Headlight beam adjustments for European use

I have a 2004 996 C4S cab and will be spending 3 weeks in France and Germany touring - can anyone advise whether I can convert my headlight beams for European use or do I buy some stick on 'beam deflectors' ?

You should be able to remove your headlight unit, take off the back of the black plastic housing and then flick a switch, simples! Instructions should be in your handbook. Your post has reminded me that I have yet to revert my beams back for UK use since my return from Germany.

Unlike the 993, the 996's headlights did not have any provision for adjusting beams when travelling on the "wrong" side of the road.

My understanding is that the halogens don't have a switch while the Litronics (xenons) do. Certainly the litronics on my turbo do as I changed them over for our Germany trip.

The 996 Turbo and GT2 headlight units differed from those fitted to NA 996s. The Turbo/GT2 headlights could be switched to a symmetric beam pattern by turning an hex-head adjuster on each headlight from setting "O" to "T".

All Litronics and all 996.2 "crying-eyes" do have beam flattening shutters between bulb and front projector lens (ie both halogen and bi-xenons) Only 996.1 "fried-egg" halogens are not shuttered. 996.2 Halogen vs Bi-Xenon: Convert to "Tourist mode" (NB: this does NOT convert RHD to LHD units) Remove the backing of the light unit - unclip push clips. On the back of the reflector, turn the hex nut (use socket set etc) O or T . O stands for "origin" (ie home country) T stands for tourist and thats what it should point to for continental driving REF: lamp unit removal The "special tool" is a bit flimsy and should ideally be reserved for emergency use (it can "burst" and fail or worse round off the locking bolts making even more work to get the lamps in or out and then there's the cost of a new locking bolt). So use a 5mm long-reach socket if you can. Take care you don't catch the bumper paintwork as you extract or replace the units. 996.1 (Boxster), but identical method on 996.2

No.

At least you didn't have to remember to take your GB sticker off. :floor:

Thanks all - as usual I am a man : therefore no read handbook eh !!!!

I occasionally do read the handbook, but then I check what GT4 says. I believe he knows better than the handbook :thumb:

Headlamp adjustment for 'Continental' use For information checked Handook and as T8 advised 'just a Flick of the Switch' does the job - thanks again

You're right, of course. This feature was reintroduced to "standard" 911 variants with the 996 Face Lift, not with the 997 as I remembered.

Sadly, the cheap halogen 996.1 fried-eggs were a Boxster corner-cutting exercise that was rolled into the 911.

Ha well, if those fried eggs helped save the company's bacon they'll have served a purpose. At least they gave more light than the 993's candles did.

A few weeks ago was travelling to Spa for the Classic, seeing all the posts on changing the beams over, looked simple process, checked it out in the manual looked easy, so though would leave it until at the ferry terminal. Popped the head lights out, then put them back in again, with the Litronics the manual fails to advise that the ballast resistor needs to be removed with 2 phillips screws so you can access the adjuster. Had no intension to remove the ballast resistor as knowing my luck I'd break something or loose a fitting. So reverted to using the stick on beam deflectors which were purchased on the boat, apparently french :cop: apply a fine on the spot for not having beam deflectors etc.