Technical Xenon headlight RHD to LHD swap

[Locin]

I have a RHD 2015 1.4 (petrol) with Xenon headlights that i am currently exporting from the UK to France.

To pass the french equivalent of an MOT (CT) I need to change my headlights to match the LHD 500x.

Ive read posts about complications swapping from Xenon to Halogen or LEDs, so I have ruled this out.

I was hoping that I could purchase the LHD Xenon headlamps and just swap out what I have without any more changes.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[The Panda Nut]

No experience, but what you suggest is the only thing I reckon will do what you want. Cannot see why you should have any issues if the adjusters are either the smae on LHD and RHD or built into the lights. Not a cheap task though. Good luck

 

[s130]

Should be perfectly OK but as @The Panda Nut says not a cheap task. Those Xenon light units cost around £800 to £1000 each. I know because I had some road debris smash one of mine (and dent the bonnet) so had to put an insurance claim in.

I know for the UK MOT it is perfectly OK to have a fairly permanent (not stick on) beam kick-up blanker to create a flat beam. The same may be true in France.

How you would do this the 500X Xenon lamp unit I don't know.

The units are lens projection units like the Barchetta (with Xenon bulbs and not halogen). On the Barchetta there is an internal plate which can be flipped over to change the beam kick-up. I would think the that same is true for the 500X as this would make manufacturing sense. Just two units (N/S & O/S) instead of four fixed kick-up units.

Also what are the problems you have read about? Unlike older style Xenon units the 500X uses an combined bulb/ballast/transformer and to my knowledge is fed with the normal 12V. The high/low beam is done with a mirror/flap. The setup on the halogen lamp units may be that same?

 

[Locin]

Thanks for the replies.

Im over the shock of the 1700 quid this will cost, and not left with alternative options, other than selling the car (which i do not want todo). Stickers in headlights to divert beams is not an acceptable option for the French CT test, unfortunately.

My concern, from some threads, are that the levelling / headlight adjustment dial to bottom right of steering wheel does not work as expected and/or needs modification. Or anything else I am missing other than just swapping out the headlamp units.

I really just want to be sure that LHD headlamps will work as expected (after spending 1700 quid).

 

[s130]

My concern, from some threads, are that the levelling / headlight adjustment dial to bottom right of steering wheel does not work as expected and/or needs modification. Or anything else I am missing other than just swapping out the headlamp units.

I'm not sure why this is a problem/does not work. Do you have links?.

When doing this type of work/investigation then "like for like" is often crucial. e.g. Xenon to Xenon, LED to LED, Halogen to Halogen.

As far as MOT headlamp testing/beam etc. is concerned then all that is required is that any adjuster is set to the highest level possible. This is where the test is done. There is no requirement that the manual level adjust should actually work. Self leveling is a different matter but in the case of the 500X the Xenon output is below the light output where self leveling and washers are required.

Halogen headlamp units are around £150 each. There is no reason they won't work on your 500X but a body computer / Proxy change will probably be required.

When you export to France I think you have time on your side before you are forced to re-register and comply. This may be in your favor and give you extra space and time to sort things out.