Xenons and main beam

[sworrall]

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).

it not usually the same as the car has to be put into a service mode while you adjust the screws. on the mkii if you didnt do this theyd bounce around trying to find the level in some cases.  best to get it back to the dealer unless you have VCDS.

[andyvee]

+1

Don't try adjusting them yourself!

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

[luxdog]

Any news about this issue ?

Mine seems to point to the side only when it's raining or foggy... from time to time it's correctly pointing straight, but after some turns it's pointing to the side (almost at 45°)... and doesn't come back. Asked dealer but he didn't make anything...

[Neily03]

Bear in mind the AFS has different modes for rain and fog.....

[pipsyp]

Bear in mind the AFS has different modes for rain and fog.....

Slightly off topic but guess this is one of the reasons xenons have to be spec'd with light assistant?

[banksie]

Did get the lights checked at my dealer and was invited into the workshop to have a look! On test equipment the right light was only just showing too high and on the "wall test" that the chief tech did it was only just discernable.

They offered to adjust them but I had already had a chat with the Service reception guy about only adjusting if out by a lot as most of my driving is at night at the moment and didn't want to keep going too and from garage.

As Neily03 states there are a lot of modes associated with the AFS so until I can drive the car on a night when I haven't got wipers/fogs/slow speed/some other combination from the manual, then I'm leaving mine alone!

Edited 13 January, 2014 by banksie

[tamkyo101]

I get flashed regularly in my BMW, I think the problem comes from Xenons being that much brighter than Halogens to start with.

 

I got my lights checked and they were spot on,  a quick flash of the main beam tends to correct the the thinking of the oncoming drivers!

[luxdog]

Hi again,

 

I don't have the light assistant, only the bi xenon with AFS, so it's doesn't come from that. I know there is some different modes according to road conditions, but it's quite strange that my driver light is pointing completly to the side from time to time, even in straight lines ! I realise it when it's raining because you can really see the beam, and it's pointing to the left side of the road and not straight. It only comes after some curves, the first minutes it's Ok. Quite annoying.

 

Until now I didn't get flashed by other cars, so I guess when I'm not in high beam they should be Ok. Around here, lot of people have xenon, so people are used to them.

 

Just let me know if in rain condition you also have the same problems. Thanks

[luxdog]

I have an appointement in 2 weeks at anohter dealer to check the lights. At reception they told me it could come from the light iteself (motor could block itself from time to time) or it could also come from the level sensors on the suspensions.

 

I'm also wonderning if my AFS is working at all, I see absolutly no difference when I switch on the fog lights. In the manual they say the fog mode is active within a few seconds... Also no difference with the wipers on and off....

No differences also between slow speed (city mode) and high speed...

 

Do you guys see a big differences with the different modes ?

[andyvee]

It is the rear fogs that trigger the fog mode, and they have to be on for at least 15 secs I think. Try enabling sport mode and asking a passenger if they can see the AFS working, it is much more noticeable from the passenger seat.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

[luxdog]

I don't have the sport - Eco modes, but I let both front and rear fog ons for more than 1 minutes, no difference...

[andyvee]

Do your Xenons do the 'dance' from side to side and up and down when you turn them on?

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

[luxdog]

Yes, they do the little dance at every engine start, no problems.

As I said, I see no difference with the different modes as shown on this video

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg2Sxesqs5M

 

The beam trurns following the road curves, but sometimes the driver one seems blocked and points quite high...

 

I'll try to make some vids of this next week.

[andyvee]

Sounds like a fault then. I can see the city mode working on mine, when you pull up to a stop you can see the drivers side headlight move back towards the centre of the car.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

[luxdog]

Hello again,

 

It's snowing here tonight, and main roads are packed with people driving at 15 km/h.... so I took some country roads and me lights started again. I did record some part of it, it's a really long straight line (5-6 km), the first few minutes were Ok. then sudenly my driver beam pointed to the side didn't move anymore. See attached video, you can really see the road side is fully lighted, but not the center... Sorry, the camera wasn't fixed, so it's not really stable.

 

http://videobam.com/ivVml

 

Let's wait until next week, to see what the garage will say.

[trevh]

Earlier this year I purchased a 2016 Octavia 111  Scout with Xenon lights.    I was pleased to have factory fitted Xenons and have found them to be good on both high and low beam but I suffer from the drivers beam not returning to centre after turning right.. on a Right Hand drive car... This is especially noticeable on High beam.  I have had no experience of other drives flashing me so the low beam is not too high.

The start up dance shows that the light alignment motors are working correctly and at the right speed.  The driver's light does come back to the centre when I drive into my carport. 

Just like Luxdog but the driver's light is on the right.

Has anyone actually had this issue sorted by a dealer?  Mine is 160 Km away so I do not want to make an unnecessary trip...

Trevor

Boolarra, Vic, Australia.

[rdb]

The system is working correctly.

In urban low speed areas the off side beam is designed to illuminate out to the off side curb

At motorway higher speeds the off side beam acts as any dipped beam would focussing ahead and towards near side

Stationary the off side beam behaves as any dipped beam would focussing ahead and towards nearside

Intention is at low speed to give a wide illumination but at high speed to give maximum ahead illumination 

[banksie]

Now got a 2017 vRS and I have to say the xenons on this one are appalling!

 

I've had 5 vRS's and the lights on this one are terrible to the point of been unsafe.

 

I appreciate that they are designed to have a "cut off" distance and that up to that point they are better than normal lights but the ones on my current vRS cut off at 25 meters. I've measured it!

 

Anymore than 45 mph on dipped beam and it's dangerous!

 

Dealer to investigate, or at least change, even if "within" spec. Spec is just wrong!

 

will update when done!

[pist0nbr0ke]

1 hour ago, banksie said:

Now got a 2017 vRS and I have to say the xenons on this one are appalling!

 

I've had 5 vRS's and the lights on this one are terrible to the point of been unsafe.

 

I appreciate that they are designed to have a "cut off" distance and that up to that point they are better than normal lights but the ones on my current vRS cut off at 25 meters. I've measured it!

 

Anymore than 45 mph on dipped beam and it's dangerous!

 

Dealer to investigate, or at least change, even if "within" spec. Spec is just wrong!

 

will update when done!

 

Is yours a facelift? If so they will be LED, others seem to find them good?

[BigEjit]

Mine were low, just tweaked the vertical adjusters and brought the pattern up a little so at 300 yards on faster 'A' roads, they will occasionally catch the reflectors and number plates set into bumpers of other cars. 10 min job in all.

[banksie]

2 hours ago, BigEjit said:

Mine were low, just tweaked the vertical adjusters and brought the pattern up a little so at 300 yards on faster 'A' roads, they will occasionally catch the reflectors and number plates set into bumpers of other cars. 10 min job in all.

It’s pre facelift, which adjusters are you referring too and how did you do it?

[GoneToBeemer]

51 minutes ago, banksie said:

It’s pre facelift, which adjusters are you referring too and how did you do it?

 

If you open the bonnet you'll see some white hex adjusters for the lights - the closest one to the wings is the height adjuster (you'll have to look carefully as it's hidden under a metal plate, but it's easy enough).

 

Just get the car on a flat surface and you'll be able to adjust up slightly - I did mine a couple of turns each. Still better to pop into a garage though, as they have proper beam alignment machines and they'll charge you pennies to do it.

 

Contrary to what people have said, they lights don't have to be put in "learn mode". This only needs to be done to set the maximum tolerances for the AFS when they are first set up. My O3 had to go in for replacement headlights due to moisture ingress, and it is plugged in to set these tolerances, the beam is then just adjusted as normal with the hex key adjusters.

Edited 29 November, 2017 by GoneToBeemer

[BigEjit]

You sure you have identified the right adjusters? I used the hex ones down by the bulb covers for vertical movement. I’m sure the ones by the wings are for horizontal movement. 

 

Both sets of adjusters are are white and show up in the dark from light bleed when the headlights are on so you can see them. 

Edited 29 November, 2017 by BigEjit

[GoneToBeemer]

1 hour ago, BigEjit said:

You sure you have identified the right adjusters? I used the hex ones down by the bulb covers for vertical movement. I’m sure the ones by the wings are for horizontal movement. 

 

Both sets of adjusters are are white and show up in the dark from light bleed when the headlights are on so you can see them. 

 

Apologies, you may be right! 

 

Not had the car for over 6 months now, was trying to jog my memory without seeing the car. 

[banksie]

On 29/11/2017 at 20:44, BigEjit said:

You sure you have identified the right adjusters? I used the hex ones down by the bulb covers for vertical movement. I’m sure the ones by the wings are for horizontal movement. 

 

Both sets of adjusters are are white and show up in the dark from light bleed when the headlights are on so you can see them. 

Worked a treat! Adjusted, working great, can see where I’m going now!