting in our company said. He was very adamant that headlamp converters should not be used due to the danger of causing scatter, especially with modern high energy discharge systems. In fact, unless the lens converters are type approved, and I think few if any are, they are illegal in Germany.
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We used to watch men at ferry ports (always men ) kneeling in prayer facing the altar which is their car, sticking bits on their headlights. But no one was doing it last weekend.
They say "when all else fails read the handbook" and it must be that men have finally started to observe what that good book says. So no Brits in the ferry queue at Roscoff to come back this morning were having to peel them off again, and certainly no French coming over here were sticking them on. But they never did, did they.
Sticky bits on headlights seem to be truly dead.
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Nor me. A couple of years ago in Austria navigating through several two way tunnels it was not a problem on the lowest setting. In a tunnel you get a better idea of the beam pattern and how it affects the other lane.
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Your choice if you both want to flaunt correct legislation. You still have kick up on the wrong side and whilst you may take this away from oncoming traffic, you both have reduced your own illumination of the road ahead.
To counteract that requires reducing speed well below the usual flow of the traffic, which in itself is also dangerous.
All because you think you know better and can't be bothered.
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My recently traded-in nearly-ten-years-old VW Touran had switches in the dipped beam headlights for driving on the right. Now I have a 2017 VW Caravelle and, reading the manual, I find that I have to stick black patches on the external surface of the lenses. Have VW lost the plot? Considering the much later year and relatively more expensive vehicle, this surely is a backward step by VW?
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None of what you have said is borne out by my experience and I do pay special attention to this issue and I am not in the least laissez-faire about it. Perhaps worth saying that I drive a motorhome which has a slightly nose down attitude on the road compared to a car. I am also interested in what legislation you are referring to? My understanding of the law is that you must not dazzle oncoming vehicles it does not say you must have beam converters that as Lutz points out are as likely to make the matters worse. It is a personal choice and mine is that having carefully looked at how my vehicle performs in terms of illumination whilst driving on the right I do not cause any inconvenience to on coming drivers.
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As I said,your choice on whether you think you have enough forward illumination by lowering the car loading thumbwheel.
In order to get rid of the dazzle, the headlamp would have to be set so low that your forward vision would be severely compromised and your headlight beam pattern would be deemed to be too ‘short’ and therefore would be ‘illegal’.
There is a solution out there for every vehicle headlight, it makes sense to use that rather than use a device not intended for that purpose.
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Even if not driving at night, French law demands that dipped headlights are used in heavy rain. A similar law exists in the UK, but French police are more vigilant in catching offending drivers than are the UK police.
In the absence of built-in dipped beam alteration for driving on the right, I will be taking the time and trouble to ensure that my vehicle is correctly equipped with the necessary lens blanking. The readiness of the French police to impose a 90+ Euros on-the-spot fine is pretty good encouragement to get things right beforehand.
Whilst on the subject of lights, be sure to carry spares for every road light bulb on the vehicle, and don't be lax in changing a blown bulb. We know an ex-Pat who lives in France, and he was 'done' for one of his two rear number plate lights being out.
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A similar law exists in the UK, but French police are more vigilant in catching offending drivers than are the UK police.
I admit to being unaware of any such English 'Law' requiring headlamp use in heavy rain. Although commonsense dictates usage for me in such conditions.
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I should point out that I don't drive at night. Some countries require lights to be used all the time even in daylight and some require lights when its raining so dipping them to the lowest point helps with that. But back to sufficient illumination. When driving in tunnels they are usually lit so the need for enough illumination is not really important because if you have the vehicle lights on you can see and be seen. I don't understand you point about being illegal. If a vehicle as a range of settings for headlights how can it be illegal to use the settings of your choice? If that were the case surely the vehicle would be illegal?
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But you're using that 'range of settings' for something other than its intended use ie when you have boot load of stuff & your car is nose high, not to try to make an asymmetrical beam pattern symmetrical. I have 2 cars without the adjuster you're referring to ..... one is low enough & rigid enough on its suspension & t'other is on air front & back with self levelling suspension..
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Personally I will continue to use the beam converters. Even with our xenons, when I tested them they worked well and there was no scatter. I take Lutz's point about type approval for Germany, however I have no plans to go there at the moment. The French are certainly happy enough with them and if stopped for other matters, it clearly shows you are complying in the lighting department. So one less thing for them to check.😀
Re tunnels, all the ones I have used on the continent have had a sign indicating dipped beams are obligatory, even in the ones with lights. Mine flick on automatically, so at least I know I won't be dazzling anyone.
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Dipped headlights are a requirement in tunnels in Spain as well. The tunnel at El Altet just south of Alicante airport is a happy hunting ground for the Guardia Civil with hire cars.
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