Hi. anyone know how to mask off the xenon headlights on the c5 for driving on the right on the continent. There is nothing in the handbook and as far as I can see no alignment markings on the headlight itself. Citroen do a kit of sorts but it is expensive at £40 approx and not very practical either.
David
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I guess you could experiment with the usual wedge shaped bits of black tape! I used to do this at night with the car close to the garage doors or a wall; you can then see the shape of the projected beam and the effect of what yo do on the lens. You will never be able to get the continental beam, of course, but you should be able to cut of the top of the 'up on the left' bit of the UK lights. Good Luck
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hope someone comes up with an answer as I also am off to the continent......how is the rear suspension on your C5 ? Mine has had the kit fitted by the factory but still makes a lot of noise at low speed (25-40)..and the car sometimes jumps sideways which is alarming but seems harmless....I have approached the dealer who two weeks ago was waiting for news from Citroen and just said they were aware of the problem...but apart from lying on the ground and confirming the prescence of the "kit" has not actually test driven it......somewhere else on this site there is mention of a number of recalls on C5s but I haven't had a single one.....is this other people's experience??
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There should be some form of adjustment on the lamp for continental driving. The MG ZT has, anyway.
You shouldn't have to mask these Xenon lamps, the potential for dazzle is too great; that is why they have built in LH/RH adjustment.
Best check with your nearest Citroen dealer methinks.
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All "clear headlamp" cars should have RH to LH adjustment.
Some adjustments will be on dash - some simple 2 position levers on the back of the headlamp housings.
Check in manaul - if it's NOT in there complain to dealer.
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Trevor
Some apparently don't - they still rely on masking. I've seen headlamp protectors with 'continental' mask for Vauxhalls for example.
Regards
john
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The handbook for my G Cherokee says to use the height adjustment to dip 'em low for continental driving. I've done this a few times now and apart from not getting the usual brilliant illumination to drive by seems to work - ie I haven't had any annoyed French gentlemen (or flics) accosting me.
I assume the C5 has this adjustment as SWMBO's Berlingo does and I understand the C5 costs a bit more!
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No, like the Xantia, the C5 has self levelling suspension so no need for load compensating manual height adjustable headlights. But there should be a separate adjustor for left to right dip.
HJ
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If the masking strips required on the C5 are anything like the Xantia, they will be complicated. Those on the Xantia mask off the top right corner and the bottom left corner of each headlamp, with the two portions being joined by a diagonal strip. I found the required shape in the Lucas headlamp kit, although since I need them two or three times a year, I cut them from black Fablon. Having driven on the Continent without them, and obviously annoyed the native truckers, I do know they work.
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Cars with Xenon lamps have automatic headlamp levellers as standard
Thats why the light beams flick up to and indexed position and settle when you spark 'em up (quite literally)
There are potentiometers on the rear suspension to provide the loading signals to the lamp controllers.
There should be a lever on the lamp somewhere to change the beams.
MGR ommitted this info from the handbooks; we were beseiged with customers asking "How do I....."
MGR then issued every dealer with a TSB to that effect amd updated the operaters manuals.
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Similar question for Laguna II - nothing in handbook, Renault dealer said kit was available, which presumably was a simple masking kit as I think they said it was under £10.
Anyone know if there are levers (and if so, how do you get to them)?
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John M: after a year of enquiring via dealers and Renault customer service of how to deal with these lamps when driving on the continent, I was eventually given the part number of the kit required (car had only been on the market for 18+ months...). When the dealer looked the number up, it was £35 and consisted of protectors which you masked up...
see www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=88...1
If it really is £10 now, that's a step forward; (nobody knew of any levers).
JohnM
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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.
Adrian
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Re: headlamp protectors.
I went to buy them from a French dealer earlier this year:
the part "does not exist" on the French dealer system.
This might be the logic used by Customer services !
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I also have had it confirmed by Citroen that 1) There is no adjustment possible for the Xenon C5 headlams for continental driving and 2) They will not even sell headlamp protectors for those cars fitted with Xenon lamps.
Any chance of a copy of the e-mail from Citroen as they were reluctant to send one to me.
Dave Simpson
vgo@supanet.com
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Just had an e-mail from Citroen UK in response to my request (took 2 weeks!) confirming that the C5 Xenon H/lamps need no adjustment for Continental driving due to the 'flat beam'. I'm still not sure but we will see.
Dave
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It would seem that Citroen are relying on ECE Regulation 98 (gas discharge headlamps) which sets out the shape and dimensions of the beam pattern which is, as Dave says, a flat-topped "tick". What Regulation 98 does NOT seem to say is anything about there being specific left- and right-hand drive versions being required in different countries. The working is splendedly unclear, simply referring to LH and RH "mirror images".
I've tested my C5 and it conforms to the beam pattern dimensions for RH-drive vehicles. But we're none the wiser about whether it's legal in France, Spain or wherever!
I will be writing a snail-mail letter to Citroen-PSA HQ in France this week seeking written confirmation of the e-mail. Given the length of time it took to get an e-mail reply - don't hold your breath!
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I've just been through this one with citroen too. I also have a phase I C5 with xenon lights. Spoke to citroen customer services who assure me that the car doesn't need modification for driving on the continent. They have taken my address and say they will put this in writing. Case number 465093.
Interesting to read your posts as the customer services guy implied that there was no difference in beam pattern between left and right hand drive xenons on C5s.
Hope this comes through, but don't know how long that will take. Any luck with Citoen-PSA in France?
Cheers,
M.
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I have a 307 and not Xenon lights; the outer lens is completely smooth and clear and there is no clue where one might put a masking adjuster on it. However, if you buy the polycarbonate headlamp protectors they have the masking area corners etched onto the surface and come supplied with 2 correctly shaped bits of black masking tape. Earlier posts on this topic suggested that xenons got too hot for anything to survive being stuck directly onto the lamp surface.
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Having read all the posts on headlight adjustment for using a UK registered C5 on LHD continental roads, I wonder what, if anything, the manufacturer Citroen does to its vehicles exported to the UK.
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In my facelift C5 (LHD model) the xenon headlight beam reaches just about 25 meters on the left (i.e. traffic lane on the RHD traffic) and not much further on the right hand "off-road" side. As the upper edge of the beam is VERY sharp and without any stray light and the beam is so low it does not disturb anyone but one cannot see a thing with it, either. So, stupidly I must additionally use foglights on a dark road just to see something.
I did ask the local Citroen garage to adjust the light beam upwards but they have no idea about how to do it (and because the beam is not too high they think it's OK). As the light beams (reflectors) reach their preset position every time after sparking up there must be some adjustment for this position. Right?
Earlier in this thread Dr. Dave mentioned potentiometers on the rear suspension to provide the loading signals to the lamp controllers. Does anyone of you fellows have the experience about the C5 xenon beam height adjustment? (The garage promised to do if I only can tell them what, where and how...)
Andy
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The thought occurs to me that since Citroen is French, they might not have adjusted the headlights at all in the UK model if it "conforms to specs".
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