Do US-spec 94-05 W124s have the same headlights as..
 

Euro 94-95 W124s?

What should I do to upgrade the lights on my parent's 95 E320 Wagon?

Thanks!

They look similar but US spec cars have DOT compliant headlights while European spec cars have what's called E-code headlights.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

European headlights also have the Vacuum adjust feature.

What is the Vacuum adjust feature?

There's a switch next to the headlight switch that lets you aim the headlight beams lower when the rear of the car is heavy.

I don't understand why it's needed in cars with self leveling suspension.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Our "Oz spec" 190E and 300TE get right-hand-drive versions of the "Euro" headlights and headlight aim adjusters. The owner's manuals describe how with different passenger and boot (trunk) loads different settings of the adjuster should be used. The manual for the 300TE also states that since the wagon has self-levelling rear suspension that only when the wagon is fully laden with passengers and luggage does the adjuster need to be moved just one position. Leaves you wondering why the aim adjuster was fitted at all in cars with self levelling rear as Sixto suggests.

Additionally, in the 124 "bible" (a book by Stu Rittter), it states that the lens assemblies have different focus patterns for vehicles that are right-hand as opposed to left-hand drive.
He warns not to install a pair of lenses designed for one side of the road into a car with the opposite side steering (they are physically interchangeable).

greg

any chance you would take a picture of the vacuum adjust instructions page from the owners manual, please?

i have the feature hooked up, but do not have the 'official' instructions.

nobody hop my case here, but my regular setting is on 1. that way if there is no traffic i can raise them.
i live in a very rural area.

antony

the beam pattern [for non-british colonies] looks kind of like this
[L] ____/ [R] ____/ the bend or upward break breaks AWAY from traffic.

rhd is the exact opposite [L] \____ [R] \____

if you used the wrong ones, in the wrong country, you'd blind EVERYONE coming toward you!

talk about road rage

peter

Peter,

I will scan that section of my owner's manual when I get a chance (don't have my own scanner so will have to use one elsewhere). It may be several days.

From memory, the normal setting is "0" with each higher number lowering the beams to cater for load. I prefer to initialy set ours up like you suggest such that "1" is the normal setting. In this way it is possible to select "0" to raise them slightly in rural areas where high beam might be inappropriate due to distant oncoming traffic.

On our RHD cars the lenses are a mirror image of that in your picture. The low beams have a distinct flat cutoff line with a kick-up to the left (to illuminate signs and roadside obstacles) as you mention ie. \___\___

Greg