Is anyone else getting flashed

[Maverick]

OvaltoJetta was replying to your post about the adjustment, not the OP.

He correctly pointed out that Bi-xenons don't have an adjustment, which, as ChrisR32 notes, is in fact relevant information. I, for example, was not aware of that Bi-Xenons are self levelling. Chill.

How is it relevant when the OP doesn't have automatic levelling as he doesn't have Bi-Xenons and I was offering him advice on correcting his problem

OvaltoJetta quoted my comment

Have you adjusted them using the adjustment wheel next to the headlight switch?

and said

The bi-xenons don't come with an adjustment switch as they should be self leveling.

That said I have been flashed a few times ..... especially driving from Perth to Bendigo and back for the BUG-IN at Easter. Of an evening even the B Double trucks would often dip before me. The light coverage across the country was brilliant ... pardon the pun.

[polo_spec_d]

Back to the original question as posted.....

[maca]

Isn't one supposed to be higher than the other?
the driver side is lower so not to dazzle oncomers and the passenger side is higher (and turned out more) to illuminate the kerb.

Yeah they are meant to be like that, but for some reason it's a lot more conspicuous on the Mk5's with Halogens... But wait - my driver's side is higher than the kerb side..

Back to the original question as posted.....

Go on a long dark road and play around with the levelling (manually from the actual head light). That is only if you're unhappy with the way they are now. If you're happy with them, start flashing people when they flash you... But not with your lights

[scotty1991]

Go on a long dark road and play around with the levelling (manually from the actual head light). That is only if you're unhappy with the way they are now. If you're happy with them, start flashing people when they flash you... But not with your lights

Im hoping you mean the finger

[TKO]

Are you sure they flash you is beacuse of your headlights? Maybe they just try to warn you of a speed camera or something.

[Treza360]

Go on a long dark road and play around with the levelling (manually from the actual head light). That is only if you're unhappy with the way they are now.

Another good way is to head out to an industrial estate or something where you can find a warehouse or similar with a long wall. That way you can get your distance from it and it's easy to measure the height of the beam along the wall to get the alignment right.
Something like this...








Cheers,
Trent

[Logzy]

Lets see that sort of cut-off with aftermarket Bi-Xenons.
To all those that fit aftermarket. Above is what proper Bi-Xenons look like.

Treza,
Whats the measurements of the marks on the wall and at what distance from the wall should the car be.

[Treza360]

Treza,
Whats the measurements of the marks on the wall and at what distance from the wall should the car be.

No idea what the specifics of the test in the photos I posted above are as they are from a US car and they have different rules and regs to us.

However I've seen a few different tests for aligning headlights, I'm not 100% which is the correct/legal one but they should all get you pretty close and not dazzle the oncoming traffic. The last one is apparently what VW are using.

First which is on the Tassie Transport website:

a) the aim of the headlight is adjusted such that, when on high beam and measured at an effective distance of 8m, the projected centre of the beam is to the right of the headlight centre and/or is above the headlight centre;

b) when measured at an effective distance of 8m, any part of the top edge of the high intensity portion of the low beam pattern is above and to the right of the centreline of the headlight

Second from Australian Land Rover Owner's forum:

drive up to a flat wall or garage door on flat ground
now mearsure the centre of headlight height on the car
mark the same height on the flat wall
now on low beam adjust the lights to the marked height from 1 meter away
drive back 15ft from wall and put your high beam on
it should drop around 4in from marked line

Third also from Australian Land Rover Owner's forum:

In the Bosch hand book at 10m distance 10cm below the centreline of head lamp if you want more distance you can go 5cm below

And lastly from Elsawin:

Inclination information in “%” is stamped into trim above headlight. Headlights must be adjusted according to this information. Percentage given is based on a projection distance of 10 metres. For example: inclination of 1.2 % converts to approx. 12 cm.

This is also based on a full tank of fuel.

Cheers,
Trent

[Maverick]

Lets see that sort of cut-off with aftermarket Bi-Xenons.
To all those that fit aftermarket. Above is what proper Bi-Xenons look like.

the dodgy xenon setups in the reflector housing would light everything up like daylight and be described as so cool because they can see everything!

[TGT20]

flashing

In what area do you live? Ive been driving driving for 35 years and only dream of being FLASHED. Oops are we talking about the same thing!!!!

TGT20

[Dave_09JETTA]

Thanks for the responses I have set the level adjustment on my headlights to 2 and that has made a world of difference so ill leave it there for now until my first service which should be about 8 weeks from now.

[Man In Black (MIB)]

I Have bi-xenons in my GTI and am constantly Flashed. It drives me crazy to the point I avoid taking the GTI out at night. I also have a Passat with Bi-xenons which are no where near as bright, and which I do not get Flashed in. Go figure.

The GTI's lights can be seen reflecting off road signs at 150m, in bright full daylight. And no, there're not on high beam. When I come up behind someone at night I can see the colour of their hair in their car they're so bright.

I'm having my local VW dealer look at them soon but I'm expecting the same old reply, "their within normal range and functioning fine".

I wish I hadn't got them now, on the GTI that is.

[maca]

I Have bi-xenons in my GTI and am constantly Flashed. It drives me crazy to the point I avoid taking the GTI out at night. I also have a Passat with Bi-xenons which are no where near as bright, and which I do not get Flashed in. Go figure.

The GTI's lights can be seen reflecting off road signs at 150m, in bright full daylight. And no, there're not on high beam. When I come up behind someone at night I can see the colour of their hair in their car they're so bright.

I'm having my local VW dealer look at them soon but I'm expecting the same old reply, "their within normal range and functioning fine".

I wish I hadn't got them now, on the GTI that is.

Flash them back! I admit that the Mk5 Xenon's are bright but not flash worthey.

Flash them back and show them just what the high beams are like! (Hopefully brighter, to prove your point successfully)

[gregozedobe]

When I come up behind someone at night I can see the colour of their hair in their car they're so bright.

I'm having my local VW dealer look at them soon but I'm expecting the same old reply, "their within normal range and functioning fine".

If you can see inside the car in front on a level road then your lo-beam lights are obviously adjusted way too high. You may have to be very insistent with your dealer ( I had to be a bit stern with my Skoda's service people the second time around to get them to lower them).

Flashing back when you know your lights are too high is an invitation to a light war battle - don't try it with someone who has good lights (eg 4wd with HID driving lights). You both end up unable to see much at all - not a real safe situation, and may even provoke some serious road rage violence.

[Logzy]

I Have bi-xenons in my GTI ......

The GTI's lights can be seen reflecting off road signs at 150m, in bright full daylight. And no, there're not on high beam. When I come up behind someone at night I can see the colour of their hair in their car they're so bright.

Set too high no doubt about it. They are bright yes as mine also light up street signs very well.

When i come up behind someone i think they cut off at about the bottom of their rear windscreen so they dont shine into their car and definatly dont light up the back of their head.