Headlights on dipped giving out no light

[smokedmackerel]

My V50 2004 2.4SE has problems with the dipped beam and literally has no light beam coming from he headlights on both sides .
The main beam is fine and I've taken out both of the headlights and cleaned the lenses and also cleaned the outside s of the headlights to no avail ,when I've changed the height of the lights going up and down it's made no difference to the light at all ,anybody had the same problem as I don't really want to drive once it's dark as I can't see very much ,I might as well use the main beam but have to dip as soon as I'm blinding other cars coming the other way please can anyone help

[StatusRed]

Try LEDs..

[Clan]

Originally Posted by smokedmackerel

My V50 2004 2.4SE has problems with the dipped beam and literally has no light beam coming from he headlights on both sides .
The main beam is fine and I've taken out both of the headlights and cleaned the lenses and also cleaned the outside s of the headlights to no avail ,when I've changed the height of the lights going up and down it's made no difference to the light at all ,anybody had the same problem as I don't really want to drive once it's dark as I can't see very much ,I might as well use the main beam but have to dip as soon as I'm blinding other cars coming the other way please can anyone help

you will probably find the headlamp reflectors tarnished at the top which is the very part of the reflector used for dip beam...

[Clan]

Originally Posted by StatusRed

Try LEDs..

Illegal ...


from MOT Tester's Manual

"Existing halogen headlamp units on vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986 must not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp for light source and lamp not compatible."

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by Clan

Illegal ...


from MOT Tester's Manual

"Existing halogen headlamp units on vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986 must not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp for light source and lamp not compatible."

As said before, I value being able to see properly more. Passed multiple MoTs now no problem.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by StatusRed

As said before, I value being able to see properly more. Passed multiple MoTs now no problem.

you need to start with perfect reflectors what ever you do ....

[Lancee]

Originally Posted by StatusRed

As said before, I value being able to see properly more. Passed multiple MoTs now no problem.

Choosing my words carefully, I think it may fundamentally be the case that the new LED headlights now increasingly dazzle other, oncoming drivers. Even the LED lights on new cars seem to be troublesome to many in this regard. Myself, my partner and our friends and colleagues have at different times mentioned the issue, that is one of being increasingly dazzled by "the new" lights, more so at night.

I dangerously assume that non OE retrofitted LED "lamps" are quite likely to dazzle oncoming drivers, perhaps even more so than the manufacturer designed OE ones fitted to new cars from the showroom.

You may be able to see that pothole, oncoming drivers when dazzled may not, although they may miss it by virtue of planting themselves in the hedge, or otherwise !

[Lucien]

Are these xenon, or halogen bulbs? I managed to fit the wrong type of xenon bulb to an XC90 and the dipped beams went incredibly dim. I had fitted projector bulbs instead of the bi-xenon.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by smokedmackerel

My V50 2004 2.4SE has problems with the dipped beam and literally has no light beam coming from he headlights on both sides .
The main beam is fine and I've taken out both of the headlights and cleaned the lenses and also cleaned the outside s of the headlights to no avail ,when I've changed the height of the lights going up and down it's made no difference to the light at all ,anybody had the same problem as I don't really want to drive once it's dark as I can't see very much ,I might as well use the main beam but have to dip as soon as I'm blinding other cars coming the other way please can anyone help

Putting all "legal/no legal" stuff aside - can you please clarify what you wrote? by "literally no beam from headlight" I would understand that your dipped bulbs (H7) dont light up at all? or you mean that light output is so cr*p that it may as well dont work?
honestly thought the first option but then started reading comments and not sure now...
edit - considering it was coloquial and your bulbs actually DO light up, take picture of beam pattern in front of the wall. Its possible you have them inserted wrong and the beam is all over the place or that your reflector inside projector is so worn out that it simply doesnt reflect anything.
your beam pattern should be clearly \__\___ or the other way round for LHD.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by Lancee

Choosing my words carefully, I think it may fundamentally be the case that the new LED headlights now increasingly dazzle other, oncoming drivers. Even the LED lights on new cars seem to be troublesome to many in this regard. Myself, my partner and our friends and colleagues have at different times mentioned the issue, that is one of being increasingly dazzled by "the new" lights, more so at night.

I dangerously assume that non OE retrofitted LED "lamps" are quite likely to dazzle oncoming drivers, perhaps even more so than the manufacturer designed OE ones fitted to new cars from the showroom.

You may be able to see that pothole, oncoming drivers when dazzled may not, although they may miss it by virtue of planting themselves in the hedge, or otherwise !

This is why you invest in the correct bulbs that have been shown to work well in our units..