Xenon Owners - do you get flashed?

[RobinA3]

Anyone else who has xenons keep getting flashed by oncoming traffic?

I get it all the time from people thinking i got my main beam on, then when i do put the main beam on to show them that i don't they then stop flashing me!

 

[Vertigo1]

It's usually on bumpy roads as it takes the self-levelling system a split second to level the lights which makes them dazzle oncoming traffic slightly.

Unless of course you're driving a BMW, all of which have the most annoying, piercing dazzling headlights known to man.

 

[trims]

Maybe you should alter the height of your dipped beam?

 

[Beddie]

Maybe you should alter the height of your dipped beam?

You can't 'do it yourself' in a factory xenon equipped car mate... they have auto levelling headlights...

I get flashed very occasionally with mine Robin and usually put it down to our county's fine roads lol, quick flash with the xenon high beams soon sorts the men from the boys... and melts a few retinas lol

 

[klauster]

are you sure they arent just flashing your superior choice of car?

 

[steve184]

be honest i never found i got flashed at all - but then again i cudnt care less if i did! - i paid for em so im gonna use them! they just jealous! lol

 

[stevec]

I get flashed very occasionally with mine Robin and usually put it down to our county's fine roads lol, quick flash with the xenon high beams soon sorts the men from the boys... and melts a few retinas lol

100% spot on. Get maybe 1 car every couple of months who thinks my lights are too bright, then a quick "phwap" of main beam and they don't seem to be flashing me any more. Its is getting less and less with the number of Zenon equipped cars on the road, though when I picked up my current S3 it felt like it was happening every week!

Did notice that the spread of light in the old S3 Zenons is quite wide, as a result does a nice job of lighting up the top of motorway signs (my beams are correctly level by the way), however the new S3 now has Zenon plus which have a flap/paddle in them to switch from main to full, the downside of this is the additional light that illuminated motorway signs so well no longer delivers this side effect.

Strange what you miss when it is not there...

 

[FreddieS3]

Same for me, about 2 of 10 cars flash to me and think I have the main beam on. In some way I can understand, some cars that you see in the night have very strong lights.

 

[Vertigo1]

Great to see you all gleefully blinding oncoming drivers

Lets hope none of them career into you whilst temporarily deprived of their sight, eh?

 

[ahaydock]

I use to get flashed loads then got the Stealers to check it out and they needed adjusting! Since that very few people flash me.

 

[benw123]

I think in well over two years I've owned my Sportback, I've only been flashed once or twice! Strange because prior to the Audi I used to have a Focus ST170 with xenons, and used to get a lot of annoyed motorists by comparison. Perhaps it's something to do with the leading edge of the A3 bonnet which covers the very top of the light unit; not only to give it a kind of "angered" look, but also to trim any wayward light into oncoming traffic.

 

[marriedblonde]

Great to see you all gleefully blinding oncoming drivers

Lets hope none of them career into you whilst temporarily deprived of their sight, eh?

Let me guess - xenons get right up your nose...

 

[johnmv55]

You can't 'do it yourself' in a factory xenon equipped car mate... they have auto levelling headlights...
:

Actually you can, I adjusted mine down a little, and down they went, still worked with the auto adjustment etc, the problem with adjusting them down is they have such a precise cut off on the beam that if you adjust them too low you just can't see where your going!

I find a few bends were they annoy the hell out of other motorists, one by my house is a slight over a rise left bend, I actually saw one car crash/park into the side hedge when my dipped beam "got him"

One in probably 100 motorists flash me, I think it's more the mentality of the Xenons looking brighter than actually annoying most people

 

[Irish]

Used to happen quite a bit with the MKV GTI bi-xenons. The ones in the S3 don't seem as bright and it hasn't happened yet!

 

[curley]

My GTi was the same, always getting flashed, took it to the dealers a few times and they never did get them right. Havent got them on the A3, would of liked them if they worked without blinding people all the time...

 

[wilko]

If people can't understand that it isn't mainbeem then **** um! I used to be concerned by it but I don't complain when I have a Land Rover or something sat up my **** with their super bright lights on. Cos I understand that they've paid extra to be able to see in the dark!

Sorry foul mood today!!

 

[steve184]

argh they just jealous....

 

[Tooks]

@ FreddieS3,

If 2 out of 10 drivers are flashing you, then I suspect yours need adjusting mate.

I've got Xenons on my old shape A3, and I've hardly ever been flashed in over 2 years of driving 40,000 miles a year...

I'm sure Audi will sort em FOC and quick.

 

[wilko]

There is a way of adjusting them yourself with the white screws on the top of the lights. Sure if you do a search on the forums you'l find something.

 

[ahaydock]

RobinA3 have you had this sorted?

 

[RobinA3]

nope, i aint had time to book it into the dealers or anything

will get them to look at the lights and the ANNOYING door rattle when it goes for its next service.

 

[Hotscar]

There are two requirements with Xenons. Self-levelling headlights and headlamp washers. The reason for the headlamp washers is because if the beam produced from the lights hits dirt, it can cause very nasty glares. Sounds daft I know but if you're always running around in a dirty car...

 

[ahaydock]

I've seen RobinA3 over at Detailing World so hopefull he is keeping it nice and clean! Hope you get it sorted.

 

[JamS3]

Iv'e noticed when I pull into my garage which is only a slight raised bump to get into it my lights jump up slightly (not when I go up the bump but when i'm level in the garage moving forward) then back down very quickly and it seems that this happens when I move forward using the accelerator. Its as if the movement of the engine makes them jump...

Any ideas?

 

[Aldo]

At least there is not as bright as stupid Fecking drivers driving about with their fog lights on!

 

[Beddie]

Iv'e noticed when I pull into my garage which is only a slight raised bump to get into it my lights jump up slightly (not when I go up the bump but when i'm level in the garage moving forward) then back down very quickly and it seems that this happens when I move forward using the accelerator. Its as if the movement of the engine makes them jump...

Any ideas?

Mine do exactly the same mate, even seem to do it when stationary and you are just blipping the throttle...

Perhaps the auto-levelling system is just super sensitive to any change in the attitude of the front of the car?

 

[JamS3]

Beddie

Thanks for that! I was beginning to worry...

It seems as if the shake of the engine when only slighty revving the car makes them move, as you say the self levelling must be extra sensitive!

I'm glad yours does it too!

Sometimes I wish I didn't notice the slightest of things like bumps and bangs and strange habits in the car, its makes me well paranoid!