Typical Girl Question About Headlights!

[nikki_louise]

Hi all,

I have been meaning to post this question on here since June but keep forgetting, my problem is my headlights at night I can barely see anything they are so dim or maybe I don't have them on properly, the normal day lights seem brighter, I have a Zetec 14 plate so if anyone could tell me what number I'm meant to have them on I would really appreciate it, I have kinda tried 1-4 but it just doesn't seem right, my old megane was much brighter even when I only had 1 head light working!! thanks guys!

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[SeanW]

The number settings are there to compensate for the weight in the back - no.4 is for when you've got 4 burly passengers and their luggage in the boot. It aims the lights back towards the ground lol

If your dipped beam lights are really, really dim then maybe try giving the lenses a good clean. Another option would be to upgrade the bulbs (there are a couple of recent threads on bulbs)

[matt1981]

Set it to number 1 if it's just you in the car. I haven't got around to changing my bulbs yet but the standard ones seem adequate

[luke.grimbley]

How do they look from the outside, are the headlights fully lit up? Do you notice a difference when you turn the lights from off, to side lights, to dipped beam?

[Phil 87]

Set it to number 1 if it's just you in the car. I haven't got around to changing my bulbs yet but the standard ones seem adequate

+1 to this. The standard bulbs are ok in terms of light but I find the dipped beam seems a bit too dipped even when set to 1 (highest light angle if that makes sense). I've got all my new bulbs so will be changing them all at the weekend, except the fog lights but I'll do them later.

[mixmasterlooney]

This may sound daft but are you headlights actually on? The height adjustment won't work if you've only got drl or sidelight on

[Phil 87]

This may sound daft but are you headlights actually on? The height adjustment won't work if you've only got drl or sidelight on

Lol that makes me wonder just how much light the DRLs give off at night by themselves. I might try that, when parked of course.

[mixmasterlooney]

And sidelight are dimmed more than drl of course drl replace side lights in some cars

[matt1981]

There does seem a lot of bulbs in the fiesta compared to cars I've owned in the past. Am I right in thinking on the zetec S for example at the front there are:

DRL

Sidelights

Dipped beam

Main beam

Fogs

What light comes on when you unlock, is that the sidelights?

[luke.grimbley]

There does seem a lot of bulbs in the fiesta compared to cars I've owned in the past. Am I right in thinking on the zetec S for example at the front there are:

DRL

Sidelights

Dipped beam

Main beam

Fogs

What light comes on when you unlock, is that the sidelights?

And indicators;) yes its the sidelights on unlock.

[mixmasterlooney]

On the none led drl lights does the halogen drl not replace side light?

I can't remember

[luke.grimbley]

On the none led drl lights does the halogen drl not replace side light?

I can't remember

Nope, 2 separate bulbs.

[nikki_louise]

Oh I'm well confused now I'm not sure what lights I have on, for a while when I first got my car I was driving at night with no lights, because I thought they came on automatically and because the daylights was bright enough, it wasn't until I got pulled over by the police

I just turn the dial once to right and leave it on that, is that right?

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[nath.mk7.st]

Oh I'm well confused now I'm not sure what lights I have on, for a while when I first got my car I was driving at night with no lights, because I thought they came on automatically and because the daylights was bright enough, it wasn't until I got pulled over by the police

I just turn the dial once to right and leave it on that, is that right?

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Some one will pop up and tell me if I'm wrong but I'm sure you have to turn it all the way to the right. When mines all the way to the right it's on auto.

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[nikki_louise]

Ohhhhh that could be right, but when I have turnt it all the way, i thought that was the lights your only meant to use going down a country lane but turn them off when other cars are coming! Oh damn!!!

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[mixmasterlooney]

First position to your right is your sidelights. This turns off your drl and can be used at night within a 30 mph zone after sun down where street lights are applicable.

Second position is your dipped beam headlights, these should be on at night of course or low visibility times, dipped beams are your main headlights and can be used anytime.

When in this position you can flick your left stalk up (towards the steering wheel) to switch your full beams on. Flick gently to flash your lights and flick a bit harder until it clicks and full beam comes on, full beam will show on your dash with a blue light symbol. This should be only used where no street lights and obviously turned off when oncoming traffic.

Third position if applicable is auto mode. This will set your headlights lights to come on automatically in low light areas of your vehicle is fitted with this feature. If it doesn't have an auto position you don't have auto lights.

back to position "0" your lights off position (drl will come on automatically at this point) with ignition off one turn to the left switches on your parking lights.

I believe the highway code states parking lights should be used when parked on a street with no street lighting facing the opposite direction of traffic flow.

Most people ignore that part though no one wants to wake up with a dead car battery.

With drl on your car has no lights on at the back, of course your brake lights, reverse etc still work

[Sheriff]

Oh I'm well confused now I'm not sure what lights I have on, for a while when I first got my car I was driving at night with no lights, because I thought they came on automatically and because the daylights was bright enough, it wasn't until I got pulled over by the police

I just turn the dial once to right and leave it on that, is that right?

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2 to the right, or as far as it will go ;)

Deffo have your dial set to lowest number. By other half had her Swift for a day and told me the lights were pants. I went and checked, her lights were aimed directly at the floor. Rotated the control and all was good again.

Failing that, Philips vision plus,most am night breakers and Halfrauds ultra brilliance are all good bulbs.

[Phil 87]

There does seem a lot of bulbs in the fiesta compared to cars I've owned in the past. Am I right in thinking on the zetec S for example at the front there are:

DRL

Sidelights

Dipped beam

Main beam

Fogs

What light comes on when you unlock, is that the sidelights?

I know on the ST with DRLs the only bulbs in the headlight unit are dipped and main beam, and indicator; the DRLs replace the useless sidelights.

Oh I'm well confused now I'm not sure what lights I have on, for a while when I first got my car I was driving at night with no lights, because I thought they came on automatically and because the daylights was bright enough, it wasn't until I got pulled over by the police

I just turn the dial once to right and leave it on that, is that right?

As others have said, as far to the right as it will go :). This makes me wonder if all the people driving around with only side lights on in the dark / fog are simply confused about how to use their headlights.

First position to your right is your sidelights. This turns off your drl and can be used at night within a 30 mph zone after sun down where street lights are applicable.

As far as I'm concerned the side lights are useless. I've never switched to sidelights, only off, dipped or full (or auto of course). The sidelights in most cars make no difference in how visible the car is, except your example of when parked the wrong way on a road, even then I don't see how the sidelights would help there, except for other people driving around at night with only sidelights on.

As for turning off the DRLs, are there 2 different headlight units, one with DRLs and sidelights and one with only DRLs? I thought the idea with the DRLs was that they are always on when driving.

[mixmasterlooney]

When sidelights are compared to modern lights they seem poor but years ago they served a good purpose, low energy bulbs for cars or bikes. bulbs have improved over the years so has car electrics, so They are very much dated now although still a requirement. They are being replaced by drl then dimmed as side lights during the night. You may have notice new merc have drl and also another type of led light that comes on with headlifht separate from drl.

There are two types of headlights. Halogen drl headlights have separate bulb for side lights as stated above. Second type is headlights with LED drl that replace side lights.

The idea of drl is as the name suggest. Day time running light and are used during the day. They are low energy light to illuminate a car. Once dimmed they then become sidelights. They don't have to be on when headlights are on day or night.

[matt1981]

I put sidelights on when it starts getting dark but not dark enough for dipped. Remember you will have no rear lights on if just using drl

[Phil 87]

This is why I love auto lights, I don't have to think about them unless I'm on a country road at night, or it's foggy.

[mixmasterlooney]

Auto light is great and one of my favourite feature along with auto wipers.

[Phil 87]

Auto light is great and one of my favourite feature along with auto wipers.

Yeah same here, I think Ford have improved the auto wipers too, they were a bit mental on my old Fiesta going to full speed randomly haha. And what's better still is that the two work together so the rain sensor can activate the lights :)