Headlight brightness

[mart1711]

Dear all,

I've use the search function but haven't found anything - hopefully I haven't just missed an answer that was already given!!

So I've got a Leon MK3, 63 reg. Lovely drive, but I almost dread night driving. While my visibility is good I get flashed by pretty much every single car coming the other way, presumably because they think I've got my full heads on - which I obviously don't.

This is getting a little embarrassing I have been looking around for settings to adjust, but haven't found anything.

My question is - am I alone with this? How is this for everybody else? Could it be that something is out of whack and I need to get it adjusted or is this just what it is?

How is everybody else's experience please?

Many thanks

Martin

 

[kazand]

Dear all,

I've use the search function but haven't found anything - hopefully I haven't just missed an answer that was already given!!

So I've got a Leon MK3, 63 reg. Lovely drive, but I almost dread night driving. While my visibility is good I get flashed by pretty much every single car coming the other way, presumably because they think I've got my full heads on - which I obviously don't.

This is getting a little embarrassing I have been looking around for settings to adjust, but haven't found anything.

My question is - am I alone with this? How is this for everybody else? Could it be that something is out of whack and I need to get it adjusted or is this just what it is?

How is everybody else's experience please?

Many thanks

Martin

You got LED's by any chance?

 

[mart1711]

Running the risk of sounding stupid - yes, I "think" so. Cold-ish white light. V different to my other car that definitely has "conventional" headlights. How do I find out for definite?

 

[kazand]

LED's will look like lots of small lights, and the lens will remain cool to the touch even after headlights or main beam have been on . 'Normal' headlights will look like a single light source and the lens will be warm/hot.
If you do have LED's , there are a lot of comments on here regarding their efficiency ( or lack of) and also how to adjust them if required. However if still in warranty and you are unsure I'd take it back to the dealers.
.

 

[philipj999]

There have also been some self levelling problems with the LED headlights. Mostly pointing too low but I guess there is no reason why they shouldn't do the opposite, get them checked at your dealer.

 

[sootytorques]

I would love to have this problem, my LED headlight are very poor especially in the rain

 

[FamilyGuy]

If you have LEDs, the daytime running lights are a funky triangular shape of lines. If you have normal headlights the DRLs just look like regular sidelights. I'm in the minority in not having LEDs, the headlights can be manually adjusted from the dash.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[golfhappy]

Never had the problem as yet, i have the led lights. Can't complain about them in anyway and i was used to a mk6 Golf with bi xenons. However when i had my mk2 frs when i was on dip oncoming drivers hated them!
Recently got shot of a fiesta st...dip beam=walking around in a darkened room with a torch with no batteries!!

 

[junkerss]

I have the same visibilty problem at first. Than lifted the level(height) of them a bit manually by using adjustment screws in car service. No complains from other drivers.

But... Led really insufficent in fog and heavy rain.

 

[mart1711]

Guys, thanks for all the responses, sorry for coming back to this so late. So, yes, I can confirm they are LED lights. It really helps to know that there are some of you out there that do NOT have the problem. The wife got flashed 12 times yesterday on a 20 minute journey. To say we're getting a little nervous with night time driving now is an understatement....

Back to the dealer it is

I shall report back.

Cheers

 

[daniel575]

I've had it a couple of times, not too often. I always intently stare at other Leon Mk3s with LED that come the other way at night - and never found them to be blinding, at all. For me it's very rare though that someone does that - I've experienced it perhaps 10 times in 75,000 miles over 2 years.

 

[squidie]

Not that this problem yet, my dipped LEDs look sharp and nicely levelled for the car.

 

[mart1711]

Sorry to revive such an old thread but I appear to have never actually posted the outcome. So in the hope it comes in handy for someone else:

Went back down to the dealers and they re-calibrated the lights (FOC). In their own words, they were set to quite high, but still within limits. They also said they'd never heard of this happen before....

Clearly "quite high" was "too high" in this case. Re-calibrated and not had another issue since.

 

[Jarre]

Yeah they'll have reset them to basic settings. Simple job just to plug the computer in and press a couple of buttons and the car will do it itself. I did it with my mk2 xenons using my VCDS cable.

Can be done by yourself if you obtain the cable if anyone else has this issue in the future!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[phate101101]

Sorry to revive such an old thread but I appear to have never actually posted the outcome. So in the hope it comes in handy for someone else:

Went back down to the dealers and they re-calibrated the lights (FOC). In their own words, they were set to quite high, but still within limits. They also said they'd never heard of this happen before....

Clearly "quite high" was "too high" in this case. Re-calibrated and not had another issue since.

Thanks for following up!

It's not possible to adjust the level by yourself then without a cable?

 

[chrisRibiza]

Yeah they'll have reset them to basic settings. Simple job just to plug the computer in and press a couple of buttons and the car will do it itself. I did it with my mk2 xenons using my VCDS cable.

Can be done by yourself if you obtain the cable if anyone else has this issue in the future!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MK3 Leon auto levels everytime you switch the car on. In the dark you see the lights go down then up to set the level. It uses a sensor at the back axle.

As far as I know there is a dial on the back of the headlight to fine tune the level as other forum users have posted about using it to lower / raise the lights.

 

[Jarre]

MK3 Leon auto levels everytime you switch the car on. In the dark you see the lights go down then up to set the level. It uses a sensor at the back axle.



As far as I know there is a dial on the back of the headlight to fine tune the level as other forum users have posted about using it to lower / raise the lights.

Mk2 xenons also auto level when the car starts. Sometimes the 'basic settings' of the lights are messed up and you need to reset them using VCDS. Really you should never need to manually adjust them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[R22 JGB]

Got the LEDS on mine, my previous Leon had Bi xenons & my recent Octavia Scout Mk 3 had candle powered halogens
The LEDs are the best headlights I have ever had and really beat the bi xenons.

 

[niggle]

Don't forget the "Motorway Lights" feature that raises the headlight aim at higher speeds. Try reducing the sensitivity or switch it off altogether in the Car/Setup/Lights/Motorway Lights menu item.

 

[andrewpain]

Guys, thanks for all the responses, sorry for coming back to this so late. So, yes, I can confirm they are LED lights. It really helps to know that there are some of you out there that do NOT have the problem. The wife got flashed 12 times yesterday on a 20 minute journey. To say we're getting a little nervous with night time driving now is an understatement....

Back to the dealer it is

I shall report back.

Cheers

If Mrs P got flashed 12 times in 20 minutes she'd be well-pleased.....