Headlight (pattern beam) European driving.

[itavaltalainen]

Most EU countries' insurance must pay out to third parties by law, even if the driver was negligent (even gross negligence) but then will recoup some of the money from them (In Germany they can repatriate 5000 Euros of the policy holder / driver).

[Mike J]

Firstly my thanks for all who offered their advice to my original question.

Behind my problem was that I had just disembarked the Caen ferry (in France) at the start of a 6-8week touring holiday through France, Spain and Portugal.

Following the email advice from VW UK (posted above) I did nothing to my headlights and drove the whole 4582km without a single problem from the Gendarmerie Nationale, Guardia Civil de Tráfico or the Brigada de Trânsito.

I would like to add that the car performed faultlessly throughout the whole journey from sea level to over 1,390metres on road surfaces from cyclo smooth to 'recently bombed'.

Must add that I only filled up 3 times while away!


Anyone requiring advice for such a trip just ask.

[Vwjap]

1390 meters? Where was that

[Mike J]

We crossed the Pyranees and went near the Sierra Navada so it was certainly somewhere around those regions.

Unfortunately I cannot post a pic of the GPS screen as my co-drivers (wife) iPhone pic has turned out blurred.
She took pics along the route and linked them to her iPad so now the pics overlay the map, very neat.

[Watts]

Sounds like a great trip you had there Mike

[andyb_123]

This may not be true for Mk7 halogens, but we had halogens on our Mk5, and there was an adjuster inside the headlamp housing which (though really fiddly to find) blocked off the bit of the beam that illuminates with "full beam" the verge.

Once adjusted, the beam was "dipped" fully across the road, so was suitable for use abroad too. We never bothered to adjust it back as the halogens are so good.

Maybe the Mk7 halogens have this automatically adjusting according to where the satnav thinks you are?

[dubber36]

The B5.5 Passat had this, but it had projector headlights. That moved a shutter in front of the bulb to give a level dipped beam for driving abroad. I can't see how that would work in reflector headlights like the Golf as the bulb is in front of the reflector with nothing that can move to shield the light.