Headlight Dip (Traffic Changeover)

[JG_R]

Hello Forum,

NOOB here.

I am looking at buying a Fiat Freemont (wolf in sheep clothing ) 2014 model. I'm in the British Army, stationed in Eastern Europe. We Brits still drive on the Left but I have got a good price for a Polish Freemont. In all of the manuals, in Polish, English, German etc.. it says that with the 8.4 UConnect System I should have an option to enable Headlight Dip (Traffic Changeover) for driving on the wrong/right side of the road.

The dealership here in Poland has tried to be helpful, but he is as confused as me as to why the option doesn't appear on the UConnect system on the car I am looking to buy - top specification - should have all options fitted and enabled. He has managed to find a solution by offering to sell me complete RHD Light Units, as fitted to Australian DJs and Freemonts for a mere 600 GBP!?

This seems a little steep if there is an option that just needs to be switched on. I read, with interest, the DRL thread and wonder if anyone has had any experience of this option on their DJs or Freemonts, or whether there is something I can do to get it switched on?

Thanks for your time and patience in advance.

[bigtsr]

Welcome to the forum.

There are a number of European members on the forum

and expect one will read your post but those of us in NA

have little knowledge of the standards/requirements across

the pond.

[jkeaton]

Welcome to the forum. I don't know either.

[dhh3]

Welcome to the forum. Maybe some are made for Eastern Europe, and some for Western where the car might be driven in GB. You Brits need to get in line with the rest of the world: drive on the right side of the road, just as we have to switch to the metric system.

[JG_R]

Ha ha, well we didn't all get bailed out by the French!

We still use imperial units in the UK too - mph / mpg etc. - that would normally be another problem with buying the car in Europe but fortunately because of its DJ heritage the Freemont has Imperial units too.

Does anyone on here (NA, Aus, or European) have the option on their 8.4 UConnect System?

[bramfrank]

You know, the manuals are filled with descriptions of all sorts of features that have not been made available to consumers, things like headlight washers, collision warning systems, steerable headlights and more. The reason is that the text is very generic and is used for all of their models.

Has this dealer EVER seen the feature on the dash of a Journey?

From the description (the book for my Canadian '11 references the feature as well) it seems that all it does is to force the low beams on - possibly only for daytime running lights . . . . all it says is that the low beams are better at directing light.

This may just be an example of one of those phantom features that are in the manual, but are not included in the deliverables.

One minor note: North American DJs offer Metric/US measure. It is simple enough to check by comparing the fuel economy report in metric with that of the 'English' measure - it may well NOT be Imperial . . . . my late father had a Cadillac which called the non-metric setting 'English', but in reality it was US measure, based on their smaller gallon.

[Lobitz68]

...but in reality it was US measure, based on their smaller gallon.

Hey!!! Let's not get into a who has the biggest gallon argument. It's not the size of the gallon that matters, it's how you use it!

[JG_R]

From the description (the book for my Canadian '11 references the feature as well) it seems that all it does is to force the low beams on - possibly only for daytime running lights . . . . all it says is that the low beams are better at directing light.

My understanding from the 2014/15 English, Polish and German manuals is that it changes the beam pattern - dip to the left vs dip to the right. In truth (if it exists) it probably just flattens the beam dispersion pattern - though this is enough to allow the car to be registered in the UK without having to buy whole new units.

On that DRL thread there is lots of talk of sales codes... I wonder, has anyone ever seen a code for this feature?

[bramfrank]

It isn't going to be just a sales code because there's nothing in the stock reflector to make this happen. I suspect that it is a shutter of some sort inside the RHD version of the reflector that can be activated from the menu in the radio.

Beyond what it says in the owner's manual, the only reference to the feature as described that I've found was from someone in the UK with a Chrysler 300 who was asking what the menu item for that feature does . . . . . so perhaps it is a feature only fitted to vehicles manufactured for RHD markets.

The least expensive solution is likely to buy one of the kits they sell that provide adhesive 'blocks' to mask your headlights for when you return to the UK.

Alternatively you may be able to find a set of used headlights from a breaker in the UK.

As to buying new reflectors, you can get aftermarket units out of China (you can often find them on eBay as well) and retrofit your vehicle. They do make them for RHD markets.

Edited October 23, 2015 by bramfrank

[JG_R]

Thanks Bramfrank. Hopefully the RHD units I will buy will have the internal mechanics so I can recoup some of the cost by selling the originals.

Thanks for your help.

[bramfrank]

Even if it has the mechanism and assuming that it is electrical, I suspect that the wiring for it and the required control module won't be there.

[Lobitz68]

So what would be different from a RHD vs LHD perspective?? There is no step in the beam cuttoff on my OEM lights, so what would need to be changed? Are they projectors??

[bramfrank]

Lobitz68 makes a very good point.

I wonder if perhaps the RHD reflectors have a step that we don't get with the conventional reflectors, necessitating the mechanical shutter that the UK seems to have (and presumably Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia/NZ markets would as well).

You are probably just fine the way you are.

[dhh3]

The export Nitros had a 3 position switch on the switch panel on the center stack. I was told EU law requires this to change the distance that headlight illumination goes down the road. If I remember correctly, the switch moved the bulb up and down; or maybe the whole housing. Some countries, our driver's side bulb moved; other countries, our passenger side bulb moved - depends on which side of the car the steering wheel is. The export Nitros also had a smaller bulb inside the headlamp housing, but I do not recall what it is for. The bulb was also clear. The whole World needs to come to some common ground on this.

[JG_R]

Ok, resurrecting this... It's my original post so hopefully that's not outrageous.

The time has come for me to return to the UK. I am not keen on aftermarket units having read some dodgy reviews... Unless anyone has personal recommendations. So the pricey OEM parts are the way forward. Can any gurus out there tell me which of these are for Left Driving (steering wheel on the right) markets:

1
K05067786AC
HEADLAMP

 
1
K05067787AC
HEADLAMP

 
1
K05067788AC
HEADLAMP

 
1
K05067788AD
HEADLAMP

 
1
K68227072AA
HEADLAMP

 
1
K05067789AC
HEADLAMP

 
1
K05067789AD
HEADLAMP

 
1
K68227073AA
HEADLAMP

 

my local Polish dealer says it is all too difficult for them to work it out....

[bramfrank]

A couple of quick options that may useful;

 

1. Dodge is no longer active in the UK, so contact a UK Jeep dealer and ask them for the proper part number.

2. Dodge IS active in Australia, so you might find it simpler to get the part numbers for the OEM reflectors from a dealer down under.  It should be simple enough to find an e-mail address and to contact them by e-mail and ask for the part number and a quote for the right drive reflectors without telling them you are planning to use them in the UK.

If you want them to be somewhat brighter than stock you can always buy a full set of HIR bulbs and fit them before installing the new reflectors in your vehicle.