Does any Octy III (2015) driver know how to adjust the main beam relative to the dipped one?

 

I don't have Xenons, or any fancy assists, just a simple halogen setup with H7 and H15's.  

 

My main beam points low - greatly assisting the dipped light but not illuminating the distant road ahead.  I need to raise the aim of the mains, leaving the dipped untouched.

 

John

The adjustment of the headlights can be done as per the instructions in the Maintenance manual (page 104 onwards), available here...

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6mvh3pqryshv3rp/AAAYSoCsp-vVWz-h4ko4QoAha?dl=0

 

However it doesn't appear that the two bulbs can be adjusted independently, just the whole light unit. Are you sure the bulbs are pushed in fully/correctly mounted. I'm assuming your lights don't have electronic adjustment in the infotainment (i.e. left traffic / right traffic setting).

 

I'd imagine it wouldn't cost the earth to have a garage with headlight beam equipment to set it correctly though - or see if skoda can check under warranty?

Edited 13 November, 201510 yr by Exeterj

Thanks ExeterJ

Its interesting they tell one exactly where the screws are for foglight adjustment, but not for the main beams.  I will review the light patterns as per the 'book' and so be better able to ask Skoda to adjust the main beam... or I might find adjustment screws.

 

The main beam adjusters on the Octy II was not generally printed, but were clear in the detailed maintenance book - so I assume the same is true for the Octy III - they must be set out somewhere...

 

More news later.  Thanks for your above details.  John. 

This is a partial answer leading to an important question and two subsequent questions.

As ExeterJ suggested look up https://www.dropbox....h4ko4QoAha?dl=0 where there are good instructions how to adjust the fogs, but not the main beams.

 

Next, look at the Owner’s Manual on page 235 where Figure 212 which clearly shows the two 6mm hex sockets to adjust the whole light unit. Looking carefully at the two lenses from the front shows they are in fact one single pressing within the unit, so there are no separate dipped/main adjustments.  

The upper hex (shown white, on left) moves the whole unit horizontally and the lower (on right) does the vertical adjustment.  There are no separate adjusters for each beam – dipped or high - as in the Octavia Mk2. For that model the main beam adjusters (also 6mm hex) are a little hidden, while the dipped adjusters are clearly visible to the inside of the light units in front of the radiator.  Note – when the unit is mounted the upper adjustment hex left/right can be accessed through a hole in the bodywork.

 

Going on - it would be best if one had access to a good optical beam adjuster.  There are few in my part of rural France and most mechanics know only how to adjust the dipped beams as that is the primary focus (sorry!) of the vehicle test (ie MOT equivalent). They think the main will be OK, yet in several threads in these forums one reads of the need to adjust the mains.

 

So - first construct the standard ‘on the wall’ beam-setting geometry which may be found at

            http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

 

Next set the internal beam/load setting wheel to zero.  Then, counterintuitively, ignore the usual first action to set the dipped beam, but directly attack the main beam.  The dipped will need to be shrouded to allow sight of the main beams patterns on the wall. Following Daniel’s geometric advice set the hot spots correctly by turning the lower hex clock/anticlockwise: you will see the result on the wall.

Afterwards adjust the dipped beam by resetting the interior beam/load wheel (raising it above zero to greater than 1.0 perhaps) so the dip beam patterns meet Daniele’s settings – ie level against the geometry, and symmetrical about the centre lines and the cut-off positions.  Take a road-test…

 

This leaves a question.

When the car goes to its MOT the official will set the internal beam/load adjuster to zero.  In the Owner’s Manual this is the setting for a single driver with little load in the boot, the most common driving condition. If your dipped beams are set as mine described above, and the wheel reset to zero, the dips will project high and fail the test.

Question: is there a code in the VCDS that will reset the electro-mechanical memory and allow a reset of the adjustments to zero on the wheel?  I don’t have codes or a sensor.

 

I have two further questions -

I have not read any threads that comment on the main beam pattern.  I see mine as something like V though more vertical, rather than a horizontal oval that I have seen in other cars.  The oval shape is implied in Daniel’s descriptions as well as in light manufacturers’ blurbs about the length and spread of their beams.  Having a ‘V’ makes it difficult to set a ‘hot spot’; and in the far distance, the middle of the V creates a black area where one really needs some lighting to see obstructions on the road…  I had this pattern in my Mk2 and now in the Mk3.

Question: has anyone managed to overcome this aspect I see as a long-running defect?

 

The second question concerns the best bulbs.  I know there are threads on this topic but it deserves a new airing.

 

Both my replacement twin packs were bought through Amazon.Fr

 

For my dipped beam I have H15s… Xenon Super White: Super Plazma Xenon Bulbs which state on the box they run at 7,500 kelvin. These work very well, giving an intense white patch of dipped beam (deep and wide with sharp cut-offs). Twin pack @ 27.50 €.

 

For my main beam I have H7s… Phillips +130% X-treme Vision offering it says on the box 3,700 kelvin and + 45 meters further than the standard.  Twin pack at 28.00 €.  I do not think these give what it says on the pack… they are somewhat dull to my eyes (please remember the V beam pattern and read the next discussion about bulb coatings).

 

Please take note of a discussion of lighting colour and visibility (both being seen and for seeing) at

            http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/light_color/light_color.html

 

Question: given Daniel’s suggestion one needs bulbs to give about 3,500 kelvin and have a clear bulb, not blue coated… why is my set-up working well for the H15s (slightly blue coated and too high in kelvin) and a poorly for the H7s (heavily blue coated but stating they are Ok for kelvins)?

 

One might bear in mind http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-7037.html which suggests that the Osram Nightbreaker Intense might be better than the Phillips X-treme as the former lights up the distance better, while the latter lights up the foreground - which I have found to be the case so far.

 

All comments welcome.

You say that the H15 provides the dip beam and the H7 the main beam, but I don't think this is correct, both from examination of a car and from the manual. If you look at page 67 of the "Electrical System" manual you will see that the functions of the two bulbs are given as follows:
 

H15 - main beam light, daytime running light and side light

H7 - low beam light

 

This certainly appears to be the way it works on our 2014 Scout.

 

We also have a 2013 4x4 estate with standard Xenon lighting and in comparison the Scout's lights are not as good. Not terrible, but the main issue is they lack range on main beam as you mention. It certainly looks to me as if the aim of the main beams is not correct in relation to the dip beams, which is pathetic for a light unit where the two bulbs are fixed in relation to each other.

 

However I think I will try a pair of the Osram Cool Blue Intense H15s (the only H15s that I can find which promise more light) and see whether they improve things at all.

This is a CORRECTION to my partial answer above.  Some of you will have had quite a giggle at my errors: thank you Briskodian writing above.

 

Note that my Octy III Elegance has standard halogens and no motorisation (except for the dip beam adjustment wheel).  My text concerns the effectiveness of my headlights (a subjective issue) and not much about the cosmetic effect of coloured tints on the bulbs.

 

As ExeterJ suggested look up https://www.dropbox....h4ko4QoAha?dl=0 where there are good instructions how to adjust the fogs, but not the main beams.

 

Next, look at the Octavia’s Owner’s Manual on page 235, Figure 212 which clearly shows the two 6mm hex sockets to adjust the whole light unit. Looking carefully at the two lenses from the front shows they are in fact one single pressing within the unit so there are no provision for separate dipped/main adjustments.  The upper hex (shown here, white) moves the whole unit horizontally and the lower hex does the vertical adjustment.  Note – when the unit is mounted in the car the upper hex (horizontal) adjustment can be accessed through a hole in the bodywork.

 

Going on - it would be best if one had access to a good optical beam adjuster.  There are few in my part of rural France and most mechanics know only how to adjust the dipped beams as that is the primary focus (sorry!) of the vehicle test (ie MOT equivalent). They think the main will be OK, yet in several threads in these forums one reads of the need to adjust the mains.

 

So - first construct the standard ‘on the wall’ beam-setting geometry which may be found at

            http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

Next set the internal beam/load setting wheel to zero.  Then, counterintuitively, ignore the usual first action to set the dipped beam, but directly attack the main beam.  The dipped will need to be shrouded to allow sight of the main beams’ patterns on the wall. Following Daniel’s geometric advice set the hot spots correctly by turning the lower hex clock- or anticlockwise depending on the error you have experienced: you will see the result on the wall.

Afterwards adjust the dipped beam by resetting the interior beam/load wheel (raising it above zero to greater than 1.0 perhaps) so the dip beam patterns meet Daniele’s settings – ie level against the geometry, and symmetrical about the centre lines and the cut-off positions.  Take a road-test…

 

This leaves a question.

When the car goes to its MOT the official will set the internal beam/load adjuster to zero.  In the Owner’s Manual this is the setting for a single driver with little load in the boot, the most common driving condition. If your dipped beams are set as mine described above, and the wheel reset to zero, the dips will project high and fail the test.

Question: is there a code in the VCDS that will reset the electro-mechanical memory and allow a reset of the adjustments to zero on the wheel?  I don’t have codes or a sensor.

 

I have two further questions -

I have not read any threads that comment on the main beam pattern.  I see mine as something like V rather than a horizontal flat oval that I have seen in other cars.  The oval shape is implied in Daniel’s descriptions as well as in light manufacturers’ blurbs about the length and spread of their beams.  Having a ‘V’ makes it difficult to set a ‘hot spot’; and in the far distance, the middle of the V creates a black area where one really needs some lighting to see obstructions on the road…  I had this pattern in my Mk2 and now in the Mk3.

Question: has anyone managed to overcome this aspect?

 

The final question concerns the best bulbs.  I know there are threads on this topic but it deserves a new airing.

 

For my dipped beam (the outboard light of the headlamp unit) I have replaced the standard H7s with… Phillips +130% X-treme Vision bulbs.  It says on the box, 3,700 kelvin and + 45 meters further than the standard.  Twin pack at 28.00 € from Amazon.

These work very well, giving an intense white patch of dipped beam (deep and wide with sharp cut-offs).   The +45 meters could assist the far end of the dipped pattern.

 

One might bear in mind http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-7037.html that tested H7s.  They suggest the Osram Nightbreaker Intense might be better than the Phillips X-treme as the former lights up the distance better, while the latter lights up the foreground.  I find the X-treme good enough so far working as a dipped beam.

 

For my main beam (the inboard light of the headlamp unit) I initially replaced the standard H15s with… Xenon Super White: Super Plazma Xenon Bulbs which state on the box they run at 7,500 kelvin. Twin pack @ 27.50 € from Amazon.

I do not think these give what it says on the pack… they perform poorly providing little support at the distant end of the beam. Please remember my comments about the V beam pattern and read the next discussion about bulb coatings).

I have now reverted to the standard (clear) bulbs but may consider the uprated Osram Cool Blue Intense rated at 3,700 kelvin as they are not heavily blue-coated.

 

 

Please take note of a discussion of lighting colour and visibility (both for being seen and for seeing) at

            http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/light_color/light_color.html

 

Given Daniel’s suggestion one needs bulbs to give about 3,500 kelvin and have a clear bulb, not blue coated… my set-up now concurs with his suggestions with standard clear H15s for the dipped and lightly blued H7s for the main.

Question: has anyone found H15s that are clear and uprated other than the Osram mentioned above?