What does the TL do for it's Flash to pass feature. YOu know the quick hi-beam flash. Every other car that I have experinced with BiXenons, still has a regular hibeam halogen bulb next to the Bi-xenon that is used for the flash to pass, b/c the flap on the xenon bulb can move quick enough. At first I thought mayb the fog had a dual fillament bulb, one for fog and one for flash but people have stated it's a 9006 bulb which to my knowledge is a single fillament bulb. Anyone know? Haven't got a TL yet, so can't check.

 

The flash to pass is just the high beam on the bi xenon. It is not tied to the fogs.

 

Usually flashing is flashing high beams.. whatever kind of headlights it is.

DO you drive with Fogs ona ll the time or off unless its really foggy?

 

IIRC, when I tested that feature at the dealer it was with the lights already on, so of course the bi-xenons moved up.

I am curious, however, as to what will happen if you flash the brights when the lights are off. AFAIK, xenons don't like to be turned on and off quickly, which is why some cars use a halogen bulb for flashing. If the lights are off, I think the flash may use the fogs, not the xenons, but I don't know for sure, since I haven't taken delivery yet.

 

I was wondering too. I'm sure SOMEBODY could VERY EASILY test this.

 

An excellent question. I have a SSM 6MT here in Canada. Since we have daytime running lights on all the time, I wonder if they flash when I hit the highbeams to signal passing when the xenon's are not turned on. I'll check it out tonight.

 

Flash to pass is done entirely with the xenon HID. The fog lights only come on with the switch. If your fog lights are on and you flash to pass the fog lights momentarily shut off while the high beam is activated....


Hope this helps..

 

My understanding is that there is one "bulb" or "filament" behind the 70 MM lens. But there is a mechanical function for switching from lo to hi beam(s).

From Valeo regarding their "Bi-Xenon" headlamps.
Valeo developed power-efficient Bi-Xenon technology to fulfill this demand for Xenon low and mainbeam
functions that offers brighter and wider road illumination compared to conventional halogen
systems.

An actuator in each headlamp unit adjusts the position of a complex shape reflector – which when
raised produces main-beam, and when lowered provides low-beam."





Some of the really high end rides. Like the Porsches, including Cayenne, BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class, Lambo Murcielago and so on. Use a Hella design, that also features auto-leveling. The headlights will stay level (working within milliseconds) to compensate for load (your 300 LB date, in the passenger seat ) Squat during breaking, lift during hard acceleration. No matter what that front end does with regards to the horizon, those headlights stay aimed at the preset level.

 

So the HID high beams do turn on when the headlights are off and you are flashing??

--Chad

 

Yes.

 

They don't so much turn on, as a "set of mirrors, or reflectors, if you will" rotate and split a portion the beam higher. As I understand it.

 

oh..thanks.

--Chad

 

Chad said "when the headlights are off and you are flashing". The answer is Yes, they do turn on if they are off. Really. I'm positive. I checked not more than 10 minutes ago. (That's one feature you don't want to over-use.)

 

thanks again DNA,

I don't let that many people take the left in front of me anyways! haha!


-Chad

 

I wonder why Acura did it that way....it's not good for the Xenons is someone rapidly flashes somone a couple times. Everyone else uses a regular halogen for that function. Oh well

 

Why is it not good for the Xenons?

 

My understanding is that the xenons are like flourescent lights in that they emit light from a gas that is excited by a charge of some sort. Apparently, the device that exictes the xenons (whose technical terms escapes me at the moment) doesn't like to be turned on and off quickly, and may become damaged if that is done. It may be more of an efficiency thing, as you may have heard people talk about leaving flourescent lights on rather than turning them off and on, since much more energy is used turning them on that running them once they are on. Kind of like starting your car or powering up your laptop. Your car can idle for a day or two on a tank of gas, and your laptop will conserve the batteries if you boot up, then sleep it until you need it, rather than leaving it off and booting up off the batteries.

 

How about not hitting your lights and I will get over for you. That is if your not up my ass either!

 

I agree

I don't flash and don't like being flashed. People need to just be considerate and smart about how they drive.

Flashing people in certain cities get you killed anyway.

Mike

 

Flashing is the correct thing to do and nobody should be offended if it happens to them.

Tailgating is very unsafe, but seems to be the preferred method in the USA.

Granted, a little patience goes a long way, but "Slower Traffic Keep Right" is not a suggestion, its the law.

 

I don't know where it was stated flashing is the correct thing to do...

However, if I am getting on a highway, someone should le tme in the way I would for someone... same when I see someones blinker on to change lanes.

No need for any other indication.

Please note that older cars did NOT HAVE a flash feature for the brights.

Mike

 

In what book did you get this from. When I'm behind 3 other cars and grandma is in the front scared to pass a semi and your stupid ass comes up behind me flashin your lights and ridin my ass, your lookin for trouble. Where in the hell am I gonna go, except slam the brakes and them your lights just won't work at all. Have I done this - No, would I - No. But some day it will from someone else.

 

Let's see if this helps.

http://www.tardsite.com/flpspoll.htm

 

OK OK, here come the flash police. Look, I have never had to flash my damn lights to get someone out of the way. Look at my driving record, I've had 2 tickets 100 miles apart within an hour going 85 in a 65 and 92 in a 65. But I didn't have to flash anyone, they just saw me comin and got over. And if they didn't, I went around to the right. I just don't think your proving anything to the person your doing it to.

 

The bulbs are High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs filled with Xenon Gas.

They are like street lights, either the high pressure sodium (pink light) or the metal hallide type (blue white) and are similar to fluorescents, but not quite the same because the light is created by an arc, simmilar to a welders arc.

In the past, HID lights could not start fast, and took several minutes to come up to full brightness, but there have been advances in technology and now there are fast start HID's and also fast restart HID ballasts (in the past, HID lights did not like to be turned off then on and took over 5 minutes to restart).

True, HID lamps last longer if left on, and shorter if turned on repeatedly, however, the life on these are so long, it will not be noticed.

 

The problem with polls are that the choice predispose the answers. For example, there was not choice for "oh, there's another a-hole behind me". But seriously, I have no problem with someone flashing me when I'm in the wrong. I usually use the left lane only to pass, but sometimes, when I'm passing 90% of the traffic I tend to hang in the left lane and forget that there are a few people who think they are better driver's than I am, especially when I am on cruise and get next to that idiot who keeps slowing down when I am behind him and speeding up when I am next to him. A quick flash there is a polite reminder.

OTOH, when I am in heavy traffic, slowing passing the guy next to me, stuck behind a line of folks and there is no where to go, the flash to pass is just an announcement that there is an impatient idiot behind me who thinks he owns the left lane.

But I agree, flashing is still preferrable to tailgating. The problem, of course, is that most of those who flash in the second situation I described, are also horrible tailgaters.

 

Since I don't stay in the fast lane when I'm not passing cars, if a car comes up behind me and flashes his brights I have three choices:[list=1][*]Speed up, which isn't always possible since there are often cars right in front of me. Or I'm already going as fast as I feel comfortable driving. I'm not interested in getting a reckless driving ticket just to please the guy behind me.[*]Slow down so I can move over behind the car to my right. This of course, puts the driver behind me in an advanced stage of road rage. Usually he'll defeat my intentions by passing me on the right just as I'm able to move over.[*]Ignore the guy behind me. I can't do anything about it.[/list=1]
If it is possible for me to pull over, I do so immediately. But the vast majority of drivers flash their lights at me when I'm blocked and can't move right. What do they expect me to do, evaporate? My opinion is that drivers who flash their lights at me to pass are jerks who think no one but them should ever be in the fast lane.

 

The point of flashing the brights is so you don't have to ride someone's tail. Doing both is not what I advocated. I am talking about a polite flash when someone is in the left lane for no reason and has the ability to move over. Your 'straw man' argument about some grandmother is meritless.

I am not advocating aggressive driving on the highways. That is what racetracks are for. If somebody is going too slow in the left lane, it is not inappropriate to flash the brights to let them know you would like to get by them, rather than passing on the right or tailgating, which are illegal in some circumstances.

You don't need to call me a stupid ass to make a point, do you? And if so, what does that make you?

Seems like a lot of emotion for such a relatively benign subject.

As for the book, check your local statutes governing the rules of the road. In Wisconsin, 346.05 provides that vehicles are to be driven on the right side of the roadway unless one of the exceptions apply. The statutes advocate the use of a horn to pass, as opposed to brights. 346.07(3) states:

". . . the operator of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible signal and shall not increase the speed of the vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle."

I think a flash of the lights is better than giving them the horn, but that is a personal preference. I never stated it was 'the law' or in 'the book'.

BTW, I don't know where you got your law degree, or how much experience you have as a prosecutor of traffic offenses, but you probably don't want to engage me on these issues.

 

I'll be a nicer guy this time.
Oh, please forgive me Sir, I must be a dumbass since I don't have a law degree. Your right, this is a benign subject, forget my opinions and I'll forget yours.

Laws are made by humans who not perfect, but I do like breaking them

 

I agree flashing to pass is annoying.....the only time I flash, is when I see someone driving down the street at night and don't have their lights on. So I flash them to signal to them that their lights aren't on.