Adjusting Bi-xenons for European driving...?
 

Can anyone tell me what's required to change the beam pattern on a 2002 S8 for driving on the right? Is it a dealer-only adjustment?

Ta in advance,
Zip

Believe it is stealer only - had a look myself last year - ended up not bothering and drove around France for 3 weeks - 95% daytime driving+++

I've looked into this breifly in the past.

The Standard facelift xenons (which you're unlikely to have on a 2002) should have a switch in them which allows you to move the beam pattern dead central, which is acceptable for european driving...

The Xenon plus which you will most likely have I seem to recall are unadjustable and dont need a adjusting for use on the continent. Now, I dont really understand how that can be, so I'm just blindly passing on something I read somewhere (!)

Might be worth a call to the stealer to confirm, but I confess after years of worrying about it, sticking crap to my headlights and farting around, I now work on the basis that in summer months 90%+ of the time is spent during daylight hours, dusk you can run on sidelights and for the few moments you need to use your headlights, they'll get over it :rolleyes:

(Probably should insert some dislaimer here about how its not a good idea, I dont condone it, etc etc, you get the gist, you're on your own...!)

Wow... Looks like i was right... Its been a tough day, best sit down for a bit +++




Servicing headlights

Converting headlights for LH or RH traffic
When driving in countries where traffic drives on the side opposite that of the homeland of the vehicle, both headlights must be adjusted so that the asymmetrical dipped beam does not impair other motorists' vision.

Note:




Bi-xenon headlights do not need to be converted.

• ‒ Remove large housing cover from headlight housing.

Attachment 245

• ‒ → Check the switchover lever position -1- for both headlights.

Left headlight:

• • ‒ Lever down = right-hand traffic
  • ‒ Lever up = left-hand traffic

Right headlight:

• • ‒ Lever down = Left-hand traffic
  • ‒ Lever up = Right-hand traffic

• ‒ Move the lever into the desired position as necessary -arrows- until it engages -arrows-.
• ‒ Reinstall the housing cover.

How bizarre...
 

...I really don't understand how the Xenon pluses can not need adjusting. I'm sure the beam pattern on dipped points to the nearside of the road...will have to check later.

Thanks for the research...when the gendarme pull me, I'll just say "Ian told me I didn't need to do anything".

In my best French, of course...:cool:

Zip

nope, makes no sense to me either....

Beam patterns should favour the pavement, and when driving on the wrong side, you should thus be blinding other drivers...

oh well

cest la vie.. :D

Happened to bump into this on a VAG-COM thread... Was related to the B7 platform, but I imagine it's the same across the range.

Xenon Headlight adjustment for Europe

Adaptation Channel 10 of the Xenon Headlamp Range Control module (address 55), it's called "Tourist Option". Set this to 1 (it's normally 0) and you will have headlights that no longer dip to the left.

Pretty sure that was a similar situation with the Passat Xenons too.

Hmm, you will have to show me how to do this at the meet Ian, I am going to be driving through France,Belguim & Amsterdam all through the night soon. :D

Hmmm,

Does tourist option mean they are central or dip to the right.....If its right then you need to swap it back for this country....fine if you have VAGCOM for traveling, but a pain otherwise ???

Is there a plugin that will switch or something as going to the dealer everytime you go away could be a royal pain !

Lee

Tried adaptation channel 10 on A8 D2 2002 with bi-xenon. This channel doesn't exist.