MX LED Headlights, VERY disappointing

[Gwgan]

See this Tesla video:
Model X Walkthrough

Thanks. Ok,so they are fancy but not that fancy.
I have found the lights to be very illuminating on dark curving roads and sometimes have been flashed with low beams. Perhaps the OP's lights need adjustment.

 

[travwill]

Bj0rn did a couple, one is a Model S (HID) light compared to Model X (LED). Then also a demo of adaptive LED on X.

 

[MX458Dave]

I agree with OP. Always checking to see if my lights are on all the way, and turn on the high beams for extra light.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Model S owner of 4 years here. Test drove a Model X at night a few weeks ago. I immediately noticed that the Model X LED headlights on low weren't as bright and didn't cover as well as the Model S HIDs.

There were noticeable gaps in the throw pattern likely from overlap of each individual LED. Turning on the fog lights helped fill it in a bit, but alas the Model X we ordered won't have those as we don't want the premium package (small kids and perforated seats - no thank you).

 

[nikeykid]

i guess it is a matter of perspective. my leaf headlights are god-awful, i'm almost afraid to drive at night. my X's LED lights are really bright to me as a result.

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

My new 12/27/16 XP100D with all options but towing has excellent headlights. I live in South Florida and often travel on asphalt roads with reflective lane paint in great condition. The headlights illuminate the lane paint perfectly and high-beams are extraordinary. I've previously owned a MB S550 with LED headlights, and currently own a GMC Yukon Denali XL, and '17 Audi Q7. I find the Model X's high beams noticeably brighter - perhaps because of the temperature being higher than HID. Very satisfied with Adaptive Headlight option.

Very interesting, and actually a huge coincidence. I, too, have owned a MB S550, a Yukon Denali XL and a Audi Q7. Comparing everyone one of them to the MX I'm driving, I would rate everyone of them as noticeably better.

I went for another long drive tonight and I noticed the highway directly in front of the car was very bright, almost too bright, so I really think it's simply out of adjustment as another member stated. There seems to be plenty of light, it just isn't aimed well.

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

Would you mind posting photos comparing the MS and MX headlights? - Thanks

I wish I could, but the MS I was driving was a loaner I returned.

After watching the video posted above, it clearly shows what I'm saying. Although he says "not much difference" I absolutely disagree. Look at the trees at the end of the drive way. With the MX you can only see the lower half of them. With the MS the entire tree is lit up. Also notice how concentrated and bright it is directly in front of the MX, this further points to simply needing adjustment. There seems to be plenty of available light, it just needs to be aimed higher.

Tomorrow night I'm going to raise the lights a little bit and go for a drive. I'll report back my findings.

 

[Winston]

ucbwsr posted some good comparison photos in this post over in the Model S subforum.
Tesla Model S LED Headlamp Insight

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

ucbwsr posted some good comparison photos in this post over in the Model S subforum.
Tesla Model S LED Headlamp Insight

I just read his review, he's saying pretty much exactly what I'm saying. The LED's don't have the range and are too bright right in front of the car. Raising them up some will help, but you have to be careful not to go so far that you start blinding other drivers.

His assessment is the same as mine, the HID projectors are superior to the new LED.

And none of those guys mentioned them icing over in the winter... Something you don't have to worry about with HID's

 

[cheekychappie]

We are 10 days into our Model X P100D and my wife does not like the lights at all and we have reported this to Tesla. Hopefully it is just an alignment, but the headlights feel like we just have side lights on and a small puddle right in front of the car. High beam are better and I have had them on and forgot and not been flashed by oncoming drivers, so this tells me that there is an issue with alignment somewhere

 

[ahtlys]

This morning, just before dawn, I took the X down some back roads I have driven 100's of times in my nissan and the X's light are comparably more dim. The lights also seem to focus on the ground closer to the car, additionally, they are closer to day light spectrum of light and I'm not sure how that affects how things absorb vs reflect. In this area of the country where deer rule the roads dim lights will certainly make it harder to avoid them.

 

[FURY]

Another reason to dd a HUD, like the Audi has had for years... Maybe not so much with the current front windshield of X though.

Thank you very much

FURY

 

[lloyds]

I will be taking my X to the Sierra and now the car is getting a set of LED foglamps. Will post pics when I get her back in 2 weeks.

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

I adjusted the headlights up two turns on the adjustment screw and it made a big difference. They still aren't as good as HID projectors, but much better than they were. I'd now rate them as good, but not great.

 

[K-MTG]

I adjusted the headlights up two turns on the adjustment screw and it made a big difference. They still aren't as good as HID projectors, but much better than they were. I'd now rate them as good, but not great.

How do you adjust them? Not that mine need to be adjusted

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

Under the cowling covering the top of the headlights is a plastic, Phillips head adjustment screw. Remove the center cover behind the frunk portion which just snaps off, then remove each side piece which also simply snap off. The screw is at the rear of the headlight, right next to the seal for the frunk. Turning the screw counter clockwise raises the lights. I suggest trying it half to one turn at a time. Make sure you count the turns so you can always return it back to where you started.

 

[Hmach]

Got SC feedback on my issue with the lowbeam headlights being too low and not hitting high enough. Was told my lights were within spec. However due to my reported issue, they did tilt the lights up slightly within the margin of the spec. This may be a worthwhile inquiry and alternative for those who are trying to get a better panning for the headlights.

Also was told that hypothetical tweaking of the headlights on your own may take the lights out of spec along with the previously mentioned issue of potentially blinding other drivers. Not that I was thinking about it but adjust AYOR...

 

[ThomasB]

So I just completed a 6,500 mile cross country journey in an older style Model S with the HID projector lights. They worked amazing, even on low beam they lit up the road very, very well. Yet not one time did I get a high beam flash from oncoming traffic, so that tells me the beam pattern is spot on. High beams are absolutely fantastic!

Yesterday I jumped out of the MS into a new MX P100D which obviously has the LED headlights. My first thought was "are these things on, or is that just the fog lights?" Of course, they were indeed on. On low beam I'd say they light up the road about as well as my '16 Ram with just the fog lights on. On high beam they are pretty much what the MS was on low beam, great for driving in traffic, but poorly lacking for deserted highway driving. In fact, the low beams are so poor I turned off the auto high beam and just drove with the high beams on the entire time. NOT ONE car flashed me, even on a busy two lane road. That tells me they certainly aren't functioning as a typical high beam should. My only other experience with all LED headlights was an Audi A6 that worked very, well. Except when it was snowing, the heaters that are supposed to keep the headlights warm and de-iced were malfunctioning or just not adequate.

Any other MX owners experience this when comparing to other high end vehicles with HID lights? I've owned several Mercedes, Audi, high end GM, etc. with HID lights that were ALL vastly superior to the MX lights. Is there some adjustment on these? I'm curious if others feel theirs are up to par with other high end HID then there is a problem with this car, if that's "just the way it is" then it's another Tesla fail, why go from fantastic HID's to poor performance LED? (I didn't see much range difference at all in the MS between night and day, maybe a few miles at most, so power draw isn't much concern)

Also, anybody know if these headlights have heaters in them to keep the snow / ice cleared off while driving?

Thanks!

Something is wrong with yoUr lights. Mine are so bright I had people tell me about it at red lights.

 

[MisterT2]

I too have gotten the country flash of your brights are on using low beams.

 

[Hmach]

Just an update. After some drives at night these last few days, the newly adjusted lights seem noticeably better to me in terms of height and therefore brightness as I am able to illuminate more. I was informed by SC that the lights are initially positioned so they are higher on the driver side and lower on the passenger side to assist with angle of visibility or some such thing. All the SC did was move the passenger side up to the higher range of spec. I feel safer now since I can see more. However, nowhere near as strong or clear as the nonLED MS loaner.