If you’re planning on driving from the UK over to Europe then one of your main concerns might be adjusting your headlights for continental driving.
– The high cost of switching headlights
– The cheaper, simpler alternative
Driving in Europe is challenging for us Brits; especially if you’re driving the ‘wrong’ way down the road in a right-hand drive car!
It’s very disorienting to drive through roads where everything is on the opposite side – you have to keep an eye out for road signs and contend with traffic going the ‘wrong’ way at junctions and roundabouts are a nightmare when approached for the first time.
But there’s another, unexpected danger to driving on the wrong side of the road for a right-hand-drive car, particularly while driving at night…
How UK Headlights Work – The Beam Pattern
The distribution of light from low-beam headlights is actually asymmetrical.
The left-side headlight of your British car directs light forwards, whereas the right-side headlight cuts off the beam to prevent it from going over to the other side of the road. This setup helps to illuminate obstructions and traffic signs on the left-hand side of the road, without dazzling drivers which are coming towards you on the right hand side.
As you might expect, the asymmetrical light distribution is the opposite way around in Europe, so driving a UK right-hand-drive car without any adjustments on the continent is very dangerous; you’ll be blinding everyone in the oncoming lane!
Adjusting Headlights For Continental Driving
If you’re wondering what cars have switchable headlights then you might be disappointed with the results, because your car might not have that function.
Most UK cars with projector headlights can be switched from right hand drive, over to left hand drive.
There should be a switch or lever (sometimes a screw) inside the headlight unit that allows you to adjust the height of the beam pattern.
In modern cars, this might be done on your cars’ dashboard.
Some vehicles might not need adjusting at all. Some OEM (Factory Fitted) Xenon headlights are completely flat and will not cause any hazard to oncoming traffic no matter what country you are in. You would have to check your vehicle hand book to confirm this or contact your dealership directly.
Although it’s certainly not essential, you may want to approach your vehicle’s manufacturer and ask them to provide written proof that your OEM bulbs are legal for EU driving – this piece of paper can come in handy if the local police suspect your headlights and pull you over.
The Cost Of Switching To European Headlights?
If you’re vehicles’ headlights aren’t capable of changing from right hand drive to left hand drive then you might need to pay a lot of money to get this done.
Some dealerships or manufacturers might supply and fit European headlights for your vehicle but the cost can sometimes be unbelievable.
While there isn’t a direct list of prices because each vehicle is different, expect some quotes to range from £500 to £2,000.
Switchable Headlights? Just Use Beam Adaptors…
If your car is stuck with regular, non-adjustable headlamps, you can adjust them yourself with beam adaptor stickers – place these on to your headlights and deflect the beam away to ensure you are legal for European driving.
You can find headlight beam adaptors in the ABD store – they’re available on their own or included in our European driving kits, which provide all the essentials you need for motoring across Europe.
Author: ABD.co.uk
Hi – I am moving to France with my RHD 2017 Ford Ranger. I am trying to find out if and how the headlights can adjust to LHD mode. I will need to take it for its CT (French MoT) and don’t want it to fail on the headlights. Many Thanks for any advice you can give me please – Regards John
Hey, how did it go in the end?
Hi. I am having the same issue with my Ford Ranger 2018 and wondered if you managed to resolve the issue of changing from RHD to LHD headlight by adjustment. Rather than buying new headlights? Any help would be gratefully received.
Hello, I am bringing my VW Beetle 2005 model to Bulgaria.
I believe that the headlamps are the xenon type.
Are these lights compatible for driving in Europe, without changing or adjusting them?)
Blink your eye to Police they will say go drive it’s ok your Car
Does my mercedes c class mercdes have a switchable lever for driving abroad
Just had my RHD 2006 Mondeo ITV’d in Spain it has LHD Headlights and is Spanish Registered.
The ITV station said that for the test next year, I will need to change my Headlight back to the original RHD Headlights. Any Idea why ???
Hi All
Nissan Qashqai Acenta 2012 1.6 petrol brought from UK and driven to Spain.
Car just failed ITV test in Spain due to headlights. Never been flashed here so thought they may be ok.
Can you advise most cost effective way to make legal so they will pass at a Spanish MOT centre?
Thank you.
Hi..I have a 2009 Peugeot 407 coupe RHD car with self leveling and directional headlamps but need to Italian reg it the headlights dose not seem adjustable cannot find any lever or screw, the new headlamps cost €2000 from the Internet and €3000 from the dealer, will it pass with beam adaptor stickers?
My name is Grahame and drive 2012 Ssangyong Kkorando 2 ltr diesel and am going to Portugal, Spain and France towing our caravan. How do I change over to European settings with my headlights?
Being an English guy living in France for 26 years and constantly crossing the channel in French cars,….trucks etc…….it is hell!
I see both sides of the argument…….but the fact we drive on different sides of the road is inherently dangerous in all ways. Headlights are nightmare,…..I currently have a new Ford Transit 2019 where even the dip beam adjustment switch does not work!!!!!and it is a French beam in the UK…..the garage said there was no adjustment……and I just loss part of my wing mirror to another Transit in too much of a hurry.
We also have two recent cases of deadly driving caused by forgetting which side of the road todrive on….this time in the UK but previously in France
Despite Brexit it is about time politicians had some guts.
I suggest we draw straws and the loser changes sides………..or we all compromise and drive down the middle!
I have a Toyota Auris hybrid 2014. Is there a RHD conversion bulb or something to change the lights for EU use?
Hi all I have a Nissan Navara NP300 N-guard 2020 in uk i go move premanent to portugal i know i not have any switch can put down or up and my all lights are very modern OEM Factory Fitterd Xenon headlights do i need swap headlights or can be ajust ?
Hi I just bought Mercedes Benz CLS 250 with bi-xenon head lights its september 2013 model
Does They got option Settings or other option for changing from left to right because I Will drive in EU
I have a fiat panda left hand my lights are changed for R H D ,I’m taking the car back to Tenerife and changing my lights back to L H D , but still have to drive it to the port if it’s dark can you put something on the lights to change them while driving if so where can youbuy them I live in kent
Is there a video on YouTube showing my E220 cabriolet reg 2011
Hi, I recently bought some angel ring headlights for my Peugeot 207. I took them too a garage to get adjusted as i was getting flashed for blinding people, the garage has told me they are setup for cars that drive on the right hand side of the road. As I’m in the UK this is wrong and it has a high beam on the right side blinding oncoming traffic. Please could you give some advice on what i should do with my lights? could I redo the lights to make them the correct way myself? many thanks
Hi..I have a 2011 ford galaxy uk car but need to spanish reg it are the headlights adjustable..
Hi Linda,
As a temporary fix, you can use headlight beam adapters but if it’s staying in the Country permanently – you’ll need to take it to a garage and convert the headlights.
We’ve had reports in the past where an ITV garage has refused to pass the vehicle unless the headlights are permanently converted.
Using these will not pass the itv. They may work for temporary visits. We had help from http://www.vehicleregistrationscostadelsol.com some can be realignment most need changing. Simple as.
Need to convert my Renault Kadjar 2017 to european lights as I have moved to Portugal. Where can I buy the new lights.
Hi there,
Would this work on a 2018 Honda Civic that has straight front headlights?
I have a 2016 Ford Ranger, can l convert the head lights from RHD to LHD
Hey guys, I’m living in germany and need to buy a left side headlight for my 1988 Toyota Camry (SV21)
I’ve found a good one in the UK, but I’m not sure if it can be adjusted.
Does anyone know if the glass at least is the same as in the EU? That would absolutely be enough to know.
Thanks in advance.
Kind regards, Alex.
Hi guys , can you help . Both the xenon headlights on my 2016 Ford Focus ST mk3.5 are broken and i need to get a new pair, but are really expensive in the UK . I am able th change the beam pattern from left to right with the onboard computor switch gear in my car . What i would like to know is this . If i get 2x new lights from Germany eu model lights , will they fit on my car if i change the beam pattern from EU to UK, and will they then work the same as my UK lights ?.
Looking forward to your swift reply .
Kindest regards ,
K
can you change the headlight dip direction on a ford C-Max
You need to open a light front cover and change just reflectors or eye where bulb goes on it and fix cover that’s it you don’t need to spend money buy two damaged head lights jus eye to be ok
I done on my Mercedes CLS 2008 model here in Sweden
It costed me 100 euro instead Mercedes asked me for 3000 euro
Normal garage asked for 2500 euro !
I ignored both of them and takes me 3 hours to do it myself on the side of my parking place
nobody can answer any question..not even Jaguar… my XE has ‘fast beam’ the book says they are legal to drive in France …but when I try and MOT it in France it fails because they say the flat beam is NOT the same for UK and mainland EU…..and they are slightly ‘out’….Im not sure who is correct …can anybody in the world ‘tweak’ mine to pass ???
I have inherited a Daimler 6 1994 same as Jaguar 300 it has left hand dipping head lights 5.75″ as per uk, now I have moved to France and I am having a great difficulty in sorceing right hand dipping headlamps units there is a switch on the rear of the sealed beam unit that doesn’t do any thing but get the bulb out. can anyone help with my problem please
Hi. I am driving to Spain through France. I have 2014 Mercedes Benz E250 AMG SPORT. Please can you tell me if this car has dashboard settings for the headlights for driving in Europe.
Hi Harish, unfortunately we don’t have information like that on specific cars. The norm is that most headlights don’t have that facility, only to move the entire beam up/down/left/right. However the best thing to do is check your hand book or call up your local dealer and they should be able to advise on your specific model.
If you have the intelligent lights system them yes it can change to left hand beam.
Go to setting from stearing pres home button
Pres arrow down till you see lights adustment pres ok three times it came head lights afustment pres arrow down and it came left drive right drive
With arrow key point the side you want
Press ok
Done !
Hi There,
We live in France and have a 2002 Citroen C3 Pluriel which we brought from South Africa (RHD)
Is there a xenon conversation available to avoid buying two new headlamps as part of French registration requirements.
Bob
I sell custom HALO headlights for all makes and model vehicles… recently I had a customer from Australia try to tell me that the headlights on his right hand drive PT Cruiser were physically different inside (shape of the reflector bucket) from the USA production headlight assemblies… I find it really hard to believe that HELLA, the manufacturer of the headlight assemblies for Chrysler on the PT Cruiser model would have actually made different reflector buckets for the left hand and right hand drive PT’s considering these headlights actually have screw adjusters for both horizontal and vertical adjustments… I believe the headlights can be adjusted to work on a right hand drive version but this customer insists that they won’t work… do you have any insight on this particular situation?
Hi John
Unfortunately we don’t have specific experience with the PT Cruiser but it is possible it’s a different headlight reflector between LHD and RHD. I imagine the vertical and horizontal adjustment screws move the entire beam up, down, left and right. However what makes a beam pattern correct for the side of the road you drive on is the kick up angle and position. For the UK this should be on the left of the beam, in the US this would be on the right. I guess the adjustment screws wouldn’t affect the kick up and therefore it would need a different headlight unit. If those screws do actually flip the kick up to the opposite side, then no the same unit would work regardless of which side of the road you drive on. You would just adjust it accordingly.
Chenge reflectors inside of headlights
Yes all manyfactors do reflectors for both side right drive and left drive
Because on market cars are right stearin and left both sides se every single parts is done for their needs
I just cannot get a definitive answer on the question of headlamp adjustment on My Nissan Qashqai Acenta. It is a 63 reg Qashqai built in January 2014. I took the car to a Nissan dealership to ask them how I should fit the beam deflectors, but they told me none were needed as the headlamps are xenon and dont need adjustment as “they work in a different way to the old headlamps”. When I put the car near a wall and switch the headlamps on the beams have a high-area, up and to the left. I asked a mechanic at a high street garage and he said i definitely need beam deflectors. I just dont know who to believe and last time I went to France (in a different make and model of car) I put some beam deflectors on wrongly, they were out by about 1cm and was being told by other drivers flashing their lights I was blinding them. I dont want to go through that again, So who is right? Do I need them on a 63 plate 01/2014 qashqai or not?
Hi Sammy
Yes you would need beam deflectors. Any headlight, regardless of the technology should have a kick up into the verge depending on the side of the road that you drive on. In the UK that’s obviously the left so the kick up is to the left. When you drive on the right hand side of the road, that kick up is now into oncoming vehicles which can cause them issues. The beam deflectors simply block that kick up and take away that part of the beam that would otherwise blind oncoming drivers.
On some modern cars there are menu options or headlight adjustment options that can allow you to switch between RHD and LHD, or put it into a more ‘universal’ option where the beam is generally flat. I think the Qashqai is supposed to have this but you would need to check with Nissan or a dedicated forum to confirm this. If you can’t find that option, then a beam deflector would be needed to eliminate the kick-up.
I live in france and have done for number of years and have been through all of these problems and have found that for a fortnights holiday you can pull up your levers and flatten your beam or you can buy deflectors which are good but when you apply to have your car re registered you will need new headlights… in order to get the car registered here it has to have the local version of an mot its the first thing they fail it on ….your lights do not comply monsieur….they know brits drive on other side so its sort of automatic fail if you dont change em…i got mine second hand on french ebay 150.00 euros fitted myself bit a chew but why take chance
Hi
I own a Ford is 2011 model and may be moving abroad to Europe what will be the best route for me? Will I have a magic switch?
hi i have a ford kuga oct 2014 i.am going to spain this year is my head lights ok for driveing on the right hand side thanks
Hi Steve
You would need a headlight adapter to stop the light kicking up in oncoming drivers eyes. We have these available here:
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/Ring-Headlight-Beam-Adaptors-Deflectors.html
These are universal so will be fine for your car :-)
Hi I own a English reg vw Passat reg Dec 2014 I’m currently in Spain and I would like to know if possible if I could change my headlights to dip the other way so that I don’t blind other road users
Look down near the ignition switch for a wheel switch that sometimes has numbers on it. One way is up the ther is low. For eu driving you should set it low. If you park the car facing a wall 30 ft away or 10 metres turn on the head lights and adjust to the required height.
I have a Misubishi PHEV Outlander with Xenon headlamps will I need deflectors?
Help. Friend going to live in France has Kia Sorrento 2010 so needs to convert lights to LHD. Will it need new units or does it have the magic switch? Thanks
I an think of buying a volvo XC90 and exporting it to Spain, will I need to change the headlights? Can’t find any info to tell me if there is a switch in the car itself.
Hi Andrew unless it has the Xenon headlights it’s unlikely to to have the switch in it depending on the year model.
I have a Jeep Cherokee limited 2015 and need replacement headlights for driving in France. Is there anyway. I can get them without having to pay the really horrendous price here from Jeep of € 2000 supply and fit
Regards
Barry
Hi Barry, Did you ever get this resolved? Having similar issues in France at the moment. Thanks
Hi
I have a Chrysler 300crd 2006 with factory hids, is there anyway to change for European driving ?
Thanks
I have 2015 Suzuki SX4 crossover SZ5 with HID headlights. Do I need to alter beam for France – if so, how?
Hi Roz, Some xenon headlights have a beam adaptor that can block the ‘step’ out making it a flat beam. If you can get access to the headlight bulbs you should see next to the bulb a small lever that will go up or down. If you push the lever up or down it will block out the ‘step’ making you able to drive in a LHD/RHT country.
If your headlight don’t have this feature then beam adaptors in the correct place will suffice which are available here http://www.abd.co.uk/Ring-Headlight-Beam-Adaptors-Deflectors.html
does my December2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee have flat beam head lights if not how would I get them to become flat beam
2017 Skoda Superb
I’m trying to import my UK Skoda Superb into the Czech Republic. They say I need to swap the headlights but the part number ( 3v1941017a/18a) they have given is also available in the UK. It is slightly different to the part fitted. Are they really not adjustable? Any support would be appreciated.
Hi,
What about the new cars which have these LED headlights? Someone told me that they can change automatically when coming to Europe 🤔. Like Mercedes benz c class 2017. Has anyone any information please write to me thanks
I am English and until moving to the South East coast near Dover and the Channel Tunnel I lived in London for 40 years. I have therefore seen and still see lots and lots of vehicles from every part of the Europe on our roads all of them RHDs. In all that time I like many other Brits have never witnessed any of those vehicles displaying any sort of headlight deflector whilst driving on UK roads. There may be a few but who do but there certainly aren’t very many. Indeed its considered to be a bit of a joke by us Brits who regularly take our LHD’s abroad and conscientiously stick deflectors on to our headlights. Just saying.
The picture is wrong as everything English. Please reverse light distribution
We invented driving. We picked which side to drive on. You just wanted to be awkwardly different. Plus it’s been proven more accidents accure in your procedure than ours. Stop trying to be unique and different.
As this is a uk website, the picture is correct. I’d suggest if you don’t like it, then feel free to go and live in a different country.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do… probably a phrase you need to learn about mutual respect.
ENGLISH IDOTS should change driving as mosrt of the countries do. 95% people are right handed and driving should be on right hand side.
Francis we Brits have always travelled on the left of the road because as most people are right handed our sword arms would be free to deal with any scoundrel who might be approaching us with ill intent. I admit however that this is more difficult when driving a car rather than it was when riding a horse.Of course these days when driving our cars in Europe we just try and blind any potential assailant with our headlights.
Francis you need to educate yourself as it’s not just the English, who drive on the left. Wales, Scotland and Ireland also drive on the left, as do a lot of the commonwealth countries.
Calling a country idiots because they do something they are entitled to do is NOT acceptable.
Andrew
I have a six year old XC60. The lights can be switched (electronically) for continental driving from inside the car. Look in the settings menu.