Bi-Xenon

[snowds01]

We've had our new Superb Elegance Estate for a couple of months now, and we are exceptionally pleased with it - except for the headlamps. Main Beam is fantastic, and the cornering lights are great, but the dip beam is very disappointing, and 95% of our night driving is done on dip beam. The range of the lamps, the distance illuminated in front of the car, is very poor, which I find very inhibiting. Never having experienced Xenon lights before, I was expecting great things, but on dip beam, I think that the halogens I have had before were superior - not in the intensity of the light, but in the area illuminated. I think that the problem is made worse by the very sharp cut off, and the lack of kick-up to the left, which helps in seeing the nearside verge further ahead. The contrast between main beam and dip makes it feel like you are suddenly driving into a black hole!

I've been back to the dealer, who declared that the adjustment "spot on", and to raise them would be "illegal". He said that people often asked for them to be lowered because they are flashed so often, but I never once experienced this.

Has anyone else felt dip beam to be a problem, and, if so, have you found a solution? Thanks in advance for any help or advice that can be offered.

[Gizmo]

Can’t say I have ever thought they were poor TBH and most of my driving is done in the dark,

my MKI Superb had halogens which were pretty poor, so I upgraded the bulbs for some high output Philips bulbs which were a vast improvement, these I later swapped out for a HID xenon kit (4,300K) and they were light night and day compared to the halogens (never flashed once with them fitted.

Move onto the Superb Estate and again they were a huge improvement over the HID kit.

[dobbey]

I do agree. I find that the beam doesn't stretch very far ahead. It's not a problem, its the design. It hasn't annoyed me enough to go to the dealers. If its dark enough that you need that extra vision, surely you would be able to use the full beam

[mandp]

I'm afraid I cant offer you any help or advice...just to say that I agree with all you say. Its the first time I have had Xenons and I too was expecting good things. Fortunately for me, I don't do very much night driving but if I did, I'd be quite peeved. My wife's car is a 10 year old Honda Jazz and the lights on that are far superior to my new Superb.

I thought it was just me!!!

[RS3100]

Never expereinced a problem with mine and in over two years of ownership I still get flashed with the lights in dipped.

What I have found is that with the full auto on the bi-xenon which adjusts the beam length / width depending on speed gives better vision than when I put the lights in their continental mode that switches off this aut beam setting.

Perhaps the lights aren't in this full auto beam adjusting mode?

[Jules Tohpipi]

I find mine are great. Coming from years of Audi and BMW ownership on halogen lamps (which were all dreadful) then the dipped Xenons on the Superb are a sight for sore eyes. It's completely changed the nature of my near four-hours-a-day round commute.

Guessing there must be a problem with the car if you're that unhappy with them.

[Richf]

I'm really impressed with the lights ! I have xenons on my Skyline and they aren't anywhere near as good , the fabia in comparison is shockingly !

I'd try another dealer

[Gizmo]

Never expereinced a problem with mine and in over two years of ownership I still get flashed with the lights in dipped.

What I have found is that with the full auto on the bi-xenon which adjusts the beam length / width depending on speed gives better vision than when I put the lights in their continental mode that switches off this aut beam setting.

Perhaps the lights aren't in this full auto beam adjusting mode?

That would make sense.

To get the full benefit of the AFSII the switch has to be in ‘Auto’

[spencem]

Just wondering if you are running your lights in Auto or On? I find mine are excellent, but they only do their adaptive magic with the beam shape if they are in Auto mode. Also there is a setting in the MFD to put them into European mode, which does shorten the reach.

[Danny 57]

Mine are very good in auto mode.

[mandp]

Never expereinced a problem with mine and in over two years of ownership I still get flashed with the lights in dipped.

What I have found is that with the full auto on the bi-xenon which adjusts the beam length / width depending on speed gives better vision than when I put the lights in their continental mode that switches off this aut beam setting.

Perhaps the lights aren't in this full auto beam adjusting mode?

Full auto?

Continental mode?

Aut beam setting?

Full auto beam setting mode?

I don't have a clue!

Edited 30 January, 2013 by mandp

[mandp]

That would make sense.

To get the full benefit of the AFSII the switch has to be in ‘Auto’

`AFSII`?

[mandp]

Cant really get my head around `beam length`, `beam width` and all that jazz...I just wanna be able to see in the dark! So...are we saying that, that is best achieved with the lights in `Auto`?

Many thanks.

Mike.

[jonnie5]

Yip xenon don't project light any further forward on dipped beam, its just whats there is brighter/whiter light. The cut off just seam more noticeable due to the patch that lit being brighter. If you lifted the beam to see further down the road your essentially just making it in to a non dipped beam (full beam) hence the name dipped beam and we have a second set of bulb that aren't dipped for that don't we lol<br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone upside down, using Tapatalk whilst in a taxi rank<br />

[mandp]

Yip xenon don't project light any further forward on dipped beam, its just whats there is brighter/whiter light. The cut off just seam more noticeable due to the patch that lit being brighter. If you lifted the beam to see further down the road your essentially just making it in to a non dipped beam (full beam) hence the name dipped beam and we have a second set of bulb that aren't dipped for that don't we lol<br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone upside down, using Tapatalk whilst in a taxi rank<br />

Gobbledegook.

[Graham Butcher]

If you make sure that the "contintental" setting is OFF and leave the headline switch in the "AUTO" position the lights will switch themselves on/off as required and the automatic beam adjustment will kick in. At low town speeds you may well notice that appears this black hole effect because the lights auto ajustment their beams at lower speeds they are designed to spread their beam to pick up the road edge / kerb and as speed increases they move again and provide more light in front of the car and also the n/s one will lift its beam to show futher along the road.

[Liebel]

The reason you guys think that your old halogen lights were more powerful, is because you like most other people left the level setting on the highest, regardless of the load on the car.

The problem with HID xenons is that they are required by regulation to be self leveling in order not to dazzle oncoming traffic, unfortunately that is a lower and shorter beam to what you're used to :'(

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

[Richf]

Not all xenons are self levelling

[mannyo]

The Superb uses AFS, you cannot simply adjust the beam pattern. AFS varies the beam pattern based on speed and weather conditions, basically around town the beam is short and configured to illuminate the pavement side so you can see pedestrians and other objects, whilst at speed the beam is longer and aimed more straight ahead.

AFS only works correctly when set to AUTO position.

There are a number of good documents explaining this online, so no you cannot simply adjust the beam distance.

Interurban – default headlight position for speeds between 0 – 9 mph and 31 – 55 mph.

Urban – light beam shortens and widens for better illumination of pavements and junctions in built-up areas; active between 9 – 30 mph.

Motorway – light beam gradually lengthens and narrows as vehicle speed increases to improve distant vision; light beam lights the lane to the right of the car to facilitate overtaking; active above 56 mph.

Cornering lights – headlight geometry changes and light beam illuminates the curve of the road depending on vehicle speed and steering wheel angle (active from 6 mph); activated by indicators, the fog light strengthens and fades during tight cornering, increasing visibility and highlighting hazards and obstacles in the road.

Rain function – headlight modules rotate down and light beam shortens to limit the glare from the road; activated by windscreen wipers (after two minutes) at speeds between 0 - 43 mph.

Tourist function – using the maxi-dot computer, driver can switch between right hand drive and light hand drive headlamp angle when abroad.

[mandp]

There is reference made above to `Tourist function` and to `Continental setting`. Are they the same thing?

[ukcruiser]

Yes. Points the lights the other way, so no need for adaptors - The cornering function is disabled and it will not pass a test in Germany etc. if the car is exported.

Al.

[dieselV6]

I've been back to the dealer, who declared that the adjustment "spot on", and to raise them would be "illegal". He said that people often asked for them to be lowered because they are flashed so often, but I never once experienced this.

Quit the dealer. Find someone with VCDS as the headlights need to be put in "beam adjustment mode". Then carefully raise the low beams to -0.5deg down instead of the -1.0deg down VW/Skoda insist on. Best done on a beam setter at your local tyre/MOT shop, an independent garage, or if you are into DIY use a long flat driveway, preferably ended with a wall (or an airstrip, no wall needed there ).

-0.5deg is still within MOT limit (-0.5deg), the auto adjustment works well enough to keep it.

-0.5deg will give you double the range of lights at VW setting. At 36m old vs 72m new headlight range it is really a difference between an accident waiting to happen and a comfortable night trip.

I hope this helps.

Ps. I often drive close to 1000 miles at night, at high speed. HID projector lights set to -0.2deg do not seem to annoy anyone, as the cutoff is very sharp. But I recommend setting to -0.5 - -0.6 as it is enough for the UK, and passes the MOT.

Edited 31 January, 2013 by dieselV6

[artichoke273]

There is reference made above to `Tourist function` and to `Continental setting`. Are they the same thing?

In the MFD it's actually called "Travel Mode". With the car stationary select Settings > Lights & Vision, scroll down and Travel Mode should be unticked for UK use and ticked for when driving on the right.

[mandp]

In the MFD it's actually called "Travel Mode". With the car stationary select Settings > Lights & Vision, scroll down and Travel Mode should be unticked for UK use and ticked for when driving on the right.

Thank you.

Regards.

Mike.

[wirral cars]

my xenons are great have set up the adaptive lighting on the computer ,the system is fully automatic love the way the care changes the shape of the light beam depending on the driving conditions.

I do lots of night driving and the AFL works great xenion all the way i am suprised to read some of have poor lighting have you cheched the light setting on the computer.