Headlight weirdness

[Markg2]

2018 XLT

At the risk of being laughed off the forum I'm reporting what my wife has reported twice now.

When driving at night and looking out the front windshield, the ~top half of the windshield looking out is 'black/dark'.

This makes no sense to me.

I haven't had the chance to take her XLT out for a spin at night to see for myself so in the meantime I thought I post it.

Mark

 

[edizzle]

what vehicle did she come from?

 

[EricExpedition]

Is this your first vehicle with projector headlights? It sounds like you a referring to the sharp cutoff. The low beams concentrate the emitted light downward. Engaging your bright lights should reveal the other "half" of the beam.

That being said, I am not too impressed with the XLT projector headlights. My 2013 F150's projector headlights are considerably brighter... Go figure!

 

[Markg2]

Her last as of 2 weeks ago was a '99 4wd Suburban 1500. There is nothing that's not new and different after 19 years. But only seeing 1/3 ty the road? Needing to on/off brights to see the whole view--not good. I'll read up on projector headlights before I break the bad news

Thanks!

 

[JExpedition07]

Her last as of 2 weeks ago was a '99 4wd Suburban 1500. There is nothing that's not new and different after 19 years. But only seeing 1/3 ty the road? Needing to on/off brights to see the whole view--not good. I'll read up on projector headlights before I break the bad news

Thanks!

This is one of my biggest issues with the newer projector LED headlamps...It seems they don’t illuminate enough area in front of the vehicle (both width and length in front) compared to the reflector housing units. The cutoff is also too close imo as if there is an obstacle you don’t see it until it’s close. The white light also doesnt fair well in the rain.

 

[Markg2]

And I presume a mod or different assembly is thousands of $...

 

[Markg2]

She just came home, stopped in front of the garage, came inside to get me so I could see the headlight reflection on the backend of the garage...

What common sense challenged engineer then common sense challenged marketing person then common sense challenged executive could have conceivably thought a projected headlight of the type installed on the '18 XLT is anything but dangerous. We live in the mountains. Good luck picking out deer alongside the road and farther up ahead using standard beam (assuming not high beam for several good reasons/conditions)!?

 

[GeezingInVA]

This is also my only real gripe with my 2016 Limited. I've had better/safer headlights on a bicycle.

 

[benyl]

The cutoff is there so you don’t blind oncoming drivers.

 

[Markg2]

I sent the through the windshield images to the dealer. The service manager and tech are sure they care increase the field of view by adjusting the headlamp. Hopefully, it'll be enough so going up an incline you can see at least 1/3 of the road. The vehicle goes in this Saturday. It's not a quick job since the headlamp adjustment requires the removal of the front bumper and some under the hood stuff. The same engineer(s) that designed this projector lamp are obviously the same ones that decided to make adjustments a huge PITA.

 

[JExpedition07]

The cutoff is there so you don’t blind oncoming drivers.

The LED blinds drivers much worse than halogens cutoff or not.

 

[Markg2]

Look, all I want is a low beam headlamp that functions at least as well as all our previous vehicles going back to a 1972 VW.

 

[Pop302]

I sent the through the windshield images to the dealer. The service manager and tech are sure they care increase the field of view by adjusting the headlamp. Hopefully, it'll be enough so going up an incline you can see at least 1/3 of the road. The vehicle goes in this Saturday. It's not a quick job since the headlamp adjustment requires the removal of the front bumper and some under the hood stuff. The same engineer(s) that designed this projector lamp are obviously the same ones that decided to make adjustments a huge PITA.

Post images here, maybe it’s worse than what others have

 

[Markg2]

Below are the images. that little sliver of light through the windshield is the low beam while driving up a mild incline on a road without street lights.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Wow, so I have a platinum which means I have the LED lights not the ones you do, but that is certainly not what mine look like (especially the low beams), nor is it acceptable. I agree with your dissatisfaction. I am really interested to hear if other XLT owners on here (or Limited owners without the LED lights) have the same light situation.

 

[Dscustoms]

Maybe we can turn this into a class action and get ford to stop putting the crappy halogen headlights in these and replace all the ones out there.
The cutoff is sharp on these, I agree. I assume they are within guidelines of nhtsa, but if you want to file a complaint, that’s where you start.

 

[Dscustoms]

Can someone with factory leds post a few beam shots?

 

[Markg2]

Maybe we can turn this into a class action and get ford to stop putting the crappy halogen headlights in these and replace all the ones out there.
The cutoff is sharp on these, I agree. I assume they are within guidelines of nhtsa, but if you want to file a complaint, that’s where you start.

I'm 99% certain that my condition is caused by tilting the vehicle up or down as in driving up or down mountain roads. Because there's the sharp, horizontal cutoff, there was no design consideration given to people that live in the mountains (Rocky Mountains). The low beam is low even on my first image of the back of the garage since there's a slight incline up to the garage floor. On Saturday, the dealer can only raise the beam a little otherwise I'll be in the eyes of oncoming cars. However, whatever then can do will be better than the current situation and if by some stroke of magic Ford should respond the first thing someone's going to ask is if the headlights were checked for spec alignment.

I'm sure that, adjusted properly, the low beam is within federal guidelines ON A LEVEL ROAD. I can assure you the low beam is nowhere near guidelines driving up and down mountain roads.

Although there's a bat's chance in h*ll that we'll get any relief, I have filed a complaint with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Consumer Reports just so I know I've done all I reasonably could to remedy the problem.

 

[JExpedition07]

Here are my stock halogens on my 3rd gen (low beam and fog lights), boy what a difference. Maybe yours are aimed wrong.

 

[Markg2]

I don't get it. Even if our's are aimed wrong, where's your 'sharp, horizontal cutoff line? Yours look perfectly fine. Is your Expedition a 2018?