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icemann3016
29-06-09, 09:47 AM
Hey guys. I have a ...hmm not a problem but an issue anyway. When i drive during night time on a normal road in a city etc. no problem. But when i go on highway and pass 100kph/60mph and the lights switch to highway mode with maximum lightning, the other drivers use the light horn- switch main/full beam to show me that my lights are too bright and they can`t see. Do you have such problem and is it fixable? I have no button for regulating the lights height, they do that themselves upon start.

guinney1971
29-06-09, 02:10 PM
jeez, what was wrong with the tried and tested system thats been around since God was a boy, where you have a little stalk that lets you manually dip/high beam your headlights?

Modern technology eh ......... :rolleyes:

Sorry this isnt the answer you were looking for, but I think this is a classic example of the over complication of the modern motor car.

PhilCavy
29-06-09, 02:16 PM
Car magazine recently had the top ten most useless technology in cars and my Jag has one of them - adaptive cruise control - it's supposed to maintain the distance to the car in front - the Car mag article said it's quite exciting because you are never 100% sure whether or not it's going to kick in and stop you running into the back of the car ahead!

guinney1971
29-06-09, 02:19 PM
Car magazine recently had the top ten most useless technology in cars and my Jag has one of them - adaptive cruise control - it's supposed to maintain the distance to the car in front - the Car mag article said it's quite exciting because you are never 100% sure whether or not it's going to kick in and stop you running into the back of the car ahead!

lol, that sounds like the Distronic system on Mercedes :rolleyes:

cameron66
29-06-09, 02:19 PM
I dont have AFL on my car, so maybe someone who does have it can give a definitive answer.

I find it hard to believe thay have not given some option to manually adjust the beam levels. So on the AFL models you dont have a rotary beam height adjustment adjacent to the one which adjusts the internal instruments/displays. ?

I assume you can still manually cancel main beam via the left stalk as usual. which I assume is what you are having to do in the circumstances you discribe.

Is there no configuration options in the menu's offering options to adjust or turn off the way the AFL function works. ? maybe alter speed levels before it switches to main beam or to switch off the option altogether.

Lets face it... you dont want it switching on main beam everytime you go over 60mph do you... sounds silly to me.

cameron66
29-06-09, 02:43 PM
:Djeez, what was wrong with the tried and tested system thats been around since God was a boy, where you have a little stalk that lets you manually dip/high beam your headlights?

Modern technology eh ......... :rolleyes:
.

Well you do still have the bog standard manual system of dipping main beams, and also manual adjustment of beam height on the Insignia basic models such as the S and Exclusiv's. AFL is only on the more expensive models. I'm sure that must still be possible even on AFL equiped cars... surely.

Seems to me that VX have failed to provide many basic functions which we took for granted on previous vectra's, such as the remote opertaion of windows, and auto-locking etc, which was on all the vec-c models. In the name of advancement they have introduced many functions which are questionable as to their value with regard to the driving experience. I'm not personally bothered about electric adjustment on seats, (how often do you adjust them once setup) they could have saved money there, and given us LEDs and proper xenon lights across the whole range. Also dont forget that in the UK all FM stations get turned off in 5 years time, which means everyone will need to buy a Dab radio for their cars, in 2009 these should now be fitted as standard on all new cars. Forget all the gimmicks, lets have some basic but useful things that users want. JMO..

I for one, would prefer not to have the auto-light sense thingy, which causes my central display to keep changing brightness, and which turns on dipped beams when in less well lit area, and then takes ages to turn off.
VX should at least give us some menu options so we can control how things operate, or to disable them if we dont like them.

Unfortunately they have failed to do this, which is a very big mistake IMO, especially as such options would have cost VX very little if anything at all, as its just extra options added in software when the controlling program was written, not exactly rocket science stuff.

I get lots more options when setting setting up my Sky Box than those included on the Insignia.:(

Happy42
29-06-09, 03:10 PM
Hi Folk's

I have the AFL on my Elite and the auto main beam works a treat :)

The camera very quickly picks up an oncoming car or the rear lights of a car infront and switches back to dipped.

You can still overide the auto lights and put them onto manual if you so wish.

No manual switch to alter head lamp level and is all automated.

My guess would be to ask the dealers to check the sensitivity of the camera.

I have no complaints about this car, all the auto features work well, car is a wonderfull drive and has all the basic functions I require :D Best lights I've had on a car and yes you can operate lights via stalk as an option.

Cameron66 - I don't want to upset you or seem rude but there must be something about the car you like otherwise why buy it? You do seem to have it in for the Insignia (-

Cheers all :)

cameron66
29-06-09, 07:17 PM
Cameron66 - I don't want to upset you or seem rude but there must be something about the car you like otherwise why buy it? You do seem to have it in for the Insignia (-

Cheers all :)

Of course I liked the car, otherwise AYS I would'nt have bought it, :) I think it's a lot of car for the money, and I think it looks nice. Unfortunately, I think I made a mistake in choosing the 1.8vvt version. Also I do seem to be having faults occuring, when one thing seems to get fixed, something else seems to happen or a small issue re-occurs.

I should add that this my 4th brand new VX car, having had previously, the Zafirra's, and Vectra's. I never had a single problem with any of them, which of course is one of the reasons I went with another new Vx car this time round.
My last vectra still had 6 months warranty left, so I do tend to lose a lot of money buying them this way (my choice) but if you dont have any money at my age then its unlikely one will ever have any. IOW I like my new cars, and you can't take it with you.

AYK if you read some of my posts, the car was not new when delivered due to 72 miles on clock, and stone chips on the car, so I suppose it was a disapointing experience from day one. In fairness to the dealer, they did fit some rear sensors FOC to make the deal a bit sweeter, I just seem to be getting small problems popping up which TBH are naturally eroding my enthuiasim for the car a little, at least for this particular one.

Its currently waiting to have a noisy fuel vent valve replaced, and now the starter motor is making weird noises, all fixable issues hopefully.:)

I'm sorry if you feel I'm picking on the Insignia, I am just stating the facts/my experiences with this particular Insignia, and am pleased that your's and I am sure many others have had good experiences with no issues at all.

If one gets several problems on a brand new car, whether its a Ford, Vauxhall, BMW, or whatever make, its bound to leave one a little dis-satisfied.:(

I'm sure the driver of that Insignia that went up in flames, probably feels a little peeved at the moment, faults on a new car matey make you feel like that. Hopefully that's a one off, and as long as no one was hurt that's the main thing.:)

I have no ojection whatsoever if you wish to post up your many good experiences with your Insignia, which I might add, looks brilliant BTW
Perhaps some of your positive vibes will rub off onto me. :D(-(-

I was 'Happy when I was 42, but when your're 66 you become old and grumpy.:D:D:D:D:D

martin99
29-06-09, 08:25 PM
I have no ojection whatsoever if you wish to post up your many good experiences with your Insignia, which I might add, looks brilliant BTW
Perhaps some of your positive vibes will rub off onto me.


Good news - got home without catching fire :D:D:D

cameron66
29-06-09, 09:07 PM
Glad to hear that matey, so did I, :D lets hope that was just a one off, as I'm sure it was. I remember seeing a pic of a BMW the other week on fire on the hard shoulder, can happen to any car under certain circumstances, shorted wire etc. Might be a little concerned if we started seeing a lot of them, but I dont think that will happen... fingers crossed.:)

My son had a VW golf catch fire resulting in it being written off some years ago, only a few months old too, at the time.

sofuse
30-06-09, 08:20 AM
and now the starter motor is making weird noises,

The starter motor on my 1.8vvt is also making a noise. It seems to do it mainly first thing in the morning when the engine is cold.

It's after the engine has started and the starter motor is disengaging that it makes a kind of noise like the gear hasn't quite disengaged.

Anyway, I'm going to book it in to my dealer and I'll probably have to leave it with them overnight so they can experience the full effect.

I'll also ask them to investigate a rattle from the nearside, rear door and a problem with the fuel filler flap. I know it's supposed to release when you push it, but most of the time it doesn't. I've got to press the unlock button on the key two or three times.

Minor niggles that I'll get sorted.

Happy42
30-06-09, 10:38 AM
Hi Cameron66 (-

Cheers mate, yeah I do know how you feel from previous experience with a Nissan, but every cloud has a silver lining and I'm sure you'll get through it and start to enjoy your Insignia ;)

I think we're all Grumpy Old Men from time to time :eek:

Cheers :)

cameron66
30-06-09, 11:06 AM
The starter motor on my 1.8vvt is also making a noise. It seems to do it mainly first thing in the morning when the engine is cold.

It's after the engine has started and the starter motor is disengaging that it makes a kind of noise like the gear hasn't quite disengaged.

.

Yes... that's when mine mainly does it too, certainly does'nt sound right, so they will check it when it goes back in, but not overly concerned by this at the moment.

On your 1.8, can you hear like a dull knocking noise inside the cabin when its ticking over, not loud, but quite audible inside. ?

Also with your 1.8 have you noticed any hesitation or a feeling of a flat spot or holding back at certain revs when pulling hard at around 3k to 4k revs. ?

Just wondered if it's common on the 1.8vvt or just mine...lol

sofuse
30-06-09, 12:15 PM
On your 1.8, can you hear like a dull knocking noise inside the cabin when its ticking over, not loud, but quite audible inside. ?

Also with your 1.8 have you noticed any hesitation or a feeling of a flat spot or holding back at certain revs when pulling hard at around 3k to 4k revs. ?

Just wondered if it's common on the 1.8vvt or just mine...lol

I think at idle the engine sounds like a diesel, if that's what you mean. Thought it was just a characteristic of that particular engine. Certainly at motorway speeds it's very quiet. No complaints.

Yes, there's a definite flat spot between 3k and 4k. Maybe something to do with the VVT, though I had the 1.8VVT engine on my previous Vectra and it showed no hesitation at all.

cameron66
30-06-09, 02:40 PM
I think at idle the engine sounds like a diesel, if that's what you mean. Thought it was just a characteristic of that particular engine. Certainly at motorway speeds it's very quiet. No complaints.

Yes, there's a definite flat spot between 3k and 4k. Maybe something to do with the VVT, though I had the 1.8VVT engine on my previous Vectra and it showed no hesitation at all.

Thats interesting, yes it does sound a little like a diesel on tickover, I think the noise is emanating from the vent valve solenoid at the back of the engine on the top. (see pic in my other post re. Solenoid Valve) If you place your hand on it you can really feel the knocking from it quite a lot, and I think it's this thats causing the noise on tickover. You cant hear it if you rev it a little, and its quiet AYS when moving.

Mine was lovely and quiet on tickover when I first had the car, but started making this noise about 3 or 4 days later.
In fact when it first started it was very loud, the wife and I actually thought there was a helicopter hovering above the car, but it has since quietened quite a lot, though still quite audible inside at tickover.

Dealer is fitting replacement valve next week, so we will see if that's any quieter, though I understand from users that these valves do tend to make some noise. More than likely, the noise is travelling through the pipes where they fasten to the bulkhead. If the replacement makes little difference, I may try putting some sound proof material around it, which some other users have done.

Dealer says he wants the car for whole day for some reason? the valve has only got 2 push on plastic pipes going to it, and one electrical connection, so have'nt a clue why they want it all day.:confused:

I may ask them to check out that flat spot issue also, quite noticable on this car, AFAIK the engine is basically the same unit as the one on the 1.8vvt vec. Hmmmm.
The trouble is it sounds like I'm being hyper critical, its getting embarrassing now! but I just like things running right, or am I just being overly fussy in my old age.
Though I'm sure we will get there in the end. :D:D

icemann3016
30-06-09, 03:06 PM
I find the diesel engine very noisy when idle and staying outside. When inside the car its perfectly quiet. No sense of being a diesel at all. And i can clearly say it sounds like an old diesel engine when it is cold. Is it same for u guys?

cameron66
30-06-09, 03:49 PM
I find the diesel engine very noisy when idle and staying outside. When inside the car its perfectly quiet. No sense of being a diesel at all. And i can clearly say it sounds like an old diesel engine when it is cold. Is it same for u guys?

We seemed to have moved way off the OT with this thread..LOL

The noise we were discussing above was actually on the petrol 1.8vvt engines, which one might expect to be pretty quiet on tickover, but in some cases its unfortunately not.

Regarding noise from the diesel models, it's acknowledged by quite a few Insignia diesel model roadtests and comments made by the person doing the tests that the diesels on the Insignia do tend to sound a little on the loud side especially on tickover. I had a diesel estate (tourer) courtesy car a couple of weeks ago and I thought it sounded slightly louder on tickover than my Vec-c cdti 150 was, though like most modern diesels it was pretty quiet once it got going. Though I thought it was not quite as fast on accelleration as my old cdti 150, though I suspect that was due to the increased weight of the Insignia.. Still impressive though!.

A VX mechanic at my local dealer commented that they thought VX had not used as much sound proofing material on the Insignia, which may explain it.
Either way, I think you can consider your diesel noise has being quite normal for a diesel engine car, they are fairly quiet and almost silent IME when on motorways etc.
A bit of noise is the price one pays for all that power and superb torq when pulling.:D

cameron66
30-06-09, 03:59 PM
Just noticed I somehow double posted, dont know how that happened but if one of you much appreciated mods can delete one of them I would be most grateful... Thanks.

cameron66
02-07-09, 12:28 PM
I think at idle the engine sounds like a diesel, if that's what you mean. Thought it was just a characteristic of that particular engine.

After doing a lot of browsing on german Insignia forums which have lots of activity and feedback from Insignia owners. I found a few mentions of this noise at tickover on the 1.8vvt, and from what I read there may be a modification to reduce this noise listed under the following Product Inprovement List for the Insignia.

Product improvement measure 09-P-008 - tank vent pipe

May be nothing to do with our little noise issue at all, but in view of the fact the noise is emanitaing from the Tank Vent Valve Solenoid and is likely being transmitted to the bulkhead via the pipes I think it may be some fix which involves a rubber mount so the pipes are isolated from the bulkhead, instead of being directly clipped to it.

Then again it may be nothing of the sort, and not connected with our little noise issue.. may just be me putting 2 & 2 together and coming up with 5. LOL. :D Will see what happens when it goes in next friday.

joemailey
04-07-09, 11:07 PM
Guys,

What does the noise sound like that you's hear from the starter motor?

When I hold in the clutch and start the car.
I hear what sounds like a clicking noise.(can't explain it)

but it just goes click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,cl ick,click, and then it goes away. Only happens when I start the car in the morning or when I leave work to head home.

Is that the same noise you guys are talking about?

cameron66
05-07-09, 12:07 AM
No.. it more like a whine noise, only lasts a couple of seconds. I'm fairly sure it's due to the starter gear not disengaging properly or quick enough when the engine starts when you turn the key.

Mainly seems to do if when cars been left standing overnight, rarely does it afterwards.

OPEL PARTS GREECE
06-07-09, 08:54 AM
Hey guys. I have a ...hmm not a problem but an issue anyway. When i drive during night time on a normal road in a city etc. no problem. But when i go on highway and pass 100kph/60mph and the lights switch to highway mode with maximum lightning, the other drivers use the light horn- switch main/full beam to show me that my lights are too bright and they can`t see. Do you have such problem and is it fixable? I have no button for regulating the lights height, they do that themselves upon start.

The AFL 99.9% work great but the problem is that the other drivers that have usually the halogen lamps (old people with 70's 80's models )believe that this bright light can be done only by high beam lamps so.....

From the other hand if your speed is more than the city accepted then the car ''does not understand'' and believe that you are in highway in which bars are between two rows so no one is blinded and you have better light

The AFL are not like the mod HID lamps since their lense is away too accurate than the normal ones

cameron66
06-07-09, 11:56 AM
The AFL 99.9% work great but the problem is that the other drivers that have usually the halogen lamps (old people with 70's 80's models )believe that this bright light can be done only by high beam lamps so.....


LOL... Not necessarily old people, at least not here in the UK anyway.:D

Most elderly drivers in the Uk tend to have late model cars as they are more able to afford them, and in many cases will pay cash for their new cars.

It's usually young 17 year old youngster's that drive the old bangers here, or certainly many of them in that age group.

For example, I'm 66yrs and currently driving a new Insignia, prevous car was bought new in November 2006 and sold well under 3 yrs old. The majority of our friends, some in their seventies, or older also drive fairly new cars, main reason being is that they can afford to do so, and with poor interest rates on savings many elderly are treating themselves to a new car more frequently.

OPEL PARTS GREECE
06-07-09, 12:17 PM
Hmmm i was the first one that bought Corsa/D 2008 with AFL ....the Astra/H also.....the Antara also....and now my beauty insignia and till now all or the other cars that are coming from the other side as i was told had compaints about bright light and not blinding them.....i say that we are trying to compare a fluorecent lamp with a halogen one or even worse with the normal one.

I want to believe that all of the other AFL parameters are working since none compalint (at lest in Greece) has been done about that.

cameron66
06-07-09, 01:29 PM
[QUOTE=OPEL PARTS GREECE;82097 say that we are trying to compare a fluorecent lamp with a halogen one or even worse with the normal one.

I want to believe that all of the other AFL parameters are working since none compalint (at lest in Greece) has been done about that.[/QUOTE]

I personally dont have AFL on my Insignia, but I understand what you are saying, it is quite possible that some users are getting reactions from other drivers approaching them, simply because the lights are so much brighter than usual, though not necessarily because there's anything wrong with them.

OPEL PARTS GREECE
06-07-09, 01:40 PM
I personally dont have AFL on my Insignia, but I understand what you are saying, it is quite possible that some users are getting reactions from other drivers approaching them, simply because the lights are so much brighter than usual, though not necessarily because there's anything wrong with them.

Exactly the lights are so much brighter than usual!!!
And as someone told me .....some people believe that the holly spirit is on the other side (funny)
This is a VERY expensive extra (either as factory intalled ...or damaged in later time) in all ways but believe me they worth 1000% the cost

icemann3016
06-07-09, 10:30 PM
I got the problem for the AFL.1st on the highway mode its on 38W instead of 35 and is 5 degrees higher than usual. So the solution is when on highway, disable the auto and switch on main beam only.That fixes it... or change the reflector level by reducing the height

OPEL PARTS GREECE
07-07-09, 05:00 AM
I got the problem for the AFL.1st on the highway mode its on 38W instead of 35 and is 5 degrees higher than usual. So the solution is when on highway, disable the auto and switch on main beam only.That fixes it... or change the reflector level by reducing the height

After having checked the SENSORS, HEADLAMP LEVELLING, FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION are ok then a small adjustment from the HEADLAMP LEVELLING will fix the problem

As for the W the lamp is the BULB 12V/35W, HEADLAMP, XENON, D1S35W correct?

icemann3016
07-07-09, 10:09 AM
After having checked the SENSORS, HEADLAMP LEVELLING, FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION are ok then a small adjustment from the HEADLAMP LEVELLING will fix the problem

As for the W the lamp is the BULB 12V/35W, HEADLAMP, XENON, D1S35W correct?

That`s correct. As for the leveling: reducing the height of the reflector will reduce the lightning power of the other modes except the highway one. That`s what I am afraid of. I hope GM will release a software update soon that makes the highway mode not to be at 38W but at 35 as the other ones. And reducing the position with 1-2 degrees will fix the problem. I am sure. Lets hope someone from GM read what i say:D