When I start the car, the xenon (factory fitted from new) headlights used to do a self-levelling check, moving to their lowest position and returning to their normal state. Lately they don't seem to be moving at all. There are no fault lights on the dash. They seem to be a bit high at the moment too!

Any ideas, guys and girls?

I've heard this about some Audis have had this. Dealer warranty replaced something like a worn servo motor...

give vrstu a shout, he lives down your way, he has a vag com and will be able to run a scan to see if if any fault codes exist. if not he can do a calibration of the self leveliing and see if that cures it as occasionally they lose their place and need recalibrating.

Any how stu will know what to do mate, so you be in safe hands

You should see the headlight move on startup so you may well have a fault.

You should see the headlight move on startup ...

mine does self-levelling only when startup is made on plane surfaces and never after the overnight parking on the ramp with tail down

ya, and does anyone experience the same that at night every 5th driver flashes with full headlights, telling that yours (low beam) are too bright? have checked the level at dealer and it was ok :confused:

Remember though the lights self level once the engine is started regardless if the lights are on or off. If you start car first and then put lights on you might miss the levelling.

Sounds familiar.........

....it's dealer time.

Since getting the light units and rear sensor all replaced under warranty I haven't had a problem. (Though I shudder to think what it would have cost otherwise!!)

Niall

ya, and does anyone experience the same that at night every 5th driver flashes with full headlights, telling that yours (low beam) are too bright? have checked the level at dealer and it was ok :confused:

If you are getting flashed that often you are obviously dazzling everybody all the time.

Mine were definitely set too high initally (I could see into the interior of the car in front of me on a level, flat road). I had to get really pushy with my dealer, the first time I took it in they told me it was set up correctly. The second time I insisted it was too high and that if they didn't lower it I would be taking it elsewhere and sending them the bill. It was lowered quite a bit, but IMHO it is still afraction higher than I would prefer.

So many people are having this problem I think many dealers must not know how to aim OEM Xenons properly (or they are doing it before they remove the transit spacers from the suspension springs).

...and that is with correctly, factory fitted HIDs

And there are people happy to install aftermarket ones without any of the self-leveling etc.

Whereas I agree that HIDs are the way forward from a technology point of view, there needs to be some kind of control.

Because I've been blinded by them too and not just on cars where somebody has fitted aftermarket ones.

i do agree with dealerships are not checking them properly on the pdi. my dealer swore blindly it had been done when i queried this and was told that i wasnt use to the lights. so when i took the car back a year later (and actually adjusting them lower with the vag come calibration) they told me one head light was too high and had the cheek to charge me for it.

Thanks for you help and suggestions guys. I think that it's a vist to Winchester Skoda for this one!

Hi Guys, my xenons used to do all the self levelling bit at start up...from new etc. However a few months ago they went into a flickering up and down mode. I took it into DM Keiths Leeds, and they replaced 'something' to cure the flickering/ranging. At the same time it stopped the self leveling at start up etc. When I asked them about it they told me that the self leveling is only relavant to the first Octy 2's. Even though mine is an 07 plate, they still tried to convince me that it shouldn't have done the self leveling etc, and hence now it has been cured.

A few weeks after, doing this work I found that when I turned a corner at low speed, my light beam would adjust closer to the car and then stay at that position until my entire journey had ended. I questioned D M Keith about this, they did their checks and everything was 'as it should be' in their opinion. They could not replicate the problem.

A couple of months later, and the behaviour of my xenon's changes every other day. On the same journey, same roads etc etc they can do anything from self adjust a 1000 times, to sticking at either short range or long range setting.

I get no end of people flashing their lights, or flicking their rear fog light on etc etc. Obviously something is wrong. Has anyone got any ideas becuase i'd like to be able to return to DM Keiths with confidence and ask them to get it sorted.

Cheers for any advice offered!!

When I asked them about it they told me that the self leveling is only relavant to the first Octy 2's.

Hmmm, I'm smelling something bovine, masculine and brown!

Since mine were comprehensively sorted under warranty they've behaved impecably. I don't know about the front suspension sensors but they certainly replaced the lamp units and the rear sensor (if you get down on your back at the rear of the car you can see it on the rear axle - after the work it looked very shiny and new).

What is interesting is that when I bought the car the headlights would "wobble" over unveven services. I assumed that this was part of the levelling mechanism, not knowing any better. Since getting them fixed, apart from the "flick" at start up the lamp beams are now solid for the entirety of the journey so I would suggest that wobble is a sign that things are on their way out (see my original post for symptoms almost identical to yours).

Back to the dealer and don't take any stick!!

Niall

Hmmm, I'm smelling something bovine, masculine and brown!

Back to the dealer and don't take any stick!!

Niall

Quite right!

Cheers Fellas, back to the dealers in the New Year I think!

Cheers Fellas, back to the dealers in the New Year I think!

Why wait? I'd be round there today/tomorrow.

Why wait? I'd be round there today/tomorrow.

Exactly, it's not as if there a cheap optional extra.

I would go round straight away, however the last time they said it was a big job and they needed the car for the full day. I always find with warranty items they seem to have a sudden shortage of courtesy cars. So I'll book it in, in advance in the New Year so they can collect it whilst I am at work etc.

Mine were fixed by Winchester Skoda, who basically just re-initialised the electronics, saying that it was a software 'glitch' and they have been fine ever since. They were also set up on the beam setter which proclaimed them fit and well. They are adjusting correctly and do not appear to dazzle anyone, even with variable loads in the boot.

great nice to hear mate

Sorry for replying to such an old topic but I don't seem to be able to create new posts and couldn't find the specific issue I've just had elsewhere on Briskoda. So hopefully this tip will get indexed so people can find it if they get the same fault as I've just had...

 

I had the same problem with the auto-adjusting xenon HID headlights on an Octavia 2 (1Z) not levelling properly. The motors were working but adjusting way up high.

 

I had a look under the car at the rear suspension to find the sensor (as mentioned by somebody above) and it turned out the linkage from the suspension strut to the sensor had popped off (I could see it hanging below the level of the suspension so it was quite obvious). I pushed it back on and headlights suddenly started levelling properly. Took five minutes to check and fix and saved £50 and an hour plus at the local dealer.

 

I didn't think to get a picture but it's attached to the front of the left strut so if you get a hand under the left rear passenger door you should be able to find and check if yours is doing the same. The sensor shaft doesn't rotate freely (on mine at least) so it may not dangle down in an obvious manner if it has popped off.

 

Hope somebody finds this useful.

front sensor - passenger (left) side.....

 

rear sensor - passenger (left) side.....

Do all mk2 octavia have self levelling headlamps?

Do all mk2 octavia have self levelling headlamps?

Only those with factory fitted xenon/HID lights.