Poor performance of dipped headlights

[bluemoona3246]

Hi all,

Has anyone had any issues with their headlights on just dipped beam? Theyre only halogens but to me they don't seem bright enough and I have to switch on full beams just so I can see ahead with confidence. Think of giving the dealership a ring to see if there's any adjustment they can do to the lights as I don't want to ruin them myself trying, I think I would just make it worse!

 

[Dtwm1]

I had halogens on a loan car and agree that their not too bright and would be tempted to change them however to start with I'd check that your lights aren't angled down so to speak, use the dial next to the headlight switch and make sure there on 0 and not 3 or visa versa.

 

[cemerson]

Halogens are pretty bad - I always thought that with every car I've owned or driven with them fitted. Is it that because it's getting darker now, you are using them more and you remember them being brighter?

 

[Daveotto]

Not sure how old you are but I would check your own eyesight as well. I certainly found over a few years that road illumination with halogens appeared to get worse but as I was driving the same car for 4-5 years it was down to my eyesight. That said Xenons are so much better and I would never spec a a car without them now.

 

[bluemoona3246]

In response to you all, the headlight switch is on zero, I know this as it clicks in with a firm click and you can see it move backwards and forwards again, so it's not that.

Having had the car for just over a month I've not remembered them being any different, but in preparation for the winter I would like them adjusted if possible.

Being 20 people would say my eyes are fine but actually they're shocking having worn glasses since 15 and contacts for around the last 3-4 years, I would say my eyes are good when driving. Yes I would love to have had xenons but unfortunately that would've been more money!

 

[Dtwm1]

In response to you all, the headlight switch is on zero, I know this as it clicks in with a firm click and you can see it move backwards and forwards again, so it's not that.

Having had the car for just over a month I've not remembered them being any different, but in preparation for the winter I would like them adjusted if possible.

Being 20 people would say my eyes are fine but actually they're shocking having worn glasses since 15 and contacts for around the last 3-4 years, I would say my eyes are good when driving. Yes I would love to have had xenons but unfortunately that would've been more money!

I'm 22 and this is the first car I've had with xenons and love it but that's a different story. I would replace the bulbs as they OEM ones crap IMO. The fitment type is H7, on my previous car I had Phillips blue vison ultra. They are much more white/blue and a better distance and for £30 with winter coming up is a top investment, if you struggle to fit them ats, kwik fit will do for about £10. http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7-Philips-Blue-Vision-Ultra-pair.html

 

[MA3RC]

I also have Halogens, however I recently swapped them for Philips X Treme Vision and they were so bright! Really liked them. But I wanted a more blue look so I swapped them out for Philips Diamond Vision and yes they look cool and give a HID effect (somewhat). The vision is ****** awful with them, so bad that in certain conditions you can't see them on the floor ahead!! Thus on the weekend I'll be going back to my X Treme vision bulbs. They may not look fancy but they are so much brighter than the standard Halogens

 

[steverobertsbbc]

I notice that it's only the dipped beam headlights that can be swapped out for Xtreme Vision bulbs, as they're H7s. Is there a performance version of the H15 bulb in the main beam that isn't tinted blue available? Do the dipped beams stay on when the main beam is selected?

 

[MA3RC]

That's right. I found some H15's off eBay which are a whitey blue colour. But as you say they are tinted blue. There seems to be a lack of development for these bulbs. Yeah when you use main beam / flash the dipped stay on.

 

[steeve]

I can personally recommend PIAA bulbs. That's after you've got the dealer to check the setting.
www.piaa.co.uk

 

[steverobertsbbc]

Can I just say... The dipped beam bulbs are an absolute bitch to change. I literally spent half an hour swearing at the nearside one, I could not get the little f*cker into the right position. I was on the verge of taking the ****** car to Audi when it just sweetly turned into the correct position. B*stard.

 

[MA3RC]

I second that! I just changed my bulbs back and the passenger side is awful. There's hardly any access because of the battery cover. They're so figity as well. You need to slot the wings of the bulb holder between two bolts. Hard work when you can't see where your hand is going. Whoever designed that needs shooting

 

[rozel]

Hi all

A very useful thread. My car was delivered beginning of April and it has only been in the last few weeks that I have done any serious driving at night. I agree that the halogens in my car are not very bright and like the idea of upgrading to Phillips X-Treme bulbs. Could someone post a link off the bay (UK) so I can be sure which ones I need please? I believe I need H7's - the ones I'm browsing are quoted as H1/H4/H7 are these all the same? Have been looking at these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Philips-X...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c216dd863 will these do? There seems such a difference in price and just want to be sure.

I am finally presuming that there isn't much merit in changing the Main Beam bulbs?

Many thanks

 

[MA3RC]

Yeah they're the same ones I have. So they'll work fine. Bought mine from Amazon though. They are much better than standard. Yours are slightly cheaper than I paid though :/. The websites quote the a3 as a different bulb but H7 is what you need. The main beam are H15 and there's nothing out there on the market that's any good. I've tried a few. But save your money aha. Bit of advice the passenger dipped beam is hard to change - especially if you have big hands. The battery cover gets in the way.

 

[steverobertsbbc]

The difference is price you're seeing might be because there are two versions - one offering an improvement of up to 100%, the other, more expensive, ones offering up to 130%. I went for the cheaper ones and they are a big improvement, however I found them a complete pain in the **** to fit. Much swearing.

 

[rozel]

Thanks guys - much appreciated. Yes that must be it - I'll go for the 130% ones on the basis "in for a penny, in for a pound"!

And yes I guess the nearside one will be a pain in the posterior - I don't think I've owned a car that wasn't difficult one side or the other - I usually chew up the tops of my hands - still have the scars! I'll have a look tomorrow to see how difficult before ordering.

Thanks again

 

[Vertigo1]

Not sure about the 8V but the standard halogens on the 8P were notoriously awful so wouldn't be surprised if the 8V was the same.

Not sure if they do it deliberately to try to get more people to upgrade to Xenons or not.