Raleighc63

Have you noticed that our headlights move up and down when you start the car? Why do they do this? I wasn't aware that we had active headlights... Or do we?

propain

Left to right I think. They are being cleaned. They also do it when you activate the windshield washer.

97W202

mine move up and down at engine start....why?

propain

You sure? up down left or right I don't think the lights are moving. There is a wiper I think inside that cleans the lenses. It most likely makes it seem like the lights are moving.

iatacs19

It's testing the auto-leveling function at start-up. If you are going up a hill or down a gradient, you can clearly see this function at work, basically it's designed to keep the lights pointed down on the road.

The C63's headlights do not swivel left to right, they only move up and down. They are sealed so there is no cleaning going on.

propain

Interesting. Learn something new every day. Never noticed my lights move at all and thought they cleaned with the washer. Must be confusing it with another one of my cars.

Edit:

http://www.newcar.com/15/07/2010/mer...ons/index.html

Says the P2 package has headlamp cleaners.

Quadcammer

auto-leveling as mentioned above

ATL_MB

European regs require that HID lights must be self-leveling and self-cleaning. While there is no wiper, there is a heated washer fluid spayer for each light which operates (I think) every 4th or 5th time you press the button to wash the windhsheild.

I wish all cars has these features. I am tired of being blinded by American SUVs and (especially) slammed Asian crap cans with a sewer pipe hanging off the back.

propain

Thought so on the cleaning. I never noticed and auto level.

ZephyrAMG

Not to mention how the 2010 fog lights turn of and on when the wheel is turned. Thats strange. Do they just ever stay on? I saw that they changed the lighting knob too. Was that an advancement or just a cosmetic thing?

iatacs19

The cleaning you mention is just a spray that cleans the outside of the headlight housing. It comes on once every 10 times you spray the windshield fluid.

The only regulation in Europe is for the HID headlights to be auto-leveling there is no regulation or requirement for self-cleaning.

soldier2304

+1

mr inkredibul

w203s have this same feature. It's not new.

97W202

is that still true if I have the actual button to spray the water on my headlights?

damn fluid gets expensive!

dynomite05

When the wheel is turned or when you put on your turn signal?

cx876

Not true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp

" 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. "

Although ECE R48 does not apply to North America, almost all European vehicle with HID headlamp comes with lens cleaning systems

Yuille36

Again, your headlights are auto leveling. This is a function at start up, the car will sense the level of the car, and your headlights will act accordingly. Say, you have a heavy load in the trunk, so much so, that the car is drooping in the rear. Well, you don't want your head lights pointing into space. So they auto level, and point at the ground, so that they aren't in the other drivers eyes. All Mercedes have this function. Some will even point into the corner to provide illumination into the turn. but the C63 doesn't have this function, the E and S classes do.

iatacs19

Good to know.