Headlights supposed to be out of alignment?
12-05-2004, 07:22 PM
#1
Cruisin'
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Headlights supposed to be out of alignment?
I had noticed that my '04 tl headlights were out of alignment. When aimed on a wall, you can see that the driver's side light is considerably lower than the passenger's side. I went to the acura dealership and asked them to fix it. The guy told me that this was normal, and it is supposed to be like this so that you don't blind drivers. He even went on to say that even bmw and mercedes do this with their xenon headlights. can anyone verify the validity of this statement?
12-05-2004, 08:36 PM
#7
Ex-Acura Service Manager
Yup-It's normal. Acura has been doing this on projector headlamps since the 1994 Integra. There is in fact a picture of what it should look like in the Integra service manual, I'd assume there is one in TL manual as well, but can't vouch for it.
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12-05-2004, 09:22 PM
#9
Moderator Alumnus
Originally Posted by Mindworm
Levelling them would = tickets from many an angry cop....they're supposed to be like that!
Even though we're not doing anything with it, some :cop: may think it's illegal.
While 3G TL was still very new in the beginning of the year, not many ppl know this car, one of our members got pulled-over... here is the story...
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/matrix-trailer-69518/
12-06-2004, 12:09 PM
#10
an Acura has-been
Actually they are impossible to level, the strange pattern is part of each headlight
so each one has the following pattern
. ..............------
.............../
---------/
You can see each has the pattern by blocking one head light (with a garbage can, etc) and parked in front of the wall (you will see that each has that pattern).
This is a european pattern that most cars in the USA have picked up from the old H4 bulb designs in europe (these date back to late 70's for hallogen bulbs, where Europe allowed the bulbs to be replacable (even in the old round and rectangular head lights) where the USA DOT did not allow the bulb to be replacable, only the whole housing (ie sealed beam), until Lincoln introduced the first replaceable bulb only headlight on the Lincoln Continental (talk about a long time ago).
The whole reason for the angled pattern is not to blind oncomming drivers, but still light up the road signs on the side of the road (very common in Europe to only have the signs on the side).
Only problem is this set up does not light overhead signs that are common in the USA (for areas that do not have them pre-lit).
This system creates a sharp cut off via the reflector and is what causes other drivers to think we flash them our high beams (as the car goes over a bump, the headlight tilt up, putting the other car into the direct beam of the headlight. The complaint that Consumer reports has about these types of lights.
Funny story is that I was talking the the head of the automotive division of consumer reports (about 10 plus years ago or so) and I asked him about this euro pattern, he said he liked it as it had more light on the road in front of the car, but when I told him that it did not light the overhead signs, and what their desing was for, he said your right, I did not think of that. I guess they have re-thought the whole headlight issue since then.
I had long ago swaped out my rectangular headlights for the H4 equivalent from Hella in an 84 Supra and put 70W low beams and 100W highs, it had the same pattern with hallogen bulbs, and that is the way it has been in europe forever (or just about). Those were great hallogen headlights!
At least our cars have European compliant headlights, even though they are not sold there!
so each one has the following pattern
. ..............------
.............../
---------/
You can see each has the pattern by blocking one head light (with a garbage can, etc) and parked in front of the wall (you will see that each has that pattern).
This is a european pattern that most cars in the USA have picked up from the old H4 bulb designs in europe (these date back to late 70's for hallogen bulbs, where Europe allowed the bulbs to be replacable (even in the old round and rectangular head lights) where the USA DOT did not allow the bulb to be replacable, only the whole housing (ie sealed beam), until Lincoln introduced the first replaceable bulb only headlight on the Lincoln Continental (talk about a long time ago).
The whole reason for the angled pattern is not to blind oncomming drivers, but still light up the road signs on the side of the road (very common in Europe to only have the signs on the side).
Only problem is this set up does not light overhead signs that are common in the USA (for areas that do not have them pre-lit).
This system creates a sharp cut off via the reflector and is what causes other drivers to think we flash them our high beams (as the car goes over a bump, the headlight tilt up, putting the other car into the direct beam of the headlight. The complaint that Consumer reports has about these types of lights.
Funny story is that I was talking the the head of the automotive division of consumer reports (about 10 plus years ago or so) and I asked him about this euro pattern, he said he liked it as it had more light on the road in front of the car, but when I told him that it did not light the overhead signs, and what their desing was for, he said your right, I did not think of that. I guess they have re-thought the whole headlight issue since then.
I had long ago swaped out my rectangular headlights for the H4 equivalent from Hella in an 84 Supra and put 70W low beams and 100W highs, it had the same pattern with hallogen bulbs, and that is the way it has been in europe forever (or just about). Those were great hallogen headlights!
At least our cars have European compliant headlights, even though they are not sold there!
12-06-2004, 04:57 PM
#12
Gratis dictum
Originally Posted by need4spd
Actually they are impossible to level, the strange pattern is part of each headlight
so each one has the following pattern
. ..............------
.............../
---------/
You can see each has the pattern by blocking one head light (with a garbage can, etc) and parked in front of the wall (you will see that each has that pattern).
This is a european pattern that most cars in the USA have picked up from the old H4 bulb designs in europe (these date back to late 70's for hallogen bulbs, where Europe allowed the bulbs to be replacable (even in the old round and rectangular head lights) where the USA DOT did not allow the bulb to be replacable, only the whole housing (ie sealed beam), until Lincoln introduced the first replaceable bulb only headlight on the Lincoln Continental (talk about a long time ago).
The whole reason for the angled pattern is not to blind oncomming drivers, but still light up the road signs on the side of the road (very common in Europe to only have the signs on the side).
Only problem is this set up does not light overhead signs that are common in the USA (for areas that do not have them pre-lit).
This system creates a sharp cut off via the reflector and is what causes other drivers to think we flash them our high beams (as the car goes over a bump, the headlight tilt up, putting the other car into the direct beam of the headlight. The complaint that Consumer reports has about these types of lights.
Funny story is that I was talking the the head of the automotive division of consumer reports (about 10 plus years ago or so) and I asked him about this euro pattern, he said he liked it as it had more light on the road in front of the car, but when I told him that it did not light the overhead signs, and what their desing was for, he said your right, I did not think of that. I guess they have re-thought the whole headlight issue since then.
I had long ago swaped out my rectangular headlights for the H4 equivalent from Hella in an 84 Supra and put 70W low beams and 100W highs, it had the same pattern with hallogen bulbs, and that is the way it has been in europe forever (or just about). Those were great hallogen headlights!
At least our cars have European compliant headlights, even though they are not sold there!
so each one has the following pattern
. ..............------
.............../
---------/
You can see each has the pattern by blocking one head light (with a garbage can, etc) and parked in front of the wall (you will see that each has that pattern).
This is a european pattern that most cars in the USA have picked up from the old H4 bulb designs in europe (these date back to late 70's for hallogen bulbs, where Europe allowed the bulbs to be replacable (even in the old round and rectangular head lights) where the USA DOT did not allow the bulb to be replacable, only the whole housing (ie sealed beam), until Lincoln introduced the first replaceable bulb only headlight on the Lincoln Continental (talk about a long time ago).
The whole reason for the angled pattern is not to blind oncomming drivers, but still light up the road signs on the side of the road (very common in Europe to only have the signs on the side).
Only problem is this set up does not light overhead signs that are common in the USA (for areas that do not have them pre-lit).
This system creates a sharp cut off via the reflector and is what causes other drivers to think we flash them our high beams (as the car goes over a bump, the headlight tilt up, putting the other car into the direct beam of the headlight. The complaint that Consumer reports has about these types of lights.
Funny story is that I was talking the the head of the automotive division of consumer reports (about 10 plus years ago or so) and I asked him about this euro pattern, he said he liked it as it had more light on the road in front of the car, but when I told him that it did not light the overhead signs, and what their desing was for, he said your right, I did not think of that. I guess they have re-thought the whole headlight issue since then.
I had long ago swaped out my rectangular headlights for the H4 equivalent from Hella in an 84 Supra and put 70W low beams and 100W highs, it had the same pattern with hallogen bulbs, and that is the way it has been in europe forever (or just about). Those were great hallogen headlights!
At least our cars have European compliant headlights, even though they are not sold there!
12-06-2004, 09:52 PM
#13
an Acura has-been
Originally Posted by Repecat
I didn't think our cars headlights were European compliant, because they are not equipped with the self-leveling mechanism.
12-07-2004, 02:55 PM
#14
Burning Brakes
if you want to verify the fact.. look at the 2 ridges in the steps of the light pattern when you are on the highway.. it's almost DEAD on with the line to your right, and the line to your left on both sides of your car.. to the left, the ridge steps down nearly exactly on the next painted line. I was kinda amazed. And on the right it steps up on the side of the road (if yer in the right lane).
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