Bi Xenons No headlight dance

[Octy0GG]

Have an SE Sport with Bi Xenons.

Up until the last few switch ons the headlamps did a dance on switch on - I gather this is part of the self calibrating / leveling procedure.

Hasn't done this for the past few switch ons - Any suggestions, am I missing something obvious?

 

[arnold]

I thought auto had to be selected to do this.. Might be wrong though

 

[esoxecosse]

Your right arnold, switch must be on auto for the headlights to self level, well on my VRS anyway

 

Cheers

[POWYSWALES]

I would have thought the lights have to auto level no matter if in auto or not as there is no other way you adjust them. As for the dance mine only seem to do it when in auto.

[Sec8200]

Only on Auto set they dance. Also car must be steady.

[Octy0GG]

Should have said - yes headlamps have been on auto.

 

But..... update

 

Had to go out again briefly tonight and they did the dance, so will just keep an eye on it for the time being.

 

Thanks

[bouff34]

15 hours ago, POWYSWALES said:

I would have thought the lights have to auto level no matter if in auto or not as there is no other way you adjust them. As for the dance mine only seem to do it when in auto.

I believe they do auto level always at start up. But if the lights aren't on auto they have done it before you switch them on manually so you don't see it.... Correct me if I'm wrong...

[ahenners]

55 minutes ago, bouff34 said:

I believe they do auto level always at start up. But if the lights aren't on auto they have done it before you switch them on manually so you don't see it.... Correct me if I'm wrong...

 

I thought that's how they work too. Auto shouldn't have any bearing on whether it happens since its part of the self-test startup procedure.

[cj_uk]

35 minutes ago, ahenners said:

 

I thought that's how they work too. Auto shouldn't have any bearing on whether it happens since its part of the self-test startup procedure.

Yep, that's how they work

[silver1011]

What a great point!

 

All those saying they have to be in Auto to do the 'dance', how do you know they don't do it when not in Auto if the headlights aren't on to see the beam!?

 

Unless of course the headlights are being turned on after the ignition but before the engine is started (which is bad practice by the way, a reason I'm not a fan of auto lights).

 

Edited 2 February, 2017 by silver1011

[spinifex]

Mine only do the dance, if they haven't been on for a while, ie: first time activated that day.

After the initial calibration dance, if I've been driving at night and switch off for a short period, they don't dance again every time I restart the car.....

 

I haven't measured the time, but they'll certainly dance after it's been switched off for several hours though.

 

Mine is always in the "auto" position as well... will have a look tonight by switching to ON instead of Auto.

 

 

2 hours ago, silver1011 said:

....Unless of course the headlights are being turned on after the ignition but before the engine is started (which is bad practice by the way, a reason I'm not a fan of auto lights)......

 

 

In response to that, certainly that may have been the case back in the 70's/80's, but with today's electronic controls in a car, I'm sure it's programmed NOT to cause any problems with excess current-draw or battery-load or anything that would have affected older cars.

Edited 2 February, 2017 by spinifex
clarification

[TechyDonkey]

Mine seems to do the dance every time at start-up, providing it's dark of course.  Doesn't seem to matter if the car's been standing for several hours or just a couple of minutes whilst I collect from the local chippy.  Switch is permanently left on auto apart from the few rare occasions where I've need fogs on - doesn't do it then of course.

[silver1011]

On 02/02/2017 at 22:27, spinifex said:

In response to that, certainly that may have been the case back in the 70's/80's, but with today's electronic controls in a car, I'm sure it's programmed NOT to cause any problems with excess current-draw or battery-load or anything that would have affected older cars.

 

The technology hasn't changed much, at least in terms of xenon bulbs and car batteries.

 

Cranking the engine whilst the xenon's are drawing power will shorten the life of the battery. This is why the use of Auto headlights is referenced in the owners manual as being bad for battery life.

 

If today's electronics were as advanced as you think then they would be clever enough not to turn the headlights on whilst the engine is cranking, instead of just dimming and flickering as the starter motor draws the power it needs.

[spinifex]

8 hours ago, silver1011 said:

 

The technology hasn't changed much, at least in terms of xenon bulbs and car batteries.

 

Cranking the engine whilst the xenon's are drawing power will shorten the life of the battery. This is why the use of Auto headlights is referenced in the owners manual as being bad for battery life.

 

If today's electronics were as advanced as you think then they would be clever enough not to turn the headlights on whilst the engine is cranking, instead of just dimming and flickering as the starter motor draws the power it needs.

 

I wasn't aware of that and certainly didn't notice that in the owners manual.

 

Why would automotive engineers spend literally BILLIONS of $$$ developing a car (the multitude of cars over the decades even) and NOT come up with a fix for this?

Why wouldn't they program this into the ECU to NOT activate the lights in any mode, while cranking, if it was such an issue?

[silver1011]

I think some manufacturers do.

 

I have seen it where the headlights go out whilst the car is starting and then come back on once the engine is running. Volvo I think it was, which kind of makes sense since most of their models at one time used the dipped headlights as DRL's.