Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France

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Thu 22 Mar 2007 20:05
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
I currently drive a 2007 Citroen C5 Exclusive with Xenon headlamps (the self levelling ones that look round corners when you turn the steering wheel).
Im going to France in the Summer and was wondering what happens about converting the lamps to allow driving on the right.
The beams are not flat and currently have a very sharp kick up to the nearside.
Masking is i guess out of the question.
Can anyone help please....im not sure what to do about it.
Cheers
Trev
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 16:55
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - injection doc
I've received an e-mail from Citroen UK Customer Services, confirmed by my local dealer, than the C5 headlamps do not require adjustment or masking as they fall within legal limits for continental driving.

I am not at all happy with this because I consider that the left-hand kick-up, even though it is flat-topped, would certainly dazzle oncoming drivers.

If I cannot find a real solution by the time I travel to Spain (soon) I shall take a copy of the Citroen e-mail with me. I have notified the dealer that I will take action to recover any fine or expenses incurred as a result of prosecution in Spain.

This was posted earlier in the year!
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 17:21
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Aprilia
I've received an e-mail from Citroen UK Customer Services, confirmed by
my local dealer, than the C5 headlamps do not require adjustment
or masking as they fall within legal limits for continental driving.


I'm absolutely amazed if that's the case.
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 18:37
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Dynamic Dave
I am not at all happy with this because I consider that the left-hand kick-up,
even though it is flat-topped, would certainly dazzle oncoming drivers.


Have you a headlight adjuster inside the car? If so, do what loads of other car drivers do when travelling abroad; just adjust the knob to it's lowest setting - that way you won't dazzle oncoming drivers.
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 19:04
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - jc2
Xenons must by law be self-levelling!!No adjuster.
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 19:58
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Armitage Shanks {p}
I have a non-xenon 307. When I bought the plastic lens protectors they came with some ready cut to shape black tape and small black markings on the protector to show where the tape should be put. Mine are not self-levelling so I can wind the lights down. I understand that one should not stick masking tape onto Xenon lights directly as the heat will melt the tape and mess up the main lens of the headlights = expensive fix!
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Fri 23 Mar 2007 21:18
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - mrnikko
I have driven through France and Spain dozens of times and I have never bothered to adjust the headlights or put black tape over them and I have never had any problems with the Police.
Even over night from the Alps to Caen loaded up two adults. three kids plus bikes on the rear of an espace never a murmor.
I would not bother in my opinion its a way of certain companies to make money selling these kits to make the lights intheir opinion legal.
I worked in France for small periods in the winter and again i did no bother and guess what never stopped in my golf.
As a matter of interest how many continental cars when they come here have there headlights taped up I can tell you none. I live near a campsite in the north that attracts alot of French and Dutch visitors and no cars are taped up to comply with our roads.
I might add that if you drive a french car in France you can get away with alot of minor traffic violations as they rather think its good to see a french car being driven by another nationality
Cheers
MR Nikko
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Sat 24 Mar 2007 16:20
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
I had hoped to do the right thing rather than just hope that I can get away with it just because im driving around in a French car. The lamps are naturally self levelling, there is no switch on the back of the lamp units to flick them over to driving on the right. Furthermore, the kick up to the left is very crisp and pronounced (easly spotted if I get checked) and masking kits are out of the question. Hmmm.......i dont really know what to do. As for Citroen's stance that, ''it only kicks up a bit so you dont need to worry"....seems very odd. Im certain that many more people that just me and 'Injection Doc' must have faced this problem. Perhaps Citroen are right?!
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Sat 24 Mar 2007 17:55
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Aprilia
RHD beams WILL dazzle drivers when used in LHD countries, there's no doubt about it. HID's have a very bright and well defined beam pattern, to the dazzle will be even worse than with a halogen headlight. I suspect the 'true' answer is that you need to replace the headlamp with a LHD unit and Citroen dare not tell customers.
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Sat 24 Mar 2007 19:54
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
I strongly suspect thats much more like what will happen than Citroens, "dont worry it'll be OK", response.
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 20:09
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - PST
Why is masking out of the question? I took an Omega with Xenons to France a few years back and masking seemed to work quite successfully on that - at least sufficient to reduce the height of the beam on the nearside.

No problems with getting the mask off at the end either.

PST
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 22:21
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
I didnt think you were supposed to mask off xenon lamps? Didnt think you were even supposed to let muck build up on them? (hence they usually come with jet washers) Ive certainly never seen a masking kit for xenon headlamps.
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 20:30
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - BobG
I have driven a Renault Clio with Xenons in France and found that there is light on the "wrong Side" of the road but never got flashed or stopped! The Renault dealer checked with Renault to make sure that the lights couldn't be adjusted for left or right hand driving ( some xenons it seems can be) then gave me a set of "beam benders " which worked fine until the first rain when they fell off - the xenons don't give off enough heat to make the adhesive work.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 22:08
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Bromptonaut
mrnikko;

Sorry but for me it's about being safe and considerate. Don't drive much at night in France as main trip is in July but still need lights in tunnels etc.
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Mon 26 Mar 2007 16:34
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - bignick
I work in a Citroen parts dept and have just checked the Citroen parts list - headlamps are definitely listed as different for LHD and RHD so I would guess that the beam patterns are definitely different.

Only solution I know of is to purchase the accessory headlamp protectors (part no CIT8163 @ £42.55 + VAT) which are supplied with masking for continental driving.

With replacement headlamps at £900 + VAT I would have the protectors on anyway!

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Mon 26 Mar 2007 20:47
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
cheers bignick, that is very handy info. ...would that be £900 each; or the bargain price of £900 for the pair? I think i'll be investing in the protectors! Is masking actually ok with Xenons then?
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Mon 26 Mar 2007 21:17
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Armitage Shanks {p}
SFAIK masking is OK for Xenons, so long as the protectors are fitted, in that, any masking applied will be on them and not on the Xenon lenses. Even if the masking melts (unlikely) it will only be on the £50 protectorrs and not the £900 lights!
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Mon 26 Mar 2007 22:38
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Lud
NINE HUNDRED QUID for a couple of headlights?

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Tue 27 Mar 2007 12:56
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - bignick
That part no is for the official Citroen accessory for the C5 mk2 - no mention in the accessory list of halogen or xenon so I assume they are ok for both.
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Mon 26 Mar 2007 22:45
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - LeePower
Isnt £1046 including the VAT EACH! more like the correct price according to the Citroen PR Net
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Mon 26 Mar 2007 22:52
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
Am i really driving round with 2 grands worth of lighting bolted to the front of my car?! Good job ive got parking sensors...gulp!
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 10:44
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Aprilia
Yes, those headlights are about £1k each. Pays to get the clip-on protectors I think - you don't want a stone to hit them!

There are quite a few headlights at this price now, including the Audi ones.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 11:52
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - bignick
Yes £900 each! +VAT

Would make me very nervous following a gritting lorry!!!

Replacement bulbs are £118.75 + VAT from Citroen.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 15:16
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Lud
How much would a complete set of four headlamps for a mid-sixties Rolls or Bentley cost? Under £100 probably.

Are these modern lights ten times as good? Obviously not.

We look at these modern devices, lick our lips and think Ooo, yes please. Or rather, we don't think at all.

How childish can you get? This is ridiculous.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 16:19
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - bignick
Parts pricing is always insane.
I regularly find myself embarassedly asking for £40 or £50 for a chunk of injection moulded plastic worth about £5 at the very most.
Conversely I have sold carburettors which are about as complex as you can get for £150.
Naively one expects prices to reflect 'cost of materiels + cost of production + cost of transport + a sensible profit'
all too often they seem to be 'as much as we can get away with + as much more as we can get away with'

Mid sixties roller probably had Lucas sealed beam units which would have cost a couple of quid each at the time if that.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 16:33
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Lud
Exactly bn. What I am suggesting is that four cheap round headlamps can quite easily be hidden behind a curved bit of glass or plastic. There's no need for a special complex component unavailable from any other source and therefore criminally - and I mean criminally - overpriced.

This look-you-in-the-eye-while-rummaging-in-your-pocket stuff is all very well for the rich or subsidised corporate motorists, but any car maker that wants the true loyalty of the ordinary punter needs to do some radical rethinking.

About bumpers too, another bee in my bonnet.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 16:50
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - bignick
LOL - told a customer the other day - lucky its only the bumper sir - then checked the price £375 + VAT!!

I always thought the bumper was there as a sacrificial part to save damaging expensive metalwork/mechanicals.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 18:29
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - adverse camber
Gulp!

last week somebody smashed both headlights on my wife's A4 while she was at work, £25 for two replacement Bosch lenses. Although it was a pain having to remove the bumper to fix. The thought of £2000 to fix is astounding.

I can see that it might be good business to buy old C5s and break them.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 19:07
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Frogeye
Some years ago, Jags used to have their bumpers stolen, as replacements were so expensive, but not £1000, I'm sure.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 20:15
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - LeePower
Some years ago, Jags used to have their bumpers stolen, as
replacements were so expensive, but not £1000, I'm sure.


Thats why a lot of owners had the bumper nuts welded so they couldnt be nicked easily.

Roaring trade in those Jag bumpers years ago.
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 21:23
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
Actually i think i will forget the plastic lamp protectors.
If a stone hits one of my headlights i reckon i'll be making an insurance claim!!
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 21:53
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Armitage Shanks {p}
Yes but, to go back to your OP you want to mask the lights for continental use don't you? You need the protectors to stick the masking tape onto, rather than the lights? The protectors will also protect the lenses but you need them for the masking tape, or have I missed something? Probably yes!
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 23:07
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
Yes, youre quite correct. After reading that im driving around with £2200 of headlights sitting just above my bumper, i came over all queer and forgot all about my original question! Im just off outside to weld my lights to the inner wings!!
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Tue 27 Mar 2007 23:30
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - PhilW
The protectors are available a bit cheaper than from Citroen eg
www.247ppd.com/product~prodid~812338.htm

even some on ebay currently for £9.99!! (but with 4 days to go!)
tinyurl.com/2kt6hq

Try a more thorough Google?
--
Phil
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Fri 30 Mar 2007 23:37
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Timaru
A reply to a member of the Yahoo C5 board from Citroen UK:

The latest information obtained from our Technical Department confirms that
there is no legal requirement for the fitment of headlight templates for the
Citroën C5 model range. Vehicles with non-Xenon light fitments have an internal
beam adjustment (please refer to owner?s manual) to ensure that lights can be
lowered to avoid dazzling on-coming continental drivers and vehicles with Xenon
light fitments have automatic adjustment and the fitting of a template can
damage the light unit.
I hope the above clarifies matters and I would like to thank you for taking
the time to contact us.
Yours sincerely
CITROËN UK LIMITED

Also, several members have been told by dealers not to use protectors over Xenon headlights due to heat build up.
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 00:18
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - happytorque
Thanks for this valuable information.
However i'm now rather confused.
I have the Xenon lights; so i have 'automatic adjustment'.......I wonder what type of automatic adjustment Citroen UK think i have?
The only automatic adjustment i can think of is horizontal direction (linked to the steering) and auto height adjustment.
The car certainly wont know its on the wrong side of the road and compensate for it, so im still not clear where i stand.
I think Aprilia is right......there is no solution other than to swap the light units for LHD ones. That clearly wont be happening so I guess im off to France to break the law!?
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 01:35
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - Timaru
Only my dipped beams are xenons which Citroen claim are "flat topped" and so legal in Europe, in the end I took them at their word and have been over several times with no probs. or irate French drivers flashing me.
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Fri 8 Jan 2016 16:33
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - boscobel

They certainly know how to shaft you that goes for Citroen and Peugeot. I have a Citroen c5 Estate 2006/7 generally a nice car, very comfortable and reasonably economical .

I want to change to headlights to lhd one. thats where the problems, i found an excellent headlioght supplier in germany Nikol24.de. inexpensive 207 euros for a pair, but i found out my lights are xenon so could not fit them as it would appear the electrics are different. I spoke to them and they have taken them back and refunded me, no need to do that so very good. I found some more its a long story so i will not bore you with that. New ones are apparently 1000 euros each this must be some kind of a joke! but thats the reality.

As for adjusting them forget it, a CT ( a french mot) will not pass them but i do get flashed a lot on dipped beam. If you are thinking about it beware!!

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Fri 8 Jan 2016 21:39
Citroen C5 Headlamp adjustmnt for France - focussed

My 2015 Honda Accord Tourer is a Japan manufactured, UK spec car bought in the UK and then exported by me to France where it is now registered, and it has xenon projector headlamps.

There is an entry in the owner's handbook under the heading:-

"Models with high voltage discharge tube bulbs."

"European Models"

"The headlights are suitable for left hand drive and right hand drive without the need to make any adjustments or masking, as per UN-ECE R48 Dover Regulation."

I can't find any explanation or reference to this regulation, as to what cars it applies to, or from what date. I did email HJ about it but didn't receive any acknowledgement or reply.

Does anybody have any information on this regulation?

The headlamp dip beams, when checked against a wall are almost flat but show a very slight kick-up to the left, and the left headlamp beam is set slightly higher than the right.

Set as they are I don't get any reactions from French drivers.

As I don't have to submit the car to a French MOT until March 2019 I shall have to wait until then to find out if the French system accepts it.

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