Headlight stupid questions

[mhewitt]

1. One of my headlight's xenon low beams has a purple cast and sometimes doesn't work at all. Do I need a whole new headlight unit?
2. What is the small tungsten build in a clear section of reflector (immediately below the indicator) for? I don't think I've ever seen it on.

[rufusking]

It sounds like the Xenon bulb is on the way out. What you described are classic symptoms.
You can just replace the globe but they are pricey. Instructions are in the Owners Handbook.
As for the globe below the indicator it is the cornering / static bending lamp. Depending if you have AFS (adaptive front lighting system), swivelling of the xenon with the steering, or not they are activated differently.
As a cornering lamp the headlights need to be "On" and an indicator "On" and speed below 40kph or below 70 for AFS the cornering light goes on on the side that the indicator is active, so you can see where you are turning into.
For static bending the lights need to be "On", speed below 70kph and steering wheel angle greater than 40 degrees, eighth of a turn.

[nat_89]

As rufusking said it sounds like the xenon bulb is on the way out best to replace it now. And i think all the lights are the same if they dont have the headlights with a adaptive function then they just leave the little silver bit in there I'm guessing and dont pop it out. I wondered to when i got my car.

[mhewitt]

As rufusking said it sounds like the xenon bulb is on the way out best to replace it now. And i think all the lights are the same if they dont have the headlights with a adaptive function then they just leave the little silver bit in there I'm guessing and dont pop it out. I wondered to when i got my car.

I see I have a confusing autocorrect in my original: "...small tungsten bulb..." not "...small tungsten build..."

Does this mean that if there is a bulb in there they are adaptive headlights?

[mhewitt]

It sounds like the Xenon bulb is on the way out. What you described are classic symptoms.
You can just replace the globe but they are pricey. Instructions are in the Owners Handbook.
As for the globe below the indicator it is the cornering / static bending lamp. Depending if you have AFS (adaptive front lighting system), swivelling of the xenon with the steering, or not they are activated differently.
As a cornering lamp the headlights need to be "On" and an indicator "On" and speed below 40kph or below 70 for AFS the cornering light goes on on the side that the indicator is active, so you can see where you are turning into.
For static bending the lights need to be "On", speed below 70kph and steering wheel angle greater than 40 degrees, eighth of a turn.

I never use my indicators... that may be why I've never seen it on...

[nat_89]

Possibly its at the bottom corner of each headlight, do you notice your lights move with the steering wheel at night haha!

[rufusking]

Does this mean that if there is a bulb in there they are adaptive headlights?

You can have Static Bending without Adaptive. With Adaptive their is a larger gap around the projector lense to allow for movement compared to normal / non-adaptive.

[Fatso]

I never use my indicators... that may be why I've never seen it on...

You would fit in well in WA then .

[mhewitt]

I may have the beginnings of an answer.

My wife hit a roo a while back (before I installed the bullbar, of course...) and one of the parts replaced was the RHS headlight.

The new, RHS headlight is AFS - swivelling xenon, halogen lamp in the cornering reflector. (It's also the xenon that is failing.)

The old, LHS headlight is non-AFS - fixed xenon, no halogen lamp in the cornering reflector.

So... can I replace the old LHS headlight with an AFS version and have the AFS function enabled in the computer - or is there more to it (different wiring loom?) than that?

[rufusking]

The AFS has a separate control module so it would need more bits to make it work. The static bending / cornering is controlled by the CJB and needs activation via one of the aftermarket diagnostic tools that can change the CCF (Car Configuration File)