Headlight Beam

[steviepark]

I wonder if somebody could answer a query for me, having driven in the dark on a dual carriageway for the first time since owning the car I noticed that the headlight beam on the passenger side is a longer beam than on the drivers side and also they both have a very definate cut off point to the beam is this normal on a 09 plate Auris as I have never noticed this on any other make of car I have owned?

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Auris has projector headlights and the two of the characteristics of these are a very tight beam and sharp cut-off. Suppose you could check whether the alignment is correct if you have doubts.

[tavy]

In this topic I described how to adjust headlights alignment:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/104097-lights/page-2

[steviepark]

Thanks Tavy for the info but all i wanted to know is if the headlights are correct with the passenger side seeming to have a longer beam reach than the drivers side or should they be both the same reach i am a bit reluctant to start adjusting the headlight beam myself

[tavy]

It must be a small difference between beam patterns (about 1m difference in lenght), passenger side must be longer as you see in this picture borrowed from Vauxhall UK site.

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/content/dam/Vauxhall/Europe/united_kingdom/nscwebsite/uk/Home/Vehicles/Cars/Mokka/320x180/vehicles-mokka-320x180-VX_MOK_18465.jpg

Mine has the same beam pattern on both sides.

[Peter Sale]

I thought that the beam was longer on the passenger side as that would see further along the roadside on a country road without annoying an oncoming car. Or to put it another way, the driver side is shorter and lower as it might annoy or dazzle an oncoming driver.

After nearly collecting a pedestrian dressed in black on a dark night on a dark road, I welcome any extra on that side !

[Uncle Buck]

Nail on head Peter. Mine are most definitely not equal on both sides or I'd be blinding oncoming cars. Yes, the cut-off point is well-defined but the passenger side beam should be a bit longer for safety reasons.

[mbuckiunas]

Passenger side beamer is cut this way to light up sings and pedestrians. All left-drive cars must have right side beamer to light this way only.