HID question
 

I just bought a 2006 infiniti g35 - the headlights were replaced due to a recall just a few weeks ago when i got it.

Im noticing the driver side bulb is much brighter than the passenger side bulb - person driving infront of me can tell - only at certain distances though. Ive checked myself and noticed the same.
The dealership says that the bulbs need to burn in and nothing is wrong with them. I assumed its an adjustment issue - but they said that there is no adjustment that can be made? Im old school and used to have an acura EL where the headlights positioning could be changed etc.

Is this true? or some bullshit?
let me know
thanks

They need to burn in? I dont think one should be brighter than the other

doesn't the G have self leveling lights?

check your owners manual

i say BULLSHIT



ok u do realize driver side is aimed different than passenge rright?


driver side lower than passenger side

so u dont blind on coming traffic


with ur H.I.V
:D

have your car about 50 feet away from a white wall (side of building)

see if the level's right (equal from left to right) and the brightness

Did they change BOTH your bulbs? Maybe its a different colour temperature? Check if they are both the same colour, usually factory are bright white-ish. Is the headlights themself aimed correctly? If they are projectors, then park your car facing a wall and you should be able to see the "cutoff" line for both your headlights.

Oh, just throwing it out there. Check if the colour of your headlights are the same as ur Acura EL, aka halogen bulbs, assuming you didnt swap HID into your EL.

yeah it's BS.

I've had a same problem.

It's nothing to do with the bulb, it's more to do with the ballast.
I bought this McCullouch HID kit from eBay, the brightness were the same for first 2 years, then one side started to dim.
It's pretty common for some HIDs.

Most cars with factory HID's have an automatic level type deal going on

http://www.6mt.net/forum/g35-sedan/2...ht-aiming.html ... weird that they say 06 sedans use reflector type headlights, not projectors...

I don't think he has a problem with aiming...it seems like the bulb itself is brighter than the other.

There are 2 issues at play.. most cars that don't have adaptive headlights.. the driver side is softer than the passenger side because of glare protection in either the reflector or the lens, it is to protect oncoming drivers from glare.

Gas takes time to settle.. that's why ideally you should replace both bulbs at the same time..

yeah I noticed, however he was also wondering whether the dealership was bs'ing him about not being able to adjust them :thumbsup:

Well i mean they replaced both bulbs at the same time. This is a 2006 coupe with projectors/HIDs.
I honestly dont know if they changed the bulbs or the whole headlight. I bought the car used and they changed the "headlights" supposedly due to the recall.

My wife went to the dealership as I have no time to go in due to work. So i dont know if they are just being lazy. Im going to wait a week or two and see if "they burn in" I think one is aimed higher than the other - but they are saying that they cannot be adjusted? so maybe they are automatically adjusting type? I just got the car so I am not too familiar with all the details.

All i know is if u stand infront of the car they seem the same bright...if I drive infront of the car at about 10 feet they look the same...any distance further the driver side looks WAY brighter than the passenger side.....it fluctuates depending if we are hitting bumps etc in the road....i think its an adjustment thing - one is aimed higher than the other.

I guess i will wait, otherwise I will have to bitch them out on the phone or go in one day......

From your last post, it sounds like you aren't talking about a difference in brightness/luminance, but the cut-off or aim instead.

Well, one side is supposed to be 'higher' than the other but it should be due to the cut-off and lens design. As Mugen said, the driver side should be lower.

If you have projectors, the cutoff should be very clear. For example
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/3...cd1c169824.jpg

You can google for HID cutoff and see tons of pics/results.

Well maybe ur right about the cutoff? But the thing is why would one light appear brighter than the other to oncoming traffic or to a person looking in their rearview mirror?

Is that the adjustment or the bulb needing to burn in?

If i drive infront of our other car with HIDs they appear the same brightness when driving straight...i know sometimes they fluctuate depending on the angle etc that the car drives.

Who knows....sometimes i think keeping it basic is better...lol...acura EL with silverstars ftw - u need to adjust something stick a screwdriver in there!
Now everything is complicated....projectors/HIDs - stuff that i have no idea how to fix

Because two projectors are also focused at different focal points.. one is at infinite and one is at a closer distance.. hence one appear brighter than the other..

Basic high school optics.

hey i have the same prob , but mine are aftermarket HID's. my pass side is brighter than driver side. and both lights are aimed down towards the center .. so kinda like /\.

do i also have a prob? ive had these lights for ages .. proly since 2007 ?

With the 06 with projectors the ouput should look something similar to this


with the recall, what i've noticed is that they replace the HIDs with a lower kelvin rating and is a bit yellower.

if they ARE they are different colours then it's probable that they only replaced one light. but for example's sake my non projected HIDs have the pass side a bit higher than my driver side.

as for adjustment, i don't think there is on the G35.

http://g35driver.com/forums/body-int...rojectors.html

This might help you as well OP

ummm i dont need a lesson on basic optics....trust me

It shouldnt appear brighter the way it is. Ive seen hundreds of cars with HIDs driving behind me, infront of me....I do not notice the difference in brightness when im driving the car. Its if im behind a vehicle and its reflecting of their trunk etc. As well as people driving infront of me have told me the same thing as well that the driver side light is much brighter than the passenger.

Thanks for input guys...i guess ill try and figure it out or talk to the dealership again