Why are my dipped headlights rubbish?

[iblack007]

I have a vision problem- I know there are other posts on this subject,so I apologise for repetition, but there dont seem to be specific answers. Now my bongo lights on dipped wouldnt show an elephant on the road till you' re 20 yards away-just a tad worrying...Mines a 1997 2.5 TDI imported in 2006...I've no idea if the headlamps are originals;but what would you guys suggest for night driving as I understand technologies moved on a bit - High intensity lights/LED ones ?

No jokes about carrots please!

IainB

[mister munkey]

Either theres a yellow film coating the headlight lenses (if so, try a bit of T Cut), your alternator or battery isn't performing as it should or the connecter blocks at the back of the bulbs have started to melt - in which case, spade connecters will do as a short term fix.

Avoid modern powerful bulbs as they can melt the plastic of the lenses.

[Northern Bongolow]

loads of info on bulb swaps on here but i fit osram nightbreakers,good bulbs,and clean your outer plastic covers as they can yellow.

[mikexgough]

Agree with both previous comments................. I have Lidl's Tesla brand +50% brightness H4 's in mine, cleaned lenses......checked alignment at MOT ......and I get flashed by other drivers....well they are much brighter but not out of alignment......

[mikeonb4c]

I have 100W spots that come on with main beam only. I believe DaveBlueOzzie has ones that have main and dipped beams, and they should be great. If new headlamp bulbs don't work, and if you have somewhere to mount spotlights, it might be worth having a chat with him?

[bigdaddycain]

I'd avoid retro fitting a HID kit into a headlamp designed to house a filament bulb. The lens scatter of light would be all over the place, and possibly give a worse light spread on the road AND dazzle oncoming traffic! As mentioned above, plenty of bongo headlights have a yellow film applied to the headlights back in Japan. This stubborn film can be removed carefully with plenty of T cut, if you are patient. One thing that hasn't been suggested... Are the bulbs sat correctly in the housings? Try driving up against a wall at night... look towards the upper edge of the beam cut off...is it defined as in the picture below? If the light cut off is blurred or undefined, then the bulbs aren't properly seated in the lamps. (even if the bulbs "feel" straight, remove and re-fit them being careful not to touch the actual glass of the bulb.)



The image above shows a purposefully misaligned bulb beam in the passenger headlight, see how the light is diffused and almost non existent compared to the drivers side crisp cut off point?

[iblack007]

Good range of suggestions-grateful thanks for the advice.
Will get back with what worked!!!
IainB