Zenon adjustment

[timber]

Hi All
Last night heading home on dipped beam from the south west I was flashed lots of times by the oncoming drivers including trucks artic) .Of course I gave a quick flash to say that I was on dip.
One truck driver responded with all his lights on !!!!! When I gave him a longer flash he was quite well lit up, in fact I could almost see what he had had for dinner.
Luckily I was only about 30 miles from home. However it was not the best way to drive in the dark.
How does one adjust the Zenons on a 2013 Cali or is it a trip to the dealers?
Richard

 

[James]

Hi All
Last night heading home on dipped beam from the south west I was flashed lots of times by the oncoming drivers including trucks artic) .Of course I gave a quick flash to say that I was on dip.
One truck driver responded with all his lights on !!!!! When I gave him a longer flash he was quite well lit up, in fact I could almost see what he had had for dinner.
Luckily I was only about 30 miles from home. However it was not the best way to drive in the dark.
How does one adjust the Zenons on a 2013 Cali or is it a trip to the dealers?
Richard

Hi

Xenons adjust automatically they have auto levelling facility. I've never been flashed with mine on and I am surprised. I'd actually say that on dip the Xenons are no brighter than regular lights rather they giver wider spread of light. Xenons on full beam in my view make a massive difference and it's like driving with floodlights.

People always say Xenons are brighter and that other people will flash you because of this, I've never had this experience, and to me, it's the way the light is distributed rather then the brightness with Xenons.

James

 

[timber]

Hi James
When on dip I can see the cut off is way to high. They light up the top of high hedges on country roads, When on full beam it is like driving on a fully lit motorway.
They are not right . and have to be adjusted before they cause an accident. My dealer (VW Listers) service is at Coventry 57 miles away, in my opinion the nearest and best. So was hoping to do it myself
But thanks for the reply.
Richard

 

[James]

Hi James
When on dip I can see the cut off is way to high. They light up the top of high hedges on country roads, When on full beam it is like driving on a fully lit motorway.
They are not right . and have to be adjusted before they cause an accident. My dealer (VW Listers) service is at Coventry 57 miles away, in my opinion the nearest and best. So was hoping to do it myself
But thanks for the reply.
Richard

I know someone who has a T5 Kombi with factory Xenons and he feels they are quite high. I haven't found that myself but I see your point.

Were they ordered from factory?

James

 

[timber]

Hi Jamie
All things on the Cali are factory equipped . Before discount the Cali was over £58000 for that sort of money I would have expected it to be right and be all singing and dancing. (See my post Re: RNS 510 SAT NAV
Richard

 

[James]

Hi Jamie
All things on the Cali are factory equipped . Before discount the Cali was over £58000 for that sort of money I would have expected it to be right and be all singing and dancing. (See my post Re: RNS 510 SAT NAV
Richard

Richard

I read your post about the 510 - I think these are more quirks than faults. All Sat Navs have there moments. We try to avoid postcode searches for example, preferring to get to a place rather than the middle of it

You can't adjust Xenon lights not like normal lights - they adjust themselves - so in theory it would be hard to see how they would be at fault unless there was a fault with the auto levelling which would seem unlikely.

James

 

[timber]

This is the main point in my last post Re: the radio/sat nav switching off
And what a pity VW could not have WIRED the SAT NAV to the leisure batteries It would save keep getting up from the rear seats to restart the radio/Aux every 20 minutes when using the Laptop with a Video using the AUX of the RNS 510 for a better sound.
Or even an hand held remote control.
Richard

 

[James]

This is the main point in my last post Re: the radio/sat nav switching off
And what a pity VW could not have WIRED the SAT NAV to the leisure batteries It would save keep getting up from the rear seats to restart the radio/Aux every 20 minutes when using the Laptop with a Video using the AUX of the RNS 510 for a better sound.
Or even an hand held remote control.
Richard

The switch off facility is to protect the main battery. Yes it would be good if it run off the leisure battery but there are so many functions of the 510 that are connected to the van.

You could just buy a radio or use a tablet/laptop to watch to videos or listen to music.

James

 

[Stu]

A lot of people do flash xenon lights as they can at times appear brighter but also the self levelling can give the impression of you flashing your lights.

Xenon headlights can be adjusted but it does require them to be placed into a calibration mode by a dealer diagnostic tool such as VAS or ODIS, or by the use of the VCDS tool.

If you are coming to CotF perhaps you could book in with SMG.

 

[timber]

Thanks Stu. It will have to be a trip to the dealers as I can't get to COTF, and they can have a look at my Climatronic at the same time.
Richard

 

[James]

A lot of people do flash xenon lights as they can at times appear brighter but also the self levelling can give the impression of you flashing your lights.

Xenon headlights can be adjusted but it does require them to be placed into a calibration mode by a dealer diagnostic tool such as VAS or ODIS, or by the use of the VCDS tool.

If you are coming to CotF perhaps you could book in with SMG.

I haven't been flashed for having my Xenons on so I can only assume there may be a problem.

Be interesting to see

James

 

[Freeley]

As a non xenon driver I do find the lights of oncoming xenons very bright and have almost flashed some of them in the past. Yours definitely don't sound right at all.
Do you have another dealer more local to you other than the one you bought from?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gatvol]

Timber.

I am sorry but i believe that No VAG car is built properly anymore. I got totally p1ssed off :censor :censor :censor :censor :censor with stupid faults and stupid bills associated with my Audi S5 and sold it and replaced with a 1994 merc sl 500 with 30k miles on it. A mate with an Audi R8 with less than 30k miles just had a routine service and got skinned 1k for the service, 500 each for two tyres and remarkably £1k each for two new wheels due to hairline cracks and he drives that cosseted car like a chauffeur.

The warranty providers league tables tell the story. Of 35 manufacturers listed vw, Audi, Porsche, merc all figure in the 20 to 30 range nowadays Top 6 or so manufacturers for reliability are all Japanese

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/

Look at the 10 worst cars .....

Calis are ticking time bombs for large future bills - paint bubbling, steering knocking are common. Mine needed electric window attention within 6 months. New water gauge and stereo at 15 months. It has the paint bubbling. Now it needs a new rev counter as a bulb has gone and the sealed unit is £500 plus 2 hours labour but is a warranty job. In the same time nothing has gone wrong on my merc and it does similar miles to the Cali and lives next to it in the garage also on a trickle charger

Of my three vehicles, i have now moved old school and two date from the 1990s when cars were built properly and you need a valve to strike a piston to cost £800, not a blown lamp on the dashboard on the Cali or a new water pump on the S5.

I love my Cali, but like a good but bad choice of wife, it will have cost a load by the time we part company

 

[timber]

Hi Gavtol
I quite agree, the VW standards have dropped. Saying that my last vw was a syncro single cab pick up. I did have a few problems with it, all cured by myself other than when I got a heavy fine for being over loaded with trailer in tow ( Gross weight of just under 8 tons) it then cost £1300 for the gear box repair. Sometimes when a contract has to be completed on time, chances have to be taken. I am a naughty boy!!!
I had that Syncro for 21 1/2 years and it is now being completely rebuilt so can't complain. Hope I can buy it back when it's finished.
The first VW s that I had were Karman Ghias. Wish I still had one.
At present I will not say where I bought the Cali from. But I have always used Listers of Coventry for my previous service's first class. 57 miles in a Cali is a walk in the park!!!
Agree about the Jap vehicles have had a Toyota 4x4 Hilux . O.k for short journeys. 115 miles to work and back shook the body ( mine) up too much, hence the Syncro loved it. Now have Jimny for very short distances

 

[stew]

The Xenons are adjustable by turning a white plastic screw on top of each headlight unit (one of the two on the attached pic). I tweaked mine upwards since they were set way too low from the factory. This was 18 months ago and I've noticed no issue.

I originally thought that because the lights are 'self-levelling' there was no adjustment and they automatically move to a the 'best level'. However, the 'self levelling' is relative only to the 'base level' and the angle of the car and works to keep the lights at that level - as evident on undulating roads. The levelling is damped but you can still spot it.

From what I've read, self-levelling was introduced to ensure that a Xenon-equipped car with a heavy load or towing does not blind others; I've seen many a driver who hasn't remembered or even known to adjust the 'manual headlight level' in those circumstances.

Stu

 

[timber]

Thanks Stew (Stu)
Just had a look at the Cali and can see where you mean. Will have a go when it is dark on a quiet road.. and will let you know the outcome. Thanks again
Richard

 

[Stu]

You are partly correct however as I said above you must follow the procedure to place the headlight controller into the learning mode -

Headlight Adjustment
[Select]
[55 - Xenon Range]
[Basic Settings - 04]
Group 001
[Go!]
Activate the Basic Setting.
[ON/OFF/Next]
The meas. block field now shows "Wait" and should switch to "Adjust Headlights" then (this may take up to 10 seconds).
Adjust the headlights using their manual adjusting screws as referenced against a suitable aiming target.
[ON/OFF/Next]
The adjustment should now be learned.
[Done, Go Back]
[Close Controller, Go Back - 06]

 

[stew]

Do you know what the impact is if that procedure is not followed (for those without access to dealer equipment)?

I am thinking that the dealer setting procedure will set the lights to the 'base level' and hence ensures that you can accurately adjust them without any self-leveling bias being present. Either that or the system needs to know the 'new base level' so that it can make more accurate dynamic leveling changes...

 

[Stu]

I would think the impact is your headlights are not correctly adjusted because the headlights would not have been in the learn mode. In reality I don't think it would have done any damage.

 

[gatvol]

Xenons can be an absolute curse. I needed a new xenon bulb on my Audi s5 when it was only 4 years old and it was eye wateringly expensive. The manual did not even tell the owner how to change them and then I was told how different bulbs are different whiteness

For illumination, they are better than halogen. But I am very, very happy to avoid xenons and was delighted that they are not on my van.

I know that one or two guys are considering upgrading their Calis to xenons, but I would encourage them to look at the whole package including the downsides before doing so

 

[James]

I like the Xenons - will be expensive to replace - but what isn't on a vehicle.

People still go about the brightness of Xenons.... I've never been flashed or had an issue. But modern Xenons tend to bi xenons I think the idea is that the with out full beam they don't produce a glaring light.

I liked the posts about adjustment and that brings me onto my next question - surely they need to be adjusted for LHD - can this be done?

I know that on some BMW's there's a switch within the light.

James

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Yes, mine has a switch on top of each headlight unit which makes life easier. My Land Rover ones have to be removed from the car and the switch is on the back of the headlight unit.

cheers

 

[Stu]

On my A4 I could switch them to EU/LHD from the MMI however we took the A1 to Antwerp this weekend and I was quite surprised to find the manual suggests a visit to the Audi Centre so I'll need to do more research.

I don't know how it's achieved with the T5.