07/04 Passat Est. - EU Light Adjustment

[pontyslapper]

Hi guys

Just hoping that someone here has vast knowledge of the latest Passat Estate (07/2004). What I would like to know is... is there any way of adjusting the lights on a UK car when travelling in the EU - or do I have to buy those sticky things that always fall off just as you get off the ferry??

I ask because I noticed something on the top of the headlight unit regarding RHD/LHD adjustment.

Cheers

Ponty.

[stuart]

Hi

First of all, thanks for joining the site.

Looking at the VAG parts list, the headlamps on RHD & LHD cars are different. I do know that BMW vehicles do have the option of changing the beem by twisting the rear of the lamp slightly.

I would have a look on the rear of the lamp to see if it is a similar idea, to do it on BMW you have 2 or 3 small screws in elongated slots on the rear of the "projector" unit of the lamp, you loosen these screws and move the lamp a few milimeters to move the beam.

What I will do is speak to a specialist of mine in the morning and see if he can confirm this thouhgh.

Stuart

[pontyslapper]

Happened to be at the main dealers this afty, and the parts manager was positive that it could be adjusted by a toggle switch in the light unit - he wouldn't come and show me as it was teeming down and it was busy!

[pontyslapper]

Just for the curious.. it can be done!! :beerchug:

You need to remove the cover from the rear of the headlight unit, as if you were going to change the bulb. Then, and this gets awkward, rather than tricky. You have to feel about just by the side of the black bulb holder with the white connector in it, and you should find a small (about 1cm across) flat metal prong, this will move up and down.

On UK cars it should be set to down - that's the UK setting.
For EU it should be set to up - thats the EU setting.

Its an absolute mare to get to - but damn satisfying when you do... how sad am I!

[stuart]

Thanks for keeping us informed :)

May be a useful bit of information for others.

Stuart

[Andy_M]

Thanks Pontyslapper, your post told me more than the handbook, two dealers and the VW website all put together. But having got my own Passat ready for Europe this morning, I think there is still more that can usefully be added.

Firstly, it's worth emphasising what the levers actually do. They don't make your lights exactly like a Frenchman's (with the dip beam rising towards the right instead of the left), they just remove the higher portion of the dip beam at the left (i.e. just like the old-fashioned stickers would do). This fits with Stuart's info that the headlamp assembly is different between LHD and RHD cars. It is also a very good thing for another reason, you can struggle with this at home and not have dodgy lights during the UK drive to the ferry. There's no need to perform this tricky operation onboard the ferry !

The levers are accessed through the main beam hatch, but of course they are on the side towards the dip lamp.

"Down for UK, Up for Europe" is an oversimplification - as the lever is in both cases on the main beam side of the dip lamp, rotation in the same direction results in a difference in up/down between left and right, thus:

Left side - Down for UK, Up for Europe.
Right side - Up for UK, Down for Europe.

No need to take my word for this, turn on the lights and hold a piece of paper about 2 feet in front as you make the adjustment, the effect is clearly visible even at that range (may also be a useful trick for convincing the Gendarmerie that you fixed your headlamps).

I also bought some headlamp protectors and experimented with stickers. Difficult though the levers are to get to (on my diesel I have to dismantle the air intake ducting on the offside), the stickers are never going to be easier !

[pontyslapper]

I have a copy of the VW Workshop manual page that shows how to do this.

Fair go Andy - thats a blooming good description.

Its the same on the petrol. You have to dismantle part of the air ducting or risk ripping your hands to shreds which is my personal favourite. I also find taking the plastic hood off the reservoir on the other side gives a little bit more room as well.

I've found a pair of fairly long and skinny needle nose pliers can come in very handy for this job. Stole a pair off my brother that had a slight 'kink' in the shank which could be angled the right way with a bit of fiddling and taking some time.

:biglaugh:

[Blue Peter]

Hi Folks,

Just registered!

I was familiar with this job and the previous posts are absolutely spot on in the detail. As I only did it once a year, the levers always took a bit of finding - not the easiest of jobs. The best advise I got from my local VW dealer who took a while to understand what I wanted to do was to go to Halfords! Eventually got onto another dealer via VW HQ who faxed me the workshop manual pages.

Well, I now have a new 2006 Passat Estate with gas discharge headlamps and have asked the same dealer to advise on how to perform the conversion. I'm not holding my breath, but do need to find out before we go skiing in February. If anyone can advise on what's involved I would be very grateful.

As a footnote, I think it totally unacceptable that this is not be a straightforward job that can performed at the ferry/ Eurotunnel terminal. If a complete conversion is made, but only the dealer can do it, you are driving in the UK with illegal beams until you get back to the dealer. Surely membership of the EU should have put paid to this farce long ago.

If I do get any sense from the dealer, I'll let you know.

[Gaz the Cab]

Surely membership of the EU should have put paid to this farce long ago.


I quite agree.......WHEN is the rest of Europe going to start driving on the left??

[Blue Peter]

Well, the dealer, having had the car in for a minor fault, is ordering up some nice VW black stickers to whack on the headlamp unit. Even showed me the picture from the worshop manual! It astounds me that a light unit as advanced as this one cannot be easily adapted. VW fail miserably on this one, in my opinion.

[Mikejac]

Does anyone know if this adjustment can also be made to the lights of a 99 Passat Estate?

Mikejac

[dodweld]

Fog lights can be adjusted using long torx head driver, look for hole in plastic trim next to lamp lens - the adjuster is a long way in about 6"-7" inches at an agle of 45degrees. if not pop out plastic trim for better access - Found this out after main dealer told me not adjustable !!

Doddy

[beegeew]

Hi

First of all, thanks for joining the site.

Looking at the VAG parts list, the headlamps on RHD & LHD cars are different. I do know that BMW vehicles do have the option of changing the beem by twisting the rear of the lamp slightly.

I would have a look on the rear of the lamp to see if it is a similar idea, to do it on BMW you have 2 or 3 small screws in elongated slots on the rear of the "projector" unit of the lamp, you loosen these screws and move the lamp a few milimeters to move the beam.

What I will do is speak to a specialist of mine in the morning and see if he can confirm this thouhgh.

Stuart
Hi, Does anyone know if this Passat configuration is common to the A4? I have a 2005 Avant 2.0 TDi, and had a quick look in the nearside main beam hatch. There is no obvious flat tab to adjust. There is a hex socket on the top rear of the unit that might be relevant - any contributions welcome!

[Brian]

I have non Xenon headlights and after much searching by my local dealer have been informed that for a mere £40 I can buy some headlight protectors that come with those nasty black patches in the perfect position to stop you blinding our friends on the continent.
For a car with so much sophisticated equipment as standard this seems exceedingly poor design. My previous model (2001) was the basic S and had those awkward little levers but at least you could just about switch back and forth at the ferry on those frequent trips abroad.
Come on VW - can we have some thought put into this please? :zx11:

[BenBoy]

Hi
This looks like something lots of us are struggling with.
Does anyone know if this hard-to-reach but useful lever which magically adjusts the headlights to EU friendly mode is present on a 2005 Golf?
Thanks
BenBoy

[BenBoy]

Well I spoke to the VW dealer who offered to sell me a couple of bits of sticky tape for £15 but said that the garage boys had to fit them as there were no fitting guides on the lights.
Expensive and inconvenient, unless they have a VW technician on the ferry.

I understand that regular headlights don't have the magic levers.

And then I found a reference to "super beam benders" by Metro, which claim to redirect rather than block out the light. They were £8 from Motor World http://www.motor-world.co.uk/ and you can look at the fitting guides online before you buy http://www.saxonind.co.uk/beambenders.htm

It seems to me that the presence of something on the lights will pacify any vigilant gendarme as we arrive in France and that if the positioning is not precise it won't make too much difference, so it was worth a go.

I'll report back after the trip.

[ScubaSi]

I too am heading over the overside soono and need to convert my headlights. I am new to Passat ownership and have not explored any of it yet with my tools. I am going to do an exploritory this weekend and will photograph the proceedure if I find any tabs for adjustment.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Well I spoke to the VW dealer who offered to sell me a couple of bits of sticky tape for £15 but said that the garage boys had to fit them as there were no fitting guides on the lights.
Expensive and inconvenient, unless they have a VW technician on the ferry.


And then I found a reference to "super beam benders" by Metro, which claim to redirect rather than block out the light. They were £8 ..... and you can look at the fitting guides online before you buy http://www.saxonind.co.uk/beambenders.htm

Don't forget, if you have Xenons, you are not supposed to stick anything to the outer lenses.

On my B6 S4, the *********** supplied some proper VAG beam benders - about 3" in width, with clear prisms, to actually bend the light and not block it out altogether. They also tried to tell me they had to fit them as there were no guides on the lights. Utter tosh - well sort of - there are no guides on the headlamps themselves, but the beam benders were moulded to fit in an exact position over the outer lens. They worked quite well, converting the left kerb high area downwards. Unfortunately, I lost one of them on a high speed blast. Didn't seem to get too many people flashing me though!

[Rob Fletcher]

I have had my lights adjusted by VW dealers on both my previous Passats -2003 1.9TDI SE and 2000 1.9TDI sport. I left them like that all the time I had the cars. The dealer said "Its illegal in France but not here!!"
I am just about to go in to the dealer with my 2006 Passat 2.0TDI - we will see!

[ScubaSi]

In the end I just bought the adaptors from Halfords, far easier to stick something on. I don't have Xenon headlights so it wasn't an issue.

[Rob Fletcher]

Dealer mechanic says - he did not know but would phone VW technical help line on Monday and then let me know. Will be in touch

[Carps]

Well, the dealer, having had the car in for a minor fault, is ordering up some nice VW black stickers to whack on the headlamp unit. Even showed me the picture from the worshop manual! It astounds me that a light unit as advanced as this one cannot be easily adapted. VW fail miserably on this one, in my opinion.

That is a step backwards, as the Xenons for the B5.5 have a mechanical switch to adjust the throw from left to right.
I have what I thought was a reasonably recent copy of the dealer workshop manual (ETKA) and although it covers your car, for those headlights it simply says the information wasn't available at the time of editorial ! A bit lame...

[Teutonic_Tamer]

That is a step backwards, as the Xenons for the B5.5 have a mechanical switch to adjust the throw from left to right.

Just to be really pedantic, the lever doesn't actually adjust the throw from left to right - it only blocks the left side "kick-up", and simply gives a level, flat topped beam. ;)

[Rob Fletcher]

Dealer mechanic has replied after consulting VW technical dept.
The lights on the new Passat do not have levers like the old model did. I would need to buy headlamp protectors with deflector strips - cost £45!!!:( :mad:

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Have a shufty in the following thread, and see if that throws any more light on the subject (yes, it was a terrible pun, but I like it :D )

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=24657

Rgds

[Rob Fletcher]

Dealer mechanic has replied after consulting VW technical dept.
The lights on the new Passat do not have levers like the old model did. I would need to buy headlamp protectors with deflector strips - cost £45!!!:( :mad:
They cost £41.50 and would not fit the car. Three people at the dealers tried. They ordered a new set - they would not fit! My money was returned. It is very well to suggest that I buy stick on bits to do the job, but I travel to France about four times a year! Has anyone had luck in fitting headlamp protectors to the new Passat(non zenon)?

[ds1212]

They cost £41.50 and would not fit the car. Three people at the dealers tried. They ordered a new set - they would not fit! My money was returned. It is very well to suggest that I buy stick on bits to do the job, but I travel to France about four times a year! Has anyone had luck in fitting headlamp protectors to the new Passat(non zenon)?
3 months have passed without a response. Have you found a solutio yourself?

[Rob Fletcher]

3 months have passed without a response. Have you found a solutio yourself?

Sorry, have been back and too to France 4 times with beam deflectors stuck on and not removed when in the UK. I give up on VW

[natpor]

Thanks to Andy M, a really helpfull post. I tried 3 vw dealers and they all said my 03 passat estate didn't have the adjuster levers. Typical! I found a stubby screwdriver the easiest thing for moving the levers up and down. Once you've found where they hide and you've done it once, it'll only take a few minutes to set either way. Much better than beam adjusters which dont really help as there are no alignment marks on the outer covers.