LED Headlights
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 265
Likes: 21
From: San Diego
04 Lexus LS430
LED Headlights
Hey guys, for those that have owned both the 222 and the 221, which has the better headlights? Most people I've talked to prefer xenon's light output to LED, but I'm wondering if on the newest generation maybe LEDs have improved to equal the output of xenon's finally.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 350
From: Huntington NY
S560
I've had both. I don't notice a big difference except the auto headlights are great in my 222. We have a lake house upstate that is in the middle of nowhere- trust me, you will never be asking for more light output....
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,558
Likes: 3,680
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
There are significant differences in performance between LED and Xenon but I am not sure how many of the features were disabled for the US due to the antiquated US DOT regulations.
By design, the LED lighting system is variable by light output. Low beam lighting is used up to 55ph. The lighting has wider angles to illuminate more of the side of the road than Xenon. Over 55mph and again at roughly 70mph, LED light output of the LED's are increased in two steps (constant adaptive high beam).
The driver-side light acts as fog lights when activated by lowering the angle by 8 degrees down/outwards (up until 40 some mph).
Audi's Matrix light are somewhat cooler as the the constant high beam does not blind oncoming traffic by selectively turning off LED elements (traffic tracked by camera).
By design, the LED lighting system is variable by light output. Low beam lighting is used up to 55ph. The lighting has wider angles to illuminate more of the side of the road than Xenon. Over 55mph and again at roughly 70mph, LED light output of the LED's are increased in two steps (constant adaptive high beam).
The driver-side light acts as fog lights when activated by lowering the angle by 8 degrees down/outwards (up until 40 some mph).
Audi's Matrix light are somewhat cooler as the the constant high beam does not blind oncoming traffic by selectively turning off LED elements (traffic tracked by camera).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 350
From: Huntington NY
S560
There are significant differences in performance between LED and Xenon but I am not sure how many of the features were disabled for the US due to the antiquated US DOT regulations.
By design, the LED lighting system is variable by light output. Low beam lighting is used up to 55ph. The lighting has wider angles to illuminate more of the side of the road than Xenon. Over 55mph and again at roughly 70mph, LED light output of the LED's are increased in two steps (constant adaptive high beam).
The driver-side light acts as fog lights when activated by lowering the angle by 8 degrees down/outwards (up until 40 some mph).
Audi's Matrix light are somewhat cooler as the the constant high beam does not blind oncoming traffic by selectively turning off LED elements (traffic tracked by camera).
By design, the LED lighting system is variable by light output. Low beam lighting is used up to 55ph. The lighting has wider angles to illuminate more of the side of the road than Xenon. Over 55mph and again at roughly 70mph, LED light output of the LED's are increased in two steps (constant adaptive high beam).
The driver-side light acts as fog lights when activated by lowering the angle by 8 degrees down/outwards (up until 40 some mph).
Audi's Matrix light are somewhat cooler as the the constant high beam does not blind oncoming traffic by selectively turning off LED elements (traffic tracked by camera).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Sounds exactly the same a adaptive ILS LEDs on the W222? High beams are on almost all the time except for the part of the beam that would blind the car ahead or the facing car. Is it not the same?
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 265
Likes: 21
From: San Diego
04 Lexus LS430
these are outlawed in the US. Audi and MB make a "detuned" US headlight version to meet fed DOT specs.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,558
Likes: 3,680
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
It is in a way yes but many more LED elements that makes the high beam exclusion more precise and can handle multiple cars of oncoming traffic (multiple blanking zones).
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 265
Likes: 21
From: San Diego
04 Lexus LS430
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...-banned-in-us/
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,558
Likes: 3,680
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
This is not a feature for any cars in the U.S. http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...-banned-in-us/
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: The OC
Depends where I'm going.
I had a 2008 S63 with Xenons and low beams were fine but high beams were awful. I have a 2015 S550 now with LEDs and they're incredible. Literally night and day... excuse the pun.
