Hello folks,

Only my second Ford more than three decades after my very first car: a 1984 Fiesta. Have been startled mainly at how good the Mondeo is to drive. Back to back road tests with a 3-Series, C-Class and A4 revealed the Ford is their equal or superior in many ways.

My car is a 2016 Vignale. The issue I have is that, in my first week of ownership, my overriding impression is of being flashed by other road users. I have of course contacted the dealer, but I don't trust them and it will take a few days to get a drop-in appointment anyway. So I'm wondering if anyone here can help.

• Would you expect lamps to be out of alignment on a virtually new car? I've never experienced this sort of thing before on any vehicle and being a pessimist wonder if it's a red flag that the car may have prior damage.
• Is this just an LED thing? I have noticed other cars with LED lamps that just seem to be too bright by design.
• Can you even adjust the beam pattern on adaptive DSS headlamps? It looks good in terms of the kick-up being on the correct (i.e. left) side, suggesting it hasn't been set up for the continent, but the horizontal edge across the road does seem oddly stepped.

I'm pleased I have them, given the poor levels of illumination offered by the standard lamps of the car I tested, but I'm not so pleased that other road users are being dazzled!

Check the menu for left/right hand driving...?

I have the impression that LED lamps are quite bright, yes,

You can't adjust the beam pattern, its all automatic

I have the same lights on my car and have run it about a year now and have not been flashed once so it might be problems with the car

Thanks both.

It's definitely not the setting, though thank you for checking: the Lighting setting in the dash menu is set for right-side traffic, and the kick up in the beam pattern is most definitely on the left side of the car, i.e. onto the verges and hedgerows.

Failing any joy with the dealer I might see if I can take the car to an MoT station somewhere and get them to check just the headlamp alignment.

I would nip it in to a garage that does MOT and ask them to check them for you, they would most likely do it on the spot and a couple of beer tokens would probably cover it. I know that the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlos came with black pack headlights and they were set too low, far too low and it was a common occurrence.

LED lights do seem to be incredibly bright but I can't say I've ever been dazzled by them, as long as they are factory fit. Regarding the 'stepping', it could be possible that one of the bulbs isn't seated properly or not adjusted the same.


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If you are in the U.K. The settings for the lights MUST BE left hand traffic - as we drive on the left.

if it's on right hand setting it will be dazzling other drivers as it will be pointing to them.