[Sean B]

I probably didn't explain it too well but the adaptive lights on the mk4 the dipped beam stayed at the normal driving height when the full beam lit up all around the car in front. Not dazzling them but lighting up the car as if the full beam wasn't on. I feel with the matrix lights there is no need to create a black spot for the whole car in front when the the full beam is on. i would understand if it was far in the distance but if the car is only a few car lengths in front then i don't see why the dipped beam can not stay at the normal height. I don't really know how else to explain apart from you see more with the adaptive lights over the matrix ones. I think the adaptive ones reacted quicker than the matrix ones too.

Again that's how the lights work on my C43. The dipped beam isn't adaptive, it doesn't need to be because it will never dazzle anybody (unless the lights are positioned incorrectly). Whereas the full beam is adaptive and needs to blank out space around other cars to avoid dazzling.

The matrix style lights are a completely different technology to the Ford adaptive lights - the matrix lights use many LEDs (84 per side in the C43, not sure what Ford use) to create a beam pattern whereas the Ford adaptive lights are, as far as I'm aware, a system that physically moves the bulbs around. So whilst the adaptive system has a full beam and a low beam bulb, the matrix lights don't so you wouldn't ever get the effect of low and full beam on together.

 

[troyneutron]

Perfectly explained and spot on

 

[kevans]

Again that's how the lights work on my C43. The dipped beam isn't adaptive, it doesn't need to be because it will never dazzle anybody (unless the lights are positioned incorrectly). Whereas the full beam is adaptive and needs to blank out space around other cars to avoid dazzling.

The matrix style lights are a completely different technology to the Ford adaptive lights - the matrix lights use many LEDs (84 per side in the C43, not sure what Ford use) to create a beam pattern whereas the Ford adaptive lights are, as far as I'm aware, a system that physically moves the bulbs around. So whilst the adaptive system has a full beam and a low beam bulb, the matrix lights don't so you wouldn't ever get the effect of low and full beam on together.

Oh ok. That was a good explanation. Makes sense now. If I would have understood how the matrix lights actually worked I would not have expected them to be like the adaptive ones.

All being said I think they are good but still prefer the pre facelift ones 😁

 

[STjamie]

Has anybody had any issues with auto levelling on the LED head lights? Got in 5am yesterday to do the morning commute which is mostly rural and noticed that the standard "low" beam was pointing alot "lower" and shorter than usual - almost like running foglights - they certainly were not lighting up the road ahead as far as they nornally do....pehaps a glitch but noticeable non the less ?

yes, mine is booked into the dealer to have a look, they are seriously dangerous when they don’t level correctly, can barely see anything in the dark

 

[Pitsparky]

Again that's how the lights work on my C43. The dipped beam isn't adaptive, it doesn't need to be because it will never dazzle anybody (unless the lights are positioned incorrectly). Whereas the full beam is adaptive and needs to blank out space around other cars to avoid dazzling.

The matrix style lights are a completely different technology to the Ford adaptive lights - the matrix lights use many LEDs (84 per side in the C43, not sure what Ford use) to create a beam pattern whereas the Ford adaptive lights are, as far as I'm aware, a system that physically moves the bulbs around. So whilst the adaptive system has a full beam and a low beam bulb, the matrix lights don't so you wouldn't ever get the effect of low and full beam on together.

The earlier MK4 led lights blank out proper moving squares around the the vehicle in front and oncoming vehicle it doesn’t move the beam about as such. The levelling is done via the plastic transducers attached to the front suspension behind the brakes. I have never been impressed with many car led lights , most are inferior to good xenon lights, just because led is usually whiter light doesn’t make it brighter, fools you into thinking that. Main beam is usually the problem, some are pathetic and almost useless. The adaptive lights my M3 had were superb 10x better than the mk4 focus led’s. I preferred the xenon lights in my mk3.5 to the mk4 lights. You shouldn’t ho attempting to adjust them though, …. But I lowered mine very slightly as they were too high and were dazzling people. Dipped is meant to be dipped!! I notice a few led light cars failing mot’s due to bad alignment.

 

[Sean B]

The earlier MK4 led lights blank out proper moving squares around the the vehicle in front and oncoming vehicle it doesn’t move the beam about as such. The levelling is done via the plastic transducers attached to the front suspension behind the brakes. I have never been impressed with many car led lights , most are inferior to good xenon lights, just because led is usually whiter light doesn’t make it brighter, fools you into thinking that. Main beam is usually the problem, some are pathetic and almost useless. The adaptive lights my M3 had were superb 10x better than the mk4 focus led’s. I preferred the xenon lights in my mk3.5 to the mk4 lights. You shouldn’t ho attempting to adjust them though, …. But I lowered mine very slightly as they were too high and were dazzling people. Dipped is meant to be dipped!! I notice a few led light cars failing mot’s due to bad alignment.

Just going by what I'd read, obviously the change to matrix lights happened slightly earlier than I'd read.

I agree a brighter light source doesn't necessarily mean more actual visible light, once you go past about 4600K your source looks brighter but is actually showing less visible light on the road. However I've been very impressed by the Intelligent Lighting System on my C43. I constantly have full beam on and I've never been flashed except when on an incline, and I get that without the full beam, used to in the ST as well. It blanks out space where necessary in a very effective way, sometimes it's almost mesmerising watching it change the beam as you drive along a dark road as it blanks out other traffic, dims around road signs so they don't glare back at you, spreads when the road ahead is empty and extends at faster speeds. The full beam will light up well over 200 metres ahead which I think is quite impressive. I'm hoping the lights in my upcoming M340i will be similarly as impressive as it's one of the features I most like about the C43.

I guess it's all about cost, the lights they fit to more expensive cars will be more expensive units and it seems you get what you pay for here.

 

[Pitsparky]

Just going by what I'd read, obviously the change to matrix lights happened slightly earlier than I'd read.

I agree a brighter light source doesn't necessarily mean more actual visible light, once you go past about 4600K your source looks brighter but is actually showing less visible light on the road. However I've been very impressed by the Intelligent Lighting System on my C43. I constantly have full beam on and I've never been flashed except when on an incline, and I get that without the full beam, used to in the ST as well. It blanks out space where necessary in a very effective way, sometimes it's almost mesmerising watching it change the beam as you drive along a dark road as it blanks out other traffic, dims around road signs so they don't glare back at you, spreads when the road ahead is empty and extends at faster speeds. The full beam will light up well over 200 metres ahead which I think is quite impressive. I'm hoping the lights in my upcoming M340i will be similarly as impressive as it's one of the features I most like about the C43.

I guess it's all about cost, the lights they fit to more expensive cars will be more expensive units and it seems you get what you pay for here.

The blanking out road signs is needed on the likes of the Focus, it is a problem. BMW did two versions, The adaptive version I had in my 2018 F80 was an extra £1250 but they were unbelievable good low and high beam. I had a G30 M340d for a week last summer as a courtesy car when they broke my M3 head unit attempting an update. The lights were good but maybe not as good as my M3 lights. Sideline, I dislike diesels but that M340d was something else, the only diesel ever would say it’s possible to not realise it is. Goes like the clappers from nothing and averaged over 50mpg the week I had it from almost new. I would be struggling to justify the 340i over the 340d, recommend you try one first before you jump! And you need the technology pack to get adaptive cruise etc which is f&£&& criminal!

 

[Sean B]

The blanking out road signs is needed on the likes of the Focus, it is a problem. BMW did two versions, The adaptive version I had in my 2018 F80 was an extra £1250 but they were unbelievable good low and high beam. I had a G30 M340d for a week last summer as a courtesy car when they broke my M3 head unit attempting an update. The lights were good but maybe not as good as my M3 lights. Sideline, I dislike diesels but that M340d was something else, the only diesel ever would say it’s possible to not realise it is. Goes like the clappers from nothing and averaged over 50mpg the week I had it from almost new. I would be struggling to justify the 340i over the 340d, recommend you try one first before you jump! And you need the technology pack to get adaptive cruise etc which is f&£&& criminal!

I'm guessing you mean a G20 M340d? G30 would be a 5 series That news is a little disappointing though, as the M340i would have the same headlights I imagine. As for diesels - nah, never gonna happen! I ordered the M340i LCI a month or so ago after test driving a non-LCI version. I included the technology plus and comfort plus packages, managed to get a £7200 discount.

 

[Pitsparky]

I'm guessing you mean a G20 M340d? G30 would be a 5 series That news is a little disappointing though, as the M340i would have the same headlights I imagine. As for diesels - nah, never gonna happen! I ordered the M340i LCI a month or so ago after test driving a non-LCI version. I included the technology plus and comfort plus packages, managed to get a £7200 discount.

Yes just assumed they’d called it the G30 as the previous F30. I am sure the lights will be good I had the M340d late summer so not a true comparison as didn’t use them that much tbh. Just the M3’s were so good. I would have said exactly the same about the diesel and was disappointed when i saw the”d” on the badge, but after driving it for a week (and I jumped straight out of a low mileage M3) my head would say d my heart would say i ! But as diesel is so ridiculously expensive now and likely to stay that way it sways it back again. You should easily see mid 30’s + mpg out of the 340i my M3 was good for 30+ going with the flow and it was 452hp without any hybrid assistance.

 

[STjamie]

My car went back to dealer yesterday, I kinda knew they would say no fault which they did, but did say two faults codes were stored on the car which they cleared, got it in this morning, exactly the same, they remotely logged into the car this morning & said the fault codes were back!, it’s booked back in again tomorrow

 

[troyneutron]

Hope they find out whats wrong

 

[Pitsparky]

My car went back to dealer yesterday, I kinda knew they would say no fault which they did, but did say two faults codes were stored on the car which they cleared, got it in this morning, exactly the same, they remotely logged into the car this morning & said the fault codes were back!, it’s booked back in again tomorrow

The levelling function is controlled by two (natty plastic !) transducer lever arms connected to the front suspension behind the brakes. When I first saw one I thought “that is going to give problems!” But nobody seems to have had a problem with them until your issue. Suspect it’s another mk4.5 issue related to alternate module sources and software issues. But hopefully just one of those sensors acting up as Ford rarely fix software issues or at least take two eternity’s by which time you’ve likely passed the car and its problem on.

 

[STjamie]

Fault has been diagnosed as a faulty light module, new one has been ordered, two week back order from Germany

 

[troyneutron]

That's good, at least the fault has been diagnosed. Hopefully resolved after

 

[STjamie]

Gets better, media screen is playing up now

 

[the radman]

ive been thinking of buying a mk4 or facelift version for my daily but all these posts are making me think ill be better off sticking to the prefacelift one as it seems to be the better option,my 2016 st3 has been fault free since new so all these faults that folk are having on new cars isnt inspiring me

 

[alexp999]

That issue seems to be quite common on the SYNC 4 screens.

 

[Hitchin_Brian]

That issue seems to be quite common on the SYNC 4 screens.

I've had it but only the once so far and that was before Christmas.

 

[troyneutron]

I've had it but only the once so far and that was before Christmas.

I've only had it twice since November. That being said it's twice too many.

 

[troyneutron]

ive been thinking of buying a mk4 or facelift version for my daily but all these posts are making me think ill be better off sticking to the prefacelift one as it seems to be the better option,my 2016 st3 has been fault free since new so all these faults that folk are having on new cars isnt inspiring me

I had mk4 for 3 years and didn't have one issue. The mk4.5 definitely is glitchy,has worse lights than the mk4 and have some items removed but is still a great car.