Adaptive head lights

[dirty eddie]

I know the head lights are suppose light up the area in the direction you are turning but I can not tell if the lights are in fact doing it. Do the lights actually turn in the direction you are turning? What triggers the lights to do this, the turn signals ?

 

[scottdk]

I know the head lights are suppose light up the area in the direction you are turning but I can not tell if the lights are in fact doing it. Do the lights actually turn in the direction you are turning? What triggers the lights to do this, the turn signals ?

Turn signals have no relation to the active headlights. It's the momentum of the car. Drive 30mph and give a good jerk left or right, turning the wheel quite a bit and quick turn the wheel back to the straight position and you should notice easily the headlights moving.

Of course for this to be possible, you would need the AFLS buttom on, so the light IS NOT illuminated on the dash and of course the Tech package with the HID's.

 

[danieltoye101@msn.com]

Yeah it was hard to tell at first but they do turn when cornering quickly. Another way to see if when you start the car at night you will notice that the lights swivel or adjust into place depending on the weight in the Genesis during the first 2-3 seconds .

 

[Pahaska]

I love to show friends how the lights swivel vertically when turning on the car. It is really obvious when parked facing a wall.

The effect on curves is almost undetectable, but on sweeping curves, the pool of light is always on the pavement out ahead of the car. I find it is easier to spot deer at night on our winding hill country roads.

 

[QCTLG]

I believe the way it works is when turning left ONLY the left light swivels and when turning right ONLY the right light swivels.

I may be wrong but that's what I noticed.

 

[scottdk]

I believe the way it works is when turning left ONLY the left light swivels and when turning right ONLY the right light swivels.

I may be wrong but that's what I noticed.

Both headlights do swivel

 

[mikec]

The amount the headlights "steer" isn't huge, just a few degrees away from straight-ahead, for normal steering wheel inputs. I too wondered if they were actually doing anything.

Easy way to verify they move:
Find a fairly straight section of road, with little lighting and enough room that you have a little room to maneuver and not worry about kids running out, etc. Drive about 20 MPH down the road and wiggle the wheel back and forth, moving your hand from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock, back and forth. You'll see the lights sortof "jump" as soon as the wheel moves before the car fully responds. Then turn the AFLS button OFF and repeat... now you'll see the headlights always line up with the car.

mike c.

 

[ctrcbob]

They DO swivel, but only when you are moving. You do not have to be going fast. Go slow and you will see them move when going around a corner. The end of my street ends in a "T". I normally stop just before the end, and when I start the turn, (still going very slow) I can see the lights moving. If I stop in the middle of the turn, the lights go back to the straight ahead position. If I then continue in the turn, the lights go back to the turning position. (I would love to see them swivel when the car is not moving, like many Lincolns, but this is not to be).

BTW. the lights swiveling has nothing to do with the lamps going up and down when you first start the car. the lamps go up/down even if you don't have the headlight on. You only see it happen when you start the car with the headlight switch on, or in auto.

 

[ctrcbob]

Need "Up/Down" adjustment advice.

I know where the adjustment "hole" is located, but want to know if a straight edge or phillips head screwdriver is needed. My longest straight edge is is slightly too thick for the bottom hole, and my thinner straight edge is not long enough.

Advise.

 

[ASHDUMP]

NEW QUESTION- Do the lights swivel up and down depending on whether or not you are going up or down a hill?

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[scottdk]

NEW QUESTION- Do the lights swivel up and down depending on whether or not you are going up or down a hill?

Yes The headlights also feature an auto-level feature, which will level the headlights in the situation you mentioned, or if you have passengers in the rear seat that add extra weight bringing the rear of the car down and front end up, the headlight will "adapt" or adjust to the extra load.

 

[crhbobby]

I have never observed the headlights moving like this... I am guessing it is not easily noticed. Have anyone seen them adjust up and down?

Bob

 

[scottdk]

I have never observed the headlights moving like this... I am guessing it is not easily noticed. Have anyone seen them adjust up and down?

Bob

Precisely! On my friends BMW the lights are easier to see them auto level. Good or bad? Who knows

 

[Seattle Genesis]

I have never observed the headlights moving like this... I am guessing it is not easily noticed. Have anyone seen them adjust up and down?

Bob

I see them auto-level every morning in the garage. Its cool.

 

[scottdk]

I see them auto-level every morning in the garage. Its cool.

Spot on!!

 

[GripperDon]

IMO They auto level if the car changes its parallelism to ground. In other words the front end suspension is at a different degree of compression than the set point. This will keep the head lights from shining up into an oncoming drivers eyes or down toward the ground and not illuminating the roadway properly. Going up a hill should not cause the suspension to deflect so as to cause a movement of the head lamp angle and cause an erroneous head lamp angling. IMO

 

[ASHDUMP]

IMO They auto level if the car changes its parallelism to ground. In other words the front end suspension is at a different degree of compression than the set point. This will keep the head lights from shining up into an oncoming drivers eyes or down toward the ground and not illuminating the roadway properly. Going up a hill should not cause the suspension to deflect so as to cause a movement of the head lamp angle and cause an erroneous head lamp angling. IMO

OK - this makes sense. I also see them auto level every time I start the car at night or when parked in the parking garage, but I was wondering if they ever rotated up or down depending on driving conditions.

It appears they do.

 

[HeavyG]

I see the rotation/leveling function everytime I start the car (I usually leave the light switch in auto) and yes, it does look pretty cool. I think it's a little diagnostic check to make sure the lights will rotate/level properly.

I've seen the rotation in action, but not the rotation; I guess either I don't load my car enough to make change level or I just don't notice it.