What do the xenon sensors look like and where do i find them under the car?

Both on the nearside, front fixed on the lower wishbone/arm, rear on the bottom link arm.

Connected by a ball jointed lever/arm.

cheers, any photos?

cheers, any photos?

needing to turn them up are we???...

I've had mine turned up about a half a degree, they were washing the floor in front of the car for about 10m, but what good is that down an unlit lane at 60(ish)...

no, mine seem to have got better since the accident so it looks like the garage did something to them (the sensors) whilst on the geometry thing. last couple of days they have seem to have gone up a bit so i was just gonna check the sensors are clean.

also how easy/hard is it to knock these sensors out of sync or whatever you want to call it.?

Couldn't say, got the company mechanic to do it. He said it was easy to adjust the lights and I remember saying it was just a couple of bolts or screws.

With regards to the sensors, can't say, obviously they will settle out at whatever they are set to, if they're too bright then a trip back to the garage may be in order.

Adjustment isn't carried out on the sensors.

Also before carrying out any adjustment of the headlights you are supposed to place the headlights into learning mode using VAS or VAG-COM as well as fullfilling some pre requisites such as being on a level surface and not having the handbrake on.

Often a problem with new cars is that the basic settings adaption is not carried out at PDi.

And you cant do anything with the sensors anyhow, they are a small sealed box connected to the suspension via a small arm.

mine will be having a full HID done on them when it does go in for a service, i was just wondering if it was two boxes that talked to each other then maybe there was some dirt or debris in the way.

thanks to all!!!

Often a problem with new cars is that the basic settings adaption is not carried out at PDi.

Yes, and then when you take it back complaining they are WAY too high (dazzling everybody on any road that isn't perfectly straight and level) you may get told "They are within range and we won't adjust them lower".

I'm taking mine back again and this time I'm going to make them show me how they tested it, as I do not believe they actually did a proper calibration ! Mine actually points slightly upwards from the headlights on low beam instead of downwards.

I hate dazzling headlights, which is why I paid extra for the factory Xenons (and waited for 5 months for a factory build), so it is particularly galling that I currently drive a car that has very bright and badly aimed headlights.

[/rant]

mine will be having a full HID done on them when it does go in for a service

Whats that then :confused:

HID in terms of headlights is normally High Intensity (gas) Discharge

Whats that then :confused:

HID in terms of headlights is normally High Intensity (gas) Discharge

see here http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/obversation-about-xenons/109654/#post1270781

Still not making sense mate. You don't go for a full HID. HID's are your headlights.

What you mean to say is that you are going for an alignment check.

Did they do the proper SKODA HID full calibration reset ? I've read reports from several people who were getting flashed a lot (aimed too high on dip), and once they were properly calibrated no more flashing. Apparently lots of dealers "forget" to actually do it at PDI (maybe because all Octys have projector style low beams, so the HID ones look the same as all the rest).

This is what i mean stu. also apd has pointed out my beam needs aligning too as its probably pointing to much towards the middle.

what was it that you actually had done to yours stu when you had the problem of people flashing you? as im getting flashed and the beam isnt the best on the road, even the vectra i had the other week (no xenons) with dirty headlights lit more road up.

Stu, can you also elaborate on what they should have checked/calibrated on the pdi so I can ask them when I pick up my new motor in 3 weeks time?

Cheers,

Matt

They should carry out a Basic Settings calibration, with the transport blocks removed!!

They are going to tell you they've done it, and to be honest I doubt you are going to know any different.

and i'm assuming there's no way of telling if they have or not!

Bugger!

Not really no.

till everyone flashes you.

Mine have been checked an conform exactly to MOT requirements - I get flashed a lot.

Mind you they soon realise they were mistaken when I flash them back - Osram Night Breakers rule

Mine have been checked an conform exactly to MOT requirements - I get flashed a lot.

Mind you they soon realise they were mistaken when I flash them back - Osram Night Breakers rule

but this is the point, i shouldnt be getting flashed, if you getting flashed and someone else on here has been issued with a penalty notice then surely there is a problem.

Park about 1-2m away from a wall on a flat surface.

If the high cut off is higher or level with the top of the headlight, then they are wrong. After getting mine done (as obv not done at PDI) at 2m, they are lower than the headlight (not measure it exactly, but 5cm seems to ring a bell.

One reason why people flash you is because a great many people drive around with woefully poor headlights, in fact many don't even realise when they have a defective lamp. Xenon headlights are about as bright a light as you'll legally get away with and by nature of the type of light people get edgy when they see them.

Well said stu.

SWMBO loves the opportunity to prove she's not on fulls.