Xenon Lights - Who's had problems?

[Tam]

Has anyone else had issues with their Xenons.

Mine are on pretty much all the time during the winter months, yes i'm aware that being turned on more than 3 times in an hour can reduce their lifespan, but its not often i do that.

Anyway, its not the xenon bulbs i have issue with, but the AFS function (them moving left and right with the steering wheel movement), and also them "Popping up" for full beam.

Twice before I've been left with no "full beams" because after several seconds the xenon cover pops back down over the light to put it back to dipped beam driving . The garage have resolved it both times with a replacement motor, however this time it seems more serious.

I've now been without my car for 5 days (driving an altea replacement at the moment) while they try and cure my light problem. They've replaced the headlights (whole unit), replaced the control module, and are now at present re-wiring the cables for the lights to try and resolve it (on advice of seat technical), but at the moment nothing has fixed it.


Anyone else with any suggestions? Anyone else had this issue?

 

[Al]

I have had no problems although VAGCOM had an error for my Xenons.

 

[GrantyBoy]

yes i'm aware that being turned on more than 3 times in an hour can reduce their lifespan, but its not often i do that.

I never knew that.

 

[JonoUK]

No problems in 14,000 miles or 9 months or so of driving it. Never plugged a VAGCOM lead in to find out... sometimes the washers don't get activated but I'm not sure if that's a speed/ecu/feature/problem....or an effect of leaving them on in coming home mode and not turning them back on manually the next day.

They always do their little dance and never had a full beam problem like you, Tam.

 

[JonoUK]

I never knew that.

I think it's the igniters that wear out, rather than the bulbs... (?)

 

[Schiller]

No problem at all with my Xenon.

Mine are on pretty much all the time during the winter months, yes i'm aware that being turned on more than 3 times in an hour can reduce their lifespan, but its not often i do that.

What do you mean with that?

 

[Rob GTI]

No problems here either I have had the car about a year now and done nearly 18k and used them quite a lot in that time.

 

[chrisboyle999]

no probs here, but i do try to avoid 'flashing' folk if i can help it.

 

[Syphon]

What's this about lifespan?

Also re: flashing - I didn't think that used the xenons, but the other lights so as not to dazzle people?

Scott

 

[Tam]

What's this about lifespan?

that's just what I'd read on other posts on the mk1 forum about shorten lifespan of the xenons.

Also re: flashing - I didn't think that used the xenons, but the other lights so as not to dazzle people?

Scott

Yep thats right it uses the normal bulbs.

 

[johnbev]

Flashing (wit headlights off) only uses normal bulbs(H1`s), But flashing with headlights on operates bulbs Plus the xenon s refractor thingy operates to alter the beam, which won`t actually turn on or off the xenon so won`t cause any balast problems.

Not had any probs with mine, except they seem to bounce/jiggle around abit on rough roads, and the lenses have started to become cloudy on the inside at certain angles (not condensated )

 

[Syphon]

that's just what I'd read on other posts on the mk1 forum about shorten lifespan of the xenons.

So turning them on and off in the space of an hour is bad? Going through tunnels with auto turned on can't be good then I presume?

Scott

 

[johnbev]

Thats why seat fitted auxilliary lights to flash I suppose. They are also there as xenons take a few moments to spring to life, where as a standard bulb is almost instant where you need it to flash. Your cars under warrenty anyhow, but I doubt the bulbs are covered not cheap or easy to change either

 

[chrisboyle999]

bi-xenon lights, bi as in two, as in dipped and full beam.

 

[johnbev]

Theres only one bulb in the xenon, its a lense/shutter that refracts the light to do main beam as "bi" means it does both. Most (older)cars only ever have the sidelights in xenon, main beam auxilliary light bulb. Like the old vectra which looked great till you turned on main beam where it went all yellow in the foreground.
The main beam on bixenons is the best part being so bright. Especially on the leon where they are supplimented be the aux lights.

 

[chrisboyle999]

Theres only one bulb in the xenon, its a lense/shutter that refracts the light to do main beam as "bi" means it does both.

my point exactly. how does the 'car' know if i'm flashing or putting my high beam on?

 

[_Hellfire_]

No problems in 14,000 miles or 9 months or so of driving it. Never plugged a VAGCOM lead in to find out... sometimes the washers don't get activated but I'm not sure if that's a speed/ecu/feature/problem....or an effect of leaving them on in coming home mode and not turning them back on manually the next day.

They always do their little dance and never had a full beam problem like you, Tam.

The headlight washers dont always operate with the screen washers - I think the headlight washers activate 1 out of 5 washes of the screen. They reset when ignition is turned off/on.

Steve

 

[pr0ton]

my point exactly. how does the 'car' know if i'm flashing or putting my high beam on?

Maybe 'cause you pull the lever when flashing, and push it when putting high beam on If you have headlights on while flashing it uses the xenon+halogen bulbs. And if they're off then it uses only the halogen bulbs.

 

[chrisboyle999]

Maybe 'cause you pull the lever when flashing, and push it when putting high beam on If you have headlights on while flashing it uses the xenon+halogen bulbs. And if they're off then it uses only the halogen bulbs.

have tried this out of curiosity over the weekend.
as you say;

lights on=xenon and halogen flash
lights off=halogen only.

it doesnt matter wether you push or pull the lights stalk.

 

[djnemesis]

So has this actually been fixed ?

I am having an sporadic issue with my passenger side headlight - It's doing my head in

The dealer said - Check the wiring ??? WTF.