94 replies to this topic

[fordy1]

Hi rdc49_uk.

The auto dip in the MK5 has slightly improved on the previous model. However

it does take its time to return to full beam. Our motorways here have in latter times

a seameless concrete divide on the centre reserve instead of tight wire, or a low hedge.

Traffic is shielded from from each side from headlights as the divide is about the headlight level. I find that I can drive on full beam most of the time as I dont' dazzle them or they me. Unfortunately, trucks are different. Because the cabs are above the divide in height, I wont know if it is a truck unless it has marker lights on the cab or some form of interior decorative

illumination. This annoys me because I mistake the truck for a car and it's not until I

am up close to them that I can see it's a truck, so I sometimes dazzle the truck driver,

unintentionally.

[woz099]

Fordy1

I do have a mk5 but can't seem to update my profile from my phone!

[gregs24]

Mine were set as right hand traffic out of the factory. I have now set them to left hand traffic and lowered the beams by eye using tape on a white door and can agree that the beam pattern is much better and no dazzling oncoming cars. Now switching to right hand traffic lowers the beam and turns it to the right slightly as it always should have done.

 

I suspect a lot of cars have come out of the factory with the beams set wrong.

 

So to confirm LEFT HAND TRAFFIC is the correct setting for the UK but you may need to get the static adjustment corrected.

[MondeoCat]

Gregs, did you have to make many turns....and is clockwise up or down if you can remember? Cheers

[yessuz]

yay at least we will have "right" settings

 

now, the ONLY gripe is, that I will be travelling to Europe and will be forced to drive with Right Hand Traffic setting, which keeps beam really low

 

looks like the only solution - is a "my good old screwdriver".

 

by the way - do you notice the Beam pattern changes depending on speed or situation as per Ford's commercials?

 

[gregs24]

The beam always did change no matter what setting as long as 'auto lights' are on.

 

It is really easy to adjust with an allen key or crosshead screwdriver and easy to see the effect against a garage door. Park level and face on to a door and put a couple of bits of tape to mark the beam height. Change the in car setting to LHT then adjust the beams down to the same place. It doesn't take many turns. Now on RHT traffic the beams are dipped and move to the right a bit - exactly what they should do.

 

You do wonder how many are out there setup wrong ! I suppose it isn't the end of the world if you never drive over the channel but the beam pattern does seem better on LHT. I suspect the car's settings are not checked before the static adjustment of the headlights is done - or at least they weren't on mine.

[Mav281]

My 15 plate Mondeo Hybrid went in for it's first service today and I (as promised) asked them to check on the setup of the headlights and the alignment.  The results, I am afraid, are in and it appears we have yet another version of the truth here, suggesting we still do not have a difinitive answer on this one.

 

When I dropped my car off at Ford this morning I advised him that I had recently set the lights to left hand traffic and lowered the beams based on the feedback from this website and the fact that Ford have been contacted and have given us an "answer".  The Ford tech said that he would check the alignment for me and confirm what setting the lights should be on.

 

When I collected the car he explained that they have reviewed their Mondeo service guide (recently released to them) and it suggests that the correct setting for the headlights in a RHD car is Right Hand Traffic, and that they had set the setting in my car and RAISED the light level as it was on the low side.  I explained again that the feedback from Ford was to the contrary and the tech guy (and now the service manager) ummed and aared and eventually called Ford tech directly to seek clarification.  I asked if I could sit in on the call and was plesantly suprised when they said yes.

 

The feedback from Ford technical was very clear.  Apparently they have now had this query on several occasions and evidently it's due to the way the instructions are written on how to configure them which we all agreed to be very much the case.  Ford technical however went on to advise that Right Hand Traffic was the correct setting for UK RHD cars and if the lights needed adjusting up or down on the MOT test machine then this should obviously be done.

 

Long and the short of it.  I now have my Mondeo set up for Right Hand Traffic but the beams have been raised to the correct level.  Can't tell what sort of a difference it's made until it's dark but they appear to be higher than where I had them marked on the garage door when I adjusted them myself.  What's more I've seen the car on the light test machine in the garage as the tech guy took my Mondeo back into the garage and set it up again, just to make sure I was 100% happy with what had been done. 

 

Confused.com?  Sure we all are now!

[MondeoCat]

thanks for your update Mav.

 

I'm booked in for a Monday lunchtime appointment - and thought i had my strategy sussed. ie it was to go in with Left setting and tell them to knock them down.

 

However, looks like i'm back to my original position (like you), where right hand setting may just be too low.

 

So, I'm trying to rationale this. and where in one of my previous posts I was accepting in the principle that if Left had been correct for the UK, then the right switch for the continent would make sense as it moved the beam away from oncoming traffic.

 

However, in another persepctive if it is Right traffic for the UK - then if you switch to left for the continent then this also makes some sense in that your lights would require to shine further to the left than here. With the caveat they would clearly need adjusted way way lower than they currently are.

 

FORD have really made an arse of this - or is it an elbow of this - because they clearly don't know one from the other :-)

 

What's also worrying is the conflicting advice from the Tech helpline. Wonder if there is any guide notes on ETIS?

[woz099]

I have mine set at Left Hand Traffic (LHT) and in the UK we have Left hand traffic roads; QED.

IF set to RHT my lights lower (considerably) as they attempt to take the beam away from the oncoming traffic which they would otherwise be aimed at.

Remember, another member posted pics of the headlight units; they are themselves handed to LHD / RHD so the car and the lights know what they are doing! LHT means set the car to LHT!

I'm not disputing some have had to have LHT lights adjusted due to poor setup during assembly but following shining my lights on a garage door from about 30Metres, I'm convince! The beam can be seen to be aiming forward and left as they should and at the right height.

UK car - LHT (albeit they may need a tweak!).

A car that has been adjusted to lights for UK set to RHT must be looking for aircraft when set to LHT!

Maybe time to write to Auto Express!

[gregs24]

LHT traffic is correct for the UK - LHT is how we drive in the UK - LHT is a US/International term for driving on the left.

 

https://en.wikipedia...ft-hand_traffic

 

RHT lowers the beams in the Mondeo compared to LHT - it CANNOT be correct that in the UK you use RHT as switching to LHT raises the beams which is the opposite of what you need overseas.

 

It doesn't really matter if you only ever drive in the UK as you just adjust the beams for whatever setting you are using, just don't drive overseas if you default to RHT for the UK as you will blind everybody !

 

In my opinion the LHT beam pattern is better than the RHT beam pattern when both are compared at the same level through manual adjustment. The RHT beam has a very sharp cut off creating a 'dark patch' straight ahead, the LHT pattern is more gradual.

 

I am 100% convinced LHT is correct (with suitable manual alignment) for the UK