FR-V change from UK to European (LHD) headlights

[John Knott]

I am going to register my FR-V (currently UK reg, 2006 car) in France. Therefore I need to change the dipped beam, which in most cars means changing the whole headlamp.  I am really struggling to find any LHD headlight unitss, at a price which is anything like sensible, so I just wanted to check if anyone had had any experience of adapting the existing RHD headlamps ?   There's no hidden adaptor (BMW style), or work-around???

 Changing them to Xenon seems to be illegal and doesn't create a decent, sharp light pattern which the French Controle Technique looks for.

My question sounds a bit daft, but I have to ask..

I have been looking for used (or even new) headlight units in Germany, France, Spain, and the best match of price & quality which I have found thus far are in italy.

Stuck on external light benders don't satisfy the criteria.

 

Second part of that question, the 2007 facelift, did that change the headlight units, or are they constant right through from 2004-2009 ?

[Trevor]

Hi John...welcome to the Forum

 

Had a quick look around eBay and few other places...nothing available as you say.

Cannot see that there is any adapter to swap the kick-up either.

Only place I can find that would sell headlamps for LHD Honda is in the USA.

https://www.carid.com/honda-headlights/

Sorry I can't help further but let us know how you get on with it

 

Cheers,  Trevor

[John Knott]

That's a good idea, thank you, and reminds me that I did (long ago) get some CRX headlights from USA for a French immatriculation, which worked well although the flasher-indicators were different.

 

But I can't find the FR-V being listed on that website ( https://www.carid.com/honda-headlights/ )  for headlights, nor does it appear on anything USA that I can find - although I thought they were assembled in USA, for that market.  Does anyone have any ideas for that?

 

I was momentarily excited at finding headlights for sale in Japan, until I realised that they would be RHD.  ok for UK but not on mainland Europe.

 

What the French look for is the inclined upper part of the dipped headlight beam to be to their orientation, whereas the UK one is an opposite.  

 

 I wondered about changing to Xenon headlight units, since on HonestJohn website he talks about the Xenon beam being flat, but I don't think that would appease the French system.  I really don't understand all that Xenon stuff, all i want is a simple headlight for LHD !

[Trevor]

if they don't notice that you have aftermarket Xenon's fitted and that the beam is just flat and they're happy with that then it certainly is worth a try. Wouldn't get away with it here but I hear the French Control Technique looks for very specific items and totally disregards the blatantly obviously dangerous stuff.....but I suppose they are only singing from a hymn sheet the same as the British MoT tester does.

[John Knott]

I thought I would reply to my own topic, since I have purchased a new pair of FR-V headlights (LHD halogen).  These have arrived from Italy, in their "made in Taiwan" boxing.  They look fine, need the electric height-adjuster motors off the old headlights.

Each headlight cost 135,45 euros and combined shipping 25,80 euros.  I could have bought them direct (their chap Fransico is very helpful & with good English) but in the end I bought them via EBay with paypal, for that extra protection.  I looked everywhere and found nothing cheaper, and some that exceeded the value of the car.

I bought from and recommend   ATB Parts  who have the EBay name         sparepartssalesman

Thanks to all for their interest, it is appreciated,

John

[Trevor]

Result!!!!

Glad you managed to source some in the end....worth keeping the old ones for spares in case you damage them in the future.

Thanks for keeping us updated.

You've just got to fit them now