Poor low beam headlights

[Grahamnevett]

Hi.

After having 200,000+ trouble free motoring miles fom an 04 Focus I have bought a very tidy 09 Octavia 1.9 TDI and am pleased with it apart fom the rubbish low beam headlights.

They really are poor compared to my old Focus. I have fitted new bulbs, all connections are clean and I keep the lenses clean but would like to improve the low beam.

High beam is fine and I have no wish to dazzle anyone.

Can anyone help with advice please?

[ajm83]

What bulbs did you fit, and have you checked the alignment?

 

 

[Grahamnevett]

Just standard bulbs as from Halfords. Alignment is fine but they are just really dim. Thanks. 

[ajm83]

Just now, Grahamnevett said:

Just standard bulbs as from Halfords. Alignment is fine but they are just really dim. Thanks. 

 

Well if you're sure the alignment is fine, you could try some brighter bulbs, e.g.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-12972XV-S2-X-tremeVision-Headlight/dp/B00NMEEV9W/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1547288972&sr=1-2&keywords=X-treme+Vision+h7

 

I would avoid the Philips Racing Vision +150,  they are very bright but the lifetime is only 150-200 hours.

 

There are also LED kits but I'm not sure they'll pass an MOT...

[MereKat]

I had the same thing, very dim headlights. Tried stock replacements and a couple of different upgrade halogen options but they were always dim to the point is was getting difficult to see more than a couple of car lengths ahead. Fitted a 35w HID kit which at first was a hell of a lot better, but then after being in a few other cars with halogen lamps they're still not amazing! Definitely better than what they were though. 

[roaddetective]

If you don't want to go the full HID kit route, but just want to try a better upgraded bulb, Ring xenon 150 H7 are what I have been using for the last 2 years. Have tried other upgraded bulbs, but so far find the Ring to have the best light pattern and brightness.  You will find all these upgraded bulbs are an improvement over standard ones, but they do not last as long. I do 20k miles a year and these Ring bulbs lasted 19months. I am on my second set now.   

[Grahamnevett]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It is appreciated. 

I'll get myself some Ring 150W as suggested and carry spares as at least they are easy to change the bulbs. 

It amazes me that the lights are the same wattage as my old Focus but nowhere near as good and the issue of the inefficiency of the Octavia headlamps is puzzles me. Thanks again. 

[J.R.]

I agree with how poor they are and have a couple of suggestions.

 

On my MK1 Octavia I had converted the lights myself to LHD dip pattern 14 years ago, it was not such a crisp cut off but that was not really affecting the brightness, eventually after several eye operations the unlit unbordered country roads around here became dangerous for me as a driver at night.

 

Money was no longer an issue so I bought some new proper European spec LHD dip pattern headlights from Germany and they were probably 3 times brighter, mine had the clear lenses and the old one did not look at all opaque but clearmy were stopping some of the light from getting out, I had read that new bulbs are better initially so put the old bulbs in the new headlights, no perceptible change, the biggest difference was that the silver reflective surface whilst looking fine just was nowhere as good as the new headlights made worse by the perspex covers.

 

So with my recently acquired MK2 I swopped the old crappy headlights for new LHD ones again bought in Germany and they were still rubbish I would say that the projector lights in the MK2 are nowhere near as good as the MK1 lights.

 

So I then fitted an Ali-Express HID conversion which required a lot of fine tuning of the aim settings to avoud being flashed by other drivers but once done the lighting as again 2 or 3 times better than it was, when they were set too high the illumination was stupendous and I think a proper factory install with the levelling motors and sensors would be a lot better than what I have but its still a great improvement on the yellow candle lit puddles of light before.

[Grahamnevett]

Thanks for this.

I have just ordered some 150 Ring bulbs and will give these a try before jumping in too deep.

[redcupraboy]

Please report back on your findings with the ring bulbs please Grahamnevett as I’m also looking to change my headlamp bulbs for something brighter, thanks. 

[Ardle]

As I do an awful lot of night driving, I was having lots of issues with my bulbs, chopping changing, night breakers, led with cooling fan etc etc....

So I just went with Hid xenon s.. Love them and my eyes feel the difference also. This is a great kit with little or no interference to any audio or electrics.. it's an easy install using your original h7 clips or buy pre cut clips. The ballast fits perfectly to the smooth rear side of your lamp housing as in the pic below, just use 3M double sided tape, no need to screw.

 

 

 

 

[Grahamnevett]

Thanks for the details. 

I have now ordered 150 bulbs and having committed to this I'll give them a go but from what you tell me the Hid Xenon will be where I'll end up in the quest for decent illumination. 

It's a great car apart from the lights and if I can sort this I'll be happy. 

[J.R.]

This was the HID kit that I fitted and am very pleased with, less than half the price.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/CANBUS-HID-XENON-KIT-35W-DC-HEADLIGHT-HID-KIT-SLIM-BALLAST-XENON-Bulbs-H1-H3-H7/32836002348.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dtyXbL4

[MikeTheThinker]

10 minutes ago, J.R. said:

This was the HID kit that I fitted

 

What colour temperature did you go for?

 

[J.R.]

Just looked at the order details, they were what was then called "warm white" so I guess its the 4300k ones, the number rings a bell.

 

They just look white to me, no trace of yellow or blue but its not a harsh clinical white, it compares with the daylight white LED downlighters in my kitchen and not the warm white ones in the lounge. I believe other colours may have a better range.

 

Hope that helps, I dont regret my choice but have nothing to compare it to.

[MikeTheThinker]

5 minutes ago, J.R. said:

"warm white" so I guess its the 4300k

Cheers.  I took a look at the piccies of the different beams on the alibaba sale page and also at the advice on here and then opted for the 6000K version as they looked crisper to my eyes.

 

I guess we'll see in a couple of months when the post arrives ...

 

[Ardle]

35 minutes ago, Grahamnevett said:

Thanks for the details. 

I have now ordered 150 bulbs and having committed to this I'll give them a go but from what you tell me the Hid Xenon will be where I'll end up in the quest for decent illumination. 

It's a great car apart from the lights and if I can sort this I'll be happy. 

Yes totally agree, great car.. and to be honest the lights are not that bad.. I had a Passat before this and they were even worse. I could live with good halogens in my Octavia if I didn't do so much night driving, like the night breakers are good and led with built in cooling fan are also good.. but after years of trial and error I just DO NOT think you can beat Hid Xenon.. it was the same in the old Passat but I had to remove my Xenons because of interference to my radio equipment especially the 2 way radio communication system that I need for my job.

[Ardle]

I went for 5000K.. after a lot of research, I didn't want any hint of blue(above 5000K)or any warmness (below 5000K)... So 5000K seems to give PURE white light, beautiful on a dry road.. that's another thing never test your lights on a wet rd or in the rain, the rain, wet etc seem to act like tiny reflectors or mirrors and dont do headlights any justice or favours at-all..

Edited 12 January, 2019 by Ardle

[Munfred]

Currently have Osram nightbreakers which are definitely an improvement on the standard bulbs but still not as good as my mk1 fabia when the lens needed polishing with standard bulbs........

Cant understand why they seem so dim in comparison to other cars.

Maybe why they changed them on the fl?

[Grahamnevett]

On 12/01/2019 at 15:13, redcupraboy said:

Please report back on your findings with the ring bulbs please Grahamnevett as I’m also looking to change my headlamp bulbs for something brighter, thanks. 

 

On 12/01/2019 at 17:18, Ardle said:

I went for 5000K.. after a lot of research, I didn't want any hint of blue(above 5000K)or any warmness (below 5000K)... So 5000K seems to give PURE white light, beautiful on a dry road.. that's another thing never test your lights on a wet rd or in the rain, the rain, wet etc seem to act like tiny reflectors or mirrors and dont do headlights any justice or favours at-all..

Hi.

Just for the feedback I have bought and fitted Ring 150 bulbs as recommended and they are better but still not as good as standard headlights on other vehicles.

I also have a Transit Connect van for work with factory standard lights and they blow the Skoda lights into a dark place and after driving the van and getting into the Skoda I keep on checking to see if I have turned the lights on.

I have ordered a HID kit 4300 as kindly given the details by J.R. and hope that this will bring the lights up to a similar performance to the van.

Thanks again everyone.

[J.R.]

It will be interesting to know, I have no point of reference, I had my MK1 Octavia 13 years during which time I had many eye operations, my night sight is quite poor, even with 100 watt bulbs on that they were not good but I had coverted them for use in France, when I finally bought some new LHD ones they were so much better even using 55 watt bulbs, it was the combination of aged bulbs (they lose output) the clear lens not letting the light through even though it looked clear and most of all the reflectors not as shiny brilliant as the new ones.

 

When I got the MK2 this year I was unhappy hence the upgrade but dont know if it was my poor eyesight, when the lights were adjusted correct on the garage door but recieved flashes from oncoming traffic the long distance lighting on dipped beam was stunning, I have since dropped them, maybe too much, the real benefit I see is the close illumination, before on country roads I had to use the foglights as well, now no need and if I use them I cannot see the difference.

 

Close to 10 years ago when my eye problems were at their worst and I was very uncomfortable driving at night I had walked to a party to avoid driving home, I am teetotal, it was because of my eyes, someone drove me home in what was then a new Fiesta, nothing high spec but I was astounded at the illumination from what I presume now were HID lights, it was like daylight for me.

 

I never get to drive or get driven in another car at night so have nothing to compare mine with, it would be good to know how your HID conversion compares to the Transit.

[MikeTheThinker]

15 minutes ago, J.R. said:

When I got the MK2 this year I was unhappy hence the upgrade but dont know if it was my poor eyesight, when the lights were adjusted correct on the garage door but received flashes from oncoming traffic the long distance lighting on dipped beam was stunning, I have since dropped them, maybe too much,

 

I too have had eyesight problems (diabetic cataracts, now two glass eyes) and fitted 100w bulbs to my mk1 with good effect.  Having recently started driving a mk2 I've had the same problem with oncoming vehicles flashing - even when the beams are correctly set up per MoT standard - so I too have dropped the beams a little.

 

I spent a while on a dark straight road lined with trees just experimenting with the lights, both dipped and main beam. I concluded that the beam spread patterns are not even enough so even when the lights are set up correctly the light coverage is uneven and leaves darker patches where more light is needed.  This is so for both dipped and dipped+main beams.  I also tried using the foglights for infill but whilst the added more light close in there was no discernible effect towards the front of the dipped beam pattern where I felt most of the problems lay.

 

I've checked the condition of front lenses and reflectors and all are good with no evidence of milkiness or tarnish.

 

I've ordered an HID set per JR's recommendations and will see what effect they have and will report anon.

[J.R.]

That is an amazingly similar story!

 

By glass eye I presume you mean crystallin lens replacement from cataract surgery?

 

That was the final operation in my left eye after a series of detached retinas, I have a very slowly developing cataract in my good right eye and am hoping to find an opthalmic surgeon to do the same thing as elective surgery.

 

Do you suffer with photosensitivity, bright sunlight or oncoming hi beam lights? My biggest problem is the numpties in my running club with their superpowerfull headtorches that are not even set to illuminate the ground in front of them and who dont understand the etiquette of blinding others.

 

I too set my headlights with my CT testers rig and found that I was getting flashed and had to lower them a tad, I also did the same test on an identical road (you described it exactly) with the same results.

 

Changing to the HID's leaving the aim as I had set it for the halogen bulbs the illumination blew me away but it was dazzling oncoming vehicles, Langers2K spoke a lot about it and I agree with him the ideal would be a proper factory self levelling conversion, as it is I have dropped the beams, maybe too much and I will have to check on the CT testers rig, I no longer get flashed but am not getting the illumination that I could be.

 

I am convinced though that its far better than before, Skoda must have worked very hard to come up with such a crap light package, generally lights on vehices have been very good for decades.

 

Simply Not Clever.