How to convert A6 headlights to driving on the right

[LeoSayer]

I pulled the back cover off one of the xenon headlights on my 2002 A6 and couldn't see an obvious way of flattening the beam for driving in France.

Is there a way to do this without using those dreadful stickers?

[fatboy b]

There is none. My 2008 A5 has a "converter" on the MMI for the continent. What it actually does is lower the headlights to a point where they won't blind someone coming the other way, it doesn't convert the beam the other way. So to avoid a £100 main dealer conversion (either way), get your screwdriver out on the train/ferry and lower them your self.

[blueg33]

I thought there was a way with a later A6. I have a 2007 model and was about to ask the same question

[ecain63]

There should be a little white / clear orange plastic peice in there (take rear cover off and look inside) with a Hex-head on it. Simply turn it (right or left i cant remember) and that'll switch from RHD to LHD lights.

[blueg33]

ecain63 said:

There should be a little white / clear orange plastic peice in there (take rear cover off and look inside) with a Hex-head on it. Simply turn it (right or left i cant remember) and that'll switch from RHD to LHD lights.

Ta. I will try it. Cant believe its really that simple...this is Audi!

[AcidReflux]

fatboy b said:

to avoid a £100 main dealer conversion (either way), get your screwdriver out on the train/ferry and lower them your self.

£100??? Is this a serious comment or tongue in cheek?
There's got to be a sensible way to change the beam pattern... surely...

[ecain63]

Its the orangey thing with the hex head. Just turn it. Do it when the engine is cool as its a bugger when hot.

[AcidReflux]

Interesting photo - thanks.
I hope it will be that simple. The handbook for my 2010 xenon-equipped A6 tells me to take it to a dealer to switch the lights. Perhaps that's just because of the shock-risk from the lights' ballasts?

[blueg33]

Thanks. Very useful pic.

[fatboy b]

AcidReflux said:

fatboy b said:

to avoid a £100 main dealer conversion (either way), get your screwdriver out on the train/ferry and lower them your self.

£100??? Is this a serious comment or tongue in cheek?
There's got to be a sensible way to change the beam pattern... surely...

An hours labour either end I was quoted on my 2006 A4.

[LeoSayer]

ecain63 said:

There should be a little white / clear orange plastic peice in there (take rear cover off and look inside) with a Hex-head on it. Simply turn it (right or left i cant remember) and that'll switch from RHD to LHD lights.

[AcidReflux]

fatboy b said:

AcidReflux said:

There's got to be a sensible way to change the beam pattern... surely...

An hours labour either end I was quoted on my 2006 A4.

Robbin' b'stards!

[blueg33]

AcidReflux said:

fatboy b said:

AcidReflux said:

There's got to be a sensible way to change the beam pattern... surely...

An hours labour either end I was quoted on my 2006 A4.

Robbin' b'stards!

BMW did it on my 5 series free of charge a total of 8 times in one year

[fatboy b]

LeoSayer said:

ecain63 said:

There should be a little white / clear orange plastic peice in there (take rear cover off and look inside) with a Hex-head on it. Simply turn it (right or left i cant remember) and that'll switch from RHD to LHD lights.

Guess this is a mechanical one. The A4 was through a CPU

[Gio G]

Need to do this also on my A6. I thought it would be a simple adjustment in the MMI..

[blueg33]

Gio G said:

Need to do this also on my A6. I thought it would be a simple adjustment in the MMI..

Its certainly not in my MMI. Maybe its different if you have Zenons. I have standard lights.

[Gio G]

Just spoke to Audi service, the guy there has a 2010 A6 Lemans, he says he can change the lights via MMI, however looking at mine (2009) it does not come up in car setup...

[AcidReflux]

Gio G said:

Just spoke to Audi service, the guy there has a 2010 A6 Lemans, he says he can change the lights via MMI, however looking at mine (2009) it does not come up in car setup...

There's no option to change the xenons in the MMI on my 2011 LeMans. It may be something they can do once they've plugged their computer into the car.
I had a look at the back of the lights last night to see whether I could get the cover off to reveal the adjuster that was pictured earlier in the thread. I'd have to remove several components to get to them. I can see why a dealer would charge for this process if that's the way to change the lights, but it'd be an expensive hassle if they did.

Edited by AcidReflux on Friday 30th July 14:58

[fatboy b]

Gio G said:

Just spoke to Audi service, the guy there has a 2010 A6 Lemans, he says he can change the lights via MMI, however looking at mine (2009) it does not come up in car setup...

Like I said earlier, it doesn't swap the beam side, just makes them lower.

[Waugh-terfall]

blueg33 said:

Gio G said:

Need to do this also on my A6. I thought it would be a simple adjustment in the MMI..

Its certainly not in my MMI. Maybe its different if you have Zenons. I have standard lights.

Just come across this having returned from the continent in a Halogen-lit A6 (C6).

Halogens on the old C5 had levers to flatten the beam inside each unit, Xenons are fiddled with as ecain says

However tis isn't the case with the standard lights on the C6... In it's 5yrs, each of which it has travelled through France we've just never bothered. Sure there is a setting for Xenoned cars in the CAR section of the MMI