HID Headlight Pattern
06-26-2004, 10:33 AM
#1
Newbie - Just Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5
HID Headlight Pattern
I've notice on my 04 that the patten that the HID lights through out looks like this:
......____
___/ <---- Rough drawing, but close.
Has anyone else noticed this? Is this normal. Been trying to find out that answer for awhile. One service advisor send it is normal for the HID to run a little high. I every called Nissan and they had no answer for me.
I personally think something is wrong. With the upper part of the beam like that, it blinds everyone that I am driveing behind.
Anyone have any ideas?
......____
___/ <---- Rough drawing, but close.
Has anyone else noticed this? Is this normal. Been trying to find out that answer for awhile. One service advisor send it is normal for the HID to run a little high. I every called Nissan and they had no answer for me.
I personally think something is wrong. With the upper part of the beam like that, it blinds everyone that I am driveing behind.
Anyone have any ideas?
06-26-2004, 11:44 AM
#2
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 217
I think they designed it this way to illuminate the signs on the right side of the road. I have never had a problem when driving in front of my own max (my brother was the first to drive it after I bought it, he drove it home while I drove the rental I had had since my previous car got totaled). I have noticed that people who are oncoming during a right hand curve don't appreciate me much... but if they drive correctly and look at the outer edge of the road and not my headlights it shouldn't bother them either.
06-26-2004, 05:20 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 880
HID's are required to have what the DOT calls "cutoofs" to keep them from blinding oncoming drivers. So, instead of a pattern that just kind of fans out like a halogen or tungsten, they have sharp lines separating the light and dark areas. And the area to the left side is purposely chopped off so it doesn't hit the oncoming driver in the eye. This can be a little hard to get used to, but you will.
If your lights are blinding other drivers, it's not because of the cutoff, it's because they aren't adjusted right. Your dealer should take care of any adjustments.
Mike
If your lights are blinding other drivers, it's not because of the cutoff, it's because they aren't adjusted right. Your dealer should take care of any adjustments.
Mike
06-26-2004, 09:13 PM
#4
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 72
This is completely normal...for more info, check out this site - http://www.hidforum.com/
06-27-2004, 03:57 AM
#5
Originally Posted by Mike_TX
HID's are required to have what the DOT calls "cutoofs" to keep them from blinding oncoming drivers. So, instead of a pattern that just kind of fans out like a halogen or tungsten, they have sharp lines separating the light and dark areas. And the area to the left side is purposely chopped off so it doesn't hit the oncoming driver in the eye.
Mike
Mike
Even though the cut off is below drivers I'm following, and on coming traffic, the HIDs are so bright (gotta love them) that I've been flashed (lights)
the last 3 nights. I just flash my hi's back to show I am using lows. Some people, usually older, just can't stand bright lights and it ****es them off. Just don't look at them!
Look away at the white line. I do when the big trucks are coming at me and lights are eye-level. I think HIDs are less blinding on-coming because of the cut offs. Many halogen lights are aimed too high and are duller but right in your eye.
06-27-2004, 12:59 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
In my experience, all headlight systems of the past forty years or more have the left headlight beam lowered (or cutoff) noticably more than the right beam for two reasons:
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
06-27-2004, 07:19 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 880
Originally Posted by lightonthehill
In my experience, all headlight systems of the past forty years or more have the left headlight beam lowered (or cutoff) noticably more than the right beam for two reasons:
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
I gotta tell you ... the first HID's I got a few years ago really turned me off. I actually looked into getting them changed back to halogens. When I saw the cost, and then again when I got used to them, I learned to enjoy them.
It just takes a little getting used to.
Mike
06-28-2004, 06:50 PM
#9
Newbie - Just Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by Mike_TX
HID's are required to have what the DOT calls "cutoofs" to keep them from blinding oncoming drivers. So, instead of a pattern that just kind of fans out like a halogen or tungsten, they have sharp lines separating the light and dark areas. And the area to the left side is purposely chopped off so it doesn't hit the oncoming driver in the eye. This can be a little hard to get used to, but you will.
If your lights are blinding other drivers, it's not because of the cutoff, it's because they aren't adjusted right. Your dealer should take care of any adjustments.
Mike
If your lights are blinding other drivers, it's not because of the cutoff, it's because they aren't adjusted right. Your dealer should take care of any adjustments.
Mike
Thanks for the input. I think mine are running a little high. I guess its off to the dealer.
06-29-2004, 03:04 PM
#10
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 217
Originally Posted by lightonthehill
In my experience, all headlight systems of the past forty years or more have the left headlight beam lowered (or cutoff) noticably more than the right beam for two reasons:
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
1. - The left beam, being closer to the oncoming lane, is more likely to be in the oncoming driver's face.
2. - When approaching oncoming traffic at night, we are supposed to focus our eyes on the right edge of the road. To better see the right edge, the right beam is not lowered as much as the left beam when lights are dimmed.
Some systems not only lower the beams when dimmed, but redirect the beams slightly more to the right (away from oncoming traffic).
When it comes to hilly/curvy roads, however, all existing dimming systems become meaningless.
I love all of your input on this forum... You are one of the best, if not the best, source of information. But just for my information I was under the impression that the headlight beams cross each other on all cars. So the left light actually points a little right, and the right light points a hair left. So doesn't it make since that the right light would be cut lower, and appear it is actually the left being cut?
And for non HID owning people, the HIDs are both cut like that. On my car neither light is really aimed higher than the other. The light's cover that flips up when you goto high beams have the cut.
06-29-2004, 08:59 PM
#11
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 72
Originally Posted by ethorn
I love all of your input on this forum... You are one of the best, if not the best, source of information. But just for my information I was under the impression that the headlight beams cross each other on all cars. So the left light actually points a little right, and the right light points a hair left. So doesn't it make since that the right light would be cut lower, and appear it is actually the left being cut?
And for non HID owning people, the HIDs are both cut like that. On my car neither light is really aimed higher than the other. The light's cover that flips up when you goto high beams have the cut.
And for non HID owning people, the HIDs are both cut like that. On my car neither light is really aimed higher than the other. The light's cover that flips up when you goto high beams have the cut.
They do intersect or at least they're supposed to...however, the passenger side should not point to the left or drivers side, it points straight and the drivers side points towards the right...
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