Drivers side headlight higher than passenger side

[kmanmx]

Hi,

Have a 2014 Cupra with the LED headlights. I've noticed when I pull up behind cars in traffic that I can see a bright bulb reflection for the drivers side headlights, and a much dimmer reflection for the passengers side. If I get out the car and look myself, both sides do work. If I crouch down to bonnet level I can see the bright beam of the drivers side headlight, but I have to lower my head another 6 to 12 inches to see the same level of bright light on the passengers side.

This doesn't seem right to me. If anything, should the passengers side light not be higher than the drivers side as to light up the side of the road better without blinding oncoming traffic ?

Problem is I am not too sure if the drivers side is too high, or the passengers side too low. I can't recall anyone flashing me asif they were particularly blinded by my headlights. But I also don't really have any issues driving at night, the road ahead seems pretty well lit. I can also see both headlights go up and down when doing their auto adjustment in the dark each morning.

Thing is I REALLY don't want to take this to Leicester SEAT. Everytime I go there I end up in an argument with the staff their for one reason or another, they seem completely incompetent.

 

[G17RY]

Just wait until you're in a mood for an argument and get along to Leicester? If you pull up to a wall you should see what pattern is, take a photo put on here and have others compare...


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[DrewCole]

I'm not sure with LEDs exactly, but the 'car in front' test will always give the appearance of glare or misaligned lights due to surface angles etc.

Any MOT garage should be able to check it for you and adjust if required.

 

[kmanmx]

Just wait until you're in a mood for an argument and get along to Leicester? If you pull up to a wall you should see what pattern is, take a photo put on here and have others compare...


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They couldn't even do a normal service correctly.. I wouldn't even trust them to find a fault to be honest.

But yeah i'll probably try and get some sample photos and examples, good shout.

 

[G17RY]

If I get a chance i'll see if I can find a wall myself.

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[DrewCole]

If I get a chance i'll see if I can find a wall myself.

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They're fairly common so you should have too much trouble in finding one

 

[andrewpain]

you'd think being in Scotland he'd have had some experience of walls?
"Hadrians", springs to mind.....

 

[sootytorques]

I'm going to say this is normal as mine does it, also have what appears to be two really bright LED's on driver headlight.

 

[G17RY]

I didn't get a chance to seek out a wall (and one directly adjacent to the roadway is actually quite rare - need to find a carpark that has one methinks). I can use my garage door but car is on a slope and don't want any self levelling coming into play.

And as for my experience with walls, I do have some working in IT, they're "fire" walls.

 

[Julian1977]

I'm going to say this is normal as mine does it, also have what appears to be two really bright LED's on driver headlight.

Got that too. And the reflection. If I stand in the front of the car they look OK but if I lower myself so that my eyes are at the same level with the lights, I can see the brighter ones easily.

Tried in on the walls and the drivers side's top edge is a tiny bit higher. What I don't understand though is that the closer I get to the wall, the lights seem to be at the same level.

 

[Walone]

What I don't understand though is that the closer I get to the wall, the lights seem to be at the same level.

Depending on how close to the wall you are that would be correct.

 

[DrewCole]

The closer you are to an object the more focused the light beam will become.

The reflector will refract the light into the distance.

Think of it as a cone of light coming from your headlight, with the tip of the cone in your light.

The cone gets larger the further away from the car it is, if you move towards the car the cone would narrow.

Same principle with the way your headlights control the light distribution.

They will be at different levels as they will be set differently and both sides aren't the same.