Bi-Xenon beam adjustment for continent

[snarf]

Does anyone know if or how it is possible to adjust the 997 Bi-Xenon headlamps for continental driving? Some manufacturers provide a lever behind the headlamp unit but I can find no mention of beam adjustment in the 997 handbook and apparently headlamp stickers are a no-no.

 

[Black80XSA]

Can't find enything in my 987 manual either sorry - not even a picture showing nay form of lever in the surround

 

[Rob Edwards]

Hi
Yes, it is possible and the good news is that once you've done it once, it's a complete doddle.
In your tool kit is something that looks like a big allen key - take this out.
Then, lift the carpet alongside the headlight in the upper reaches of the front boot, and you will see a rubber bung.
Gently remove the bung, and then insert the long allen key like item - gently turn the 'allen key' towards the rear and you will hear an alarming 'crack'. This is normal, although it will frighten the beejesus out of you. You have now disengaged the front light from it's 'held position on the runner rail.
Gently and carefully slide the hedlamp out of the front of the wing, directly forwards (mind that paintwork!) and look at the back of the lamp. From memory there is a rubber 'boot' covering the back of the lamp, and this should be gently teased to one side to allow access. You will then see a small bright metal 'flap' which is fiddly to get to, and just slide this across to the other side from where it is. You have now changed the reflector configuration to 'continental'.
Reverse process to install, and turning the allen key in the opposite direction (there's that loud expensive sounding 'crack' again!!) and then do the other lamp.
Don't forget to put the rubber boot back on and the bung back in.
Allen key is an 'L' shaped piece of metal and the longest bit slides in to the hole.
It is in the manual, only weird bit is that one the pictures the slidey shiny bit of metal is shown in yellow, which had me looking for about 15mins for a bit of yellow plastic - Doh![]
The process is the same for the Boxster, Black80xsa.
This is all from memory and I haven't had time to look at the manual, so I can't be absolutely certain that's it, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I've missed anything out.
If a certified technophobe like me can do it - so can you!
I'm not having any joy with our new Audi S4 though - no-one seems to know how to swap them over (not even the audifans forum) so I guess it'sll be horrible masking tape for it when we take it away - ugh![&:]
Good luck!!
Rob[]

 

[snarf]

Hi Rob,

Many thanks for your detailed response. I will give it a try later this week. However, I have again checked the handbook and although I can see the instructions for headlamp removal and bulb replacement (pps.226 - 228) I can find no mention or picture of a lever to change the reflector position. Can you confirm that you are referring to the 997 manual and if so give a page number please.

Thanks,

Allan

 

[Rob Edwards]

Hi Allan
Yep, it's all there on page 220 and 221 and then the bit to slide across is detailed on p231 - don't forget you're NOT looking for anything yellow (I can't believe I was so daft).
It's a piece of cake - just make sure when you put the headlamp back it is correctly on the slider rails before you slide it back in.
Should take you about 10 mins for the first headlamp and about 5 for the second one.
I need a mug of tea now as it's hoofing down and I got soaked running out to the car to check the manual......2 sugars please mate![]
Rob

 

[snarf]

Thanks again Rob, sorry I was the cause of a wetting, you did say two sugars?

It looks as though the manual has been revised - p220 in mine covers: Laying up the vehicle, Replacing the battery and Putting vehicle into operation and p221 deals with battery removal. Page 231 describes side and fog light bulb replacement. Pages 228 and 229 show detailed drawings of the back of the Bi-Xenon unit with bayonet lock, bulb and bulb holder all coloured yellow but no slider mentioned or illustrated. Is there any chance you could attach a copy of the illustration from your manual? Wonder why they dropped this.

Cheers,

Allan

 

[Rob Edwards]

Hi Allan

Well, that would explain it- they've moved the blinking information in the book!
Mine is a 2004 Oct model, so no doubt they have 'updated' it.
Look under headlamp adjustment in the index and any other permutation such as 'continental driving' or 'switching lights over' as they were a bit apart in my manual (which is a bit odd considering it's really all about just the headlamps eh?).
I don't have a scanner at the mo, but if you have a fax, send the e-mail to rob@aladdinscaveguernsey.co.uk and I'll try and fax the pages across to you tomorrow if you like, can't promise as it depends how bonkers the office is but I try and remember.
The sliding metal bit is only about 4cm long and there is a faint indentation on the surround with 0 and 1 - you just slide the slightly raised 'tab like' edge of the metal from '0' to '1'. The metal bit is sort of on the back of where you'd expect the back of the 'bulb' when you look at the unit from behind and on the left at approx 8 o'clock looking at it from the back (if I remember correctly). You have to just push it gently with your finger, it doesn't take much effort.
Don't forget to ensure ignition and lights are OFF before you start to work on them.
Kind regards
Rob

 

[snarf]

Rob, I've sent you an email (well two actually one by mistake with a 3MB PowerPoint file attached!) with a guess as to the location of the slider.

Allan

 

[Guest]

Agree the 'crack' is alarming - all porsche now use the same locking system - I did this to change a sidelight bulb on the KN and found that there was no 'crack' when I slid the light out though .... the headlights had been misting up and the car had at the dealership the week before to have the demist pack fitted - clearly even the mechanics at then OPC don't always lock the lights back in properly! - I would suggest giving the lights a good tug afterwards to make sure...
As an aside re the audi - have you spoken to the dealership - previously I owned an allroad with xenons and the dealership assured me that they could swap the direction over - not sure if this was a mechanical process or a software setting though.

 

[Geoff_Fields]

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=210616
See this previous thread for copy of pages from early manual

 

[snarf]

Geoff, thanks for the link, I did do a quick search but obviously didn't hit the correct key words. In the meantime Rob has very kindly emailed pictures from his manual and I've printed out an insert to keep with mine. Really can't understand why Porsche decided to leave such essential information out yet keep instructions for switching off the passenger air bag when to the best of my knowledge the car no longer supports this.

 

[pvernham]

I'd echo comments about how easy it is - something to keep you occupied whilst on the Eurotunnel!

 

[garyw]

ORIGINAL: pvernham

I'd echo comments about how easy it is - something to keep you occupied whilst on the Eurotunnel!

I did that once, never again.... way to many people looking at a "broken Porsche"

garyw