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Thread: Which countries have dashboard adjustable headlamp aiming?

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    Which countries have dashboard adjustable headlamp aiming?

    I've seen this in the UK specs, and I think it's been a requirement there for at least 12 years (or to have selef levelling).

    Are there other left side steering/drive on the right countries that have this on Mirages/Space Stars?

    If I aim my headlights where I'd like to, then any weight in the back makes them too high on low beam, so i'd like to see if I can fit these to my US spec Mirage.

    If anyone wth these on a left hand drive Mirage/Space Star can post a picture of the actuator and where it goes into the headlmp units, that would be very helpful. I'm hoping that my existing headlamps will take the actuator, and the dash control will be simple, even if the wiring isn't in the harness.


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    Did you ever find any info on this?
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

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    Adjustable headlight leveling (aiming) is mandatory in the EU. It has been so for for decades, if I remember rightly.

    The purpose is to protect the lights from blinding other drivers, for example when a load inside the rear of the car raises the beam of the headlights.
    At regular periodic safety-inspections, headlight beams are one of many points. The beams shall be set to the highest position, and they check the adjustment works flawlessly. Then the pattern of the beams are checked to be within tight specs. Zero modifications permitted! If any of this, or anything else is not as it should be, the entire test is flunked and you have three working days to present the repaired car. Btw, the periodic inspections are expensive! In Germany around €100, and it takes an hour or so if the are quick. Most modifications discussed on this forum would lead to the car being instantly impounded, the driver and owner being summoned to court, and easily getting you a criminal record. LED headlights, LED blinkers or rear lights, a different tyre size, tint added to a window, different exhaust than the original, a simple engine modification, that or whatever other unauthorized modification, and you will find yourself in jail with a criminal record, lose your employment, lose your living quarters, etc etc
    Last edited by foama; 05-01-2015 at 05:16 PM.

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    Lightbulb

    Quote Originally Posted by mpaton View Post
    If anyone wth these on a left hand drive Mirage/Space Star can post a picture of the actuator and where it goes into the headlmp units, that would be very helpful. I'm hoping that my existing headlamps will take the actuator, and the dash control will be simple, even if the wiring isn't in the harness.
    I made some pictures from the headlight, i hope that it shows the actuator, im not sure..
    First the left than the right side, if you open to the engine and look at it from the front. (Im not sure what the name of the engine door/thing is in English ?)

    This is how it looks in a Danish Space Star Intense 1.2 L, 5 speed manual, (Mirage with the higest equipment package avaliable in DK)

    (In some way i am not able to add pictures - Tried with my Android and computer, anyone else like tried that? )

    So i used imgur to upload the pictures.

    Left :

    Right :

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    Quote Originally Posted by uheym View Post
    I made some pictures from the headlight, i hope that it shows the actuator, im not sure..
    First the left than the right side, if you open to the engine and look at it from the front. (Im not sure what the name of the engine door/thing is in English ?)

    This is how it looks in a Danish Space Star Intense 1.2 L, 5 speed manual, (Mirage with the higest equipment package avaliable in DK)

    (In some way i am not able to add pictures - Tried with my Android and computer, anyone else like tried that? )

    So i used imgur to upload the pictures.
    Thanks uheym, that's very helpful. It looks rather like you have an extra drive unit that either fits over the adjusting screw that I have, or perhaps the drive unit replaces the adjusting screw. I hope it's the first thing, because then I can perhaps just get the drive unit.

    You see that horizontal slot in your Left picture? That is a guide for a phillips screwdriver which can be used as the pinion of a right angle drive onto the vertical adjustment aiming screw. The adjustment screw also has a 10mm hex head, and a Phillips or Pozidriv screw slot. It's probably time I also learned how to post pictures.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 46.0 mpg (US) ... 19.5 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.2 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by foama View Post
    Adjustable headlight leveling (aiming) is mandatory in the EU. It has been so for for decades, if I remember rightly.

    The purpose is to protect the lights from blinding other drivers, for example when a load inside the rear of the car raises the beam of the headlights.
    At regular periodic safety-inspections, headlight beams are one of many points. The beams shall be set to the highest position, and they check the adjustment works flawlessly. Then the pattern of the beams are checked to be within tight specs. Zero modifications permitted! If any of this, or anything else is not as it should be, the entire test is flunked and you have three working days to present the repaired car. Btw, the periodic inspections are expensive! In Germany around €100, and it takes an hour or so if the are quick. Most modifications discussed on this forum would lead to the car being instantly impounded, the driver and owner being summoned to court, and easily getting you a criminal record. LED headlights, LED blinkers or rear lights, a different tyre size, tint added to a window, different exhaust than the original, a simple engine modification, that or whatever other unauthorized modification, and you will find yourself in jail with a criminal record, lose your employment, lose your living quarters, etc etc
    Thanks foama, that will be informative to the US based members. I was aware of those restrictions, nut I had heard that they were only rigorously enforced in Germany. I found it interesting that Germany still has a tuning industry, despite the fact that even tire brands are regulated. Presumably getting TUV approval is somewhat slow and bureaucratic but also possible.

    When I left the UK in the early 80s, only french cars with their traditional soft suspensions had adjustable headlamp height, sometimes without dashboard control. I remember Renault 4 and 16 with a level by the headlamp lens to aim higher or lower.

    You would be horrified by the state of headlamp aim in the US. When they relaxed the requirement to have only sealed beam headlights in the late 80s, they got European style sharp cutoff low beams, and although states with "inspections" seem to have rules on aim, these seem to be poorly complied with, and I have never heard of anyone being ticketed for that. I was even at a traffic light once, and in the lane to my left was someone parked behind a police car at night with their headlights shining brightly into the police car. Cop didn't seem to care, didn't run off to any other emergency, just set his dipping mirror.

    Even worse here is what are laughably called "fog lights". They are in the position on the car where fog lights should be, but rarely have a beam pattern suitable for use in fog. The Mirage ones on my ES have no lens pattern or reflector pattern. Americans like to use these as extra light to use in conjunction with their low beam headlights, and these are usally arranged to turn off with high beam. Unfortunately once the fog light switch is enabled, it will stay on for ever, and the lights will always be on with low beams.

    Also unfortunately these lights seem never to be subject to any aiming rules, and so are often aimed so as to dazzle oncoming drivers , even though low beam headlights may not.

    The UK used to have a rule about using fog lights only in fog or falling snow; presumably this was a European rule coming from France or more probably Germany.

    Anyway, I like sharp cutoff lights, but they need to be aimed correctly, and the Mirage is nearly as softly sprung at the rear as those 70s Renaults, so I'd like the dashboard adjuster. Tomorrow I will have 4 and luggage in the car, and will be adjusting the headlamps down. And then back up a day later. :-(

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 46.0 mpg (US) ... 19.5 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.2 mpg (Imp)


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    Here is another photo of the actuator, the one on the right hand side. The other side is just mirrored.
    The actuator is the part bottom right.
    The little white nipple is the adjustment screw. It is 7mm and hard to access. There is a piece of chassis right behind it, making it hard to put any nut or bit onto the screw.
    So I took a 1/4-inch 7mm bit, cut it to about half the length, and put a small hose clamp around it. the hose clamp being an aid for finger-grip. That way the height becomes adjustable.
    With the beam-adjuster set to top beam height, the mechanichal adjustment via that screw was made. If you can not see the end of the beam on a flat road at night, the adjustment is too high, because the beam must end on the road and not in the air above the horizon. Attachment 2881
    Last edited by foama; 05-02-2015 at 05:59 AM.

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    What Foama wrote its true, headlight have a hight regulator...and true you cannot change things to the car that are not aproved by the brand/state...wheels, filters, even suspension struts...
    Today its impossible to have headlights like the first Miatas (mx5), because of pedestrians crash regulations.
    In case of police control sometimes they check for alterations to the vehicules and they get their papers or cars seized.
    Last edited by Vitaminado; 01-22-2017 at 02:44 PM.

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    Sorry, I agree completely
    I was trying to respectfully respond to an outrageous BS political opinion attack on my country, that has been allowed to stand on this forum without challenge for over 18 months.
    I should have just flagged it for removal

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    Yes, car talk only. I removed posts #8, 10 & 11. Thread is now renumbered.


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