Led Lights Adjustment For Europe

[kevin h]

Anybody tried following the saga of adjusting headlamps for European use on the Toyota Blog?

Sounds like there could be a problem in that you cannot adjust or put stickers on.

Especially the LED's

Must admit its hard to follow subjects on the blog, so I might have missed something.

Any comments?

[Seamaster73]

I travel to the continent a couple of times a year and will be interested to read a definitive answer to this.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Not sure what the problem is? I went to France last year in my Prii and the Halfords multi vehicle headlight adaptors worked fine. You've got to follow the instructions and make sure you get them lined up and on the correct side of the little dot on the headlight. I assume the LED headlights use the same clear outer plastic.

They worked fine and were a little bit of a bugger to remove but I CAREFULLY dabbed the remaining glue with neat windscreen wash and it was all gone in 10 mins. Be very careful with the headlights as they are plastic not glass and will scratch if you rub hard!

[Doesn'tExist]

Grumpy, before it was raised on the blog I never given it a thought but it did trigger something where there is a point I think.

The LED headlights are made up of two LED projectors on either side, so four in total. But there is no guidance on how to apply beam benders like you would do with normal hids. Does it mean the vehicle require 4 beam benders? Do you only apply them to the outers LED projector? Do you only apply them to the inner LED projector? According to the toyota blog you don't require them at all since 'they have a flat pattern'. I call BS on that as mine most definitely shine up and much wider so compared to the standard lights on the verge.

But to be fair I haven't rtfm yet either :-)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Is there a dot on the headlight cover? If there is then I recon follow the instructions on the pack I refered to above. If placed correctly it should divert the beam(s). At least it should pacify the Gendarmes and will probably divert most of the beam at least. If Toyota say the beam is flat (BS or not) then a beam deflector can only help.

We all know these beam deflectors dull your view when abroad anyway but hopefully the above should help?!?

[Seamaster73]

Why isn't there a switch behind the lights, like there is on pretty much every other car these days?

[Opifex]

When I crossed the channel in the Prius in January I stopped off at the tunnel terminal to buy some beam deflectors at the AA shop. The man didn't know of any special deflectors needed for the Prius so I got the same ones that I had been using for years. These fitted along a diagonal line on the headlight glass so I was a bit flummoxed to find that the Prius (non-LED) didn't have any pattern on the glass. I looked at the instructions but didn't find anything to cover this. I than tried pointing the beam at a wall and it didn't seem to be angled to either side, so concluded that deflectors aren't required. I'll be very interested if someone knows definitely.

I must admit that since I have been crossing the channel regularly I have got a bit casual about deflectors and have never had any problems but the police in our corner of France are pretty laid back about most things. I suspect that as in many things the British are more conscientious about this than the French. How many times have you seen a French car in the UK with beam deflectors?

[Opifex]

Why isn't there a switch behind the lights, like there is on pretty much every other car these days?

..... or even better link it to the satnav so that it changes automatically when you reach Calais.

[Doesn'tExist]

When I crossed the channel in the Prius in January I stopped off at the tunnel terminal to buy some beam deflectors at the AA shop. The man didn't know of any special deflectors needed for the Prius so I got the same ones that I had been using for years. These fitted along a diagonal line on the headlight glass so I was a bit flummoxed to find that the Prius (non-LED) didn't have any pattern on the glass. I looked at the instructions but didn't find anything to cover this. I than tried pointing the beam at a wall and it didn't seem to be angled to either side, so concluded that deflectors aren't required. I'll be very interested if someone knows definitely.

I must admit that since I have been crossing the channel regularly I have got a bit casual about deflectors and have never had any problems but the police in our corner of France are pretty laid back about most things. I suspect that as in many things the British are more conscientious about this than the French. How many times have you seen a French car in the UK with beam deflectors?

As I am not British, I go over a lot, and I have unfortunately been stopped a few times when I didn't have them on. I did just turn my lights down, and in summer I knew I didn't even have to drive in the dark. Was stopped in my parents village, didn't get a fine as I speak the local lingo and explained the situation a bit more.

[ColinEL]

When I crossed the channel in the Prius in January I stopped off at the tunnel terminal to buy some beam deflectors at the AA shop. The man didn't know of any special deflectors needed for the Prius so I got the same ones that I had been using for years. These fitted along a diagonal line on the headlight glass so I was a bit flummoxed to find that the Prius (non-LED) didn't have any pattern on the glass. I looked at the instructions but didn't find anything to cover this. I than tried pointing the beam at a wall and it didn't seem to be angled to either side, so concluded that deflectors aren't required. I'll be very interested if someone knows definitely.

I must admit that since I have been crossing the channel regularly I have got a bit casual about deflectors and have never had any problems but the police in our corner of France are pretty laid back about most things. I suspect that as in many things the British are more conscientious about this than the French. How many times have you seen a French car in the UK with beam deflectors?

Hi

When I first bought my car, some one and a half months ago, I asked the sales guy about this he told me the same as you are saying, the beam goes straight ahead, it does not dip to either side, when I put this to this forum someone said he was talking out of his backside, so there we go, who do you believe.

Colin EL

[Doesn'tExist]

Your own eyes? Tell me that when driving at night your left beam doesn't project further, and more onto the verge?

[sjrainsford]

Would it not be a good idea to just park in from of a garage door or flat wall to have a nose at the beam pattern? Standard headlamps normally have a flat beam which has a definite kick up at the half way point rising continuously toward the kerb side of the car when viewed against a flat surface.

It would be good to see what the LED lights do. If they are in fact straight then it would be clearly visible I'd have thought.

I'm not doubting that this may have already been done, but it would be interesting to see the results.

[jont-uk]

Noticed the left hand beam is higher than the right hand beam when driving behind a van the other night if that helps ... or maybe hinders !!

Jon

[Doesn'tExist]

and I had a look, no markings on the outside of the headlight.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

and I had a look, no markings on the outside of the headlight.

There are no traditional markings but there is a dot or small glass blob in the middle of the headlight. This is the reference point used to apply suitable deam deflectors.

These are the universal beam deflectors I used and they worked. If I remember rightly you cut off the triangular part and just use the circular deflector adjusting it to either the left or right hand side of the raised dot/blob according to the instructions. There are instructions in the pack and they are easy to fit.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_172996_langId_-1_categoryId_165458

[Doesn'tExist]

No there isn't "" 

[appin]

I also emailed Eurolites and got the following reply

Hi Alan,

We have tested and worked out the position for fitment of the Eurolites on the Dual Led version Toyota Prius, so you can be confident that the information is contained within the pack.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on the number below.

Simon Tunnard

Technical Sales Support

Problem solved (hopefully!)

Alan

[Mattg925]

Ok so I guess I must be the first person to do this.   

 

I have just exported my Pip 2012 with LED headlights.  And it will fail the CT (MOT). The headlights are pointing in the wrong direction and you have to replace the whole headlight or when visiting temporary use them stickers otherwise you will eventually get into trouble.

I'm not looking forward to the quote for replacement headlights.  Anyone know websites etc that sell headlights I have only found one website which sells them but they're for regular headlights.

 

Also they say I need to modify for access to replace the fog lights,  sounds expensive lol.

 

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Mattg925
Incorrect spelling

[kithmo]

I assume it will be expensive, LED headlights are not cheap. Wouldn't it be cheaper to convert it to standard LHD Halogen headlights instead ?

[Mattg925]

Good idea.  I have no idea if I need to change anything for that. 

I'm thinking I'll buy some new or second hand somewhere in europe and then sell the old ones in the uk.   

 

I see lots of them on eBay UK.  

 

 

[QuantumFireball]

Would the wiring not be slightly different for the halogen lights? And do they not have a manual adjustment dial? This is not present on cars with LED lights, and it's possible the wiring isn't there either.

[Mattg925]

If I want to make these lights Europe legal you have to take apart the headlights and add something to the block the light.   

 

In some headlights it's easy to do.  

 

I'm tempted to give it a go but I think I'll just buy a second hand set.