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!!

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.

[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.