Has anyone adjusted their headlights as mine are just too low to be safe. The load adjuster next to the main light switch is already set to the highest setting so it requires me to go under the bonnet.

On my old felicia the adjuster thumb screws were easy to find!

Roger.

Has anyone adjusted their headlights as mine are just too low to be safe. The load adjuster next to the main light switch is already set to the highest setting so it requires me to go under the bonnet.

I'm not sure if this is going to be a winner to be honest - the Superb's poor headlamps are a frequent topic of discussion and if the fix was that simple we'd have all done it by now, especially those of us who use them as taxis.

That said, if I'm wrong and it really is that simple... let me know

I'm not sure if this is going to be a winner to be honest - the Superb's poor headlamps are a frequent topic of discussion and if the fix was that simple we'd have all done it by now, especially those of us who use them as taxis.

That said, if I'm wrong and it really is that simple... let me know

Poor headlamps? Are you joking?

There are two manual adjusters under the bonnet on the back of the headlamps to change the vertical and horizontal adjustment on the module so you just need to move theses, they are easily accessible as well?

I think this is more a case of not knowing what to adjust and where it is than 'poor headlamps'..................

Here is a photo of a drivers side (RHD UK car) headlight, taken from above as you would be looking down on it in the car.

Click on the thumbnail for the full size picture.

The top adjuster is for the dip beam height adjustment

The middle one is for the dip beam left - right adjustment

The bottom (right) one is the main beam height adjustment.

They are adjusted with an Allen key, but they can be adjusted with a pozi drive screwdriver if you don't have an Allen key, but this is not ideal.

It is worthwhile looking at the plastic cog on the adjuster as you are adjusting them as my main beam adjuster was just spinning on the shaft and not adjusting (you can't buy replacement adjusters) so i had to adjust it with mole grips, i then used some Araldite to glue the adjuster back on the shaft.

HTH.

Good work............

Poor headlamps? Are you joking?

Yeah, with standard H7 bulbs... they're pants!

Admittedly changing the alignment would help matters (as would Xeons Mr Baker ) but I didn't realise that the adjusters were that easy to access.

Yeah, with standard H7 bulbs... they're pants!

Compared to what though?

Compared to what though?

Your Xeons

In all seriousness, I just found them poor compared to some other vehicles I've had previously... in both pattern and performance.

The latter has been sorted on my car by upgrading the bulbs, and the information above is useful for adjusting the former.

Your Xeons

That's a given!!

In all seriousness, I just found them poor compared to some other vehicles I've had previously... in both pattern and performance.

The latter has been sorted on my car by upgrading the bulbs, and the information above is useful for adjusting the former.

I find that hard to believe mate but I would need to know what your comparing it to as the light lab tests on that lamp gave very good results........

Mine came out the factory with the main beam set way to high, IIRC i had to turn them down around 8 full turns before they dropped to a usable level!

I now could do with lifting the dip beams up a little when i can be bothered (on the highest setting they are a little low with just me in the car, but with 2 people in the back they are perfect - and nobody flashes me)

Probably poor compared to some reflector lamps. The projector lens absorbs/reflects ca10% more light than a well made large reflector with clear cover (so not Mercedes style). Plus the cutoff in projector is achieved by covering half of useful light output, whereas in well designed reflector it is achieved by redirecting the beam into useful area. Reflectors have problems with control of the beam, though, which is why HIDs have mostly projector design. Note that it is possible to design a projector that will use all useful light output, but it is non-trivial and I have yet to see one. The amount of light output from HIDs does not really make reduced intensity a problem.

So if you buy Halogens, get good reflectors, for HIDs get projectors.

But the real reason for the poor lighting is that these lights are set too low from the factory. I drive most of the time on flat beam (as opposed to the default Z-beam), which exagerrates the problem. Adjustment is simple and as described above, except I think I also have a fog lamp adjuster on my Superb?

Having said that, because they're projectors, HID upgrade is very easy and gives excellent results....

Thankyou for the replys, I'm going to find a wall and have a play.

Regards

Roger.

Probably poor compared to some reflector lamps. The projector lens absorbs/reflects ca10% more light than a well made large reflector with clear cover (so not Mercedes style). Plus the cutoff in projector is achieved by covering half of useful light output, whereas in well designed reflector it is achieved by redirecting the beam into useful area. Reflectors have problems with control of the beam, though, which is why HIDs have mostly projector design. Note that it is possible to design a projector that will use all useful light output, but it is non-trivial and I have yet to see one. The amount of light output from HIDs does not really make reduced intensity a problem.

So if you buy Halogens, get good reflectors, for HIDs get projectors.

But the real reason for the poor lighting is that these lights are set too low from the factory. I drive most of the time on flat beam (as opposed to the default Z-beam), which exagerrates the problem. Adjustment is simple and as described above, except I think I also have a fog lamp adjuster on my Superb?

Having said that, because they're projectors, HID upgrade is very easy and gives excellent results....

It does amaze me what people believe when it comes to lamps and the design of them............HID upgrade, I am afraid, is far from easy just because you have a projector in your Halogen lamp set up..........

It does amaze me what people believe when it comes to lamps and the design of them............HID upgrade, I am afraid, is far from easy just because you have a projector in your Halogen lamp set up..........

On the Superb the HID conversion is VERY easy. Get Phillips H7 HID retrofits, stuff them in, mount Phillips ballasts under bumper and igniters under bumper or behind headlamps. Splice into factory wiring (the harness is sufficiently rated on the Superb, but the sillicone insulated wiring inside the headlight is not). Switch on. The end. The cost using Phillips components is about 1/4th of factory option.

I happen to speak from direct long-term experience of both factory HIDs and retrofit HIDs (for track use only ).

And regarding the inevitable BS on HID retrofit legality that will follow, there is manual headlamp adjustment that works BETTER than the "automatic" one (I have had to retrofit the levelling thumbwheel to factory HIDs which was non-trivial), there are headlight washers, and the lamp optics design is exactly the same as for "factory fit" HIDs. Check ETKA, or even better, compare the 2 headlamps side by side.

To amaze you further Baker21, would Ph.D. in Optoelectronics and direct experience of what I wrote above amaze you sufficiently? :P

On the Superb the HID conversion is VERY easy. Get Phillips H7 HID retrofits, stuff them in, mount Phillips ballasts under bumper and igniters under bumper or behind headlamps. Splice into factory wiring (the harness is sufficiently rated on the Superb, but the sillicone insulated wiring inside the headlight is not). Switch on. The end. The cost using Phillips components is about 1/4th of factory option.

I happen to speak from direct long-term experience of both factory HIDs and retrofit HIDs (for track use only ).

And regarding the inevitable BS on HID retrofit legality that will follow, there is manual headlamp adjustment that works BETTER than the "automatic" one (I have had to retrofit the levelling thumbwheel to factory HIDs which was non-trivial), there are headlight washers, and the lamp optics design is exactly the same as for "factory fit" HIDs. Check ETKA, or even better, compare the 2 headlamps side by side.

To amaze you further Baker21, would Ph.D. in Optoelectronics and direct experience of what I wrote above amaze you sufficiently? :P

The fact that you have written so much doesn't surprise me with your Ph.D mate and I am fully away of the so called 'optics' you speak about on these lamps, you clearly believe you know all there is to know on the subject so I will just kick back and continue with my work...........

The fact that you have written so much doesn't surprise me with your Ph.D mate and I am fully away of the so called 'optics' you speak about on these lamps, you clearly believe you know all there is to know on the subject so I will just kick back and continue with my work...........

Optics as in the reflector, the screen (edge) and the lens, plus the filament position which is all that matters.

No, I do not "know it all", but I'd appreciate if you commented to the point and not sideways.

If you can state anything that's contrary to what I wrote, please do. Everyone will benefit from discussing facts and not from making unsubstantiated statements such as "HID upgrade, I am afraid, is far from easy just because you have a projector in your Halogen lamp set up"

I believe what I can verify. And on the Superb, HID upgrade is far easier than on most other cars.

Anyway, OT enough, unless you can supply the evidence that there is a problem with HID upgrade on the Superb. In my experience, there isn't

Edited 25 November, 200817 yr by dieselV6

Gentlemen!

I didn't want to get this into a HID debate as like "German" plates, LED's and nitrous that's discussed in depth elsewhere... but...

DieselV6 makes a point about the HID being "easier" - I'm not sure about difficulty, but I can see how the performance of such an upgrade would be better - and indeed safer - than in a non-projector headlamp as the beam is (perhaps) more focused and less prone to the "scatter" that's so dazzling in those bloody XR2i's (et al) that have the cheap retro-fit kits fitted.

However Baker's got a point as that's what he does for a living

Still - I'm interested in this Phillips business you're speaking of Diesel, simply because even with better bulbs I want more - and the only kits I've seen about are Prizm/Chav INC/etc. Where can I get these?

Baker - in terms of headlamps, I'll keep it Skoda... I think on a dark road the lights on mum's Furby are better than my Superb. (Standard H7 vs standard H7).

Discuss! :popcorn:

There used to be good kits at XenonDepot HID conversion Kits, but I think they changed ownership. XenonDepotHID kit is no longer available, which was the best OEM light kit.

They now have kits with Phillips bulbs but not Phillips ballasts. Still, it is mostly the bulbs that give trouble with the Ebay variety, so might be OK.

Anyway, with the sterling collapsed to dollar, these now look more expensive at stlg200.

This kit gives OEM light and after installation, Phillips bulb but not ballast/igniter:

Xtreme HID 4300k Philips Xenon HID Conversion Kits

You do not need the relays from the kit, just hook up directly to headlight wiring.

Anyway, I'm sure with some Googling you might find places that sell them. Though I noticed that most Ebay knockoff ads start with Phillips ballast, when the only thing Phillips about the ballast is the Phillips screwdriver used to assemble it

Phillips = screwdriver.

Philips = lamp maker.

rotodiesel.

No, I do not "know it all", but I'd appreciate if you commented to the point and not sideways.

Apologies in advance......................think this has strayed way off topic now.........

All I can say is that I am looking at your discussion points from a 'Working Environment', completing legal checks, legislation, vibration testing requirements, thermal loading, light output, isoplot and isoroad maps, etc and from my side making changes away from the original type approved light source only renders all the months / years of design and testing work uselss.........this is however common practice I am sure in many applications and components......

Phillips = screwdriver.

Philips = lamp maker.

rotodiesel.

Baker - in terms of headlamps, I'll keep it Skoda... I think on a dark road the lights on mum's Furby are better than my Superb. (Standard H7 vs standard H7).

Interesting mate that one, your comparing a Free Form Reflector to a Projector...............

Phillips = screwdriver.

Philips = lamp maker.

rotodiesel.

Lol, thanks Roto