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Kirky
16-01-2007, 12:08 PM
Hi

Just joined the forum and have a question already!

I've owned a number of VW & Audi's in the past and have just taken delivery of a New A6 Avant

I'm off on a trip to France soon and does anyone know if it is possible to change the bean pattern on the headlamps for when driving on the right?

I had a Passat a few years back and I know this was possible

Any tips would be appreciated ;)

Cheers

Kirky

Teutonic_Tamer
16-01-2007, 07:25 PM
Hi Kirky, and welcome to the forum.

Righty, exactly what type of headlamps do you have? If they are "single" dip-only Xenon, then you will need the proper beam benders from the main *******. If they are the Bi-Xenon type, then the following link might help (you can tell if they are the Bi-Xenon with a simple test - park the car 10-20 or so feet away from a wall/garage door/fence/side of bulding, front of car facing the wall, turn of engine, but leave ignition on, switch on dipped beam headlamps. Look at the beam pattern on the wall, then, whilst standing outside, listen carefully and switch to main beam - you should hear a noticeable clunk within the headlamp unit, and you should also notice the pattern of the original dipped Xenon beam change to a "fuller" beam, as well as noticing the Halogen main).
http://www.forum.golfgti.co.uk/index.php?topic=51636.0

You will need fingers of a pixie mind you, as space is pretty tight.

Let us know how you get on, rgds.

Kirky
17-01-2007, 10:03 AM
Thanks Sean :beerchug:

I think the lights are the standard halogen type as I know I did not upgrade to the bi-xenon's so I think I am left to face a visit to the dealer

Also, my car has the CD based Nav which has the UK & Ireland disc as standard and I am looking at getting hold of a CD for France. I think Audi want the thick end of £100.00 for the CD. Does anyone know of an alternative option?

Cheers

Kirky

Teutonic_Tamer
17-01-2007, 11:08 AM
Thanks Sean :beerchug:

I think the lights are the standard halogen type as I know I did not upgrade to the bi-xenon's so I think I am left to face a visit to the dealer

OK, another way to tell whether you have Xenon or not - do you have the manual headlamp leveling. Usually, just to the left of the main light switch will be either one or two thumbwheels. If you have two, then one will be for dimming the brightness of the instument backlighting, and the other (sometimes has numbers "0, 1, 2, 3, 4") will be for manually lowering the headlamp beams, for when you have heavy loads in the boot and/or back seats. If you do not have the manual headlamp leveling, then you do have Xenons. Also, Xenons must have headlamp wash, but this isn't a definitive answer, because you could have something like a "winter pack" which might have headlamp washers (and heated screenwashers) with standard halogen lamps.


Also, my car has the CD based Nav which has the UK & Ireland disc as standard and I am looking at getting hold of a CD for France. I think Audi want the thick end of £100.00 for the CD. Does anyone know of an alternative option?

Huh - how old is your A6?? I thought the DVD sat navs' had been fitted since 2004! I do have a couple of France CDs myself (2003 & 2006), and when my new B7 RS4 comes sometime around March (see sig below :D ), I'll have no use for them, so for a few :beerchug: or a case or two of some nice French vino, I'm sure we could work something out ;)


Cheers

Kirky

Your welcome.

Kirky
17-01-2007, 11:20 AM
Thanks Sean

I do have the headlamp leveling thumbwheel switch and no headlamp wash so I know they are not bi-xenon

The A6 is a new 56 plate 2.0TDi SE Avant which has the CD Rom Nav as standard and the DVD stsyem is available as an option so I imagine we may be able to come to some sort of a deal with the 06 France CD you have :beerchug:

Cheers

Kirky

Teutonic_Tamer
17-01-2007, 02:33 PM
Thanks Sean

I do have the headlamp leveling thumbwheel switch and no headlamp wash so I know they are not bi-xenon

OK, standard halogens - you might be able to tape up the lenses to alter the beam patern, or buy some of the generic stick-on beam benders from *********, or the most expensive, but neatest IMHO, the proper main dealer adaptors.

It might be an idea to have a look at TyreSmokeNet www.tyresmoke.net as they are more into the high performance and high speed Autobahn blasting!


The A6 is a new 56 plate 2.0TDi SE Avant which has the CD Rom Nav as standard and the DVD stsyem is available as an option

Huh - are you sure that's a proper UK spec car (or does yours not have the colour screen where the radio is - just voice prompts and the pictogram in the DIS inbetween the speedo & tacho)? What is the 10th digit of your VIN, as that will tell you the model year of your car? :confused:


so I imagine we may be able to come to some sort of a deal with the 06 France CD you have :beerchug:

Cheers

Kirky

OK, you might wanna PM me around March time, as I have a memory like a sieve for certain things :Blush2:

Rgds

Kirky
17-01-2007, 02:51 PM
Hi

The car is a UK car as it was ordered from a UK dealer and I even waited for a factory order

On the A6 there are 2 Sat Nav options, the first is just CD based and has a 6.5" monochrome screen and is operated via the MMI and the second is DVD based and has a 7" high res colour screen

I've asked Audi for a pert no. for the France CD so if they ever come back to me I'll let you know and it may give us a clue

Thanks again

Teutonic_Tamer
17-01-2007, 03:56 PM
Hi

The car is a UK car as it was ordered from a UK dealer and I even waited for a factory order

On the A6 there are 2 Sat Nav options, the first is just CD based and has a 6.5" monochrome screen and is operated via the MMI and the second is DVD based and has a 7" high res colour screen

OK, I live and learn - I'm more familiar with the A4 range. I'm mighty surprised they still offer the CD navi, especially on the A6! I have the CD SatNavPlus in my S4, and it is fine if you are only in one country, but the Wife's GTI has the DVD navi with the Europe-wide disc, and it is a quantum leap better than my CD system, no fafing about with swapping discs at borders, full door-to-door one-shot route planning, and a greater range of POIs.


I've asked Audi for a pert no. for the France CD so if they ever come back to me I'll let you know and it may give us a clue

Eject your UK/IE disc and see what it says, or look on the CD case that's probably in your glovebox - mine are the Blaupunkt TravelPilot DX systems, sometimes known as RNS-D, or RNS4.

Rgds

Kirky
19-01-2007, 12:29 PM
Cheers Sean :beerchug:

Lungbutter
20-01-2007, 07:38 PM
Hi, I've just joined the forum myself as I think I might be able to help you.

I own an Audi A6 (C5) with standard halogen lamps. I've taken the car over to france a couple of times and had the same problem as yourself.

Fortunately I found out that if you take the back cover off of the lamp there is a metal lever which basicly 'chops' the kick off the top of the pattern allowing you to use the car on the continent without incurring the wrath of the natives.

I would be surprised if they removed this function on later cars like yours.

Take the back off the lamps and hunt around for a metal lever and lift it up (or down depending on the current position) and check the pattern against the wall.

Hopefully that will help and you'll save yourself 40 quid getting the dealer to do it!

Teutonic_Tamer
21-01-2007, 10:41 AM
Hi, I've just joined the forum myself as I think I might be able to help you.

I own an Audi A6 (C5) with standard halogen lamps. I've taken the car over to france a couple of times and had the same problem as yourself.

Fortunately I found out that if you take the back cover off of the lamp there is a metal lever which basicly 'chops' the kick off the top of the pattern allowing you to use the car on the continent without incurring the wrath of the natives.

I would be surprised if they removed this function on later cars like yours.

Take the back off the lamps and hunt around for a metal lever and lift it up (or down depending on the current position) and check the pattern against the wall.

Hopefully that will help and you'll save yourself 40 quid getting the dealer to do it!

Do I take it you have the projector type halogens - instead of being able to see the bulb through the front outer lens, the dipped bulb is covered by an internal glass magnifying lens?

On the first generation Xenons, ie dip-only Xenon, this was removed, because the dip cut-off was created by a metal mask inside the Xenon bulb itself, in a similar manner to the dual filament H4 halogens.

On the newer Bi-Xenons, the dip-cut off is created by a big metal flap inbetween the Xenon bulb and the glass magnifying projector - it is held down by a spring, half covering the beam. When you switch to main beam, a solenoid moves the metal flap completely out of the way, enabling full beam from the Xenon bulb (and suplemented by the additional H7 halogen filament) - and they are awesome! ;) . It is this metal flap which has a user moveable portion to it, to manually block the kerbside lift of the dip pattern - but you do need to find a friendly hobbit to get his dainty fingers in there!

Teutonic_Tamer
21-01-2007, 10:52 AM
Cheers Sean :beerchug:

Hey Kirky, have you ejected your CD-ROM yet to confirm it is the "TravelPilot DX" system yet? If yours ain't, then my CD will be no use to you!

Rgds

john sharples
21-01-2007, 02:17 PM
i have done this routinely on my a6 avant. if its the same follow the previous reply.

Fortunately there are levers on both sides, inside and out. Originally i only found the outside ones which are tricky the others are fine. just change how they are at present. one goes up the other down which seems odd but is correct.

To take off the drivers side lamp back you need to screw off the air intake tube. there are a couple of philips. then remove the tube, it comes away easily. Next remove the back enough to get at the lever.

Reassemble and fill the boot with wine in France!

cheers
john

Kirky
22-01-2007, 10:09 AM
Cheers for that

The car is at home today so I'll check it out later

Thanks

Kirky

Teutonic_Tamer
22-01-2007, 10:39 AM
fill the boot with wine in France!

cheers
john

Don't forget wine on the back seat, rear floorwells, front passenger seat, front floorwells, behind your knees etc - - hic, hic, hic ;)

Do you get yours from the x-channel port supermarkets, or direct at the domains?

Rgds - & salut :beerchug:

Kirky
22-01-2007, 10:52 AM
Not been to France in the car for years but every nook & cranny will be filled on the way home, may even put the wife & kids on train to make some more room!
;)

Teutonic_Tamer
22-01-2007, 11:33 AM
Not been to France in the car for years but every nook & cranny will be filled on the way home, may even put the wife & kids on train to make some more room!
;)


LOL - that's what I like to hear. You could even get them a rowing boat, and fill that with plonk too ;) :D