Headlamp adjustment for Europe

[philhoward]

Anyone know if you can adjust the LH dip to centre dip (or RH) for driving on the other side of the road? Had a look in the handbook and it says "Take it to your service partner"....

Currently (and for the rest of the year, it seems) going to be working weekdays in Germany, then travelling home at weekends. Going to be a pain fitting beam benders every week, especially as its getting dark in the mornings!

[Phil-E]

I think it can only be activated if you have cornering headlights on your car.

Might be worth checking inside the headlight covers though for any levers that may flatten the beam like you can on the Octavia.

Phil

[philhoward]

Had a quick look but couldn't see anything obvious.

Halogen Projectors, and no cornering (I thought that was the fogs?) lights if it makes any difference...

[CrankShaft]

not 100% sure, but i know on my Octavia you can switch pattern by moving a small metal lug which is located around the dip beam bulb area on the back of the headlamp, you flick it either left or right to obtain the correct pattern. and its pain to get onto and move unless you have small hands!

not sure if this is the same on the Fabias, but maybe worth a look?

[Phil-E]

I have a feeling that the Fabia doesn't have the levers.

The fogs are cornering fogs and not cornering lights. The cornering lights are the lights that actually swivel when you turn. You get an option in the Maxidot to enable tourist mode which disable the cornering function and flattens the beam.

You will probably need the headlight stickers.

Might be worth asking a dealer what could be done. There may be another way to do it that isn't designed to be done by the customer but can be if you know what I mean.

Phil

[Tech1e]

Pretty sure the Fabia II does have the levers.

[Phil-E]

This might be an idea. Especially if you plan to make a few trips abroad in the car:

http://www.theskodashop.co.uk/product/Headlight_Protectors_ZGB5J0072100

Might get them a bit cheaper from the dealers I'm not sure.

Personally I use some electrical insulation tape and use the measurements in my owners handbook of the "opaque tape" required to block the "flick" beam from the lights.

Phil

[Phil-E]

Pretty sure the Fabia II does have the levers.

It would make sense wouldn't it.

Not very well documented if it does. They are probably just very hard to see.

Try getting a little mirror and having a look inside the headlight covers on the back.

Phil

[CrankShaft]

This might be an idea. Especially if you plan to make a few trips abroad in the car:

http://www.theskodas...rs_ZGB5J0072100

Might get them a bit cheaper from the dealers I'm not sure.

Personally I use some electrical insulation tape and use the measurements in my owners handbook of the "opaque tape" required to block the "flick" beam from the lights.

Phil

got this from skodas EPAC

Headlamp Protectors Part Number: ZGB5J0072100 Suitable For: Fabia 2007 > and Roomster Information: Product Details: Touring Headlamp Converters are included with the headlamp protectors. These can be easily clipped onto the car whilst you are abroad and provide a neutral beam pattern meaning your headlamps are legal when used abroad. Fitting Time: 50 RRP: £43.00

[philhoward]

I'll have another look this afternoon for some sort of lever - around the bulb area?

Otherwise, I think a set of those clip-on jobs will do the ticket. At £7 a throw, it won't take long to get through a lot of one-time ones...

[Phil-E]

This might be of some help. Here is the guide for the Octavia which uses a similar kind of headlight (halogen bulb behind a projector lense).

http://octavia-vrs.com/cms/content/eu-headlight-conversion

Phil

[philhoward]

OK...had a bit of a "fiddle" and there's some sort of lever to the side of the bulb housing (doing this by feel as couldn't get a decent pic) which was happy to be "flicked". Will pop outside when its dark and see if it makes any difference....

Lever is on the RHS of the bulb housing, looking forwards after taking the rubber cover off and having a grope around. I was tempted to try and take the whole headlamp out - looks to be a Torx screw through the slam panel and a hex head bolt opposite corner?

[sharkrider]

please post how this goes, I have bought stick on headlight converters for my car for the prague trip... would rather not use them If I dont have to! lol...

edit: I bought a GB sticker and headlight converters off ebay for £3 so wasn't expensive!

Edited 30 August, 2012 by sharkrider

[philhoward]

Its not dark yet....

[philhoward]

OK - just done a quick static check and the lights to appear to dip to the right now

Will try them out on a road in the morning and report back...but looks like its a 2 minute fiddle under the bonnet

[philhoward]

Had a lie in this morning, so didn't get chance to try them in the dark but will confirm for sure at some point over the next few days. Must remember to flick them back when waiting for the ferry this afternoon....

Should anyone have a picture of the internals of the Projector headlamp, I can point out the magic lever...

[PeteMal]

Thanks for the info Phil, will have a check of mine later today. Is this lever on the rhs of both right and left hand lights?

[philhoward]

Yep - so for drivers side (UK car), its the wing side; for other side its the battery side. Will have another go at getting a pic later on (didn't get chance to do them as went straight onto the ferry yesteday rather than the normal waiting time when I check the oil level). If I remember when its dark, I'll try and get a pic of the beam.

I think you might be able to have one lever up and one down and have "flat" dipping (so no need to change), but you'll not light up as much of the kerb...

[philhoward]

Tricky to take pictures of inside a headlamp, but hopefully this will give you an idea..

[sharkrider]

thanks for the picture Phill, I'm going to be having a play before we go next week ....

[philhoward]

Not been fully dark when I've been out (dusk/dawn times) so pics didn't come out but they really do work as proper LH dip/RH dip headlamps with the levers the other way.

Edited 6 September, 2012 by philhoward

[PeteMal]

Yep - so for drivers side (UK car), its the wing side; for other side its the battery side. Will have another go at getting a pic later on (didn't get chance to do them as went straight onto the ferry yesteday rather than the normal waiting time when I check the oil level). If I remember when its dark, I'll try and get a pic of the beam.

I think you might be able to have one lever up and one down and have "flat" dipping (so no need to change), but you'll not light up as much of the kerb...

Thanks, sorry for delay, but not been on the site for a while. But yipee... I've got my briskoda sticker !!!!

[pumpsmynads]

I think there's a solution without getting your hands dirty. According to the owners manual:

Activating tourist light

Before activating the tourist light, the following conditions must be met.

Ignition switched off, light switched off (light switch in the position O), control dial for the headlamp beam adjustment in the position -, no gear engaged or selector lever in the position N (automatic gearbox), tourist light deactivated.

› Switch on the ignition.

within 10 seconds of the ignition being switched on:

› Turn the light switch to position (full on)

› Engage reverse gear (manual gearbox) or move the selector lever into the posi-

tion R (automatic gearbox);

› Turn the control dial for headlamp beam adjustment from the position - to the

position 3

I haven't tried this myself but will do so tomorrow out of curiosity.

[philhoward]

Thats to deactivate the cornering fog lights (if fitted)...and isn't fitted to mine.

Given the time taken to fit and remove those stick on beam benders, I'm sticking with a minutes worth of underbonnet fiddling - when checking the oil, of course (its a vRS)

[JerryT]

thanks for the picture Phill, I'm going to be having a play before we go next week ....

Sharkrider, did you find these on your vRS or is it specific to the 'black pack' projectors that were first fitted to the Monte Carlo last year? If you do have them, are they located near the bulb behind the rubber cover or on the actual headlight unit itself?