Hi ya'll. Looking at Superb estate automatics, the best mpg models, presume diesels.

Currently retired to Spain and present vehicle, partners Honda Insight hybrid (quoted 61.4 mpg) needed new Honda headlights to get thry Spanish MOT/ITV which cost almost €1000 because the headlights arent switchable from RHD to LHD.

Can anyone shed light as to whether the Suprb headlights are switchable RHD to LHD ?  Or will we be stuck having to buy LHD headlights ? If so can anyone point me at a future vendor.

Cant see many if any LHD Superbs on the internet websites and TBH I dont mind driving partners RHD Honda here and have done since March 2017.

Any assistance greatly apreciated.

On my Superb 2 there is a function that can be used to switch the xenon from uk to continental driving for holidays. I have never used it so i don't know whether this is a permanent fix but i cant see why it shouldn't be.

 

U cannot switch between LHD and RHD.

The headlights r either one or the other. They can't perform both as they have different designed shutters, if xenon.

If halogen - the reflectors r different in design, and cannot switch, nor flatten.

U'll need to stick masks on the headlight lens to flatten the beam.

 

with xenons, in "travel mode", either LHD or RHD headlight will "flatten" the beam.

37 minutes ago, JR RS said:

with xenons, in "travel mode", either LHD or RHD headlight will "flatten" the beam.

 

On a MK2 with xenons, tourist mode will:

- disable AFS

- reduce the beam height

- point them right slightly (or left on a LHD) to make up for the lost beam height

 

It can't "flatten" the beam as there is no additional shutter to do it

 

An example from a Golf but the technology and movement should be the same:

 

 

So, I either need to get "proper" lhd headlights or buy a lhd motor then ?, anyone any ideas of cost ?,  cant be as expensive as our honda ones.

Thinking of pre 2015 or whenever the sods at government or dvla imposed the money grabbing cost of more expensive road tax.

Cost will depend if they are halogen or xenon and if they are new or used. Check eBay for some rough prices

 

Fitting will require the front bumper removing on a Superb and if they are xenons, the AFS master will need recoding for LHD driving.

1 hour ago, chevyrecycler34 said:

So, I either need to get "proper" lhd headlights or buy a lhd motor then ?, anyone any ideas of cost ?,  cant be as expensive as our honda ones.

 

U can't buy LHD headlights and stick them in a RHD car.

All sorts of wrong and complications there.

 

@langers2k - I was talking about mk3 headlights, based on my recent research.

With the mk2 Superb, I know it came with AFS2 bi-xenons - hence it has shutters that r capable of flattening the beam.  Similar to how it uses the shutter to adjust the beam for City, Motorway, or wet weather driving scenarios.

Having said that, I have not seen travel mode in action personally on a mk2 superb - so I could b talking BS altogether

Just now, JR RS said:

U can't buy LHD headlights and stick them in a RHD car.

All sorts of wrong and complications there.

 

Of course you can, they are the same physical dimensions and have the same pinout.

 

On halogen based cars, it'll just need the headlight aim doing and your sorted.

If xenons or LEDs are fitted with AFS, then you'll also need to make coding changes for LHD/RHD so it'll move the correct headlamp during AFS modes.

 

Just now, JR RS said:

With the mk2 Superb, I know it came with AFS2 bi-xenons - hence it has shutters that r capable of flattening the beam.  Similar to how it uses the shutter to adjust the beam for City, Motorway, or wet weather driving scenarios.

 

Having said that, I have not seen travel mode in action personally on a mk2 superb - so I could b talking BS altogether

 

The MK2 Superb AFS2 bi-xenons are not able to flatten the beam. To achieve city/motorway/wet weather modes the entire projector is moved to alter the distribution of light.

 

Only bi-xenons with DLA/SLA (dynamic light assist/smart light assist) are fitted with a roller shutter which allow beam shape changes. This was never an option on a MK2 Superb as it requires a 'highline' camera capable of lane assist/traffic sign assist.

 

I did some data logging when I retrofitted xenons to my MK2 Octavia and coded in AHL/AFS2 which showed the projectors moving. The MK2 superb used the same modules and hardware

 

20 minutes ago, JR RS said:

I was talking about mk3 headlights, based on my recent research.

 

I've not looked into the MK3 but I'd expect it to have near identical behaviour.

 

If fitted with AFS2 bi-xenons they'll probably had a simple on/off shutter for high beams and aren't able to change beam pattern.

If fitted with DLA/SLA then they'll have a roller shutter and camera. I'm not sure if the shutter can be used for tourist mode.

 

It's all easy enough to check. The obvious one to enable tourist mode whist facing a wall or to use VCDS and log the headlight/shutter movement during a drive.

11 hours ago, langers2k said:

 

Of course you can, they are the same physical dimensions and have the same pinout.

 

LHD and RHD units will have the same physical dimension and pinouts, but their internals (xenon shutters or halogen reflectors) r different.

 

Skoda manufactures two different series of head lights - one for RHD and one for LHD.

1. LHD units - 3V1.xxx.yyy.z
2. RHD units - 3V2.xxx.yyy.z

 

xxx = halogen or xenon 

yyy = left or right unit 

z = non-SLA or SLA 

its definitely the case for the mk3 Superb headlights. 

i don't know if its the case for the mk2 Superb.

 

 

......u seem to know what ur talking about.

so i'll agree to disagree.

 

Edited 3 October, 20187 yr by JR RS

5 hours ago, JR RS said:

LHD and RHD units will have the same physical dimension and pinouts, but their internals (xenon shutters or halogen reflectors) r different.

 

Skoda manufactures two different series of head lights - one for RHD and one for LHD.

 

I agree with all the above and the part number explanation you gave certainly seem plausible from memory. The first section 3V1/3V1 shares similarities with other VAG cars, it'll be 3T1/3T2 on the MK2 Superb and 1Z1/1Z2 on the MK2 Octavia.

 

6 hours ago, JR RS said:

..u seem to know what ur talking about.

so i'll agree to disagree.

 

It's just what I've picked up from a combination of my own and other peoples experiences, examples and experimentation

 

I'm completely happy to be corrected but I can't see any reason why it's not possible to convert from RHD/LHD or vice versa by swapping the headlights for an equivalent but oppositely handed part. The only caveat I've come across is re-coding the AFS/xenon controller (where fitted) to ensure the correct behaviour.

 

If you know of people that have had issues attempting such a swap I'd be interested to know more.