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Ba Xr Headlights

5K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  Fordhead 
#1 ·
I drove our XR8 for the first time in the dark last night and found the headlights to be fairly ordinary compaired to the EB & EL.

The light beam seems to be a bit short.

Has anyone else noticed this or do mine just need to be ajusted.

If they do have to be adjusted I would have thought that the dealer would of checked it.

Thanks,



Scott.
 
#2 ·
Can you adjust them yourself? I dont know if they will be anything near the same but on my AU there are orange plastic screws things (look like the top of a tap) on the back of the lights in the engine bay and depending on which way you turn them they move the lights up and down. Just a suggestion
 
#4 ·
I'd say that they might need some adjustment because im sure as hell that the BA headlights would be better than a EB or EL.
Cheers John
 
#8 ·
I cant fault the BA headlights, if you have problems it has got to be adjustment.

The EL in XR8 form was a dissapointment headlight wise after the excellant EB lamps. The EL was fin on high beam but the drop to low was always a big one.

The 6 lamp BA set-up makes the high to low dip much better. The AU was probably as good if not better than the BA but id did have a bad rap for dazzling on-coming drivers.

What-ever you have adjustment makes a huge improvement, and no the dealer will not normally set them at pre-delivery, they usually try to offer headlight aim as a cost option at the first service. Its not that hard to set up with measuring tape a level surface to a wall.
 
#9 ·
Ambrose_1 said:
Well, im pretty sure at dealers they use a special thing to line them up perfect ( i know i've used one) so maybe if you take it to a ford dealer
They are sold to Ford already pre-aimed , and the only adjustment ever done is on the production line ( if any ) .I know this because I programmed the aiming station , and its checked every week for allignment.
 
#12 ·
TIKFD6 said:
This would have somthing to do with the EA/D having Glass lense's, as opposed to the EF/L having plastic.
The optics in the polycarbonate lenses are vastly better with half the amount of light . 55w is all thats needed these days. Anything over 60 watts and the bezel will start to melt .
 
#15 ·
Fordhead said:
That I couldn't tell you , but we are given a tolerance to work to . Most of the body panels are pre laser cut and robot welded at Ford anyway which keeps the build of every car consistent .
Sounds fair for a manufacturer, the fact that the dealer wont optimise the factory setup at pre-delivery, and wants to charge on 1st service to rectify any problems, says I'll keep setting them myself.
 
#16 ·
The headlights on the BA XR/FPV are top notch. I upgraded to the +50 Philips globes and all is good. Like others I don't need spotties anymore either. I found the AU XR was fantastic as well. Hella deserve much credit for these headlights which are superb. Try driving an American car or say, a Honda Accord and see how good the Fords are!
 
#17 ·
I think mine need adjusting too as I went for a cruise down the south coast over New Year and the ride back in the dark was not as much fun as it was with the sun out.

It's not so bad under street lighting, but if there's no other lights around the beam is currently not as good as what my old XF had. Hight beam is awesome and the change back to low is very noticeable.
 
#20 ·
Sounds like my Grandmother’s NA Fairlane where she kept asking them to adjust the lights but was continually told they were ok (she is no fool by the way), until she said she would rather drive my grandfather’s Subaru Brumby at night – then they did adjust the lights and it did improve the light pattern.
 
#22 ·
FordHawk said:
Must be an adjustment issue, because all of the BAs I have been in have the best full beam headlights...and the low beam is pretty good too.
Agreed! I was thinking this last night while keeping an eye out for roo's. Both the AU & BA lights are superb, compared to the reasonably ordinary EF-EL items.

Genebaby, did they adjust them for you in the end?, or stick to this "your car is lowered" line? If the car's lower, they can adjust 'em to suit you'd think.
 
#24 ·
That's interesting about being lowered never thought about it, but i'd be surprissed if it was an issue with it being lowered to upset the aligement of the lights.
Cheers John
 
#25 ·
Genebaby said:
Well, they got back to me and said it may be because my car is much lowered. Is your XR8 lowered GT Bloke?
The optics on the new lenses makes up for 90% of the aim. The rest is left for incar adjustment which is done before Ford sees them . If you have lowered your car , then I can only imagine you'd need to adjust them up a poofteenth , if any at all
 
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