Urgent Advice Needed Re Headlight Beam Adjustment

[guitareth]

Any Lexus service technicians on here? I'm in process of importing my UK purchased Lexus IS250SE to Spain as I have moved there permanently. As it's a UK right-hand-drive version, in order to pass the Spanish MOT test (ITV) the headlamps must point in opposite direction when dipped. I have the stick-on adjusters as from Halfords etc., but these are definitely not sufficient to pass the MOT for import of car to Spain. I thought I was going to have to purchase replacement headlight units as fitted to left hand drive versions of the IS250, but the service manager at Lexus Valencia now says he thinks that's not necessary as he believes the dipped beam direction can be changed - either by manual adjustment, or by programming of car computer. However, he said he's not sure exactly how and will need to find out.

Problem is, he's taking ages to confirm this, and I urgently need to know if need to order replacement lights as the ITV test is fast approaching. If I can avoid replacing the lights it will save me around £700!

I'm therefore wondering if there are any Lexus service technicians or other experts on here who can advise for certain if the direction of the dipped headlight beam is indeed something that can be adjusted on the car, and if so what the procedure is to change it?

Thanks in advance.

[guitareth]

Any Lexus service technicians on here? I'm in process of importing my UK purchased Lexus IS250SE to Spain as I have moved there permanently. As it's a UK right-hand-drive version, in order to pass the Spanish MOT test (ITV) the headlamps must point in opposite direction when dipped. I have the stick-on adjusters as from Halfords etc., but these are definitely not sufficient to pass the MOT for import of car to Spain. I thought I was going to have to purchase replacement headlight units as fitted to left hand drive versions of the IS250, but the service manager at Lexus Valencia now says he thinks that's not necessary as he believes the dipped beam direction can be changed - either by manual adjustment, or by programming of car computer. However, he said he's not sure exactly how and will need to find out.

Problem is, he's taking ages to confirm this, and I urgently need to know if need to order replacement lights as the ITV test is fast approaching. If I can avoid replacing the lights it will save me around £700!

I'm therefore wondering if there are any Lexus service technicians or other experts on here who can advise for certain if the direction of the dipped headlight beam is indeed something that can be adjusted on the car, and if so what the procedure is to change it?

Thanks in advance.

Well just in case anyone else wonders in the future, having consulted with Lexus Aberdeen and Lexus Alicante, I was able to confirm that the headlights on my 250SE DO indeed have to be replaced in order to pass the ITV test (MOT equivalent) in Spain. Got mine replaced on Thursday and went straight for ITV test where they most certainly did check the lights for correct angle etc., so just as well I didn't take a chance!

If anyone is looking for replacement headlight units for a UK IS220/250 then PM me as I've now got a set available - and they're in excellent condition.

[Parthiban]

Not sure why Lexus don't do what the other manufacturers do and just have a switch to flick the beam over nowadays.........

[fjcfarrar]

Not sure why Lexus don't do what the other manufacturers do and just have a switch to flick the beam over nowadays.........

Basically because it is quite hard to do well. The peculiar asymmetric beam pattern is created by the shape of the reflector assembly and you would need a host of motors shifting chunks of reflective plastic about to get good results.

No doubt Lexus charged a King's Ransom for the new lights when they are just plastic mouldings which would be about £15 if they were kid's toys of similar complexity.

[Parthiban]

Basically because it is quite hard to do well. The peculiar asymmetric beam pattern is created by the shape of the reflector assembly and you would need a host of motors shifting chunks of reflective plastic about to get good results.

I was actually thinking it would be simpler because of the clear cutoff modern headlights have, similar way to how bi-xenon headlamps work, all you would need is the blocker on one side to drop and one on the other side to rise.......

[Monster-Mat]

Not sure why Lexus don't do what the other manufacturers do and just have a switch to flick the beam over nowadays.........

because those types of lights are now illegal for permanent residence.

the switch over is only allowed for tourist times of visit, no euro car will pass the local inspections with the flick over adjustment, in Europe.

if you are taking up residency, you have to swap the lights

[Parthiban]

because those types of lights are now illegal for permanent residence.

the switch over is only allowed for tourist times of visit, no euro car will pass the local inspections with the flick over adjustment, in Europe.

if you are taking up residency, you have to swap the lights

Ahh, that I didn't know

So in cars that can flick the headlights over, the headlights are still physically different in RHD and LHD cars? I just assumed they were the same and they'd flick it to the side relevant to that country......... :shutit:

[BosniaLexus]

This is an excellent thread and relevant to everyone who takes their car to Europe, even for holiday. Pity u had to pay so much for so little ,only consolation is that ur carwill outlive most of the other junk they drive in Spain and eu, especially French cars!

[Binitbob]

On Sunday, September 06, 2009 at 3:46 PM, Monster-Mat said:

because those types of lights are now illegal for permanent residence.

the switch over is only allowed for tourist times of visit, no euro car will pass the local inspections with the flick over adjustment, in Europe.

if you are taking up residency, you have to swap the lights

Firstly hi.  

New here but I was searching for info on this. Noted the above.  This is incorrect. We have 2 cars that have now been registered in France that have a lever to adjust the  beam angle. Mercedes and Volvo. Both had the lights adjusted using a mechanical adjuster on the light. And no requirement to change the light itself. I was hoping the Lexus could be adjusted in the same way. Now it seems not. It will save taking the bumper off twice I guess.

[Linas.P]

You dug-up some properly old post. 

In fact both above assumptions are incorrect IS250 doesn't need new headlamps, nor it needs any adjustment. IS250 has "flat beam pattern", which means that it is identical worldwide and EU/US models have identical headlights. Being flat they don't bling on either side of the road. That means that cars can be driven in EU without any adjustment. 

You can find more info here: