LED hightlights

gartner

Active Member
Oct 25, 2014
163
0
do you have such a regular "government" inspection as we do here?
The MOT is compulsory for cars over 3 years old, and you have to have the pass certificate to buy the annual road tax. No pass, no tax, and trouble with police.
So a failure will cost money. I've had a fail on a previous car (saab 9-5) because the lights were set too high, even with the dash adjustment on "low". Had to do some adjustment and put in for a retest next day.
and re-adjusted them back up afterwards, because they were crap. Put in uprated bulbs and they were brighter, but still the beam just wasn't long enough.
it's worth making a fuss at the dealer while it's in warranty - almost all of them have MOT test facilities with the legal settings on the wall...

Yes, we do have a yearly technical inspection for cars,older tha 4 years. You can't register a car without it and can get confiscated by police if you drive it anyway. But if your lights really don't shine upwards and are original, then you can easily pass trough, no policeman will bug you for that as long as the lights are oem and not blinding oncoming traffic. The biggest problems are aftermarket parts, fake chinese xenons, lowered cars, spoliers with no papers,too high exhaust gas, bad brakes, bad drivetrain, etc etc.

Like I said, I think it's more dangerous to drive in low visibility than a little bit more visibility which bothers no one. In our country it's also a custom that a garage or MOT as you name it, likes to lower the beam a bit downwards, just in case, just to make sure nobody is blinded. So no thank you, I rather do it myself and do it the way I can normally drive at night.
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,007
693
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
And I am saying that it was worse when I bought it. So what is worse? That I do it myself or leave it be? If I take to a garage they will defenitly lower them as they are not exactly in the right position according to the law. As I said I like them a little higher but at the same time not blinding anybody. I'm no expert but I don't care about law if I can't see at night the way I should. What am I going to say, when something happens? Well, at least I obeyed the law. You obey your allmighty law, I've got my common sense.

Common sense, you sound like a pompous idiot.
 

gartner

Active Member
Oct 25, 2014
163
0
Tbh if you cant see, slow down. I don't think the answer is to blind oncoming drivers...

I set the beam the way it doesn't blind the other drivers, I wrote that so many times now, please read my posts:). All I said is that I lifted them a little bit, so I can see more road ahead at night. I lifted them above "recommended" settings to get a little more light on the road because of the sharp cut off. The beam was set too low, I raised it, posted some pictures, so everybody can see how it's done, to maybe help somebody who also isn't satisfied with the beam because I read about this complaining on how shitty the lights are all the time in this thread.

If people are satisfied, let the beams be, if you're not, do something about it or stop wining. I did my part, tried it, posted it here to contribute to other members and that's it. I don't force anyone to raise theirs if they don't wan't to. I know how mine shines on the road, I drive the car, I was measuring and setting it for an hour to do it really as precise as possible and you are far away and you didn't see the settings in real life, so please don't make conclusions:cheers:. Nobody is blinded, nobody is endangeroud and I am not a criminal because the beams are raised above recommended settings ;).

So please everybody just chill about my damn lights, they're fine and so is everybody around them[B)].
 

BlackFR

Full Member
Jan 22, 2002
1,724
5
Not too far away
One of the LEDs in my left hand headlamp has a very blue colour temperature to it, all the others in both lamps are bright white!

The colour doesn't quite seem to cut through the rain as much as my xenons did, there isnt much in it though!
 

Stever750

Active Member
Nov 20, 2014
145
0
West Wales
I set the beam the way it doesn't blind the other drivers, I wrote that so many times now, please read my posts:). All I said is that I lifted them a little bit, so I can see more road ahead at night. I lifted them above "recommended" settings to get a little more light on the road because of the sharp cut off. The beam was set too low, I raised it, posted some pictures, so everybody can see how it's done, to maybe help somebody who also isn't satisfied with the beam because I read about this complaining on how shitty the lights are all the time in this thread.

If people are satisfied, let the beams be, if you're not, do something about it or stop wining. I did my part, tried it, posted it here to contribute to other members and that's it. I don't force anyone to raise theirs if they don't wan't to. I know how mine shines on the road, I drive the car, I was measuring and setting it for an hour to do it really as precise as possible and you are far away and you didn't see the settings in real life, so please don't make conclusions:cheers:. Nobody is blinded, nobody is endangeroud and I am not a criminal because the beams are raised above recommended settings ;).

So please everybody just chill about my damn lights, they're fine and so is everybody around them[B)].
:cool:
 

sootytorques

Active Member
Sep 9, 2013
260
1
One of the LEDs in my left hand headlamp has a very blue colour temperature to it, all the others in both lamps are bright white!

The colour doesn't quite seem to cut through the rain as much as my xenons did, there isnt much in it though!

sounds similar to my post number 110, when behind a white car the 2 leds appear blueish, only the left headlight though.
 

easybreeze80

Active Member
Aug 31, 2014
80
0
Do you think these are intentially low due to the Motorway feature which raises the light level above 60mph? Imagine what'll happen if the lights raise on these manually adjusted lights!!! Maybe you can adjust the lights as long as the motorway light feature is disabled.

It makes sense to me as when you're going slower you don't need such distance on this lights, probably because they aren't that powerful.
 

StevenM

Active Member
Apr 2, 2013
164
1
.....is being very inconsiderate to other road users..........


The same could be said about whoever had the bright idea to put retina burning xenons in cars.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.
 

Biker

Full Member
Oct 6, 2003
1,593
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Northumberland
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The same could be said about whoever had the bright idea to put retina burning xenons in cars.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.

I don't see where you are coming from here, factory fitted xenons when adjusted correctly are fine. If they are adjusted incorrectly, yes they are a problem. Much the same as poorly adjusted LED lights will dazzle oncoming motorists......
 

yellowcone87

Active Member
Mar 9, 2014
490
0
Warwickshire
I reckon the decision to remove the headlight washers from the tech pack probably has more to do with it than incorrect levelling. Although I've no way of actually measuring it, I think even a moderate level of road grime seems to affect the light output quite a lot on my ST. Give them a quick wipe if I haven't got time to actually wash the car and the difference is huge... More so I reckon then on any previous car I've driven. Maybe just me though, before anyone starts another argument, lol.
 

StevenM

Active Member
Apr 2, 2013
164
1
I don't see where you are coming from here, factory fitted xenons when adjusted correctly are fine. If they are adjusted incorrectly, yes they are a problem. Much the same as poorly adjusted LED lights will dazzle oncoming motorists......


Xenons fitted on Land Rover/Range Rover/Q7/X5 type vehicles are blinding to oncoming motorists simply because they sit too high on the vehicle. Earlier model A6s seem to be particularly bad too, they always seemed hit and miss as to whether they were aligned properly. 2000 onwards E class mercs were much the same.

One of the A6s my dad owned was dreadfully bad, they were forever blinding oncoming cars.

I just don't think super bright lights are a good idea on cars, yes they're great from behind the steering wheel but are awful for motorists travelling in the opposite direction.

All my personal experience/opinion. I could be wrong of course.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.
 
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Biker

Full Member
Oct 6, 2003
1,593
12
Northumberland
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Xenons fitted on Land Rover/Range Rover/Q7/X5 type vehicles are blinding to oncoming motorists simply because they sit too high on the vehicle. Earlier model A6s seem to be particularly bad too, they always seemed hit and miss as to whether they were aligned properly. 2000 onwards E class mercs were much the same.

One of the A6s my dad owned was dreadfully bad, they were forever blinding oncoming cars.

I just don't think super bright lights are a good idea on cars, yes they're great from behind the steering wheel but are awful for motorists travelling in the opposite direction.

All my personal experience/opinion. I could be wrong of course.


Sent from my piece of shite iPhone - according to Muz.

I think I may have the wrong end of the stick here, please correct me if I have. You are complaining about super bright xenon lights dazzling people, yet you feel it is ok to adjust the LED lights on the Leon higher than the factory spec and potentially dazzling people?
 

gartner

Active Member
Oct 25, 2014
163
0
Do you think these are intentially low due to the Motorway feature which raises the light level above 60mph? Imagine what'll happen if the lights raise on these manually adjusted lights!!! Maybe you can adjust the lights as long as the motorway light feature is disabled.

It makes sense to me as when you're going slower you don't need such distance on this lights, probably because they aren't that powerful.

I do very little driving on the highway, so I don't need that function and I think too that now I have to turn it off if I do go on a highway, I agree:cheers:

Plus I think the lights, if that's the reason, they are set so low, should lift progressivelly depending on the speed. It's really not that good feature if you're only driving 80-100km/h all the time and almost never above. The height of the beam at that speed is the same as at 20km/h which doesn't make any sense.

So if the motorwa lights are acceptable by the factory and blind nobody on the road(it's a factory setting), than I don't know why a little manual raise of the beam wouldn't be.
 

gartner

Active Member
Oct 25, 2014
163
0
The lights are set to a level for a reason, anyone setting them higher than the recommended level is being very inconsiderate to other road users..........

I understand your concern and I also hate people who blind me with ther SUVs, vans, fog lights when there is no fog, with chinese HID retrofits, can't stand'em. I'm on your side with this. That's why I never set the beams the way I dazzle other drivers.

Don't want to argue here, I really don't. Please look at this picture and look as the beam is pointed downwards(not the same degree as factory,but a couple degrees higher), how as you being the driver in opposite/or the same lane, would blind you. Bare in mind that LED doesn't splatter the beam all over the place like halogen(but anyway the same rule applies to both of them). The steering wheel is on the left, we drive on the right side.

feq4gh.jpg
 

dephead2004

Active Member
Aug 3, 2013
918
12
I really value the views on the forum. It is so helpful to everyone. We empower each other by sharing news, hints and tips.

The forum has helpfully discussed many items (additional brake lights with cracks, creaks & rattles in dash and doors, dsg warnings and, in my case, a wrongly assembled bumper!) which are wrong from the factory and not corrected at the dealer at PDI. So undoubtedly headlights, in some cases, will need to be adjusted. That's why the headlights have an adjustment so that it can be adjusted by the factory and the dealer and indie or by someone on the forum if they so wish. Some have applied their own sound deadening, upgraded their sound system and adjusted their headlights.

It doesn't help that the SEAT workshop manual was wrong in identifying the wrong screw but that just proves my point. Stuff happens.

If we cause offence to other drivers then we will be dealt with by the authorities (fail MOT, hauled over by the police etc) and hopefully embarrassed to have been a trouble to another road user

BTW there is also a lever attached to the suspension which takes accounts of bumps in the road and should lower the lights by use of the in built servo motor. This is true of all modern headlights and a requirement for Xenons and LEDs because of their intensity. This is why after market kits dazzle because they don't have this automatic height adjustment.

Let me take this opportunity to thanks the admins and users who keep this the BEST forum for SEATs, informed, bringing comfort to those who are distressed, consumer orientated to raise matters with SEAT UK and, occasionally a source of disagreement.
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,007
693
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Look dude, I don't wanna argue with you about some stupid lights. Yes, I'm an idiot, will that make you shut up now?

Sorry bud, did not know you were from foreign climes, I had checked your profile and nowt there to say, so thought you were from the UK, no offence meant as you obviously are subject to diff rules than us.;);)
 

gartner

Active Member
Oct 25, 2014
163
0
Sorry bud, did not know you were from foreign climes, I had checked your profile and nowt there to say, so thought you were from the UK, no offence meant as you obviously are subject to diff rules than us.;);)

Non taken, glad we sorted it out:cheers: .
 
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