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Xenon dipping for Europe is possible, switch is in the unit!
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:44 pm
by UKS4APR1
There is a small wire/lever behind the cover of the headlight which needs simply flipping over to swap your dip for continental driving.
Bit tricky getting to it [lack of room]
Switch from circled position to arrowed position in pic. or vice versa.
Xenon
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:10 pm
by Mik
Very useful tip. Beats having to put annoying little stickers on my head lamps when going abroad
Mik
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 10:48 pm
by UKS4APR1
The other point is that those "annoying little stickers" DO NOT in fact work on the xenons as the light is not deflected by the headlight glass in the same way as conventional headlights.
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:41 pm
by Mik
Never knew that and I once got told off by French Police for not using the stickers on on the xenons.
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:44 am
by JohnW
They make special stickers to use on projector style xenons.
We tried looking for these switched at the ferry port last week on DaveP's RS4 and could not find them.
Maybe its a case of only being able to get at them with the HID connector removed.
I will investigate further this weekend and see what I can discover incase anyone is interested (maybe only the RS4 owners...).
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:14 am
by docurley
This is great as I just purchased the RS4 lights on the left-hand drive car being broken up and assumed I would have to buy new shells.
Thanks for the post
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:25 am
by JohnW
It is possible you still might need to
If they are the same you have a result, but it would be worth checking.
From experiences with xenons on Porsches the Uk and mainland europe lights are different.
With a uk porker light the beam raises to the left to illuminate roadsigns and the kerb.
When you switch the switch on these it cuts the beam pattern so it is flat.
With a european porker light the beam raises to the right, and is cut to flat when switched.
The simple answer is to compare the parts numbers and lights prior to fitting them.
The next solution would be to just swap over the HID beam unit which should be screwed into the light moulding.
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 1:03 pm
by docurley
Could someone post up there UK lights part number so I can compare and thanks.
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 1:48 pm
by Dippy
In my experience you need to remove the single unit headlights to change the switch. It is about half hour per headlight if you are being careful (make sure there is NO chance of the high voltage Xenons being turned on when you work on them). You also need a torx screwdriver and one of the screws is recessed to it has to be long (and it could also do with being magnetic so that you don't lose it!).
I might also point out that "Yes Mr. Gendarme my headlights have been internally changed to suit right-hand driving" does not always work and if he can see the stickers he's unlikely to cause any problem.
So I just use the stickers 'cos it's a lot less hassle.
Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:48 am
by Morpheous
Bloody French Police!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont take a Road Angel to France. Even if its turned off they will confiscate it.
Friend of mine was also fined £500 on the spot fine!!
All recent Audi cars have this facility.
Was able to switch mine on the tunnel crossing.
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 1:47 pm
by GrahamS4
Possibilty I am going to Germany soon for a few days - was thinking of driving. This alone is putting me off. What a faff.
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:17 pm
by DrB
I eventually managed to change mine when I went to Germany in the Summer:
http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ht=#117190
When you flip the switch they do not flip over the lights but block out the top left corner.
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:18 pm
by DrB
Sorry I forgot to say, once you have done this once it will only take 2 mins per light to do.
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:34 pm
by GrahamS4
Thanks.
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:48 pm
by Scotty
I had something similar on my TT but when I pulled my head lights out on my 2003 S4 I couldn't see anything like it.