Headlights on 2010 Audi S4 Too Bright?

[Phantom S5]

Ever since I received my 2010 Audi S4 and have driven around at night, I get high beamed by at least 10 different people. The headlights seem to aim a little high. I wonder if this is only me or anybody else with the S4.

[Ynnekdude]

Ever since I received my 2010 Audi S4 and have driven around at night, I get high beamed by at least 10 different people. The headlights seem to aim a little high. I wonder if this is only me or anybody else with the S4.

I have a 2009 A6 and I get the same problem...I think with the LED's combined with the headlights people assume you've got your brights on.

[TonyD]

Bright them back. Show them what's up.

[Phantom S5]

I have a 2009 A6 and I get the same problem...I think with the LED's combined with the headlights people assume you've got your brights on.

Yea, that could possibly be it. I'm going to turn teh LED's off tonight and see if I get the problem. I'm not sure tho, it seems like the headlights don't aim at an angle, but straight which on every little hill causes the other driver to see extremely bright lights in his eyes, so they think its the highbeams but it isn't.


Bright them back. Show them what's up.

I bright people back all the time, they usually bright back, some people hold them on, so I do the same. I'm just afraid a cop will think I have my high beams on and pull me over. I rather not have the hassle.

[HobbesA5]

I'm not sure tho, it seems like the headlights don't aim at an angle, but straight which on every little hill causes the other driver to see extremely bright lights in his eyes, so they think its the highbeams but it isn't.

The headlights should be self-leveling, so they will aim downwards as you are going over the hill so as to not blind other drivers. Perhaps yours aren't working properly.

[ItzDarrellS4]

Bright them back. Show them what's up.

yep. i get high beam flashed in my B6 all the time. if someone does it once or twice, okay... they keep doing it, i blind them right back. they self level pretty good, i check them on the garage regularly.. some people still arent used to HID's

[SebGood]

Ever since I received my 2010 Audi S4 and have driven around at night, I get high beamed by at least 10 different people. The headlights seem to aim a little high. I wonder if this is only me or anybody else with the S4.

Yeah, another Audi owner stopped me in the grocery store yesterday and said I blinded him when I was driving behind him.

[audi_noob]

Bright them back. Show them what's up.

Particularly the ones who flash their brights when they have one or both of their headlights installed upside down. Funny how they act like YOUR the idiot.

[ranch]

The headlights should be self-leveling, so they will aim downwards as you are going over the hill so as to not blind other drivers. Perhaps yours aren't working properly.

Huh. I always thought the self leveling was to counteract the load in the car. So if you put a bunch of crap in the boot, the front of the car would be aimed higher and the headlights would level back down to counter that.

[AeroSmith]

Man, I've been getting flashed so much when I drive my 335i 'vert that I've started using the parking lights and fog lights only while driving around town at night.

I never get flashed in the S8 which has a ring of LEDs right next to the self leveling xenons.

[HobbesA5]

Huh. I always thought the self leveling was to counteract the load in the car. So if you put a bunch of crap in the boot, the front of the car would be aimed higher and the headlights would level back down to counter that.

Nope, it should be working constantly to keep the lights from blinding other drivers. It's more about adapting to road conditions than car loading.

[Phantom S5]

Well when I drive, I notice my lights don't adjust when I'm going uphill or downhill. They stay straight, and seem to aim a bit high. I'm not sure why I have this problem. I'm going to call the dealership tomorrow and see what they say.

[Blake P]

Apparently, it's very easy to adjust them, though I haven't done mine yet. Check out this thread... http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310536

[Ryan_T]

My adaptive lights stutter up and down. I keep worrying that people around me thinks I'm messing around with my highbeams.

[A4natomical]

Nope, it should be working constantly to keep the lights from blinding other drivers. It's more about adapting to road conditions than car loading.

auto leveling headlights do not work this way. You adjust them on a LEVEL surface, then the leveling sensors on the control arms (front and rear) detect wheel position and aim up or down accordingly from where the headlights were INITIALLY aimed. Then once the wheels become balanced in height (flat surface), the headlights return to where they were first aimed.

[HobbesA5]

auto leveling headlights do not work this way. You adjust them on a LEVEL surface, then the leveling sensors on the control arms (front and rear) detect wheel position and aim up or down accordingly from where the headlights were INITIALLY aimed. Then once the wheels become balanced in height (flat surface), the headlights return to where they were first aimed.

How is that different from what I was saying? The OP thought they set themselves according to vehicle load and then didn't move during driving. I said they do move up and down while driving based on road conditions.

[Phantom S5]

Apparently, it's very easy to adjust them, though I haven't done mine yet. Check out this thread... http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310536

Thank you. I figured it out right away. They were definitely aimed a bit too high because when I looked at them against my garage door on flat surface, they were aiming higher than the car. This might be why I get high beamed. I'm going to lower the headlights and see if I still get high beamed tonight.

[akasch]

Weird I thought my dads weren't bright at all. They seem more aimed at the ground then on my b7 a4

[whartung]

Well when I drive, I notice my lights don't adjust when I'm going uphill or downhill. They stay straight, and seem to aim a bit high. I'm not sure why I have this problem. I'm going to call the dealership tomorrow and see what they say.

auto leveling headlights dont adjust height going up and down hills. its more for things like speed bumps and pot holes. when an hid car hits one of these, they flash upwards into oncoming traffic. the autoleveling is meant to reduce this blinding affect, which is why i believe they are legally required on production hid lights.

correction: only required outside of the north america, despite being common here.


Glare

Vehicles equipped with HID headlamps are required by ECE regulation 48 also to be equipped with headlamp lens cleaning systems and automatic beam levelling control. Both of these measures are intended to reduce the tendency for high-output headlamps to cause high levels of glare to other road users. In North America, ECE R48 does not apply and while lens cleaners and beam levellers are permitted, they are not required;[31] HID headlamps are markedly less prevalent in the US, where they have produced significant glare complaints.[32] Scientific study of headlamp glare has shown that for any given intensity level, the light from HID headlamps is 40% more glaring than the light from tungsten-halogen headlamps.[33]

[Phantom S5]

auto leveling headlights dont adjust height going up and down hills. its more for things like speed bumps and pot holes. when an hid car hits one of these, they flash upwards into oncoming traffic. the autoleveling is meant to reduce this blinding affect, which is why i believe they are legally required on production hid lights.

correction: only required outside of the north america, despite being common here.

Thanks for the clear explanation.

My headlights were aimed twice as high as other cars when I checked using the same distance on a flat level surface. I lowered the headlights to match the other car and it was successful. I no longer get high beamed. Thanks for the help.