I'm not sure if these are problems or characteristics!

[Spyder5]

We have a 2014 FL Greenline which is heading for the dealers later this week to sort out the tow bar electrics and a rattle, but we also have have couple of other concerns about the car which we're not sure if they are faults or not!

 

1. Headlights - this is the first car I have owned with adaptive xenon's which move about, they are amazing around town and estate roads where we live but for some reason the beam doesn't seem to adjust for motorways and seems "wide". You end up seeing a long way down the hard shoulder and across in to the right hand lane, but directly in front and the whole width of the lane it stops short. I would guess we can only see the carriage way lit up in front for about 10m (two and a bit dashed lines on a motorway) directly in-front of us!

 

2. Climate control. It works great for a while and then all of a sudden it gets colder and colder and the fan speed increases slightly until you surrender and turn up the temperature to make it stop! If you feel the climate control panel its really warn and I'm wondering if that's effecting the temperature sensor (which I think is on the front?)

 

Am i the only one to have notices these and do they sound like faults or am I going to sound like a right plonker when I ask the dealer to look at these?!

 

Thanks, Simon

Edited 11 August, 2014 by Spyder5

[Manatee]

The light pattern you can see on an empty road can be deceptive, especially with HIDs for some reason and I get the same impression sometimes with the Outlander's. I think it is because they are so bright in the foreground that they give the impression of not illuminating well further ahead, unless there is something for them to light up - hence they seem brighter at the sides when there is literally nothing head.  100 yards ahead, the road surface is virtually parallel to your beam, so you aren't going to see a lot of reflected light.   Question is, do they illuminate a distant lorry?

 

I don't know how the adaptive ones work, I should add.

 

I had a CRV and before that a Ford Scorpio that would do that with the climate control.  Never occurred to me to check the heat on the dash around the sensor.  There will be a little hole or a grille on the panel, in all probability, that 'sniffs' the cabin temperature.  ICE gets hot, which is one reason I guess whey they are usually mounted above the CC panel.  How loud are you playing the music;)

 

The thing that seemed to fox the CRV was bright sunlight.  There's a sunlight sensor on top of the dash as well as the cabin temperature sensor(s).

 

No reason why you shouldn't put either problem to the dealer though, if you are not happy.

 

Now I think about it - I never solved the CC problem on the CRV, but on the Scorpio there was a reset routine that seemed to work for a while.

[Kenny R]

Re climate control, what temp have you got it set at, if its set at say 21 it shouldn't get colder unless as mentioned above you are in direct sunshine, but even then the temp shouldn't drop below said 21. I agree with Manatee about the lights and going by a few comments on here lately, the light output from the F/L Xenons is better than pre F/L lights.

[The Plumber]

People rave about the xenon's but despite offering a good level of light, I also found the pattern difficult to get on with and to be honest I prefer normal halogens with some decent upgrade bulbs like Nightbreakers; we all have our own preferences though.

 

 

TP

[freedie]

TP, I think you are yet to try the new Xenons which are speed-sensitive in their light spread. A whole new world...

[bilun777]

I find our FL Yeti xenons excellent, noticely better on high beam than the pre facelift.

Our climate control is always reducing the fan speed( presumably because it's achieved the desired temp.)

I'm forever turning it back up to position 2 because that's the flow I like through the face level vents.

(Marital harmony was only restored when I realised it wasn't SWMBO turning it down.....)  Oops.

[The Plumber]

TP, I think you are yet to try the new Xenons which are speed-sensitive in their light spread. A whole new world...

 

Very true, only used the xenon on the pre FL Superb and Yeti.

 

Be a while now before I'm looking to change the car again though, having had to let the Octy III go so soon after getting it; will miss the 4x4 but a reduced budget and need for a better seating position has put me in the otherwise excellent Spaceback.

 

 

Regards as always,

 

TP

[kenfowler3966]

There seems to besome variability in the temperature sensor. My last car worked best at 20 degrees, new one has to be on 21 to not run all the time and make the car seem cold. Yours may need to be on 22?

 

Its not what the number on the dial says that matters, its how the inside of the car feels.

[kenfowler3966]

For the lights the HID lights up to road ahead, but the lamps don't seem to go up on main beam, a second buld lights which In think is a normal halogen bulb. (Please correct if I am wrong?)

 

This means the area you are driving in is still well lit, you can see the kerbs etc, but the main beam goes miles down the road. I can see it lighting up barriers etc a long way ahead if it can be used.

 

Cleatrly the HID part can't do this as it would blind those coming the other way!

[Zeanie]

Do you have cornering fogs setup?

[Wimbo]

Just to note that I have the same problem with the headlights on a 2011 Yeti 140 Elegance which I've had for a few months. On normal beam it doesn't light

up the centre area nearly far enough. On full beam it is fine.

I was wondering whether there is any adjustment possible. On my other car (a VW UP) you can adjust the headlight spread from a dial under the dash.

[kenfowler3966]

The lights are preset and self leveling, hence I don't believe there is any manual adjustment, unlike the non hid lights which have a manual level adjuster in the cabin for different vehicle loadings. With these you can light up the road further ahead by using the adjuster with an unloaded vehicle, but will also be blinding oncoming traffic at the same time.

[Zib]

On my pre-FL Yeti, the beam was set too low on the Xenon lights (dipped beam). The dealer was able to adjust it up.  Apparently it was 'within tolerance' but the adjustment improved it significantly for us.

[muddyboots]

For the lights the HID lights up to road ahead, but the lamps don't seem to go up on main beam, a second buld lights which In think is a normal halogen bulb. (Please correct if I am wrong?)

 

This means the area you are driving in is still well lit, you can see the kerbs etc, but the main beam goes miles down the road. I can see it lighting up barriers etc a long way ahead if it can be used.

 

Cleatrly the HID part can't do this as it would blind those coming the other way!

Same HID bulb for dipped and main.

 

Turning on main beam merely opens some sort of shutter - you can hear it when you flash your lights.

[muddyboots]

On my pre-FL Yeti, the beam was set too low on the Xenon lights (dipped beam). The dealer was able to adjust it up.  Apparently it was 'within tolerance' but the adjustment improved it significantly for us.

99% sure it's something you can do with VCDS too, if you have it.

[Spyder5]

Thanks for the input guys, its really appreciated.

 

The lights are brilliant, I love the visibility around town and pootling around the lanes, its just the motorway that was an issue. We haven't driven the car much in the dark as we've only had it a couple of months so couldn't say for sure if it lights up vehicles ahead although my gut instinct would be to say it doesn't. I didn't know they could be adjusted, I will certainly mention that to the dealer and i'll let you know how we get on!

 

The climate control is probably fine and I just need to get accustomed to it - I have only have had one car before with CC so don't have a lot of experience with these systems.

 

Just a thought, does anyone find the seats on the firm side (ours are leather if that makes a difference) I'm hoping they will soften up in time!!

[aerofurb]

On Pre FL Xenon Yetis, high and dipped beam used the same Xenon 'bulb' with (apparently) a mirror providing the beam change.

 

On FL Yetis, the same happens but a halogen bulb comes into play as well when on high beam. This halogen bulb is also the 'flasher' when the lights are switched off (on Pre FL, flashing was done by the Xenons).

 

With the Xenon-equipped FL Yeti, we now have the Skoda AFS - Adaptive Frontlight System, giving us far more beam control, from the narrowing/range increase of the beam at speed to the hunting out of animals and people on the right hand side at lower speeds. The lights have to be set to 'auto' for the AFS system to work.  

 

With TIBET I I was occasionally flashed by on coming traffic at night and the nice people at Allams checked the Xenon base settings and the offside one was at the upper limit. They reset it and never again did anyone complain. I can't remember it being put on a computer to adjust as it was done on their MOT light testing rig.

 

A legal requirement with Xenons is headlamp washing and automatic light 'height' adjustment with respect to load carried.

 

The Xenons do have a very sharp cut off which has made others think the lamps are vibrating - it's just you see the edge of the beam far more clearly with Xenons. 

 

I've never had a problem with the climate control not holding the desired temperature.

 

Seats do soften in time - especially the nice brown ones....

[Spyder5]

So the car is finished at the dealer, I haven't got it back yet but apparently they have raised the headlights to their upper setting - they were set to the lowest.

 

I drove the car in the dark on Wednesday behind a lorry at 60mph and I can confirm that at 10-12m the lights weren't even on the wheels let alone the reflectors! I'm looking forward to seeing if there is any improvement!

 

Climate control had no faults

[Hairball]

My 'Classic' Yeti went in for her 1st service yesterday, I asked them to check the head light alignment as I thought is was just a tad low. All checked OK with the MOT light testing station. I think its the sharp cut off and that there are no bright spots that you see with usual headlights. Adjustment is via VCDS or what ever the dealers use if I recall. No adjustment from inside the car at all. Full beam at night in the summer month(s) covers the car in moth debris in no time.

[Totally Square]

Good thread and thanks for all the contributors - I have the same issue (dipped beam lighting seems way too short for fast A roads; don't notice it too much on motorways due to the heavy traffic). MIght be that a small adjustment is in order.