headlights

[steven99]

2007 mazda3 sedan. It's actually my girl friends ride. I've noticed (as she tries to run me down) that the headlights aren't all that bright compaired to most other cars. I thought they were the day time running lights or something. The setting is "auto" so I'm sure it knows what it's doing, but they just don't seem very strong. Anyone else notice this?

[b]

2007 mazda3 sedan. It's actually my girl friends ride. I've noticed (as she tries to run me down) that the headlights aren't all that bright compaired to most other cars. I thought they were the day time running lights or something. The setting is "auto" so I'm sure it knows what it's doing, but they just don't seem very strong. Anyone else notice this?

My girlfriend has a 2006 mazda 3 sedan and I thought the same thing last week. I thought her lights seemed very dim. Maybe I am just used to HID's now but beside the 2001 miata the miata with projectors and halogen was much brighter than her 3.

[steven99]

I actually had her pull over the night we were convoying the vehicle home, told her the headlights weren't on. In my rear view mirror I could see that her lights were 25% dimmer then everyone else.

ps. I'm very new here and I just read the big flame filled mpg/lpg american/british postings, some serious sniping going on, keep up the good work guys.

[steven99]

and how many posts do I have to make before I become a non-noob?

[EvilEric]

and how many posts do I have to make before I become a non-noob?

It's like 300 or 350 or something like that :( Does take a while

[EvilEric]

My girlfriend has a 2006 mazda 3 sedan and I thought the same thing last week. I thought her lights seemed very dim. Maybe I am just used to HID's now but beside the 2001 miata the miata with projectors and halogen was much brighter than her 3.

Maybe they switched to aftermarket halogen bulbs. I know alot of people buy those silverstars from costco

[Xerox]

So you were driving ahead of her right? Keep in mind that the projectors have better control of light output. Meaning more usable light on the road rather than producing glare/blinding people ahead. The projectors should also produce wider light output too. I guess she doesn't have HIDs?

[cwp_sedan]

You said she has a 2007? During the day if the control is set to anything except on, the DRLs will be on. they are the high-beams but at a low output. At night time if the lights are set to auto or on, the full output of the low beam should come on. If they are set to off or the other setting (including parking lights), they will still be the DRLs at a reduced output. Make sure the lights are turned on at night.

[Xerox]

Make sure the lights are turned on at night.

He said that they are set to "auto"

[MattC]

i got stock headlights on my 07 and at meets mine are brighter than most except people with AM HID kits above 6000k.

is there a 07 that doesnt come with HID's?

[steven99]

I'm going to have to check this out further with the car itself. There are two seperate lights on either side, right? one for high beam and one for low? Am I correct on that? With the outer most bulbs being the lows?

She may have the lights set to something other then "auto". Originally, when washing it, every twenty minutes, grin, she couldn't stop the windshield wipers from going on, even though she claimed it was in the "off" position. When I checked it out I found that the actual setting on the control stick was somewhat tricky to figure out exactly where you were.

[MattC]

tricky wipers? :P

you're best bet is to not run the lights on auto, maybe its cause i useto drive a shitbox and im useto having to turn my lights on and off, but Ive never really used the auto function, not to mention its really sensitive, if you drive under the 401 or something they go on for like 2 secs then go off.

If she has HIDs I dunno why they wouldnt be bright...
3rd car from the front, thats what stock 07's look like when on.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k22/cjlee9/DSC_0023.jpg

[majic]

and how many posts do I have to make before I become a non-noob?



ps. I'm very new here and I just read the big flame filled mpg/lpg american/british postings, some serious sniping going on, keep up the good work guys.

at this rate... a lifetime :chuckle

anyway.. the outermost (amber) light is your blinker.. this light is a dual fillament bulb that is also on when the other lights are on (DRL for example)

the next light is the projector housing for the DRL/low beam.. and finally the inner most is the reflector for the high beam.. 2007s have DRLs on highbeams unline the earlier models where the DRLs were the lowbeams..

there are 4 settings on the light lever to the left of the steering wheel: OFF, DRL, ON, AUTO

OFF - all lights are off (the ember ones might be on but i disabled mine so i'm not 100% sure now)
DRL - 2007: some percentage of FULL high beam so they aren't blinding; pre-2007: low beams on @ some percentage, amber bulbs on as well
ON - low beams at full strength, amber bulbs on
AUTO - if it's bright enough DRL mode, if it's dark enough ON mode..

[cwp_sedan]

He said that they are set to "auto"

I figured that there was a miscommunication between him and his gf of what the actual setting was on the control stick and it looks like I may have been right. :)


is there a 07 that doesnt come with HID's?

Yeah, all except those with the luxury package. You are 'extra' special Matt...:chuckle

[steven99]

Okay, this weekend I'll take a good hard look at the situation. I believe the setting is on "auto" as the middle light, next to the turn signal, are on at night and these are the ones that don't appear very bright. As this is a 2007 those low beams should either be on 100% or off if I read correctly.

quote - "Keep in mind that the projectors have better control of light output. Meaning more usable light on the road rather than producing glare/blinding people ahead. The projectors should also produce wider light output too"

I believe this is to pronounced to be the above. This is a very noticable difference to most other cars. I'm not a headlight or car guy really but I'm pretty sure something is going on.

I'll post more when I review the situation.

[cwp_sedan]

I would have a dealer look at it them if you think there is something wrong with them. I found my light output to be 1000x better than my Grand Am I had previously. Now that I put in a set of 6000k HIDs they are 1000x better than stock halogens on my 3, even though they didn't seem to be too bad to begin with.