Mazda Mazda 3 (2004 - 2009) - 07 2.3 Driving abroad with Xenon lights (reprise)

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 28 Jun 2008 16:15
07 2.3 Driving abroad with Xenon lights (reprise) - Patrick_F
Having searched the web, and then here ...

I'm taking my Mazda 3 MPS to France on Friday. Looking at the (Xenon) headlamps, it's not obvious how to stick bits of plastic to the headlight lenses to avoid dazzling other drivers.

The manual is no help. I cannot see any levers or other obvious forms of adjustment that would allow me to do this. Supplying dealer (salesman) doesn't know but will check with his technical people and with Mazda HQ on Monday.

Does anyone here have any thoughts? Has obviously been an issue for some in the past, with other vehicles.

Cheers!
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Mon 30 Jun 2008 19:52
07 2.3 Driving abroad with Xenon lights (reprise) - Mappy999
I have a Mazda 3 sport which also has Xenon Headlamps (which I am making the assumption are the same as yours).

Back when I last went to France in March I had exactly the same issue.

In the end I bought some beam deflectors from Halfords which on the pack claimed to fit an almost impossible number of cars.

Putting my cynicism aside (based on the fact that I was by this point slightly desperate and they were only £6.99) and believe it or not they did seem to work amazingly well (I did a fair amount of night driving without any problems).

Although they were in Halfords Packaging they seem to be made/imported by this company:

www.travel-spot.co.uk/products/eurolites.htm

I suggest you use the link above to have a look at the shape before buying as Halfords seem to sell a few different ones in much the same packaging.

You only need the round part of the deflector (the other part can be removed)

From memory (i.e you better check the instructions!) the process to fit them was:

There is a tiny marker in the centre of the headlamp unit lens (a small circle with a sort of cross through it). Just use this to line it up so the centre of the left hand side of the circular deflector just touches the mark and thats it.

I have to say that some of the instructions for other cars looked much more difficult so I wouldn't recommend them without reservation to everyone else.

Hope this helps.
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