Adaptive light/High beam assist

[DrAce]

There seems to be something of a mismatch between AUDI CS records and the actual options fitted to my car

I was starting to wonder if the was a problem with my main beam... seemed to take two stabs on the lever to get them to to come on. Noticed the odd headlight with an "A" in it came up on the DIS so started digging and it seems I have adaptive lights. Nice (I think) but surprised that neither the dealer nor AUDI CS seemed to know this.

From the vehicle ID sticker and Scotty's helpful link:

8Q5 = Headlight-range adjustment, automatic/ dynamic with dynamic bending light (AFS 1)

I'll have to find some dark, windy roads this week-end to have a play with them. Need to do it before Monday as the VCDS cable should be arriving and my attention will be on fiddling with the settings

[ScottyUK]

I have adaptive lights and have never had an A come up in the DIS

It's very easy to tell if you have them. When driving you see them swing round bends but even more noticable is when they fire up. i.e. if you're stationary and start the car when it's dark.

On normal Xenons they do there calibration check e.g. down/up/centre (or whatever order it is).

On the adaptive they do that but they also move in and out.

I'll be great if you have them as I love 'em. However if you've not noticed them from the light output and movement then I doubt you have.

Remember that adaptive lights only swing between approx 10-110 kmph so factor that into your testing.

[DrAce]

Thanks for the reply Scotty - I'll check out that self test.

High beam assist is different from Adaptive (and looks like it was a seperate option in the Oct 2009 catalogue). The idea is that the lights move (gradually) from high beam to dipped as road conditions change. It seems to have been invented for people who forget to use main beam and will switch to mains automagically when there's low outside light and no-one in front of you (uses a little camera in the mirror housing to determine this).

With lights in auto if it's low light the Xenon's come on as you'd expect. Move the light lever away from you to move to main beam and a headlight symbol with and "A" in it appears in the DIS but if there's streetlighting it does not select main beams... I assume if you move to a poorly lit area mains will come on.

If you press the lever a second time main beams come on.

Not sure if this is a good thing or not at the moment.

[ScottyUK]

Yep - High Beam Assist is the ultimate in "I'm a lazy git technology"

I prefer the control myseld on that so I haven't got it. I guess that's the A then.

I was referring only to the Adaptive lights.

You may well have High Beam assist as it was a cheap option (£100 I think) and maybe the dealer over looked it. I'd be surprised if they didn't mention adaptive as it's a bit more of a costly option to overlook....but I wouldn't be surprised

[DrAce]

You may well have High Beam assist as it was a cheap option (£100 I think) and maybe the dealer over looked it. I'd be surprised if they didn't mention adaptive as it's a bit more of a costly option to overlook....but I wouldn't be surprised

Just been down to the car and can confirm (after a couple of comedic attempts of trying to get around to the front of the car whilst the lights were still levelling) that they do indeed move left right as well as up down.

It's odd that neither the dealer nor AUDI CS recorded this yet both claimed that it had electric seats.

Another toy to play with or, as my wife sees it, something else to go wrong

[ScottyUK]

Bargain!

I'm surprised you haven't noticed them in operation. I bet you have a good play with them when it gets dark hehehehe

[troc]

To be honest I've never really noticed my adaptive lights swivelling - they just always appear to be pointing in the right direction.

As to the high-beam assist, it works correctly, switching the main beams on and off with incoming traffic and road lights but it does it ever so slightly later than I want to which is insanely irritating