The other headlight thread reminded me of this but I didn't want to ruin it with a tangent.
Has anyone else found certain WOF inspectors set headlights dangerously low!
I have bought a couple of cars and seen others where the headlights have been adjusted to show at most 1 car length ahead on dip. They were incredibly dangerous to drive at night until I adjusted them. Both cars were quite new and still being serviced by dealers on 1 year WOF's.
What's the go, is there no requirement for minimum height!
howz_that,
Jul 2, 11:11am
I have also had this issue only to be told that the lights have been adjusted to stop blinding oncomming trafic. They've been set so low that the only trafic they'd blind would be a go kart. Always adjust them when I get back from a Wof. And no I dont get flashed by oncomming vehicles.
thewomble1,
Jul 2, 11:11am
I think they adjust the headlight on full beam to shine the same height as the bulb on a board about 6 feet in front of the car and the bulb's design dictates how low the low beam is.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 2, 11:15am
If thats what they are doing then its time that the rules dictated that they be set to the manufacturers design. Its sadly more absurd beurocratic safety at the expense of safety. (if you get my drift)
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 2, 11:17am
It maddens me that you should have to make your lights safe after they have been made unsafe by a WOF inspector.
Worse still, how many people don't reset their lights and just drive around with them like that. It makes me wonder about that cop who hit the pedestrian while his lights were on dip. I could understand how easily that could be done when you can only see one car length ahead.
daryl14,
Jul 2, 11:19am
What's the problem Jazz! just set them to low with the little button to the left side of your dash before the WoF inspection.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 2, 11:22am
Trouble with that is I intentionally don't get my WOF done by a knuckle dragger, and being literate that mechanic can read the display on the dash which points this out.
Very good idea though and one that may possibly have been utilised by persons who will remain unnamed in the past.
Actually. my WOF guy is very good and adjusted my vehicles properly fixing the problem anyway. I just worry for those I share the road with more than anything else. Its a scary thought people driving like that.
pauldw,
Jul 2, 12:11pm
The dipped beam must reach at least 50m.
The VTNZ that I go to don't think many dealers know how to set lamps. They keep a screw driver handy. Maybe if dipped beams were right there wouldn't be so many damned fog lights on.
bigfatmat1,
Jul 2, 7:18pm
Vtnz need to learn how to use there equipment I have many customers that fail stating to high, when i check them they are perfect so have to adjust down to pass.
gadgit3,
Jul 2, 7:43pm
No they are adjusted at low beam. Most vehicle specs are 1 to 1.2% but wof standed for cars is between 1 and 2% I have seen alot of inspectors set to 2%. why I have no idea as 2% is very low and why adjust when the beam is with in spec. When I am preforming a WoF inspection I am only checking that the lights are even and between 1 and 2% if they make that then there is no need to adjust unless the customer complains of the lights being too low or being flashed.
mugenb20b,
Jul 2, 9:13pm
At the wof time, did you carry some heavy objects in the back of your car, like spare engines, etc!
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 2, 9:42pm
No, I usually take the bag of cement and foot mould's out out of the back when I buy a new Italian car. No need for a spare engine, if the Multipla breaks down there is usually someone around more than happy to pay for it to be taken away.
kazbanz,
Jul 2, 9:45pm
I struggle to see HOW a testing station can get it wrong. They have the measuring machine for beam height.--Unless its sitting too high/low or they are reading the wrong line
mrfxit,
Jul 2, 9:53pm
I set my lights at night time on a long flat road so that the high beam light spread sits half on the road & half off the road. Works well/ don't get "flashed" (well, not by other vehicles) & I can SEE whats ahead of me on any setting & keeps passing wof's every year like that.
gadgit3,
Jul 3, 12:01am
Every one that can preform a WoF has to have a beam setter it's required equipment. But the difference between 1% and 2% is very large so it comes down to the inspector and what he/she is happy to put their name to. I would suspect the complant comes from head lamps being set to 2%.
pebbles61,
Jul 3, 12:21am
Full beams, all the time! can't trust these cage drivers to see you!
kazbanz,
Jul 5, 6:37am
Actually I had a bit of a chuckle today at the wof guys expense. He was adament the headlights were set too high. I sat in the car and turned the dial -bingo the lights are how he wanted them.
supernova2,
Jul 5, 6:48am
I had the opposite problem.Yes it was VTNZ but in this case the inspector is semi retired and a pretty good sort.He happily said the rules have changed and your lights can come up a bit so proceeded to adjust them up.Was nice to drive - didnt need high beam at all but every oncoming driver didnt like us.Turned them down abit and probably back to where they were in the first place.Has had about 6 wof's since and no comment.
unbeatabull,
Jul 5, 6:58am
End of the day, the correct headlight adjustment is the percentage that is ON the vehicle/headlight assembly. As far as I can remember, every OEM or reputable headlight has had a percentage stamped on them. As per the VIRM, that is the correct adjustment. Anyone who adjusts it to there own spec between 1 & 2% isn't doing it right!
carmedic,
Jul 5, 12:55pm
Wrong. the VIRM says nothing about writing on the head light IT specifies the percentage based on the height of the headlamp from the ground, hence the 1-2% people are talking about.
pauldw,
Jul 5, 7:19pm
The 1st option in the table of "Allowable dipped-beam headlamp alignment"
"Any headlamp dipped beam (height)N/A (setting) That speciied by the vehicle or headlamp manufacturer."
clark20,
Jul 5, 7:21pm
To get 50m the formula is measure the height of the lamp in m and double it. Eg 0.7m = 1.4%, most cars are between 1.1% and 1.3%
carmedic,
Jul 5, 7:51pm
Ok interesting how people interpret things, I often wonder why some AVI??
gadgit3,
Jul 5, 8:52pm
This is how I check them also. as showen by the guy we get in to preform a pre audit check.so it is what the LTSA expect to see when checking in on you AVI's
mrfxit,
Jul 5, 9:05pm
DUH well yea . every car sits slightly different so of course the benchmark setting would be what it is currently (as presented for a check). Another thing to consider about max height is that it's the MAX unladen height setting in direct relation to how high the vehicle sits. That way (theoretically) when front seat ppll hop in, the beam level goes down & when rear passengers hop in the beams level up again.
Good example ^ ^ ^ sitting in the car
Hey Kaz, not saying that you're a big boy .but ;-)
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