European headlight change

[BrynMawr]

I Have just bought a 2013 Octavia Estate Elegance in the UK  and will drive it home to France. The garage has told me that they can change the headlight by "flattening the lens,?" now, I am not sure what that means so if you can help it just may save me spending 500 euros on French Headlights.

 

I really would appreciate some views on this, Many Thanks in advance

[@Lee]

does your car have normal halogen headlamps or xenon headlamps?

If normal then usually there's a lever to adjust the beam pattern to avoid distracting oncoming drivers (flattening the beam)

If you have Xenon then you can alter the headlamp angle for continental driving in Maxidot.

[john999boy]

If you have Xenon then you can alter the headlamp angle for continental driving in Maxidot.

Whilst that would be okay in the short term, I doubt it would pass whatever the French equivalent of the mot is though.

[@Lee]

Whilst that would be okay in the short term, I doubt it would pass whatever the French equivalent of the mot is though.

SWMBO's Yeti was here from Germay with the Xenon/ Maxidot thing and never flashed or pulled in three years (I'm on about for the headlights still lol) but yes, I agree in the long term it would be better for the OP to buy genuine LHD headlamps. IIRC they're cheaper than their RHD counterparts on the continent.

[john999boy]

Thinking about it, won't it need 'something else' to fully satisfy the authorities as it'll be an import in France? Surely Mrs Lee01's Yeti would have needed the English version too?

[@Lee]

Thinking about it, won't it need 'something else' to fully satisfy the authorities as it'll be an import in France? Surely Mrs Lee01's Yeti would have needed the English version too?

Mrs Lee01's car was here legally as a company car. Some German law or loophole or something lol

 

IIRC if the car goes back to its home country for the MoT/ TuF/ French MoT equivalent then no need to change headlamps.

Might be more to it but SWMBO's was here legit.

[glosrich]

If a cars here for 6 months or more it has to be registered here and lights converted appropriately.

There are loop holes armed forces, diplomats etc and we've all seen many eu workers here who dont bother and they've been here since 2004!

[BrynMawr]

The Control Technique( French MOT) is every 2 years here and the car has to be 4 years old to need it. As I have not collected the car yet ( In fact never even driven one!!!!!) not sure what maxidot is???

I will call the service guys on Monday and if they can alter them in the short term I will have 12 months to get the new ones, Many thanks

[silver1011]

The term they use 'flattening the beam' is just that. It is designed for temporary use when taking the car overseas i.e. on holiday.

 

The passenger side headlight in normal mode kicks up a bit higher here in the UK to aide forward vision. However, when driving on the right that same passenger side headlight is now aimed directly in to the faces of oncoming traffic.

 

Flattening the beam reduces or flattens the kick-up thus preventing dazzle.

 

As already mentioned the standard halogen headlights have a manual lever inside the headlight to perform this operation. Higher spec cars or those with the cost option of factory fitted bi-xenon headlights allow for the flattening function to be activated from inside the car using the on-board computer (tourist mode).

Edited 4 September, 2016 by silver1011

[flybynite]

If you have AFS xenon and nav it does it automatically when you cross the channel. Simply points them the other way

 

Even lights the other fog light (unless you've VCDS'd them both on  )

[lulzyboy]

Does every halogen headlight have this lever? I can't find it on my LHD one which would have been useful when I went to UK a month ago. Also in regards to would you pass with a flatlined beam, by EU regulation you have to be allowed to pass the inspection because you're not blinding anyone or causing glare. If the French the decide to hold to it or not is another question. I've registered many RHD cars here with flatlined lights without an issue

[Rodge]

The manual says that Octavia III halogens need adjusting "at a specialist garage", which will probably just give a flat beam. I presume most people just stick a piece of tape somewhere over the lamp to make it look like they've tried? Do the Xenons just go flat when set for the other side, or do they have the appropriate kick up?

[cheezemonkhai]

The Halogen lever was inside the headlight and visible with the bulb removed and the headlamp on a table on the MK2.

[lulzyboy]

The Halogen lever was inside the headlight and visible with the bulb removed and the headlamp on a table on the MK2.

 

Yeah it's not in the LHD versions. I guess this only applies to the RHD models of headlights then :(

[Black_Sheep]

@Rodge

The xenon beams are flat beamed and project over a narrower field of view in continental driving mode. In addition, the AFS (beams moving with steering / speed) is also disabled in this mode.

In terms of the halogen lights, the lever that people refer to was in the Mk2 Octavia, and both LHD and RHD lights had the lever - there is no such lever in the Mk3, hence the info in the manual - however, in order to pass the light test in Germany the Mk3 halogen lights had to be swapped as the beam could be lowered for temporary visits (holidays), but the kick up to the near side was still present.

[BrynMawr]

It seems that I wll have to use stickers to get home and then change the headlights, thansk for all the useful comments

[lulzyboy]

@Rodge

The xenon beams are flat beamed and project over a narrower field of view in continental driving mode. In addition, the AFS (beams moving with steering / speed) is also disabled in this mode.

In terms of the halogen lights, the lever that people refer to was in the Mk2 Octavia, and both LHD and RHD lights had the lever - there is no such lever in the Mk3, hence the info in the manual - however, in order to pass the light test in Germany the Mk3 halogen lights had to be swapped as the beam could be lowered for temporary visits (holidays), but the kick up to the near side was still present.

 

I can assure you 100% it isn't in the LHD headlight. LHD models also had a different halogen headlight to the RHD one

[john999boy]

What was the reason for not buying the car in France Brynmawr?

[sussexvet]

I have driven through France and Spain a number of times since I bought my L&K Octavia 111 in December 2014.

Whenever I have the satnav operational (Columbus) I see a message on my maxidot screen advising that my headlights have been adjusted for driving on the right hand side of the road once I am on the French roads. I assume I must have changed a setting in the Tourist part of settings.

Whether this would pass any French MOT rules I haven't a clue.

Hope this helps.

[silver1011]

The manual says that Octavia III halogens need adjusting "at a specialist garage", which will probably just give a flat beam.

 

 

@Rodge

In terms of the halogen lights, the lever that people refer to was in the Mk2 Octavia, and both LHD and RHD lights had the lever - there is no such lever in the Mk3, hence the info in the manual.

 

The MkII manual said this too, yet there was a lever.

[Phil-E]

If your car has xenons it will adjust the light automatically as above.

With halogens it's either the beam stickers or new headlights.

Huge step backwards as the MK2 could be adjusted either with halogens or xenons.

[Guest]

Huge step backwards for owners, but not for the dealerships when people intending to travel to Europe have to take their car to them for something that used to be a five minute job you done whilst waiting for the ferry doors to open.

For all the technological advances brought in for the MKIII over the MkII, it's the Simple things that have been omitted/dropped that I notice more;the lights in the door, puddle lights in the mirrors, right foot rest, blind spot segment in the mirrors, the retractable parcel shelf storage box, the lidded cubby on the dash, the lidded cubbies in the boot, the storage compartment in the rear arm rest.

[Black_Sheep]

I can assure you 100% it isn't in the LHD headlight. LHD models also had a different halogen headlight to the RHD one

Must have been dreaming every time I changed it at the ferry port on the way back to uk.

[lulzyboy]

Must have been dreaming every time I changed it at the ferry port on the way back to uk.

UK headlights are http://www.theskodashop.co.uk/pub/files/.thumbnails/1240587667_ZGB1Z0072100_w450_h400.jpg while European headlights are http://cms2.netnews.cz/files/shop-images/6495308/9178-xenon-O2-predface.jpg

 

I've checked an 07 Mk2 and an 04 Mk2 and neither of them had the adjustment lever. Maybe the facelift had it?

[Rogerstone]

Brexit innit