Xenons and main beam

[banksie]

Went into some fog/low cloud last night with lights on main beam and before dropping to headlights & fogs I noticed that the mainbeam was pointing in some odd directions. Nearside wasn't far off where it should be but probably too high and drivers was pointing up in the air and to nearside. I had thought that main beam wasn't to good but having seen beam in fog I can now see why.

Having looked at the manual it appears that mainbeam comes from Xenon's, ( at least I can't find ref to changing mainbeam bulbs with Xenons), which are self leveling. On normal low beam mine are OK so why on mainbeam should they be pointing in odd directions?

Edited 7 December, 2013 by banksie

[banksie]

Spoke to garage and Service reception guy says that they have a different bulb for main beam.

Internet tells me cars with Xenon's generally have same bulb but use a mirror?

Anyone know how main beam actually works on Skoda Xenons?

[sworrall]

Spoke to garage and Service reception guy says that they have a different bulb for main beam.

Internet tells me cars with Xenon's generally have same bulb but use a mirror?

Anyone know how main beam actually works on Skoda Xenons?

thought with it being bi-xenon that the shutter just moves out the way for full beam. Certainly looks that way on mine. Mkii was xenon dipped and halogen full

[banksie]

thought with it being bi-xenon that the shutter just moves out the way for full beam. Certainly looks that way on mine. Mkii was xenon dipped and halogen full

Ah yes, this must be what they meant by the term "mirror moving".

Didn't realize that's what bi-xenon meant though!

Looks like I will still have to get them checked for alignment.

As an aside I got my dashcam fixed in place thanks for the tips.

[Neily03]

Yep there's no separate bulb for full beam, just the shutter.

[gadgetman]

I assume you either adjust just the dipped beam and full follows suit, or you can adjust the shutter?

[Honkycrash]

Went into some fog/low cloud last night with lights on main beam and before dropping to headlights & fogs I noticed that the mainbeam was pointing in some odd directions. Nearside wasn't far off where it should be but probably too high and drivers was pointing up in the air and to nearside. I had thought that main beam wasn't to good but having seen beam in fog I can now see why.

Having looked at the manual it appears that mainbeam comes from Xenon's, ( at least I can't find ref to changing mainbeam bulbs with Xenons), which are self leveling. On normal low beam mine are OK so why on mainbeam should they be pointing in odd directions?

Yep same thing with mine, offside beam 'sometimes' goes off to right and high, well away from where it should be.

Back to dipped and do a few corners and it rights itself, next time on it's ok. Looks like a small issue 'sometimes' with its position and movement -l think software related when lens mirror moved, the cornering function does not reset to straight ahead after first right turn on beam.

Gonna live with it for a while as usual a dealer will say "we can't replicate fault"

Lights are way better than mkll zenons, especially the zenon beam even if only half sometimes!

Edited 11 December, 2013 by Honkycrash

[freddyg]

I have the same problem on my BMW320D with the Active lighting. It is brilliant but sometimes seems to get its knickers in a twist. Especially if I start the car and drive off quickly, before the lights have done their little dance. To correct it, I have to stop the car, turn off the ignition and start again.

From the post above, it looks like correcting this issue on my vRS (when it arrives!) will be much simpler :-)

[banksie]

Out again last night and same thing. I also think the lights "corner” less on the my mk3 than my mk2. Anyone noticed?

[Neily03]

Out again last night and same thing. I also think the lights "corner” less on the my mk3 than my mk2. Anyone noticed?

Depends what mode you're in though don't forget.

[conn]

I have noticed, that my left side Xenon tilts to the left when I am in town (right side driving) - when turning the lights follow to the turn (mind you, the left one is not that high to blind oncoming driver). When I stop, the light goes back to the center. I do not know if it is normal or not...

[banksie]

Depends what mode you're in though don't forget.

Ah yes was wondering about that. Will have to see how much faster they move in sport mode if I can overcome the weight of the steering!

Lots to play with on this new one! Enjoying it a lot!

[AnthonyDi]

Ah yes was wondering about that. Will have to see how much faster they move in sport mode if I can overcome the weight of the steering!

Lots to play with on this new one! Enjoying it a lot!

Is it possible to replicate the faster afs of sport mode but have lighter steering if you use the custom mode?

[niggle]

I have noticed, that my left side Xenon tilts to the left when I am in town (right side driving) - when turning the lights follow to the turn (mind you, the left one is not that high to blind oncoming driver). When I stop, the light goes back to the center. I do not know if it is normal or not...

This is exactly how the headlights on my car work and is very useful for illuminating the otherside of the road.

 

I think this is how the system is supposed to work.

[PekoSI]

I have noticed, that my left side Xenon tilts to the left when I am in town (right side driving) - when turning the lights follow to the turn (mind you, the left one is not that high to blind oncoming driver). When I stop, the light goes back to the center. I do not know if it is normal or not...

 

This is exactly how the headlights on my car work and is very useful for illuminating the otherside of the road.

 

I think this is how the system is supposed to work.

 

Correct. It's called 'City mode' and it's active at speeds of 15-50 km/h (manual page 57-58)...

[banksie]

Is it possible to replicate the faster afs of sport mode but have lighter steering if you use the custom mode?

That would be useful. Wonder if its possible in VCDS to change rate of movement?

Can't quite get used to the sport mode steering weight, which is obviously another thread altogether!?

[gullyg]

Is it possible to replicate the faster afs of sport mode but have lighter steering if you use the custom mode?

This is how I tend to have my vrs set all the time, almost everything in Eco but with the lights on sport using the individual setting unless I want sport.

What I'm starting to get annoyed with at the moment is other drivers thinking I'm driving with main beams. Twice tonight I got flashed at, one of the drivers just put his beams on full as soon as I flashed by beams at him.

Childish but I have to admit steering slightly towards him and putting the beams on was satisfying.

Edited 13 December, 2013 by gullyg

[conn]

I have got flashed once with a long one (he hold his on for like 4 secs or so from 300m away) on a straight road with me being in "low" - it is impossible that my light "cut" was hitting that car. Got to admit I LOVE the cut in Octavia 3!

So I hit 2 short bursts in that time and he lost his high quicker than a baby burps after eating.

 

I have not tested it how nasty the full bean xenon is 50-200m away, but I guess it is pretty nasty since while driving alone, they light up the environment pretty good.

 

gullyg, I myself would not be ashamed to hit highs for a while if someone starts to jack off on the road :-)

[DaveA]

Just back from a long drive and am having the same issue as you guys, my dipped headlights are way too high and I managed to get flashed about 12 times!

 

Strange happening though, I turned of the main road and hit a pot hole . To my surprise the lights lowered and remained at what I think was the correct level for about 30 miles until I came off the motorway and came to a complete stop when they adjusted to the high level causing the headlight flashing to begin again.

 

This is driving me nuts. So do you think this is some sort of leveling issue or a software issue?

 

Cheers

[Farsider]

Yes, same here. I believe the Xenons on my VRS are a little high in dipped more too. By gawd they look good though

[fireftrm]

I had the main beam off line issue the other night. I tried the dipped and back and a couple of corners, but nothing. Then I decided to try a wash, had been through very dirty driving conditions, rain, heavy water logging if the road with no doubt much dirt on the car. As soon as the washers hit the lights the pattern was spot on. I know the headlight washers are a legal requirement on xenons, as the dirty lens can affect the light pattern. So maybe that was it, or coincidence? Time will tell.

[Bogdan81]

My headlights were not correctly set since I got the car. Driving over night I have disturbed all the the other cars, and immediately went to the local dealer. They have manually adjusted the headlights using a special equipment for such operations, and since then I didn't get any flashes from the cars coming from the opposite direction.

Still I am not sure they are properly set, as my impression is that the light is way to up ..but don't know for sure. Will have to compare with a different O3 and see how it looks like.

Anyhow, this is really annoying to get a car with the headlights not properly set up.

[donelegance]

Guys, I don't know it this has the same setup as the xenons on my fiat (they were motor controlled as well), but there was a 'Baseline' that the lights work from. Even though they automatically adjust for load etc, they also have a datum point to judge the levels from.

 

There were two screws for each headlight, one vertical and one horizontal. It was an issue with some of the fiats that they were set too high from the factory. After spending five minutes with the car facing a white wall, the 'datum' point was set a little lower. I wasn't flashed any more after this.

 

It may be the same for the skoda (I really don't know but it is worth a try).

[Bogdan81]

Exactly this was my case, donelegance. But this manual adjusting was done using a special equipment not aligning them on the wall.

[CSM]

Does anyone know what type of bulbs does the VRs have on the fog lamps?