Almost One Year With Europiean Voyager Lights On My 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan

I wanted to report my experiences after nearly a year with the conversion of my 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan single element OE headlights to the European Chrysler Voyager dual element headlights.

First I want to thank all who helped me in the process in THIS THREAD. Other than being great resources, they demonstrated the patience of the saints with me. I was given information, instruction, and put straight on issues I never considered. And provided services for a Jam Up wiring harness and a daylight running light module, and some great lamps.

It was lots of money to put into a set of headlights. But knowing the vehicle was going to be kept until the wheels fell off and doing tons of night driving, I have no regrets.

First, the driving experience improvement is amazing. The lights are not blue or yellow, they are completely neutral in color. I can onlt describe it as Crisp or Sharp.
Second, if you don't get the aiming right or VERY close it sucks. You either offend everyone on the road you approach form front or rear, or have lousy range.

Getting them aimed right. Mercy! This was tough and I am still not 100% sure because I refuse to pay $100.00 for a Volkswagen dealer to put a beam setter on it.
I live 40 miles north of Atlanta and venture down there everyday. I called all kinds of businesses, shops, and Webb searched for a beam setter location. I even called Hella!
Hella informed me that all Volkswagen dealerships are "Required" to have one. I called and they want an hours pay @ $100.00 after taxes. And I had to gently argue with him to agree take a non-VW vehicle for the job. So not only did he "Not" really want to do it, the amount hurt my feelings.
So I used Daniel Sterns template and a pea soup thick fog to finally get them to be very close. I do understand a beam setter is the official or preferred method, and the template is a starting point or if you have nothing else.

On the Daniel Sterns template instructions. I am an industrial maintenance technician and machinist. I understand measurements. I mention this because I found you need to be very accurate with your measurements, especially with the distances from the center points of the lamps. If you get it wrong you are beaming either cross-eyed or the opposite as the distance increases.

Another frustrating thing is finding a relatively level piece of ground. I set out with a 6' level and a measuring tape and it was a chore here in N. Ga I tell you. I finally found an upholstery shop that had a long section of pretty level concrete.

All this took lots of time and several efforts here and there and it was not until I hit a very thick fog in the early AM that I really seen how bad I was doing. I was WAY cross-eyed, and this was most noticed when I put the highbeams on, and not far enough to the right side of the road at all on low beam. And I believed I was doing good. I was not getting flashed at all by motorists but that's not a defining gauge is it.
This fog was so thick I had the motor off while I was making corrections so I could hear any vehicles coming.

I proceeded to align the high beams so they beamed straight forward and level as best my eyes could determine, and then hit the lows. They now were going towards the right side of the road as they should.
All I could think was WoW!
As soon as I could I returned to the upholstery shop with the template to see the results there and the amounts that I was off of my marks were not much but it enlightened me to the fact of how close I needed to be when I made the template. There is not much room for a tolerance.

Next I (again) had my girlfriend drive my van while I drove hers, towards me, follow me, pass me, and travel steady at varying distances in the lane to my left to see what its like for other motorists with these euro beam pattern.
I seen nothing offending and again liked in what I seen as far as the color.

I think its amazing how much more light is delivered to the right side of the road in comparison the the US pattern. And how much more the road signs are reflecting and at the greater distances.

As far as the side marker LED's I put on the front they really put out nice and do not look out of place or like an add-on at all.

I still plan on getting in front of a beam setter. I just have to hunker down for the cash.

Thanks, Guys.

What bulbs did you use? As I mentioned in the past I ran Phillips Vision Plus, although I think I also ran Australian Narva +50 in it as well. Even with my lights being in poor condition, UV damage, I found them to be actually very good. In fact, I'd go as far as say they were the second best lights of all my cars, my current Citroen's lights are slightly better.

therock said:

I think its amazing how much more light is delivered to the right side of the road in comparison the the US pattern.

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I recently drove a friend's 2005 Audi A4 at night and noticed the same thing. The headlamps have an upsweep to the right, and what appears to be most of the light concentrated well below and to the right of center. They appeared to be aimed "correctly", but there's no way to know really. I did notice that the "kink" of the upsweep on both lamps seemed to converge in the center of the road a distance away, so I assume they were at least close. I felt they gave too much foreground light, and skewed dramatically to the right side. It kept drawing my eyes to the right side shoulder rather than down the road. I was anxious to drive it at night, to see how a "real European car maker" would do North American lamps, but I wasn't satisfied with them.

Do you get the same type of sensation from the ones on your van? Maybe the Audi's lamps were mis-aimed, or maybe they're a particularly poor adaptation to North American regs.

irsa76 said:

What bulbs did you use? As I mentioned in the past I ran Phillips Vision Plus, although I think I also ran Australian Narva +50 in it as well. Even with my lights being in poor condition, UV damage, I found them to be actually very good. In fact, I'd go as far as say they were the second best lights of all my cars, my current Citroen's lights are slightly better.

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These. Very nice. No color, just amazing bright crisp light = Osram Rallye 64217 65w Ultra High Output H7 Special - Service Bulb .

I did notice that the "kink" of the upsweep on both lamps seemed to converge in the center of the road a distance away, so I assume they were at least close.

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I'm not sure about being close, and I tell you, close with this kind of thing needs to be better if possible.
When projected on a wall, if you drive towards the beams or move away do they hold their positions? If they spread or converge you have some tweaking to do.
With out a beam setter it takes time and patience.
It took a rare dense fog to show me how bad I was when I thought I was OK or Close. When aimed correctly, in a fog or a wall at the 125 feet the amount they shift to the right in low beam compared to the high's is pretty apparent. Not so much at the recommended 25 to 32.8 feet. The picture on this page shows the US version light from the page ahead of it. The text is for the "Import (Euro) lights" out of a 2002 Grand Caravan service manual.
Disconnecting one light at a time to see which one if not both is moving to center will save you tons of time. If you have a dealership or shop close by a beam setter will be a great deal of relief. But trying to correct this convergence on both of them at once will have you playing musical chairs. After getting that right you can level them.

Do you get the same type of sensation from the ones on your van? Maybe the Audi's lamps were miss-aimed, or maybe they're a particularly poor adaptation to North American regs.

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A little at first. On rural or suburban roads no, on Interstate yes, just a little at first.
If aimed too high or far right, Other than being flashed or given the bird finger, or see every driver you approach from the rear reach up and flip his rear view mirror you will know on interstate by the road signs being amazingly bright at far distances too.
When aimed correctly road signs seem to reflect noticeably more than the US type, but not drastically. If the Euro pattern is a little too high they really light up the signs.

Finding a nice level surface and a good wall combo is tough sometimes. Here is a link to my post of one scenario I found that was decent. The wall is 125 feet away, and as I drive towards and away from them they are stationary. While the lows are level the highs are a touch higher on the left side but the experienced hands here say it not unusual. I hit this wall with my 2005 Truck with US pattern lights and it was the same thing, the left high beam is a tad higher. While both are noticeable on a wall, it was only until I put them on the wall that I could see it. My truck light system has been enhanced also. All the details of my van and truck lighting are in my signature vehicle blogs.

That's an interesting scan from the service manual. I can't figure out why they specify a 10-meter aiming distance...it's hard enough to find 7.62 meters (25 feet) plus the length of the car, of flat level ground. Their 4.3-inch figure for the cutoff line at 32.8 feet is a 1% declination, which is a pretty standard European aim setting. It's a little too low for use in the USA, where headlamps that produce this kind of _/ asymetrical cutoff (called "VOL" type headlamps here) are aimed with 0.7% declination. That would be 2.76" drop at 10 meters (2.1" drop at the more common 7.62 meter/25 feet distance). When you eventually take the vehicle in for an optical aiming job, make sure they use the "VOL" setting on their machine.

And you're right: the sharper the cutoff, the easier the lamp is to aim visually/optically and the greater the effect on safety of lamp misaim. So a sharper cutoff makes it both easier and more important to aim the lamp correctly.

Thanks, I will eventually get in front of a beam setter. I am pretty conscientious about it, as much as I am critical of those that are not. Heh!

As an aside, I see you also have the page from your service manual on the stabilizer bar bushings. I owned two Mopar minivans (a 2003 Grand Caravan and a 2007 Town & Country). Between the two, I think I replaced the stabilizer bar bushings ten times. I'm a pro!! Ha ha.

I bet the Audi's lights are aimed too low.

Scheinwerfermann said:

That's an interesting scan from the service manual. I can't figure out why they specify a 10-meter aiming distance...it's hard enough to find 7.62 meters (25 feet) plus the length of the car, of flat level ground. Their 4.3-inch figure for the cutoff line at 32.8 feet is a 1% declination, which is a pretty standard European aim setting. It's a little too low for use in the USA, where headlamps that produce this kind of _/ asymetrical cutoff (called "VOL" type headlamps here) are aimed with 0.7% declination. That would be 2.76" drop at 10 meters (2.1" drop at the more common 7.62 meter/25 feet distance). When you eventually take the vehicle in for an optical aiming job, make sure they use the "VOL" setting on their machine.

And you're right: the sharper the cutoff, the easier the lamp is to aim visually/optically and the greater the effect on safety of lamp misaim. So a sharper cutoff makes it both easier and more important to aim the lamp correctly.

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That setting they use is likely a "zero" setting for the Headlamp aiming system as they want the vehicle loaded and full with fuel plus the leveling system set to off so the leveling system has full range of travel after it's set

Vinniec5 said:

That setting they use is likely a "zero" setting for the Headlamp aiming system as they want the vehicle loaded and full with fuel plus the leveling system set to off so the leveling system has full range of travel after it's set

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"Zero" setting is for an empty vehicle, 3+ is used for full load etc.

I am surprised that beam setter is such a big deal in the USA. Here almost every garage or the dealer and even the MOT (Bilbesiktning in Swedish or yearly vehicle safety testing organ) has one and they test and adjust your beam every time you leave your car for service or yearly MOT. If you have had the service and MOT the same year it will be tested twice and they will adjust it for you if it is off.

Right, but remember that visual/optical aim headlamps have only been present in the USA market since 1998, most US states don't have a periodic vehicle roadworthiness inspection, and those few that do, generally don't check headlamp aim (or don't check it rigorously). In Europe, roadworthiness tests are routine and strict, and visual/optical aim headlamps have been universal on all vehicles for many, many decades.

Scheinwerfermann said:

most US states don't have a periodic vehicle roadworthiness inspection

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Now, I am even more surprised! Thank you for the information, I am finally beginning to get the picture. These are the sort of things that you do not get to know or notice when you have been to US only as a tourist.

North Carolina has a state inspection program, and I do believe that headlamp aim is supposed to be a part of that. Yet this year was the first time they have inspected the headlamp aim on one of my vehicles (and I watch them do it each year). I took my second vehicle to get its inspection a month later, to the same shop, and aim wasn't checked. So even with state inspection programs that required headlamp aim to be tested, it's hit-and-miss.

Re: UPDATE One Year 7 Months Europiean Voyager Lights, Peeling

Hi,

From 10/2012 to 6/1/2014 on the used European Voyager head lights and they are doing well, no signs of oxidation but I noticed something peeling or separating.

Does anyone have knowledge of whats going on?

Re: UPDATE One Year 7 Months Europiean Voyager Lights, Peeling

therock said:

Hi,

From 10/2013 to 6/1/2014 on the used European Voyager head lights and they are doing well, no signs of oxidation but I noticed something peeling or separating.

Does anyone have knowledge of whats going on?

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UV damage/oxidation. That top edge of the lens is swept back and fluted; UV light passes through, then back through again upon reflection. The angle it's at guarantees it gets more sun (like a solar panel).

Water may also rest on the top edge, holding acids/bases/pollutants/car wash chemicals, also contributing to attacking the plastic.

Re: UPDATE One Year 7 Months Europiean Voyager Lights, Peeling

So, nothing to alarm about? Normal occurrences considering the age? I don't do the drive thru car wash thing?

Thanks

Re: UPDATE One Year 7 Months Europiean Voyager Lights, Peeling

I wouldn't worry.

Re: UPDATE One Year 7 Months Europiean Voyager Lights, Peeling

I don't know if the OP ever got in front of a beam setter. I have a coach bus converted to a motorhome with 4"x6" headlamps. I got Cibie ECE headlamps and found a truck shop with a beam setter. I had the truck shop aim the headlights and the aim was terrible. I finally aimed them visually and found they were way off. I don't think the beam setter the truck shop had could handle ECE headlamps.

The problem was not with the headlamp aiming machine, it was with the operator not knowing what he was doing. Aiming ECE headlamps for use on North American roads is a simple matter of using the "VOL" setting on the aiming machine...correctly!

("Beamsetter" is just what Hella calls their aiming machines, not really a generic).