Dipping headlights

[AlexS]

Sorry if this is a repost.

On the little panel to the right of the steering wheel what setting should the headlights be set at for normal driving as mine appears to be set to 0 and my brothers is set to 3 (both clios).
I think I mite have adjusted mine by accident when cleaning the dash.
Cheers,

Alex

 

[DougClio16v]

0 is normal.. 4 is for towing things (i dunno why you have 3, mine is 4).

If your bro's got powerful lights, he's set them to dipped lower coz of how bright they are obv so they dont dazzle people, I had the same when I stuck these new bulbs in. Otherwise.. does he actually tow stuff?

 

[BrianR]

Normally 0. if you have a load in the back, you should increase it to compensate and avoid dazzling oncoming drivers.

 

[AlexS]

Ok cheers guys, that clears it up, it appears mine is set correctly although in future I will adjust it when carrying large loads back from uni. I will tell my brother to adjust his back to 0 as he never tows in his clio, he's only had it a few weeks.

 

[John D]

I used to have mine set on 0 for normal driving - no back passengers/nothing in boot - but people kept flashing me all the time. I checked the manual and 0 (as Brian just said) should be the correct setting with just me and one front passenger in car, so I left it as it was and just figured people were being over-sensitive or summit.

However I was following Peperami on a m/w one night and he said I was blinding him like I had full beams on!! So now I have it set to 2 to be on the safe side, but am a little worried I am now compromising my own ability to see ahead at night for the benefit of other road users :S

Has anyone else had this problem?

Perhaps its a combination of my 'Cup spec' suspension height and headlights? and Renault hav'nt accounted for the difference with the FF 172 properly? - seems unlikely as Peperami has no problem. Unless other 172 Cup drivers have experienced similar to me?

Are my lights set wrong? - I'm planning to get them checked next service anyhow.

 

[DougClio16v]

I used to have mine set on 0 for normal driving - no back passengers/nothing in boot - but people kept flashing me all the time. I checked the manual and 0 (as Brian just said) should be the correct setting with just me and one front passenger in car, so I left it as it was and just figured people were being over-sensitive or summit.

However I was following Peperami on a m/w one night and he said I was blinding him like I had full beams on!! So now I have it set to 2 to be on the safe side, but am a little worried I am now compromising my own ability to see ahead at night for the benefit of other road users :S

Has anyone else had this problem?

Perhaps its a combination of my 'Cup spec' suspension height and headlights? and Renault hav'nt accounted for the difference with the FF 172 properly? - seems unlikely as Peperami has no problem. Unless other 172 Cup drivers have experienced similar to me?

Are my lights set wrong? - I'm planning to get them checked next service anyhow.

I would imagine if that was the case then every reno garage would be flooded with 172's with the same problem!!!! So it hardly seems likely. However if you bought the car second hand the previous owner could of changed the bulbs for more powerful ones.

If its not for that reason then it could possibly be a wiring fault and should get checked immediatly as well all know headlights incorrectly wired can cause fires or just.. not work. Also the designers behind the 172 wouldnt design it so that you have to drive around on the 'towed' setting all the time because it's just pointless..

Basically all im saying is if you have to drive around on a headlight setting that is not 0 and you have not fiddled with the lights since you got the car then something is wrong and needs checking out.

 

[BrianR]

Probably never checked and set right on the on the PDI.

The lights should be set up so that they are correctly adjusted when in the 0 position, This gives you the full range of downward adjustment without compromising the performance of the headlights for your benefit and not causing glare for other road users.

If you notice, on a MOT, the tester will make sure its in that position before checking the lamps, for focus and scatter.

Clio's don't normally get used for towing, the 172 and 182 are actually not homologated for towing, but a couple of Rugby playing mates in the back, will seriously effect your lights.

 

[AlexS]

Clio's don't normally get used for towing, the 172 and 182 are actually not homologated for towing, but a couple of Rugby playing mates in the back, will seriously effect your lights.

I doubt you can get a towbar on the 182 because of the exhaust!

 

[BrianR]

WRONG !!!!!!!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=157574&highlight=how+sad

 

[John D]

Probably never checked and set right on the on the PDI.

PDI - Pre Delivery Inspection?



If you notice, on a MOT, the tester will make sure its in that position before checking the lamps, for focus and scatter.

It passed the MOT a few months ago :S

I hav'nt changed the bulbs and I seriously doubt the previous owner did too.

TBH I reckon it might have come from the factory like this.