W204 C Class lights abroad

[Simon_M]

The manual is not particularly clear on setting the headlights for use abroad, but has anyone set them for European use themselves?

I know the Intelligent Lighting System can be switched off by the computer (but will this be hazardous to foreign drivers anyway?) and daytime lights can be switched on that way as well.

But does it need a dealer to set the xenons via STAR or is there a secret lever somewhere? I imagine either way the dealer will charge me handsomely!

Simon

 

[snoop51]

The manual is not particularly clear on setting the headlights for use abroad, but has anyone set them for European use themselves?

I know the Intelligent Lighting System can be switched off by the computer (but will this be hazardous to foreign drivers anyway?) and daytime lights can be switched on that way as well.

But does it need a dealer to set the xenons via STAR or is there a secret lever somewhere? I imagine either way the dealer will charge me handsomely!

Simon

Not sure on the C class but on the W212 E class you can set the headlights to L/h or R/h driving within the computer. All it does is lower the beam the same as the stick on headlamp deflectors do as far as I could tell when in France last year.

 

[Simon_M]

Yeah, I read that but I think us lowly C Class owners don't get that option - I had a look.

S

 

[st13phil]

On my non-zenon W204 it's easy: just flick across a small lever accessible at the bottom of the lamp housing once you remove the access cover. On my wife's xenon-equipped R171 it's exactly the same, i.e. a lever at the bottom of the lamp housing, but getting to the back of the lamp housing is almost impossible from the top on that car so we let the dealer drop the wheelarch liners and swap the lights over for us

Personally, I'd ask the dealer - ours swaps the headlamps over for free on the SLK even though it's about 20mins work; if it's as easy on the xenon-equipped W204 as it is on the non-xenon car it should take no more than 5mins and they'll be happy to show you where the lever is too

 

[Simon_M]

I found it, a lever to the side of the bulb, literally 2mins to do both sides!!!

Only trouble is I was a n0b and played about with the drivers side one so many times I forgot which position it was in to start with. I know I only need to change the passenger side one for foreign travel but there is more room to get in and see what is inside the housing on the other side.

So my new question is which position should the drivers side one be in? I know the passenger side one should be high normally and low when abroad and there is quite a big difference between the two settings. But on the drivers side there is a much smaller difference between the two settings.

I left it on the lowest to be safe, but any help would be appreciated.

S

 

[peterdh]

On my non-zenon W204 it's easy: just flick across a small lever accessible at the bottom of the lamp housing once you remove the access cover. On my wife's xenon-equipped R171 it's exactly the same, i.e. a lever at the bottom of the lamp housing, but getting to the back of the lamp housing is almost impossible from the top on that car so we let the dealer drop the wheelarch liners and swap the lights over for us

Personally, I'd ask the dealer - ours swaps the headlamps over for free on the SLK even though it's about 20mins work; if it's as easy on the xenon-equipped W204 as it is on the non-xenon car it should take no more than 5mins and they'll be happy to show you where the lever is too

I'm afraid that I have to admit to being totally confused (not too unusual for me). I'm sure I have read other posts (can't find them now) that say that on the standard (ie bog standard halogen) lamped car which I think mine is that there isn't a switch to flick!

I'm going to France in June and would appreciate a definitive answer to this one. Access to the lights, and more importantly seeing what you are doing, is not easy (possibly an understatement there) and when you have, as I do, more thumbs than fingers any help would be appreciated.

I'm sure the dealers would be most obliging but if it is a straightforward task (once you know what you are doing) I'd rather do it myself. Thanks guys in anticipation.

 

[Simon_M]

The doc is 1.3Mb so I cannot upload it, but from the speil:

With model 164, 169, 171, 203 with halogen headlamp, model 204, 211 with bi-xenon headlamp unit, model 209, 215, 219, 220, 221, 230, 245, 251, the headlamps are adjusted mechanically. Pressing a lever changes the position of a movable covering. The movable covering then covers up the part of the light beam which - through corresponding projection - is responsible for illuminating the edge of the roadway.
​

The lever for this purpose is located next to the bulb and can be accessed after removing the corresponding cover on the headlamp housing.
​

The lever's location, version and actuation are dependent on the manufacturer of the headlamp and the model.
​

On model 204.9, 207, 212 with halogen headlamps the headlamps are adjusted using the headlamp range controller.

The headlamp setting must be checked before adjustment using a headlamp aimer.
​

Model 204.9 with halogen headlamps (the lever is below the bulb and goes left/right)​

The headlamps are adjusted using the headlamp range controllers.

Procedure:
with normal load, turn headlamp range controller to position 1
After returning to country of registration, turn headlamp range controller back to position 0.

with heavy load, turn headlamp range controller to position 2
After unloading vehicle, turn headlamp range controller back to position 1.


Now who can help with my xenon balls-up? ​

 

[Paul64]

I just asked the agent in Ashford about swapping my car over to 'English' as we're coming up for Christmas as it's not too clear in the manual with my Franglais translation. Seems there is a lever on the back of the headlamp with our W212 (with Xenons / ILS) which they would do on the way past rather than changing a setting on the dash menu. I think I'll check it out tonight and see what's what.
If you just disable the ILS, I guess you just end up with fixed beams with a kick-up on the wrong side of the beam...

 

[st13phil]

If your W212 has the ILS, then there is no lever in the headlamp. Instead, in the cluster you select "Drive on the Right" or "Drive on the Left". For a RHD car, selecting "Drive on the Right" disables the ILS and gives you a flat dip cut-off.

 

[Paul64]

Great, I'll check it out tonight against the wall of the garage.

Paul

 

[Markjames]

If your W212 has the ILS, then there is no lever in the headlamp. Instead, in the cluster you select "Drive on the Right" or "Drive on the Left". For a RHD car, selecting "Drive on the Right" disables the ILS and gives you a flat dip cut-off.

The w204 with ils is same as st13phil says for the w212. Its one of the options if you move through cluster