Getting flashed with low beams on...

[Siciliano]

I've been dealing with this since I got the car, I just keep forgetting to make a post about it. I didn't find any similar posts through search, so I'm not sure if anyone else is having the same issue.

On quite a few occasions, with my low beams on (at night of course), I've been getting flashed by oncoming drivers. Has this happened to anyone else? I did some searching on the interwebs, and it seems Tesla upgraded the range (and output?) of the headlights on all model 3's built after June 2018. Mine was built 11/18, so I have the upgraded headlights - I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. Maybe they were incorrectly adjusted from the factory?

I did notice when poking around in the settings that there is an adjust headlights option. Has anyone ever used this? I'm thinking I need to have them adjusted, but the nearest SC is over an hour away. I realize ppl are mistaking them for high beams, but maybe they're just brighter than the average car, and oncoming drivers are overreacting??

 

[Skione65]

I get it occasionally but it seems to have settled down. Why I don’t know. I believe they’re calibrated correctly. You can go into Service I believe and calibrate them? (Service menu) I haven’t touched them. Maybe someone whose messed with them can chime in.

Ski

 

[aspec818]

I lowered my car and noticed my beams were pointed way too low. I adjusted them over the weekend by bringing them up 2 notches in the headlight adjustment settings. They seem to throw more useable light out now. You may have the opposite. You can usually tell if your headlights are too high while driving. Are all the signs in front of you being lit up when you drive? Ideally they shouldn’t light the whole time you’re driving towards them as that means your lights are aimed at oncoming traffics’ eyes. You can make minute adjustments in the settings. Just knock them down one notch and drive around and see if it helps. If not lower it again. Don’t mess with the horizontal adjustment as you’ll screw up the LHD patterns.

 

[achou0722]

Are you driving uphill? The Tesla's are bright, but so are a lot of the newer Toyotas...and don't get me started on Acuras.

Flash them back. Maybe they're just not used to the HID/LED tech.

 

[Siciliano]

Thanks guys, very good advice. A few clicks down on each headlight won't be the end of the world. I'm gonna go another week to see if it persists...if so, I'll set them down a few notches and go from there!

 

[bpobill]

Are you driving uphill? The Tesla's are bright, but so are a lot of the newer Toyotas...and don't get me started on Acuras.

Flash them back. Maybe they're just not used to the HID/LED tech.

Brightness has nothing to do with being flashed. It’s improperly aimed lights. Guys this isn’t rocket science.

drive down a side street. Are your headlights shining on side mirrors or back windows from pretty far away? If so that means they are angled up. Move them down a notch and test drive it again. You don’t want light going into other peoples eyes. So.... adjust your lights so they don’t do that. Not hard..

FYI the headlights in the model 3 are not that great. There are many other cars with superior lights. Leds have not caught up to hid yet. I used to do actual hid retrofits back in the day. I know lighting very well.

 

[skgolf91]

If I get flashed, I just flash them back to let them know I am not using the high beams!

 

[achou0722]

Brightness has nothing to do with being flashed. It’s improperly aimed lights. Guys this isn’t rocket science.

drive down a side street. Are your headlights shining on side mirrors or back windows from pretty far away? If so that means they are angled up. Move them down a notch and test drive it again. You don’t want light going into other peoples eyes. So.... adjust your lights so they don’t do that. Not hard..

FYI the headlights in the model 3 are not that great. There are many other cars with superior lights. Leds have not caught up to hid yet. I used to do actual hid retrofits back in the day. I know lighting very well.

As a single variable argument you may have a point. But there's way more variables at play. Angle of your car may throw your "bright" lights into oncoming traffic. A standard halogen light probably won't get you flashed at even at a poor vehicle angle.

 

[bpobill]

As a single variable argument you may have a point. But there's way more variables at play. Angle of your car may throw your "bright" lights into oncoming traffic. A standard halogen light probably won't get you flashed at even at a poor vehicle angle.

that phrase no **** Sherlock comes to mind. Not trying to be rude. I commented on a person who said they are getting flashed on quite a few occasions. I gave him advice to solve it.

there are standard halogen projectors and reflectors that actually illuminate quite well and will definitely get you flashed.

 

[achou0722]

that phrase no **** Sherlock comes to mind. Not trying to be rude. I commented on a person who said they are getting flashed on quite a few occasions. I gave him advice to solve it.

there are standard halogen projectors and reflectors that actually illuminate quite well and will definitely get you flashed.

Indeed, no **** Sherlock. You just disproved your original statement. Brightness is a factor under variable driving conditions. Not trying to be rude, this isn't rocket science.

 

[G26okie]

Brightness has nothing to do with being flashed. It’s improperly aimed lights. Guys this isn’t rocket science.

drive down a side street. Are your headlights shining on side mirrors or back windows from pretty far away? If so that means they are angled up. Move them down a notch and test drive it again. You don’t want light going into other peoples eyes. So.... adjust your lights so they don’t do that. Not hard..

FYI the headlights in the model 3 are not that great. There are many other cars with superior lights. Leds have not caught up to hid yet. I used to do actual hid retrofits back in the day. I know lighting very well.

Actually saw some headlight tests where the model 3 is rated as having some of the best headlights.
Tesla Model 3 dubbed as car with best headlights in Top 5 list

 

[Phlier]

Actually saw some headlight tests where the model 3 is rated as having some of the best headlights.
Tesla Model 3 dubbed as car with best headlights in Top 5 list

I was just gonna post a link to that article, when I came across your post. Thanks for doing that... I'm feeling really lazy today.

And this may not be rocket surgery, but it is at least brain science.