Weak Headlights - Contact Volvo

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by phil1968

Can I ask how the Bi-Xenon lights are adjusted, is it a DIY job? They seem to be set extremely low on mine.

Hi
You will need to either visit the dealership or use Vida+Dice yourself to properly adjust them trough software. There might be adjuster on actual lamp unit itself allowing you for small amendment, but proper procedure is done via software, as your light level depends on cars default position + axle sensor + steering column sensor (if ABL xenons).
From what people write, dealerships are not keen on adjusting heights as "thats how Volvo wants it and thats how it should be, period".

[Proghound]

Originally Posted by phil1968

Can I ask how the Bi-Xenon lights are adjusted, is it a DIY job? They seem to be set extremely low on mine.

I would suggest first to pull the tent-pegs and take the light units out. You'll see that the white plastic adjusters (6mm socket) are 90° gears that drive the main adjuster shafts, which you can also adjust directly with a hex key (8mm?). The inner one is for the beam height. At this point, if the shafts don't turn freely, lubricate them liberally through whatever access you can see, put the lights back on the car and wait at least 24hrs for the lube to free everything up.

You can do the adjustment either with the lights out of the car and put them back to test each time, or in situ on flat ground against a wall with a ¼" drive on a long extension. To locate the white adjuster positions from above, there are half-moon cutouts in the 45° back edge of the slam panel. It'll probably take several goes over a few evenings to get a level you're comfortable with that doesn't get you flashed at.

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Hi
You will need to either visit the dealership or use Vida+Dice yourself to properly adjust them trough software. There might be adjuster on actual lamp unit itself allowing you for small amendment, but proper procedure is done via software, as your light level depends on cars default position + axle sensor + steering column sensor (if ABL xenons). From what people write, dealerships are not keen on adjusting heights as "thats how Volvo wants it and thats how it should be, period".

On my 2008 C70 with bi-Xenons I adjusted the lights up from factory level to useful level entirely on the manual adjusters, and it was fine like that until I traded it in. The mechanism is the same as the halogen light units, but with bi-Xenon the adjusters set the maximum level to which the axle sensor returns the lights on level ground/no rear load (the pre-facelift C70 never had ABL). I have to say the sensor seemed to be very 'smoothed' (like the fuel level sensor in the tank) so catering more for the level of load in the back of the car than the gradient it was travelling on at any given time. It never really seemed to react to hills or bumps, so having the lights set where you could drive properly on them did show a fair amount of 'bounce' in the beam edge on the road - I wonder if that's why they were set so low from the factory? The 2012 one has the lights set a lot higher still, but from the 30mins I've driven it in the dark so far, they seem much more reactive (and there's the ABL as well). I don't feel the need to fiddle with those at all!

[phil1968]

Thankyou, much appreciated

[Clan]

Originally Posted by phil1968

Can I ask how the Bi-Xenon lights are adjusted, is it a DIY job? They seem to be set extremely low on mine.

Adjustment is the same as any headlamp , One adjuster for LEFT - RIGHT and another for UP - DOWN any MOT centre should be able to do it for you , but ask them to go as high as possible within the guidelines .

[Yobbo]

I adjusted mine a couple of nights ago - major improvement.

I got the vertical adjustment much higher and level but snapped an adjuster in the process.

Though side to side one of the headlamps is bozz-eyed and the adjuster is fooked - I've managed to round off the hex bit. :'(

[V50France]

I've read every bit of this thread, and followed it for a long time. I have a 2004 v50 t5 with over 170,000 miles on the clock. I LOVE it and here in France the roads are good enough and empty enough to really enjoy driving. It is a UK car and was fitted with Halogen H7 bulbs for dipped beams.
I have always found the dipped beam to be dangerously inadequate and way below the standard of other cars I've owned or used. By comparison our older V70 is way better. Having used the Dipped beam switch within the light units to remove the kick-up to the left, meant the car was OK to go through the French MOT (CT). But it meant I was lacking the kick-up to the right to illuminate the kerbside and verges. So, I bought some second hand French units from a damaged v50. This brought a small improvement but, despite the reflectors and lenses all looking good, and trying higher output halogen bulbs, the overall performance was still too bad to want to carry on into another winter.
So, I bought an H7 HIDS4U Stealth 35W Xenon HID Conversion Kit from
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7...rsion-Kit.html

I read the instructions which were generic, rather than make/model specific and did not feel encouraged to go ahead. But, once the clocks went back I felt I had to go for it. Fitting was quite straight forward - sorry I did not take pictures etc but I'm happy to offer advice to anyone looking to fit the same kit.
The result is just fantastic. Dipped beam is now really bright and makes main beam seem weak and orange by comparison. This is the reverse of how things were before. I wish I had done it sooner. Best £70 I've spent in a long time.

[Yobbo]

I got hold of some Ring Xenon 130% H7 bulbs yesterday and they have made a significant improvement over the Phillips Xtreme Vision that I had beforehand.

Would recommend! I may go the HID route at some point but would rather do it with a SKBOWE instead of risking potential wiper motor failure.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by V50France

The result is just fantastic. Dipped beam is now really bright and makes main beam seem weak and orange by comparison. This is the reverse of how things were before. I wish I had done it sooner. Best £70 I've spent in a long time.

Hi
If you have read about HID conversion you are aware of WMM issue, DRL recommendation etc (if not - for your own good catch up!!) , I can only add a thing from me that you wont benefit fully from your kit unless you change the projectors or lenses to clear ones. Unfortunatel OEM fresnel lenses on our cars are pretty bad and for HIDs are also much more distracting for oncoming traffic as have blurry cutoff and leaks more light out.
Not sure if you have seen my retrofit picture story, but the difference in old fresnel projector vs new clear one is stunning. Plus as added bonus - bi-xenon shutter is just awesome its well worth investigating into projector change especially with HIDs already fitted.
I suppose your new lamp units are designed for right hand traffic? as being UK car you would dazzle people a lot as the "LHD" shutter cover on OEM ones is really more temporary solution...

[V50France]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Hi
If you have read about HID conversion you are aware of WMM issue, DRL recommendation etc (if not - for your own good catch up!!) , I can only add a thing from me that you wont benefit fully from your kit unless you change the projectors or lenses to clear ones. Unfortunatel OEM fresnel lenses on our cars are pretty bad and for HIDs are also much more distracting for oncoming traffic as have blurry cutoff and leaks more light out.
Not sure if you have seen my retrofit picture story, but the difference in old fresnel projector vs new clear one is stunning. Plus as added bonus - bi-xenon shutter is just awesome its well worth investigating into projector change especially with HIDs already fitted.
I suppose your new lamp units are designed for right hand traffic? as being UK car you would dazzle people a lot as the "LHD" shutter cover on OEM ones is really more temporary solution...

Hi LizardofBodom and thanks for the pointer to the wiper motor issue. I was unaware so I am very grateful. I have earthed both dipped circuits to chassis to avoid any issues but when I contacted the supplier HIDs4U they said there were no longer such issues with their Stealth kits, but there were some with Audi cars in the early days.

I also asked them about the PWM issue and gave them some technical info to make it clear. I was hoping to get a definitive answer from them about how their ballasts would perform in the circumstances. I did not really get that but they did say that their ballasts have some "pulse protection" which they think means they will not have a problem. Time will tell.
The kit comes with a 2 year warranty on ballasts and bulbs so if it fails due to the PWM issue I can at least replace items at their expense. I see elsewhere that someone has had this kit in use for over a year on a s40/v50 without any problems so I am encouraged. But I will be keeping H7 halogen bulbs in the car just in case the worst happens when on the road. I never use DRL anyway.
My headlights are continental type so no dazzle issues over here in France. Just about to take a week long trip to the UK so I've used the levers to switch off the continental kick up on the dipped beams. It will be interesting to see if I get flashed. If so I can certainly wind the lights down to compensate. I've gone through your VERY thorough retrofit posting. Impressive stuff but I think what I have done so far will keep me happy for a while yet. If I have any problems with the Stealth kit I will update this posting

[theshadow27]

Originally Posted by V50France

I also asked them about the PWM issue and gave them some technical info to make it clear. I was hoping to get a definitive answer from them about how their ballasts would perform in the circumstances. I did not really get that but they did say that their ballasts have some "pulse protection" which they think means they will not have a problem. Time will tell.
The kit comes with a 2 year warranty on ballasts and bulbs so if it fails due to the PWM issue I can at least replace items at their expense.

They may replace the ballast at their expense but will not replace your windshield wiper motor. I suggest reading through the issues outlined in https://www.skbowe.com/a/issues/ before installing your kit - the manufacturer is almost certainly not familiar with the details of our cars.