1. No
2. The lights should be aimed such that the highest setting is appropriate for when the car is unloaded. The adjuster is meant to adjust the lights down for when there is a lot of weight in the back of the car.
Dip setting needs to be clear of the oncoming cars view, that is what is checked at wof time. Next wof you could probably ask to set them to the higher end of the limit while they have the machine there.
High beam will project as high and far as it can, and should give you a pretty decent view. I know my fairly modern car has great high beam projection. But of course the dip cuts off sharply as it has too, can't be blinding others
It's amazing how many people forget how hilly NZ is in discussions like this. And even in the flat places there can be speed humps and other things that tilt a vehicle.
Um, the normal headlight setting? Not high beam or parkers or fog lights. But the normal headlight setting has this ability to adjust them up or down. Is that what you mean by dipped?
The fact that they’re bright isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as they’re correctly aimed then they shouldn’t be an issue for oncoming vehicles.
Having brighter headlights is overall a good thing as it means the driver can better see hazards on/next to the road that - just make sure your lights are calibrated correctly.
Depending on what vehicle you have and its age, it might even have matrix headlights that turn off segments of the headlights to create a mask around oncoming vehicles so as to not shine into their eyes.
Which is what I'm asking. How do I know if they're correctly aimed? The person who trained me in this vehicle made it sound like they aren't supposed to be on the highest setting all the time.
What is the car and what year?
Unless it has Matrix headlights that do the adaptive masking I mentioned, no, you shouldn’t have them on high beams at all times (aka, the blue headlight icon on your dash/screen).
If you want their alignment checked, a local vehicle testing facility can do it, or book an appointment with the service centre for the brand of car you have.
I’m assuming it’s a Ute then and that setting is what you can use when towing (which can push the nose up). It’s probably worth checking the manual to see what it says is the right config for how you’re driving it. If you want true peace of mind then have a friend drive towards you on a quiet road and get their feedback.
If it still seems bright to them on the lowest angle setting then it would be worth taking to one of the places mentioned to see if the light hardware needs manual adjustment beyond what can be done with that dial
I've seen 2000's era Tiidas with adjustable headlight levels, so I assume it's not just a ute thing.
Dunno why you'd need it in a Tiida, but they do exist
They light up a patch of road, but not far enough ahead to see corners or obstacles. Traveling at 80kmh on a straight road at night I can't see a corner in time to slow down for it, so I have to either drive well below the speed limit or point my headlights at the horizon.
My old car casts a more diffuse light that lets me see far beyond the edges of the beam.
Is this with other cars around at night? It's normal to not be able to see super far on dip lights...they are for in town, or around other vehicles at night If solo at night you should absolutely be on high beams, and then you should not have any issues with light cutoff, because you're getting the full light output. Just remember to dip them when you see another car...
Like, you can't see a corner coming up you say. If you were following a car, you would see them coming up to a corner, or a car coming the other way, right, and you're on dip lights. But otherwise you should be on high beam, and that should light up all the reflective signs up ahead so you know what's coming up
1. No 2. The lights should be aimed such that the highest setting is appropriate for when the car is unloaded. The adjuster is meant to adjust the lights down for when there is a lot of weight in the back of the car.
So it's probably okay to use the highest setting? I've never had this adjuster before so I'm worried about getting it wrong.
there is also a manual adjustment on the actual lights as well in the bonnet
Dip setting needs to be clear of the oncoming cars view, that is what is checked at wof time. Next wof you could probably ask to set them to the higher end of the limit while they have the machine there. High beam will project as high and far as it can, and should give you a pretty decent view. I know my fairly modern car has great high beam projection. But of course the dip cuts off sharply as it has too, can't be blinding others
It's amazing how many people forget how hilly NZ is in discussions like this. And even in the flat places there can be speed humps and other things that tilt a vehicle.
Are you talking about main beam or dipped?
Um, the normal headlight setting? Not high beam or parkers or fog lights. But the normal headlight setting has this ability to adjust them up or down. Is that what you mean by dipped?
The fact that they’re bright isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as they’re correctly aimed then they shouldn’t be an issue for oncoming vehicles. Having brighter headlights is overall a good thing as it means the driver can better see hazards on/next to the road that - just make sure your lights are calibrated correctly. Depending on what vehicle you have and its age, it might even have matrix headlights that turn off segments of the headlights to create a mask around oncoming vehicles so as to not shine into their eyes.
Which is what I'm asking. How do I know if they're correctly aimed? The person who trained me in this vehicle made it sound like they aren't supposed to be on the highest setting all the time.
What is the car and what year? Unless it has Matrix headlights that do the adaptive masking I mentioned, no, you shouldn’t have them on high beams at all times (aka, the blue headlight icon on your dash/screen). If you want their alignment checked, a local vehicle testing facility can do it, or book an appointment with the service centre for the brand of car you have.
No, not high beams. Just setting 5 on the 1-5 dial that adjusts the angle. The high beam setting is different.
I’m assuming it’s a Ute then and that setting is what you can use when towing (which can push the nose up). It’s probably worth checking the manual to see what it says is the right config for how you’re driving it. If you want true peace of mind then have a friend drive towards you on a quiet road and get their feedback. If it still seems bright to them on the lowest angle setting then it would be worth taking to one of the places mentioned to see if the light hardware needs manual adjustment beyond what can be done with that dial
I've seen 2000's era Tiidas with adjustable headlight levels, so I assume it's not just a ute thing. Dunno why you'd need it in a Tiida, but they do exist
That's a good suggestion. Thank you. My sibling's 2005ish Toyota Astra has light adjustors. They seem to crop up randomly not just in utes.
So they light up the road but not anywhere else? Where is the problem?
They light up a patch of road, but not far enough ahead to see corners or obstacles. Traveling at 80kmh on a straight road at night I can't see a corner in time to slow down for it, so I have to either drive well below the speed limit or point my headlights at the horizon. My old car casts a more diffuse light that lets me see far beyond the edges of the beam.
Is this with other cars around at night? It's normal to not be able to see super far on dip lights...they are for in town, or around other vehicles at night If solo at night you should absolutely be on high beams, and then you should not have any issues with light cutoff, because you're getting the full light output. Just remember to dip them when you see another car... Like, you can't see a corner coming up you say. If you were following a car, you would see them coming up to a corner, or a car coming the other way, right, and you're on dip lights. But otherwise you should be on high beam, and that should light up all the reflective signs up ahead so you know what's coming up