[suffolkboy]

Hi

When carrying passengers in the rear of my 06 civic at night I constantly get flashed by oncoming drivers thinking my lights are on full beam. Should they be self levelling? Theres no dial inside the car to adjust the height of the lights as ive had in other cars. If they are supposed to be self levelling and adjusting this isn't working. Drivers manual says that HID lights are self levelling but mine do not seem to do this. Anyone else had this problem?

Many Thanks Steve

 

[Grayfox]

Do you have the washers on the bumper or do you have a 0-1-2-3 Dial on the dash next to the steering wheel?

 

[Mr JP]

Steve,

it would appear you do have HID's if you have a Sport model.

I would suggest seeing if the auto levellers are working by starting the car in front of a flat surface (garage door, fence etc) and seeing if the lights go through the self checking procedure on start up, you will see them move up and down and align.

 

[Durseytu]

An interesting problem for drivers with hids that I have never thought about before. It could be that they have been driving with faulty auto levellers and simply never noticed. Will have to try this out on mine!

Cheers

Stu

 

[suffolkboy]

Hi Again

Yep have the washers so defo HIDs. Turn lights on and no movement at all with lights. Had the car two years now so looks like the auto levellers have never worked? Where do I go from here? This was not picked up on servicing or mot so not sure if this would be a failure?

Steve

 

[FR1M]

Same here, I've never noticed mine adjust when turning on the lights - cars been serviced and MOT'd but never picked up. The wife's just got a new Mondeo with HIDs and you can clearly see them adjust when turning on the lights. Be interested to see if they aren't working and how to fix...

 

[suffolkboy]

Same here, I've never noticed mine adjust when turning on the lights - cars been serviced and MOT'd but never picked up. The wife's just got a new Mondeo with HIDs and you can clearly see them adjust when turning on the lights. Be interested to see if they aren't working and how to fix...

A family member had a new Seat Leon FR with HIDs. When the lights came on they did a little dance up down side to side then adjusted. Mines never done anything like this. As you say be interesting to see if they should do this and if not how to fix it? Bet it wont be cheap

Steve

 

[FR1M]

No probably won't be cheap...nothing ever is with Honda!! Does sound an expensive fix as well.
I know my washers work at least...

 

[Skomaz]

Don't worry too much as you have been sold a line. On an 06 sport the hids don't do the start up dance and self align... That only happens with cars that generally have canbus and have the initial setting set via diagnostics... Ie vw group et all.

On the civic the hids are set by manual levelling screws on the lights as per the halogen units so they don't need the start up shenanigans.

The way to check is park facing a wall a few yards away with the lights on and mark the position of the top of the beam in some way (masking tape on the garage door is a good ). Then open the boot and stand in it watching the lights. The beam will initially rise as you get in but within a couple of seconds you should hear the adjusters and they should drop back to the original marks. Then get out and the reverse should happen... They should drop and then rise up again.

If they do nothing of the above I would start by checking the levelling sensor on the back axle is free and working. They can sometimes sieze or pop off the mounts.

 

[Skomaz]

Steve,

it would appear you do have HID's if you have a Sport model.

I would suggest seeing if the auto levellers are working by starting the car in front of a flat surface (garage door, fence etc) and seeing if the lights go through the self checking procedure on start up, you will see them move up and down and align.

Correct on the first point but wrong on the second!

 

[Bog]

+1 they do not move on start up (not even the 9g's do).. As stated, they prob only need a slight adjustment manually.

Plus also consider they are some riotous old farts out there driving and have not still quite accepted that modern cars do have different tech to old halogen bulbs and just flash to be clever ... Normally the sort that wear driving gloves and have there fog lights on when raining ?

Don't worry too much as you have been sold a line. On an 06 sport the hids don't do the start up dance and self align... That only happens with cars that generally have canbus and have the initial setting set via diagnostics... Ie vw group et all.

On the civic the hids are set by manual levelling screws on the lights as per the halogen units so they don't need the start up shenanigans.

The way to check is park facing a wall a few yards away with the lights on and mark the position of the top of the beam in some way (masking tape on the garage door is a good ). Then open the boot and stand in it watching the lights. The beam will initially rise as you get in but within a couple of seconds you should hear the adjusters and they should drop back to the original marks. Then get out and the reverse should happen... They should drop and then rise up again.

If they do nothing of the above I would start by checking the levelling sensor on the back axle is free and working. They can sometimes sieze or pop off the mounts.

 

[Mr JP]

Correct on the first point but wrong on the second!

I stand corrected, so used to seeing it on other cars, VAG, Mazda etc.

 

[suffolkboy]

Don't worry too much as you have been sold a line. On an 06 sport the hids don't do the start up dance and self align... That only happens with cars that generally have canbus and have the initial setting set via diagnostics... Ie vw group et all.

On the civic the hids are set by manual levelling screws on the lights as per the halogen units so they don't need the start up shenanigans.

The way to check is park facing a wall a few yards away with the lights on and mark the position of the top of the beam in some way (masking tape on the garage door is a good ). Then open the boot and stand in it watching the lights. The beam will initially rise as you get in but within a couple of seconds you should hear the adjusters and they should drop back to the original marks. Then get out and the reverse should happen... They should drop and then rise up again.

If they do nothing of the above I would start by checking the levelling sensor on the back axle is free and working. They can sometimes sieze or pop off the mounts.

Thanks Skomaz

That's great advice,much appreciated. I will do these checks later today. Could you tell me where the sensor is on the rear axle and the manual adjusters on the lights in case I have to manually adjust them? On a two hour trip Saturday night from one end of Suffolk to the other I miust have been flashed or dazzled at least ten times! I ended up playing Headlight jousting constantly. So annoying as they could clearly see me dipping my headlights. Thanks again.

Steve

 

[Farqui]

Headlight adjustment http://www.civinfo.com/forum/how/3060-how-set-up-headlights.html

I couldn't find where the rear sensor is...

 

[Skomaz]

Two sensors and a control unit. One sensor on each axle - see items 1,2,3 & 4 on the link below.

Honda Car Parts / Choose by Model / Genuine Honda Parts | Honda Cars | Honda Motorcycles | Honda Power Products | Lings Honda

I don't have my car with me today but I'm pretty certain they will be visible towards the passneger side of the car pretty close to the dampers and will have one end of a lever arm on the moving part of the suspension close to the hub and the other end on the many car chassis / bodywork.

If I can get a photo tomorrow I will.

 

[nturnb]

+1 they do not move on start up (not even the 9g's do).. As stated, they prob only need a slight adjustment manually.

Plus also consider they are some riotous old farts out there driving and have not still quite accepted that modern cars do have different tech to old halogen bulbs and just flash to be clever ... Normally the sort that wear driving gloves and have there fog lights on when raining ��

At what age does one become a Riotous old Fart? There are some dark mornings when I well get the hump with people with their over bright lights. opcorn2:

 

[coste1l]

Ive been like that since 30. That said my new cars lights are like floodlights but apparently have tech to stop dazzling....

 

[suffolkboy]

Two sensors and a control unit. One sensor on each axle - see items 1,2,3 & 4 on the link below.

Honda Car Parts / Choose by Model / Genuine Honda Parts | Honda Cars | Honda Motorcycles | Honda Power Products | Lings Honda

I don't have my car with me today but I'm pretty certain they will be visible towards the passneger side of the car pretty close to the dampers and will have one end of a lever arm on the moving part of the suspension close to the hub and the other end on the many car chassis / bodywork.

If I can get a photo tomorrow I will.

Mate you are a star. Many thanks for the info on this,its much appreciated thankyou. If you do get some photos that would be much appreciated too,i am not that up on the more intricate mech stuff so all help is gratefull.

Steve

 

[Durseytu]

There has certainly been some interesting points made in this thread - I think a lot of us will be parking our cars up against a wall and standing in the boot to see if our auto-levelers still work!

Cheers,

Stuart

 

[suffolkboy]

There has certainly been some interesting points made in this thread - I think a lot of us will be parking our cars up against a wall and standing in the boot to see if our auto-levelers still work!

Cheers,

Stuart

Haha yes ime sure you will. Checked mine and defo not working. Raining out so not so keen laying on the ground trying to find the sensor tonight so will have a look when its dryer. Had a look behind the lights and found the small white adjuster I think on back of the headlights. In fact theres two each side. ime guessing ones for high beam and ones for dipped? Looks like an allen key to adjust them I think?

Steve