Metalex Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi, I haven't checked the manual yet, but is it possible/easy to switch the Xenon headlights so I don't dazzle drivers when driving in Europe? I'm off to France on Thurday, so would appreciate it if anyone has had experience of this. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbucket Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=51636.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 [ QUOTE ] http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=51636.0 [/ QUOTE ] Cheers, doesn't look too difficult. Anyone here tried it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantmygti Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 A guy on the golfgti forum followed it at the time and it worked fine and saved him a stack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I created this PDF and yes it is easy to do. You can see the levers if you look through the side of the light unit from the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 [ QUOTE ] I created this PDF and yes it is easy to do. You can see the levers if you look through the side of the light unit from the front. [/ QUOTE ] So I don't need to remove the bulb connector as indicated in the first tutorial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 No. I was able to reach the lever by only removing the rubber cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 [ QUOTE ] No. I was able to reach the lever by only removing the rubber cover. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks, you've been a great help. Thanks to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 OK, I just had a go at switching the lights and it was all very easy. One thing worries me though... I found that the right-hand switch was already in the DOWN position as expected, but the left-hand switch was in the UP position. Shouldn't they both be DOWN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 [ QUOTE ] One thing worries me though... I found that the right-hand switch was already in the DOWN position as expected, but the left-hand switch was in the UP position. Shouldn't they both be DOWN? [/ QUOTE ] [The late great Marty Feldman] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 [ QUOTE ] OK, I just had a go at switching the lights and it was all very easy. One thing worries me though... I found that the right-hand switch was already in the DOWN position as expected, but the left-hand switch was in the UP position. Shouldn't they both be DOWN? [/ QUOTE ] Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbucket Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 I would check my car if I could, but I only have the old fashioned candle powered option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] OK, I just had a go at switching the lights and it was all very easy. One thing worries me though... I found that the right-hand switch was already in the DOWN position as expected, but the left-hand switch was in the UP position. Shouldn't they both be DOWN? [/ QUOTE ] Anyone? [/ QUOTE ] I will check when I get home tonight. When you say left side do you mean drivers side or left side looking from the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Just checked mine and both are in the down position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysgti1 Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 ive changed mine twice now. first time in france i put levers down and on return journey 2 weeks later was getting flashed all the time. took to vw they said drivers side lever had come loose. just got back from germany and all worked well. easy to change on way over to france but on return to uk couldnt find drivers side lever again. am taking it in monday for them to look at. seems like they are a bit unreliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysgti1 Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 just been phoned by dealers, said they cant feel the lever but can see it with a mirror. said it is in the correct position. they also said that they should not be adjusted while on the car as this will void the warrenty (as told by vw uk). They say they would have to remove the bumper and then remove then the light to change the settings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 [ QUOTE ] they also said that they should not be adjusted while on the car as this will void the warrenty (as told by vw uk). They say they would have to remove the bumper and then remove then the light to change the settings [/ QUOTE ] Some dealers are so full of It was my dealer who showed me how to do it in the first place after he had printed the instructions of from his computer. That is what I had included in the PDF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysgti1 Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 thanks mikemod. what do you suggest? he showed me the original document and your doc. in the original doc it says to remove the light first. is this an updated version from vw do you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I have seen that in ELSA where it says to remove the bumper and the light unit to access the lever. The head tech guy at my dealers said this was only to make it easier to access the levers but they can be adjusted without this. It also means they can hit you with a large bill for doing the job. I tried again tonight and can reach the levers with no problems on both sides, maybe I have long fingers. If you are getting flashed maybe it is just the height of the beam that is the problem as a lot of people had to get them adjusted when new as they seem to come from the factory set too high. I adjusted mine down slightly using the white plastic screws on the back of the light unit, again going from advice from the dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysgti1 Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 thanks mike, am not getting flashed. i could feel the levers with no problem on the way out but on the way back could only feel one. i think the lever has moved slightly which is why i took it to the stealers. last time the dealer said the clip had come off/loose. this time they only looked at it with a mirror and said it was ok. just to check the lever is a very small metal clip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Well, I'm now back from France and I think I now know how these levers work. When we were sitting waiting for the ferry at Dover, I decided to switch my lights for the continent. I found that if you look into the lenses of the xenons at a certain angle, you can see what the levers actually do. It's hard to explain, but when you flick the levers you can see a metal barrier (if that's the right word) move upwards. I assume this blocks a small portion of the light, i.e. the portion of light that would blind oncoming traffic on the continent. With both "barriers" blocking the light, the levers on my car are set as follows: Drivers side - UP Passenger side - DOWN For normal UK driving: Drivers side - DOWN Passenger side - UP Hope that helps. Any clarification needed, let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 According to the VW procedure from ELSA it is Both levers down for the UK Both levers up for the continent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 [ QUOTE ] According to the VW procedure from ELSA it is Both levers down for the UK Both levers up for the continent. [/ QUOTE ] That's all very well, but looking at how my levers function and how they were set at the factory, then that info might be wrong. Not to mention that I wasn't flashed once in France. Have you looked into the lenses to see what happens when you flick the switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Have you looked into the lenses to see what happens when you flick the switch? [/ QUOTE ] .... Not to be done at close quarters or without protective eyewear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalex Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Have you looked into the lenses to see what happens when you flick the switch? [/ QUOTE ] .... Not to be done at close quarters or without protective eyewear! [/ QUOTE ] Not when they're switched on... obviously. Nobody is that dumb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now