Proper headlight "throw" distance
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
Proper headlight "throw" distance
I've done some searching on this issue, and apparently there is a belief that MB headlights don't "throw" light as far as most cars do. Even if that's true, I think I've got a problem with my low beams. There is basically no light being projected at all past about 1 to 1.5 car lengths in front of me. I hadn't really noticed it until recently because 95% of my driving is in the city (with plenty of street lights). My high beams seem to work fine when I switch to them, and I haven't gotten any error messages.
Is there something in particular that could be causing this? Could it possibly be normal? Do I need to manually adjust the lights (with the screw at the back of the housing)?
Is there something in particular that could be causing this? Could it possibly be normal? Do I need to manually adjust the lights (with the screw at the back of the housing)?
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
I've done some searching on this issue, and apparently there is a belief that MB headlights don't "throw" light as far as most cars do. Even if that's true, I think I've got a problem with my low beams. There is basically no light being projected at all past about 1 to 1.5 car lengths in front of me. I hadn't really noticed it until recently because 95% of my driving is in the city (with plenty of street lights). My high beams seem to work fine when I switch to them, and I haven't gotten any error messages.
Is there something in particular that could be causing this? Could it possibly be normal? Do I need to manually adjust the lights (with the screw at the back of the housing)?
Is there something in particular that could be causing this? Could it possibly be normal? Do I need to manually adjust the lights (with the screw at the back of the housing)?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
Yeah, it did. I haven't messed with lights at all (other than to install new city light bulbs, and this problem was there before I did that anyway). I bought it used, and there was one owner before me, but it doesn't look like the lights have been replaced or changed in any way.
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
Yeah, it did. I haven't messed with lights at all (other than to install new city light bulbs, and this problem was there before I did that anyway). I bought it used, and there was one owner before me, but it doesn't look like the lights have been replaced or changed in any way.
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
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Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18,677
Likes: 9
From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
Yeah, it did. I haven't messed with lights at all (other than to install new city light bulbs, and this problem was there before I did that anyway). I bought it used, and there was one owner before me, but it doesn't look like the lights have been replaced or changed in any way.
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
I don't know enough about the mechanics of how they work, but is there something that could be wrong/off about them that wouldn't be triggering an error message? They "work" in that they give off some light--it just stops almost completely a little over a car length in front of my bumper. On a dark road I literally can't see anything more than a couple car lengths ahead (unless I switch to high beams, of course).
To test this, manually turn on your low beams before you crank the car. Then start the car and watch the lights. They should dip down and then raise up to where they should be. If they don't come back up (or go down), you have a problem.
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Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
Your auto-leveling is broken or needs to be reset. Take it to the dealer it's no big deal.
To test this, manually turn on your low beams before you crank the car. Then start the car and watch the lights. They should dip down and then raise up to where they should be. If they don't come back up (or go down), you have a problem.
To test this, manually turn on your low beams before you crank the car. Then start the car and watch the lights. They should dip down and then raise up to where they should be. If they don't come back up (or go down), you have a problem.
Thanks for the (probable) diagnosis.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
Wonderful...I'm out of warranty. Does anyone know if this is something still covered under the CPO? Any idea how much a (1) reset or (2) fixing it (if a reset doesn't do the trick) will set me back? Is "resetting" it something I can do myself?
Thanks for the (probable) diagnosis.
Thanks for the (probable) diagnosis.
If that's not it, it's the sensor on the sway bar, not sure how much that costs.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 49
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From: Florida
2007 Mercedes-Benz C230 8K HID's Low Beam & Fog Lights
Yeah i had the same problem here, they were way too low. After i installed my HID's i adjusted the lights by putting my car and my brothers car (GLI BIX) side by side and that's how i did it and now i can see so much better.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
Your auto-leveling is broken or needs to be reset. Take it to the dealer it's no big deal.
To test this, manually turn on your low beams before you crank the car. Then start the car and watch the lights. They should dip down and then raise up to where they should be. If they don't come back up (or go down), you have a problem.
To test this, manually turn on your low beams before you crank the car. Then start the car and watch the lights. They should dip down and then raise up to where they should be. If they don't come back up (or go down), you have a problem.
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
I gave this a shot and they initially went down a little, but when they tried to come back up they vibrated a little and didn't come up much if at all. Almost like a gear or something was slipping. Will adjusting them manually make a difference? Or do you think that something is off or broken internally that won't allow them to level automatically no matter how much I do a manual adjustment?
MBworld Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
Your second statement is correct. There is something wrong with the motors, or the connection from the motor to the projector is screwed up. Manual adjustment may get them up high enough to get them to output good light, but that is just a bandaid. I would try to get the dealer to fix them under the CPO.
the auto-leveling levels the assembly inside the housing. The leveling of the main projector housing and leveling on the angle of the pattern is two separate mechanism.
his headlights are working properly. If the auto leveling sensor at either the front or the rear is not connected the head light would aim down and you wouldn't even be able to see past 5 ft in front of the car.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
that's actually false.
the auto-leveling levels the assembly inside the housing. The leveling of the main projector housing and leveling on the angle of the pattern is two separate mechanism.
his headlights are working properly. If the auto leveling sensor at either the front or the rear is not connected the head light would aim down and you wouldn't even be able to see past 5 ft in front of the car.
the auto-leveling levels the assembly inside the housing. The leveling of the main projector housing and leveling on the angle of the pattern is two separate mechanism.
his headlights are working properly. If the auto leveling sensor at either the front or the rear is not connected the head light would aim down and you wouldn't even be able to see past 5 ft in front of the car.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
I agree that it's probably not a sensor issue, because the light is being projected further than 5 ft. I'm still not convinced that it's simply a manual adjustment issue, though, because it's clear that they are trying to move (come up, I believe), but they aren't actually getting to where they want to go. Likely due to an internal problem with the motor. I'll probably just have to take it to the dealer to get a definitive diagnosis (and hopefully cheap, like free, fix).
When the shutters don't rise from there lowest setting it's terrible. You can see where you are going on high beam and all of a sudden you dip & can only see a few yards in front of the car
- Good luck
ps manually adjusting the lights is not the answer - now you are going to have to have them realigned anyway.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Nov 25, 2008 at 05:17 PM.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18,677
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From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
Your low beam auto leveling shutters are not rising. Had the same issue with my car when when they changed the castor bushes & forgot to reconnect the front auto leveling sensor to the sway bar. Bix auto leveling system = front level sensor, rear squat sensor, yaw sensor which is part of the ESP & microprocessor. Take it to the dealer & get it plugged to the STAR with the headlight set up unit also connected to the star. That will tell you where the problem lies, - Shutter motor, sensors etc.. They can reset, replace a sensor or whatever & recalibrate the shutters to spec.
When the shutters don't rise from there lowest setting it's terrible. You can see where you are going on high beam and all of a sudden you dip & can only see a few yards in front of the car - Good luck
ps manually adjusting the lights is not the answer - now you are going to have to have them realigned anyway.
When the shutters don't rise from there lowest setting it's terrible. You can see where you are going on high beam and all of a sudden you dip & can only see a few yards in front of the car
- Good luckps manually adjusting the lights is not the answer - now you are going to have to have them realigned anyway.
There are manual adjustments on the OEM BIX but the levelling is also set in the software via the Star computer.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
BTW - to Benzben. Sometimes when the shutters stick down if you disconnect the sensor arms and cycle the sensors through their full range & reconnect them it sorts out the problem. This needs to be done with everything powered up.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,403
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
that's actually false.
the auto-leveling levels the assembly inside the housing. The leveling of the main projector housing and leveling on the angle of the pattern is two separate mechanism.
his headlights are working properly. If the auto leveling sensor at either the front or the rear is not connected the head light would aim down and you wouldn't even be able to see past 5 ft in front of the car.
the auto-leveling levels the assembly inside the housing. The leveling of the main projector housing and leveling on the angle of the pattern is two separate mechanism.
his headlights are working properly. If the auto leveling sensor at either the front or the rear is not connected the head light would aim down and you wouldn't even be able to see past 5 ft in front of the car.
Since I posted Glyn M Ruck has posted excellent info as usual! Follow his advice and take it to the dealer, and post back here with your results.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22,058
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
I agree that it's probably not a sensor issue, because the light is being projected further than 5 ft. I'm still not convinced that it's simply a manual adjustment issue, though, because it's clear that they are trying to move (come up, I believe), but they aren't actually getting to where they want to go. Likely due to an internal problem with the motor. I'll probably just have to take it to the dealer to get a definitive diagnosis (and hopefully cheap, like free, fix).
if your auto-leveling is screwed up your high beam will work more like your low beam because the leveling levels the entire assembly inside. since you are saying the high beam works perfectly than just have a go at the manual adjustment for the low beam.
what E, johnand, and glyn said are all correct, but that's only on the perimeter that the auto-level has really gone bad.
Last edited by FrankW; Nov 25, 2008 at 07:16 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
like i've said, take a picture of the light output and post it up for us to better assess the issue. from what you described in the first post IMO you only need to manually adjust the low beam level slightly higher.
if your auto-leveling is screwed up your high beam will work more like your low beam because the leveling levels the entire assembly inside. since you are saying the high beam works perfectly than just have a go at the manual adjustment for the low beam.
what E, johnand, and glyn said are all correct, but that's only on the perimeter that the auto-level has really gone bad.
if your auto-leveling is screwed up your high beam will work more like your low beam because the leveling levels the entire assembly inside. since you are saying the high beam works perfectly than just have a go at the manual adjustment for the low beam.
what E, johnand, and glyn said are all correct, but that's only on the perimeter that the auto-level has really gone bad.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22,058
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
nah, if you watch it from outside when it first levels everytime you start the car you will see the high beam housing moves with it. 
also my front sensor arm was loose one time and caused what I described above.
also my front sensor arm was loose one time and caused what I described above.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Interesting - I will go and have another look at mine. They must move very little. That is not part of the alignment process. All alignment is done on the low beam. I guess that if the low beam is right then by definition the high beam is correct. When my lows were looking down onto the road (shutters down) the high beam still had excellent throw/distance. You have *****ed my interest - will look tomorrow. 2.46 am this end
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Nov 26, 2008 at 09:44 AM.
