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2008 IS 250 Headlight Shadow??
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: FL
2008 IS 250 Headlight Shadow??
I just purchased a 2008 IS 250, it has the factory HID's and when I drive down a dark road the passanger side headlight shines out farther than the driver side creating a shadow in the shape of a backwards L. In other words the driverside is low then takes a 90 degree angle up into another straight line. I took it to the dealer thinking that it was not adjusted correctly and all they had to do was raise the driverside light up but according to Lexus the diver side headlight has a "shield" the covers the top half of the buld to keep from "blinding" oncomming traffic. Is this correct? Is there any way to take this "shield" off? It drives me insane
Thank you!
Thank you!
Pole Position
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 327
Likes: 1
From: WA
Hahahaha yes please don't mess with the headlight aim - it's meant to reduce glare to drivers on the other side.
You can see this effect facing a wall too. the cutoff is different from left to right.
I don't know about there actually being a shield on the bulb or projector assembly, and the SC430 projectors that I have in my car were identical and didn't have anything like that. The passenger side also looks brighter because there is more overlap from the driver lamp.
You can see this effect facing a wall too. the cutoff is different from left to right.
I don't know about there actually being a shield on the bulb or projector assembly, and the SC430 projectors that I have in my car were identical and didn't have anything like that. The passenger side also looks brighter because there is more overlap from the driver lamp.
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
Stair Effect with Minimal Light?
Hi Everyone,
I have a 2007 IS 250 that I bought a month ago.
I understand the point of reducing the light for oncoming traffic but does anyone else' lights look like this? Mine seem to have a stair effect to them where there is very little light from the center of my car to the drivers side.
The HID lights installed when I bought the car must have been the original OEM lights (Phillips, 4300K, E4) but the drivers side was randomly turning off so today I updated them with KBcarstuff.com D4S 5000K. The lights are white and look good from the front of the car but they still don't seem to be illuminating enough light in front of my car while driving.
My wife has a 2008 Acura MDX with HID and her lights do not have this stair effect. The lights in her truck are spread evenly across the front where it provides plenty of light.
Does anyone else' lights look like mine?
Thanks!
Also, thank you to everyone who produces excellent DIY's and posts explaining the car, features, and quirks in such good detail for the those of us who are new to owning an IS 250.
Thanks,
Jason
I have a 2007 IS 250 that I bought a month ago.
I understand the point of reducing the light for oncoming traffic but does anyone else' lights look like this? Mine seem to have a stair effect to them where there is very little light from the center of my car to the drivers side.
The HID lights installed when I bought the car must have been the original OEM lights (Phillips, 4300K, E4) but the drivers side was randomly turning off so today I updated them with KBcarstuff.com D4S 5000K. The lights are white and look good from the front of the car but they still don't seem to be illuminating enough light in front of my car while driving.
My wife has a 2008 Acura MDX with HID and her lights do not have this stair effect. The lights in her truck are spread evenly across the front where it provides plenty of light.
Does anyone else' lights look like mine?
Thanks!
Also, thank you to everyone who produces excellent DIY's and posts explaining the car, features, and quirks in such good detail for the those of us who are new to owning an IS 250.
Thanks,
Jason
^in that first pic... Looks like the lights are aimed way too low!! (Plus your left headlight should be higher so the cutoff connects with the right one.
My cutoff looks like this
(Bad angle/pic but u kinda get the idea.)
My cutoff looks like this
(Bad angle/pic but u kinda get the idea.)
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Rookie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
Thanks! I will work to get them aimed correctly and see if I can get them to display light like yours does. My wife's MDX looks like yours and does not have the goofy zig zag shadow pattern like mine.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
iNfectious -
Not sure what this means. Can you explain how I get the lights like this?
I have the manual and see the two areas to adjust to aim the lights but I am not sure what you are referencing or how to achieve it.
Needs to look like this:
___/---------- ___/---------
Bottom to bottom. Top to top. Making it even like this:
___/----------------------
Thanks for your help.
Jason
Not sure what this means. Can you explain how I get the lights like this?
I have the manual and see the two areas to adjust to aim the lights but I am not sure what you are referencing or how to achieve it.
Needs to look like this:
___/---------- ___/---------
Bottom to bottom. Top to top. Making it even like this:
___/----------------------
Thanks for your help.
Jason
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
did you adjust the two aiming screws under the hood or did you adjust the bolt under the rear suspension?
I think I am going to start with the screws under the hood and see if I can make any progress before messing with the AFS bolt.
Thanks!
I think I am going to start with the screws under the hood and see if I can make any progress before messing with the AFS bolt.
Thanks!
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
OK, so I spent all day messing around with the screws on either side of the car trying to get the lights straightened out. I turned each screw about 100 times to get them higher and pointed in the right direction.
I think they are much better and providing light farther down the road and I do not see the stair like affect nearly as much. I think I have to adjust the right one a little more because it seems to be shining outward and not in front of my car enough.
We'll see how it goes over the next few days.
Thanks,
Jason
I think they are much better and providing light farther down the road and I do not see the stair like affect nearly as much. I think I have to adjust the right one a little more because it seems to be shining outward and not in front of my car enough.
We'll see how it goes over the next few days.
Thanks,
Jason