headlight compare, 2016 S v 2018 3.

[jerjozwik]

i promised someone on reddit i would compare my 2016 model s p90d [pre-facelift]'s headlights against those in the 2018 model 3. figured not everyone is on reddit and i should also share the info here.

 

[DurandalAI]

i promised someone on reddit i would compare my 2016 model s p90d [pre-facelift]'s headlights against those in the 2018 model 3. figured not everyone is on reddit and i should also share the info here.

Same camera? Should be obvious answer of yes, but if not, would have different white balance.

 

[03DSG]

Newer LED’s are great. So much of it is in the reflector design. They have a definite cut off line unlike aftermarket HID’s that scatter light everywhere due to not having a dedicated lens/reflector/projector. They also have a wider legal light pattern. Great for ‘old’ eyes.

 

[Sunshine State]

Same camera? Should be obvious answer of yes, but if not, would have different white balance.

You are not comparing the upgrade Model S headlights but rather the base S lights to the premium package 3

 

[DurandalAI]

You are not comparing the LED Model S headlights but rather the base S ones

Dear lord, the Model S even had halogen headlights as the bass level? Gross. After having LED headlights in my Leaf, I would never want halogen.

 

[Sunshine State]

Dear lord, the Model S even had halogen headlights as the bass level? Gross. After having LED headlights in my Leaf, I would never want halogen.

I may be wrong and behind the times with the light tech, I meant whatever the upper trim headlights are, both our X and S appear very white compared to the pics above.

 

[MP3Mike]

@jerjozwik How did you have your Model 3 headlights adjusted? As far down as possible? As far up as possible? In the middle? (Or did you not know that you can adjust them up/down?)

 

[jerjozwik]

uh... behind? hahah no idea what the adjustment is. never even thought of changing it.

 

[jerjozwik]

I may be wrong and behind the times with the light tech, I meant whatever the upper trim headlights are, both our X and S appear very white compared to the pics above.

your S has the face lifted lights which are LED, my early 2016 still has xenon.

 

[MP3Mike]

uh... behind? hahah no idea what the adjustment is. never even thought of changing it.

And you can do the adjustment from the screen/scroll wheels from the comfort of your seat.

From the manual:

Headlight Adjustments
You can adjust the angle of the headlights to
accommodate the load you are carrying. For
example, in situations when you are carrying a
significant amount of weight in the rear trunk,
you may need to lower the angle of the
headlights to avoid creating glare for
oncoming drivers. To adjust headlights, touch
Controls > Service > Adjust Headlights, then
follow the onscreen instructions.

Warning: Proceed with caution when
adjusting headlights. Tesla has carefully
calibrated the position of the headlights
to be in an optimum position for most
driving scenarios. Tesla recommends that
you do not adjust headlights unless you
are familiar with how headlights should
be adjusted. Once adjusted, you will be
unable to automatically restore them to
their originally calibrated position.
Contact Tesla for assistance when
adjusting headlights.

 

[arcus]

I had a pre-facelift Model S as a loaner last week (2016) and comparing to my 2017 version the conclusions would be similar. While the 2016 has more even spread and provides warmer color, it is definitely not as bright as 2017 LED-based headlights (as expected).

 

[jerjozwik]

And you can do the adjustment from the screen/scroll wheels from the comfort of your seat.

ha! that is amazing.

 

[MP3Mike]

ha! that is amazing.

I think it is because the ability to do that is required in the EU, but is rarely made part of the US model of a car. Tesla may have put it in to make one less difference between global versions of the Model 3. (Not to mention that it is a nice feature.)