Xenon lights

[Q102]

Hello all (with Xenon lights anyway)

 

My SE Business is fitted with xenon lights, hadn't really driven it in the dark until recently. I've notice the lights don't adapt to changing speeds etc.

Dynamic corning lights work ok, light switch is in "auto" and drive mode "normal"

 

Anyone else had this, I assume a trip to the dealer??

[Coops]

I have Xenons on my SE-L and am not that impressed with them. The cornering part works as you can see it, particularly at slow speed, but like you I can't really see anything else happening.

[Nick_H]

Sometimes when I've pulled up close behind another car I've seen the nearside light move back into the straight position.

I'm sure they would be amazing if only they were a little higher. The best lights I've ever had were on my first mk2 Octavia. They didn't have any if this fancy adaptive boll## and they were fantastic.

The Superbs are infinitely better than halogens.... Main beam is great.. Just need that bit extra on dip ...

[Superb170]

Hello all (with Xenon lights anyway)

 

My SE Business is fitted with xenon lights, hadn't really driven it in the dark until recently. I've notice the lights don't adapt to changing speeds etc.

Dynamic corning lights work ok, light switch is in "auto" and drive mode "normal"

 

Anyone else had this, I assume a trip to the dealer??

What speeds have you tried to observe the adaptive lights at?  Assuming the system is pretty similar to the MKII, the city mode should be active between 15 and 50kph and over 90kph for motorway mode for example.  One particular time it should be noticeable is in urban areas at night when you come to a stop at traffic lights you should see the light pattern starting to adjust itself by pulling the beam away from the pavement - I assume you don't even see that?

[Q102]

They do their little dance about when engine starts/switch on. Corning bit works ok and main beam is fantastic. I would also say the lights are very low

[linni]

Superb MK II xenons has city mode (wide beam) up to 50 km/h and highway mode (longer and narrower beam) above 120 km/h.

[Sagalout]

Your'e not in economy mode are you?

 

May be worth looking at page 71/72 of the manual. It is quite a complex system that is speed dependant amongst other things.

 

"Economy mode

When the Eco driving mode » page 172 is activated the system is in Economy mode and there is no direction dependent light cone adaptation in front of the vehicle."

 

May be worth having them checked out by a dealer for proper operation if not. I say that because I think it is the best lighting system I have had in a car so far.

[Caspian]

I had xenons on my Mk 11 and I was impressed with the illumination and the spread of light. I have got them on my Mk 111 and they are every bit as good. For a standard lighting system Its great.

[Q102]

 

Had a look in the manual, there is a setting for "Dynamic light Assist", my car hasn't got this but has the xenon lights with AFS??

[BillyJim]

 

Had a look in the manual, there is a setting for "Dynamic light Assist", my car hasn't got this but has the xenon lights with AFS??

 

Light Assist and Dynamic Light Assist (main beam dipping/masking) are optional extras depending on model/country.

AFS is standard on all Bi-Xenon equipped models, as is the "Travel Mode" which alters the beam pattern using AFS.

[Q102]

spoke to my local Skoda dealer, they say to take car along for them to check. I'll report back once I've been

[Q102]

Little update.....

spoke to Skoda UK. As my car was spec'd with Bi-xenon lights, AFS etc they should adjust to the various weather/speed conditions. They say the switch between city & urban etc is difficult to see but should notice it switch to motorway mode at 110km/h......

 

They said to visit dealer so they can test the system....

 

As a favour, can someone with a working Bi-xenon/AFS system take a look at the light settings and see how it compares to mine in the picture above

[Coops]

Mine is the same Q102 except my switch on is set to LATE.

 

Need to find a dark lane with no traffic and see if the light pattern switches post 60 mph.

[BillyJim]

As a favour, can someone with a working Bi-xenon/AFS system take a look at the light settings and see how it compares to mine in the picture above

Exactly the same. (Just with the addition of Dynamic Light Assist and I set my Switch-on time to late, neither of which has anything to do with AFS).

 

Need to find a dark lane with no traffic and see if the light pattern switches post 60 mph.

 

Assuming it's the same as the Mk.II Superb AFS it has to be motorway. How it knows the difference between motorway and non-motorway I don't know. SatNav?

[Superb170]

 

Assuming it's the same as the Mk.II Superb AFS it has to be motorway. How it knows the difference between motorway and non-motorway I don't know. SatNav?

No, I think it is only speed-related but under normal circumstances of course you would (should ) generally be on a motorway above that speed.  I did notice it on my MKII above 110mph on a non-motorway section where the beam pattern changes however it is difficult to see it clearly TBH.  Where you have a complete empty lane beside you on a motorway it is much more obvious.

[BillyJim]

This might be of interest.

[Coops]

I think it's this part we're interested in:

 

 

 

The rural mode operates at 0-15kph (0-9mph) and 50-90kph (31-56mph). At these speeds, the beam direction of both the left and right hand lights are in their default position. Urban mode operates at 15-50kph (9-31mph) and provides a lighting field that is more suited to city street environments. In this mode, the field of light is shorter and wider and provides optimum illumination of pavement borders and pedestrian crossings. Above 90kph (56mph), the lights automatically adjust to motorway mode with the illumination gaining longer reach with the left headlight being swivelled upwards and slightly to the left and the right headlight moved upwards.

[Devonshiredave]

I can't see any difference at any speed. Mine seem to be heavily biased to the left and range seems static. Can they be tested for function at the dealers? I've always suspected mine don't work!

[Q102]

Popped in the dealer today, their "master technician" checked the setings were ok. Basically they don't believe me, said it was difficult to see it happening. Tried to explain that I'd found a nice quite A road, light pattern didn't change at all, went above motorway national speed limit -nothing happened.

Tried it in eco mode (lights should be default setting) and with the headlights switched on manually - nothing changed.

 

There is a test program they can run to test the function etc

 

Car is booked into the dealer on 9th Dec for them to check the software settings - earliest date they could do with a loan car!

 

I suspect it wasn't configured/enabled in the PDI check? Have heard that car are transported in a sort of minimum mode with most systems disabled?

[langers2k]

It's easy to check, find a passenger and have them use VCDS to monitor the headlight aim as you drive

[Q102]

Superb in the dealer today, just had a call to say they've checked everything, couldn't find anything wrong and works fine in the test they run.....it's now getting dark so we'll see when I drive it home shortly........

[Q102]

Quick update......

Used the car over the weekend, AFS now working. Very easy to see lights moving in the mist early...5am :S this morning. 

I've checked my dashcam footage of what they did in the dealer, basically nothing, plugged in a wireless dongle of some description and tapped a few keys on a laptop. Lights did a few test runs.

 

I assume they hadn't been enabled at the original dealer pdi - xenon lights are a option on SE business - when they plugged in the laptop it must have reset/enable the lights.

[Devonshiredave]

I watched my Xenons this morning in the mist. They swivel left and right but don't change pattern. The right hand beam is fixed firmly to the left and the beam pattern remains close to the car.

[Q102]

Get it booked into a dealer, I assume Progress in Northampton are your closest garage as well ( I live near Northampton).

I'd love to know if they say "we've never heard of that before"

 

Headlight range is way better now, easy to see lights moving about.

Edited 13 December, 2016 by Q102

[Sagalout]

@ devonshiredave,

 

did you have your rear fog lamp on or were you using economy mode?

 

Both settings disable the cone adaptation systems.