LED headlights in France

[jas24]

Not sure if anyone will know the answer to this one or not!

I’m heading to Le Mans next month in my Ibiza, and i have no idea if i need headlight deflectors or not.

I’ve got full LED headlights, and i’ve read conflicting things online about whether you need any deflectors on LED headlights or not.

I dont suppose anyone on here knows?

 

[Deleted member 103408]

On the Leon with LED Lights the handbook shows the following

Driving abroad
The light beam of the dipped beam lights is asymmetric: the side of the road on which you are driving is lit more intensely.
When a car that is manufactured in a country that drives on the right travels to a country that drives on the left (or vice versa), it is normally
necessary to cover part of the headlight bulbs with stickers or to change the adjustment of the headlights to avoid dazzling other drivers.

In such cases, the regulations specify certain light values that must be complied with for designated points of the light distribution.
This is known as “Tourist light”. The light distribution that the halogen and full-LED headlights of the SEAT Leon range
have allows the specific “tourist light” values to be met without the need for stickers or changes in the settings.

Note
“Tourist light” is only allowed temporarily. If you are planning a long stay in a country that drives on the other side, you should take the
vehicle to an Authorised Technical Service to change the headlights.

However the 2017 Ibiza manual shows under driving abroad you need stickers.

I would email seat customer support if you dont get an answer and ask what the situation is on your car with LED Lights.

 

[jas24]

Cheers - yeah I had already checked the manual, but it sounded like a very generic and short message about needing stickers. I was under the impression that LED lights were flat beamed or would be adjustable somehow.

Anyway I've fired off an email to SEAT so I'll see what they say

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Agreed manuals don't always cater for all the cars that they should. Hopefully you will get a sensible answer.

 

[jas24]

Just thought I'd let you all know - after a quite a while on hold with SEAT customer service (whilst they checked with the technical department), I've been told that I won't need to do anything to my headlights to drive in France - apparently they are flat beam which means they're fine for either side of the road.

So I assume that anyone with LED headlights on their Ibiza should be okay to drive abroad - even though that's not what it says in the manual.

I've also asked if SEAT can confirm it in an email just incase the French police take a different view!