I want to mask the xenon (AFS II) lights on my Elegance for travel to euroland. Does anyone know if I can use bog standard ones from, say, Halfords, or will I have to get special ones for xenons.

You have a traveller mode that does it inside the light.

If you have maxidot it should be under there called tourist mode or something similar.

Is that a motorised option?

You have a traveller mode that does it inside the light.

If you have maxidot it should be under there called tourist mode or something similar.

Thanks for quick reply.

I'm not sure how to do traveller mode (dealer advises not to try mechanical adjustment as per non-xenon lights). Do the lights have to be dismantled?

Unfortunately I don't have maxidot.

Regards

Xenon lights are supposed to have a self levelling, self aiming function (by law). There must be a way to aim them for LHD electronically so if you don't have a Maxidot display somebody with a VAG com may be able to do it for you.

Before you go too far I would sit down and read your owners manual you will probably find that the procedure is explained in there (it is in mine for the Maxidot).

I would bet money that no disassembling or mechanical procedure is required.

You don't need to disassemble them on the newest cars and since yours is AFS II, I'm assuming you've got a face lift model.

If so you'll need somebody with VCDS to set it for you.

On pre FL cars it's a slider that is moved up and down and since i have not seen an FL car up close I can't promise that they all have the tourist mode option as per the superb.

Having just driven to Austria,all i had during darkness was people flashing me because i was blinding them,i have maxidot but i don't recall been able to adjust them from there ant help would be appreciated.

Having just driven to Austria,all i had during darkness was people flashing me because i was blinding them,i have maxidot but i don't recall been able to adjust them from there ant help would be appreciated.

Page 61 of your owners manual

Tourist light*

This mode makes it possible to drive in countries with opposing traffic system,

driving on the left/right, without dazzling the oncoming vehicles. When the mode

“tourist light” is active, the side to side swivel of the headlights is deactivated.

The mode “tourist light” is activated / deactivated via the information display* in the

menu:

SETUP (Settings)

Travel mode

Off

On

Page 61 of your owners manual

Tourist light*

This mode makes it possible to drive in countries with opposing traffic system,

driving on the left/right, without dazzling the oncoming vehicles. When the mode

“tourist light” is active, the side to side swivel of the headlights is deactivated.

The mode “tourist light” is activated / deactivated via the information display* in the

menu:

SETUP (Settings)

Travel mode

Off

On

If you have Xenons, this does NOT work for non-xenon lights

It does not work for pre FL cars with xenons or non-xenons either. They have to be done the old fashioned way, headlight out and move a slider to alter the beam pattern, shown here:

http://www.octavia-vrs.com/technical/EU_headlight.htm

Edited 4 March, 201016 yr by peter0976

It does not work for pre FL cars with xenons or non-xenons either. They have to be done the old fashioned way, headlight out and move a slider to alter the beam pattern, shown here:

http://www.octavia-vrs.com/technical/EU_headlight.htm

Hummm

An awful lot of "faffing".

Think I'll stick to the £5 stick-on deflectors

Hummm

An awful lot of "faffing".

Think I'll stick to the £5 stick-on deflectors

Agree - I'm just leaving mine on permanently - Xenons work just as well in the UK and no problems on the continent. Local garage quoted 2 hours labour to flatten or reverse the beam - not worth the thick end of £100.

Agree - I'm just leaving mine on permanently - Xenons work just as well in the UK and no problems on the continent. Local garage quoted 2 hours labour to flatten or reverse the beam - not worth the thick end of £100.

Thanks to all for replies.

My dealer said they would change the lights (they are xenon AFS II) but didn't say what the cost would be. If it is as much as £100 a go I'm in trouble as I go to France every month so that would add up to £1000 per year! Les flics are very hard if they catch you driving with lights that dazzle oncoming traffic.

Solution seems to be either use good old masking method or get a VAG gizmo and learn to do it like a pro.

By the way, what do continentals do when they visit UK - I have never seen them with masked lights. Perhaps euro versions of modern cars have as standard equipment mechanical/electronic devices for driving on the right hand side. My wife reckons they just don't bother!

if you have AFS then the beam blockers (they dont reflect or deflect anything) are useless. The AFS system constantly adjusts the beam pattern based on vehicle speed and weather conditions, so the beam is never the same.

Thanks to all for replies.

My dealer said they would change the lights (they are xenon AFS II) but didn't say what the cost would be. If it is as much as £100 a go I'm in trouble as I go to France every month so that would add up to £1000 per year! Les flics are very hard if they catch you driving with lights that dazzle oncoming traffic.

Solution seems to be either use good old masking method or get a VAG gizmo and learn to do it like a pro.

By the way, what do continentals do when they visit UK - I have never seen them with masked lights. Perhaps euro versions of modern cars have as standard equipment mechanical/electronic devices for driving on the right hand side. My wife reckons they just don't bother!

If you go abroad that often it might be worth retrofitting maxidot. With maxidot it literally takes 30 secs to change your AFS II xenons between LHD and RHD.

Edited 5 March, 201016 yr by peter0976

Agreed, a retrofit maxidot might be a good idea.

Otherwise I'm sure somebody in the local area can sort you out for a beer token.

Agreed, a retrofit maxidot might be a good idea.

Otherwise I'm sure somebody in the local area can sort you out for a beer token.

Thanks to mannyo, peter0976 and cheezemonkhai for suggestions.

So it appears that for xenon AFS:

a) masks don' t work,

can't change them by hand (according to dealer), and

c) for frequent travellers to euroland dealer visits are inconvenient and expensive.

The owner's manual blithely states that for use in Europe the car should be taken to dealer for the lights to be changed (unless of course the car is fitted with maxi dot)

So why do Skoda allow the xenon option ( cost £600) without the maxi dot option albeit for another £125

If Skoda senior people read this forum perhaps they could explain.

It does not work for pre FL cars with xenons or non-xenons either. They have to be done the old fashioned way, headlight out and move a slider to alter the beam pattern, shown here:

http://www.octavia-vrs.com/technical/EU_headlight.htm

Ok just joined this list and think i have the same problem - new Octavia with xenon lights and no maxidot

i called into my dealer who said no problem open unit as if going to change the bulb and flick the leaver..... I followed the link above but the 2010 Octavia headlamp seems to look a little different ..... bottom line is i cannot find the lever to turn anywhere.

Can anyone help with this?

Ok just joined this list and think i have the same problem - new Octavia with xenon lights and no maxidot

i called into my dealer who said no problem open unit as if going to change the bulb and flick the leaver..... I followed the link above but the 2010 Octavia headlamp seems to look a little different ..... bottom line is i cannot find the lever to turn anywhere.

Can anyone help with this?

I'm surprised Skoda are still allowing octavias destined for UK to have xenon lights without maxidot. Skoda UK told me that the AFS xenons on FL octavias cannot be changed manually - you must have maxidot. Go back to dealer and get him or his customer service dept to confirm that you do not have maxidot. If this is the case ie no maxidot contact Skoda UK via their webpage for advice.

Thanks for that.... looks like another trip back to Brum on monday

If i do have a maxidot i cant get intonitwith the instructions from the manual anyway!

Thanks for that.... looks like another trip back to Brum on monday

If i do have a maxidot i cant get intonitwith the instructions from the manual anyway!

A thought to save you a wasted journey to dealer, check your order or invoice for the elegance. Maxidot is an optional extra (last year was £120 but now is £130) so it should appear on order form or invoice. Also I've been told that if you have maxidot then when you open a door, a matrix plan of the car should appear on the trip computer screen between rev counter and speedo showing which door is open.

I agree the manual is not very clear; it took me a while to realise that you need maxidot to access "tour mode" for xenons.

Best of luck.

I work at the Channel tunnel, and I would say as little as 5% of vehicles I see have the directional stickers and I can't imagine many manufacturers have adjustable lights! so I wouldn't bother! And to be honest how many foreign cars do you see over hear with the stickers?

I work at the Channel tunnel, and I would say as little as 5% of vehicles I see have the directional stickers and I can't imagine many manufacturers have adjustable lights! so I wouldn't bother! And to be honest how many foreign cars do you see over hear with the stickers?

Yes good point, but in France and perhaps elsewhere it is illegal to dazzle on coming traffic, and these days the French police are less forgiving towards les rosbifs.

Yes good point, but in France and perhaps elsewhere it is illegal to dazzle on coming traffic, and these days the French police are less forgiving towards les rosbifs.

OK spoken to Skoda UK - no maxidot just the trip, no ability to manual adjust only option is dealer to change - advised chargeable item........ as i leave 4am sat will be driving in the dark - Skoda UK quote ' don’t think that is illegal as lots of people do it' - asked them if they would like to pay my fine if i get pulled up.......

tried to discuss why i was not informed about this when i bought the car as discussed trips abroad etc and just now bounced back to dealer saying discuss with them

The xenon’s just happened to be on the car as it was not a bespoke build so why on earth did Skoda build it without the maxidot as well - crazy for £130 on a £20k car...........

like others say many don’t bother but if you do get pulled the French police are not sympathetic to you so i don’t think it is worth the risk personally........

Anyway off for a 'discussion' with the dealership that sold me what is otherwise a really nice car and soiled but an irritating minor feature........ need to sort something as go to France 5/6 times a year and i don’t want to have to go to and fro to the dealer before and after each trip let alone pay then to make the adjustments...........