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How do you adjust the C6 headlights for continental driving? |
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michaelb
 
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  Member No: #14
Location: London |
I've been given the runaround by Citroën on this one. I've asked in a couple of dealers and got all sorts of answers. The one that is clear is Citroën don't make a kit and advise against sticking anything to the outside of Xenon lamps because of heat. Citroën Slough's service manager has tried convincing me that because the lamps are designed to turn with the steering they don't have any kick up to the left at all. He said he even took my car and checked it against their headlamp aligner to prove this. However, any C6 owner who has driven their car at night time will be aware they do kick up to the left. As you can see in the attached cameraphone snap in my garage (if the pattern looks close to the floor it's because the garage floor is sloped). As I've looked at this in more detail I have come to the conclusion that Slough didn't actually lie to me. When you drive the car towards a wall the kick up does start disappearing until anything less than 10 metres it seems to disappear fully into a continuous level line. This is obviously the result of whatever optics are involved. So on a normal headlamp aligner - like they use in MoT stations - it will show as a horizontal line. On the road however it will be blinding oncoming drivers when used on the Continent. Has anyone "any light to shed on this"? 
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C6Dave
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   Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
There is probably no need to do anything with the Xenons. Citroen UK confirmed this for the C4 and C4GP and the units should be the same rencar wrote ...
have the directional xenons on my GP and I emailed Citroen about this subject. Mainly to keep their response in the car in case of an issue whilst in France. I've listed their response below: Thank you for your e-mail dated 1 April 2008. We have been advised by our parent company, in France, that the Xenon headlamps fitted to your UK specification of the Citroën C4 Grand Picasso are suitable for short visits or holidays to European countries. However, if you are intending to take up residency or stay for an extended period you may need to change your headlamps to meet local regulations. Assuring you of our best attentions, Yours sincerely CITROËN UK LIMITED STEPHEN STEVENS CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRE |
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Foxmc
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  Member No: #2
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Don't think the main beams would need any adaptation, but the auxiliar high beams on the C6 are in the lower part, so they are still common reflectors, which may cause the problems if they're not the flat or "Z" beams, right? | ||
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michaelb
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Member No: #14
Location: London |
We have been advised by our parent company, in France, that the Xenon headlamps fitted to your UK specification of the Citroën C4 Grand Picasso are suitable for short visits or holidays to European countries. However, if you are intending to take up residency or stay for an extended period you may need to change your headlamps to meet local regulations. Dave, thanks for your reply. This quote from Citroën UK is even more bizarre than the answers I was getting. So they acknowledge the lights dazzle oncoming drivers and are contrary to "local regulations" but they have decided this is acceptable for "short visits" but not acceptable for "extended periods". I drive regularly in France, some times for several weeks at a time. Is that an 'extended visit' or a 'short trip'? How do I tell oncoming drivers, who are blinded by the very bright C6's lights, that they shouldn't worry because Citroën told me it's okay? This is indeed quite mad. |
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C6Dave
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Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
A lot of members over at C4owners.org regularly go to France (some have holiday homes there so stay a while) and other European destinations None of those with the Xenons fitted have ever had an issue with headlight alignment and other drivers due to the nature of the beam pattern We gave discussed this to death over there for the past 3 years as well and I really don't think you will have any issues. |
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michaelb
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Member No: #14
Location: London |
C6 Dave wrote ... We gave discussed this to death over there for the past 3 years as well and I really don't think you will have any issues. Fair enough. Thanks for the advice. These Xenons are new to me. I've been driving in France regularly over twenty five years. Historically I've just put some black insulating tape on my lights and left it there all year round. Sometimes I didn't even bother removing it at MoT time because it just knocks the left side uplift off the beam pattern. I'm just worried about the Xenons on two fronts. Firstly, they are by a long chalk the most powerful lights I've ever seen on one of my cars and I don't particularly want to be p!ssing off others, but secondly the Gendarmerie have of late been revenue harvesting motorists. This started recently with their silly new Hi-viz vest law and they just love stopping and fining motorists at the moment. I'll be doing a couple of thousand kilometres in France over the Christmas, I'll let you know how it goes 
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C6Dave
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Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
Just keep the Hi Viz vests draped over the seat backs in full view whilst in France and they should leave you alone........ | ||
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michaelb
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Member No: #14
Location: London |
C6 Dave wrote ... Just keep the Hi Viz vests draped over the seat backs in full view whilst in France and they should leave you alone........ True. I've noticed it's mostly older cars which have the vests worn in this manner. I think that's because the boys in blue pull the older cars more often than newer ones. I've experienced this myself; I keep an old 1990 205 banger at my French place and last Christmas I was pulled out of a line of cars for a random check. While stopped I noticed all the cars they were pulling where over ten years old. The 2007 C6 should pass this test. Maybe if I hide the child seat they'll think I'm Sarko! |
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tonyrome
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  Member No: #15
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C6Dave wrote ... None of those with the Xenons fitted have ever had an issue with headlight alignment and other drivers due to the nature of the beam pattern. We gave discussed this to death over there for the past 3 years as well and I really don't think you will have any issues. Sorry but I have to disagree with this. I am currently driving my UK spec C6 in Germany and I'm being flashed by loads of cars at night, which doesn't suggest to me 'you won't have any issues'. I agree with Michael; neither Citroen nor any dealers have the answer. Why the hell didn't Citroen do as Skoda have on the new Superb and allow control of the beam alignment from the on-board computer? I'm not on a short trip to Germany - I will be here for another 6 months yet - and I will be back and forth between the UK and Germany after that. What happens when one of the many drivers who are flashing me reports it to the police? Should I quote this nonsense from Citroen (above) or, as they suggest, buy a set of LHD Xenons for a few thousand and then keep changing them when I go back and forth? I'm surprised they don't suggest another option as avoiding driving at night! It's a ridiculous and completely avoidable situation, had Citroen been bothered to deal with it. |
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C6Dave
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Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
Looking at the Parts list for the headlamps the part numbers are slightly different for left hand and right hand drive However it may be that there is an issue with the setup which is rather complex given the active suspension Take a look through this in downloads: - Click Here - |
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tonyrome
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Member No: #15
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The technical documents make an interesting read but, considering the complexity of the design and the work which has obviously gone into them, I am amazed that Citroen didn't include some function to allow this relatively simple adjustment! As I said, Skoda have similar Xenons on the Superb, which adjust their beam pattern depending on the conditions, yet they can also be adjusted for use in any country through the onboard computer! I will be speaking to a Citroen expert I know in the UK when I'm next back and will try to find an answer. I would rather have the lights set up in the straight-ahead position, with no 'kick', so they don't dazzle in the UK or on the Continent. After all, with the quality of the headlamps themselves and the directional facility, it wouldn't cause any problem that I can see. |
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C6Dave
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Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
Out of interest I have managed to find this (for the C4) and can't image there being much difference on the C6 (click the image to enlarge BTW) |
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tonyrome
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Member No: #15
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Looking at that diagram, it would appear that the lights should be setup along the centre line, ie. a & b, in which case there should be no kick. However, as Michael has shown, this is not the case! Setup as in the above diagram makes more sense to me. Why do you need the kick when the lights are directional?! | ||
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michaelb
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Member No: #14
Location: London |
I had my C6 at Slough again today - this time for the MBW recall - and took the opportunity to quiz yet another unfortunate Service Manager about the lights. He promised me he will call me when he speaks to Slough's technical department. We shall see. | ||
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Gonzo
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  Member No: #78
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I don't have a C6 (yet!) but do have an A6 with xenons and plastic headlight units. I too asked Audi dealer about adjustment and they said yes - It'll cost you £50 to adjust before you go and £50 to change back when you come home!!! So I took the risk with a set of beam benders from Halfrauds (£6.99) and fitted them as advised in the leaflet - all good. Including a good beam pattern and no flashes from others. No worries getting the sticky stuff off using neat windscreen wash fluid. No scratches, no melted bits. The C6 lenses can't be that different from those on an Audi? |
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