LED Headlights in Europe

[jts46]

I wouldn't risk it, the gendarmes wait just outside ports for unsuspecting vehicles no headlamp deflectors can be an €80 spot fine.

John

 

[DM]

jhgf - after seeing the thread this afternoon I had a flick through the manual (still in the kitchen and not back out in the van - sorry HC...) and it clearly states that headlights need adjusting for European travel... I didn't ask for upgrades and am assuming the manual is also referring to vehicles without upgrade...
It would be so handy to be given a list if everything you 'have' got to avoid this endless confusion...

If you didn't order a leadlamp upgrade Alison you will have the standard Halogens which do require deflectors. Many people but a pair of headlamp protectors and put the deflectors on those so you can just put them on and off as required. It saves trying to peel the deflectors off your headlamps when they have been baked on by the heat.

The confusion is over the upgrades. As I understand it the Xenon option is no longer offered - the current upgrade is LEDs. Xenon's used to have to estero touring mode (by a dealer) to flatten the beam. The suggestion is that the LEDs are set with this flat beam as standard and therefore do not need to be adjusted.

 

[jhgf]

If you didn't order a leadlamp upgrade Alison you will have the standard Halogens which do require deflectors. Many people but a pair of headlamp protectors and put the deflectors on those so you can just put them on and off as required. It saves trying to peel the deflectors off your headlamps when they have been baked on by the heat.

The confusion is over the upgrades. As I understand it the Xenon option is no longer offered - the current upgrade is LEDs. Xenon's used to have to estero touring mode (by a dealer) to flatten the beam. The suggestion is that the LEDs are set with this flat beam as standard and therefore do not need to be adjusted.

 

[jhgf]

Thanks for the discussion. I will go back to the dealer and ask specifically about continental headlamp beam adapters for Halogen lights.

Jonathan

 

[Dean Oldfield]

Spoke to a VW Dealer parts department this morning and there are no headlight protectors out yet for a T6 due to a different design. They told me to phone back in a month or two. Are there any other options or just stickers?

 

[WelshGas]

Spoke to a VW Dealer parts department this morning and there are no headlight protectors out yet for a T6 due to a different design. They told me to phone back in a month or two. Are there any other options or just stickers?

Just Stickers at the moment. Cannot find anything for the T6 specifically.

 

[DM]

Spoke to a VW Dealer parts department this morning and there are no headlight protectors out yet for a T6 due to a different design. They told me to phone back in a month or two. Are there any other options or just stickers?

The Eurolites adopters claim to fit all vehicles. There are universal fitting instructions for vehicles not specifically listed. It tells you to use a headlamp alignment machine but I'm pretty sure you could achieve a similar effect simply by playing the beam onto your garage door!

http://www.motoring-into-europe.co.uk/fitting.html

I think that if you have fitted converters it is highly unlikely that the gendarmes will drag you down to a garage to check the alignment - unless of course someone here has experienced that

 

[dynamicstall]

Are there any T6 headlight protectors available yet? My T5 versions won't fit. I've got cheapo lights so would like a pair with stickers to use in Europe.

 

[Dean Oldfield]

They are available now from VW Comercial parts now, about £45 not fitted. They come with stickers

 

[LewisVW]

Hi all, I can confirm that any California ordered with LED Headlights will have an option on the Multi function display which will read 'Travel Mode'. This will enable you to turn the headlights onto the other side for when travelling on the opposite side of the road. Very clever little feature!

 

[Teejay]

Hi all, I can confirm that any California ordered with LED Headlights will have an option on the Multi function display which will read 'Travel Mode'. This will enable you to turn the headlights onto the other side for when travelling on the opposite side of the road. Very clever little feature!

A follow up question does it stay in that mode until you switch it back? I know this may sound madness but I'm sure Volvo's had this and they need to be changed every time you started the engine.

 

[LewisVW]

A follow up question does it stay in that mode until you switch it back? I know this may sound madness but I'm sure Volvo's had this and they need to be changed every time you started the engine.

In regards to this I am not so sure. I have only ever used it once myself and I don't have a California on site with us with LED headlights to try it. Apologies!

 

[Quinnster77]

Thanks for the discussion. I will go back to the dealer and ask specifically about continental headlamp beam adapters for Halogen lights.

Jonathan

Breeze Totton have just told me the same thing for my T6 Ocean with standard lights. No need for deflectors. The manual does contradict this though!

 

[Quinnster77]

Breeze Totton have just told me the same thing for my T6 Ocean with standard lights. No need for deflectors. The manual does contradict this though!

Breeze Totton have printed out the notice about H4 & H7 standard lights. There is no need to convert right hand drive vehicles for European driving.

 

[calimera]

Breeze Totton have printed out the notice about H4 & H7 standard lights. There is no need to convert right hand drive vehicles for European driving.

Have you a copy of the print out about H4 & H7.
We are traveling to France in our T6 0cean with halogen lights.
The question is do we headlight beam deflectors ??

 

[Quinnster77]

Have you a copy of the print out about H4 & H7.
We are traveling to France in our T6 0cean with halogen lights.
The question is do we headlight beam deflectors ??

Yes. Breeze Southampton printed it out. It says converters are not required.

 

[andyinluton]

Just stop with the headlights pointing at a flat surface, garage doors are perfect for this, if the left hand edge of the beam kicks up higher than the right & centre you will need a deflector or masking tape of some sort. If the top of the beam is flat right across you won't need anything.
If the right hand edge kicks up you've got a LHD set of lights.

 

[GrannyJen]

I understand that Halogen use beam detectors, xenon's have set to neutral.

I have Xenons, just driven through crap murky French weather, no one has flashed me, not even with their headlamps

 

[calimera]

Just stop with the headlights pointing at a flat surface, garage doors are perfect for this, if the left hand edge of the beam kicks up higher than the right & centre you will need a deflector or masking tape of some sort. If the top of the beam is flat right across you won't need anything.
If the right hand edge kicks up you've got a LHD set of lights.

Earlier this evening that just what my husband did . He found our T6 headlights did indeed kick up higher . So has attached deflectors.

 

[WelshGas]

Yes. Breeze Southampton printed it out. It says converters are not required.

Could you share this document on the Forum, because as far as I am aware Halogen Headlights require Deflectors for Continental Driving. Zenon and LED do not as they can be set electronically into a Travel Mode for the Continent. This hasn't changed for the T6.

 

[Dean Oldfield]

VW are even selling headlight protectors for the T6, with deflector markings and stick on deflectors so surprised if they are not required.

 

[Loz]

VW are even selling headlight protectors for the T6, with deflector markings and stick on deflectors so surprised if they are not required.

Shock horror! a company selling you something you don't need...

Although acrylic headlamp protectors are a good idea when you see the cost of replacing a headlight unit..

 

[WelshGas]

Shock horror! a company selling you something you don't need...

Although acrylic headlamp protectors are a good idea when you see the cost of replacing a headlight unit..

I have yet to see any evidence that Halogen headlights do not need Deflectors.

 

[Quinnster77]

Shock horror! a company selling you something you don't need...

Although acrylic headlamp protectors are a good idea when you see the cost of replacing a headlight unit..

In defence of VW Breeze Southampton they actually called me to check why I wanted the protectors & told me about the bulletin from VWUK

 

[Quinnster77]

I have yet to see any evidence that Halogen headlights do not need Deflectors.

I will post the bulletin to the forum when I get back from my business trip in the US