New import..head lights etc.

Ducato Dan

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Help I've just imported new LHD Pilote 740 from Germany to Northern Ireland...
Can anyone confirm situation on headlights...we intend touring Europe mostly,
if I change lamps to UK spec...what happens if I go to Europe then?
 
I cannot comment on your specific vehicle, but have read of people having to replace the headlamps with U.K. specific units. Bear in mind that the rear fog light may need changed also.
If you go down this route, then when you visit the continent you can use beambenders as shown in the link.

www.halfords.com

Halfords Headlamp Converters | Halfords UK

Shop the latest The Halfords Headlamp Converters are simple to fit and come with installation instructions. at Halfords UK
www.halfords.com www.halfords.com

My own van which is a U.K. spec Hymer can have the beams switched from U.K. to LHD by a lever situated on the rear of each lamp unit. I don’t bother with either the beam benders or levers when I go to France as I don’t drive at night. Wether I could be fined by the authorities is open to conjecture.

I suspect if you could chat to an MOT. tester you might find you can comply as Trev suggests, but I certainly would check. Perhaps another Pilote owner will know if you have a lever to convert from LHD to RHD.

Davy
 
To my knowledge the headlights on new vehicles are not directional. I had this issue with my 2011 Ducati Multistrada when registering from UK to France. The dealer quoted 900 euros for a replacement front cluster! On investigation I found them not to be directional so saved a good bit of money. There is a embossed symbol on headlights which indicate this. I can’t remember the details now but a quick google search will get you the info. By the way, my older BMW X3 had directional headlights but has now passed two French Contrôle Techniques (MOT tests) with foil circles I cut out and fitted on the glass lenses.
 
On my Dethleffs which if fitted with the small 60mm dia lights they can be changed at the rear.
Screenshot_20230223_144451_Facebook.jpg
 
granth said:
To my knowledge the headlights on new vehicles are not directional. I had this issue with my 2011 Ducati Multistrada when registering from UK to France. The dealer quoted 900 euros for a replacement front cluster! On investigation I found them not to be directional so saved a good bit of money. There is a embossed symbol on headlights which indicate this. I can’t remember the details now but a quick google search will get you the info. By the way, my older BMW X3 had directional headlights but has now passed two French Contrôle Techniques (MOT tests) with foil circles I cut out and fitted on the glass lenses.
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My 2011 RHD Ducato has directional headlights, and I know of others who have imported around this time and found their LHD Ducato's where directional, this is easily checked by parking in front of wall or garage and observing beam pattern.
 
Ducato Dan said:
Help I've just imported new LHD Pilote 740 from Germany to Northern Ireland...
Can anyone confirm situation on headlights...we intend touring Europe mostly,
if I change lamps to UK spec...what happens if I go to Europe then?
Click to expand...
I imported a motorhome on a Transit Mk7 chassis and the headlights had to be changed (as did speedo markings) in order to obtain UK registration. On the Transit Mk7, the headlight units can be swapped over by undoing 2 screws and disconnecting wiring, then connecting and securing the replacement unit, so I swap units at port of embarkation when travelling to and from Europe.
 
colinm said:
My 2011 RHD Ducato has directional headlights, and I know of others who have imported around this time and found their LHD Ducato's where directional, this is easily checked by parking in front of wall or garage and observing beam pattern.
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To clarify, the Ducati Multistrada is a motorbike, sorry I did not make that clear earlier.
In the meantime I have photographed the symbols that need to be checked to be certain whether the headlights are directional or not and which way if directional. I will post them now. I will also check my Ducato based 2020 motorhome tomorrow when I'm at it's garage.
 
Here is the way to know if the headlights are directional, and if so, to which direction.
The first photo is of the Ducati motorcycle, the little arrow with arrow heads pointing in both directions near the E9 marking shows that this headlight in NOT directional, and so is good for LHD and RHD.
The second photo, from older BMW X3, has an arrow pointing only to the left, so the vehicle being originally a UK version, is for RHD. Note the photo is of the headlight unit taken from the front of the vehicle and is on the headlight housing inside the engine compartment.
Hope this helps.
 

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If you have to get new headlights I might be interested in buying your " European ones".
 
I imported from Germany, I bought continental masks for UK use and at first MOT they tried to mask the lights to make them work, very helpful they were, but nothing worked so I had to buy UK lights at about £200 a piece (back in 2009 that was). It is only a ten minute job to swap them over so that is what I did each time. The fog light just neds to be swapped over with the reversing light. I made a wire with which to do that and it always worked.
 
As I was taking some other photo's am posting this as a guide to UK RHD X250 lights, my RHD car has the same type of markings.
Top arrow shows the side of vehicle that the light is fitted to, lower arrow shows that it is for RHD and dips to the left.
 

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Garage told me it would be a mot failure. Apparently a lot of modern headlights are adjustable between uk to eu so worth checking. Probably means taking the headlamp out to do it.
 
Rodders1234 said:
Garage told me it would be a mot failure. Apparently a lot of modern headlights are adjustable between uk to eu so worth checking. Probably means taking the headlamp out to do it.
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The MOT test is to check that light works correctly, not how it does this, a few lights are adjustable, for the rest blanking tape is acceptable, but for registrations it's not acceptable.
 
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