2014 CX5 GT AWD and just drove at night for the first time after 1000 miles of mostly uneventful day driving. I just was shocked to see (or not) how little of the forward road the low beams illuminate. I have never had a car before (40+ years of driving) that had this type of wide and flat beam projector and I am not thrilled at the performance. I wonder if changing the bulbs out for a different brand will create the type of forward diffused light I am used to and comfortable with. Anyone else having a lighting culture shock?
2013~2016 CX-5 Headlight low beams ineffective for distance lighting
- Thread starter BillB15
- Start date
Bladecutter
Member
- :
- 2014 Mazda CX-5 Touring
Do you have the expensive headlight package in your GT?
I have the Touring with just the Halogen bulbs, and the low beam lighting is fantastic, just like it was in my 2011 RX-8.
When you switch to the high beams, you then get even further longer distance visibility, but most of the time, it's not even necessary to turn to high beams.
I'm actually surprised at how bad the fog lights are on the car for adding extra light at the front of the car, though.
BC.
I have the Touring with just the Halogen bulbs, and the low beam lighting is fantastic, just like it was in my 2011 RX-8.
When you switch to the high beams, you then get even further longer distance visibility, but most of the time, it's not even necessary to turn to high beams.
I'm actually surprised at how bad the fog lights are on the car for adding extra light at the front of the car, though.
BC.
1st question, do you have the tech package or not.
2nd question, have you owned a car with projector lights before? They have a sharp cutoff, I'm guessing that's why you don't like it.
If you have regular non tech package, try getting some SilverStars bulbs, or do like the other guy said, raise your headlights.
If you do have tech package.. those are HID and the CX-5 HID are equal to much more expensive cars such as Mercedes and BMW HID lights. If you've never owned HID lights, it takes some getting used to, they're the best lights.
2nd question, have you owned a car with projector lights before? They have a sharp cutoff, I'm guessing that's why you don't like it.
If you have regular non tech package, try getting some SilverStars bulbs, or do like the other guy said, raise your headlights.
If you do have tech package.. those are HID and the CX-5 HID are equal to much more expensive cars such as Mercedes and BMW HID lights. If you've never owned HID lights, it takes some getting used to, they're the best lights.
SayNoToPistons
Wheels, not rims...
- :
- CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'
Surprising... Having a history of cars including factory HID's with and without projector housings, I find the Tech Pack CX-5 HID's to be surprisingly good with VERY nicely positioned, wide, and sharp light throw. Though color is lacking due to the clear projector lens, the lighting is superb. Even in comparison to the BMW E90 projector HID headlights and the Audi Q5's, the CX-5 is noticeably better in light spread and have a MUCH sharper cut off. That's saying a lot because the projectors in the E90 and Audi Q5 are one of the best in the industry for factory HIDs. In comparison to the fresnel lens HID projectors of my RX-8, these simply eclipse it in overall light quality.
Unless your headlights are poorly aimed or the auto leveling sensor by the sway bar is broken (both doubtful), there should be no reason to complain about them. If you must re-aim them, please follow online tutorials so you don't blind on-coming drivers.
Unless your headlights are poorly aimed or the auto leveling sensor by the sway bar is broken (both doubtful), there should be no reason to complain about them. If you must re-aim them, please follow online tutorials so you don't blind on-coming drivers.
Last edited:
Umm, have you checked the headlight aim?
The HID projectors are really good, both low and high beam. Your dealer should be able to make it right.
I have Xenon lights on my xtrail, in all my years of motoring I find them to be the best lights I have ever had, giving excellent coverage.
I would never buy a car without them now, as I've never liked night driving anyway at least the Xenon which I believe are the same as HIDs, make the journey less of a chore.
I think all cars should have them. The only down side is the cost of purchase and replacement.
My sport on order has them as standard.
I would never buy a car without them now, as I've never liked night driving anyway at least the Xenon which I believe are the same as HIDs, make the journey less of a chore.
I think all cars should have them. The only down side is the cost of purchase and replacement.
My sport on order has them as standard.
I just adjusted the aim and it was easy to do. One silver 10mm bolt on back of low beam housing raises and lowers the projection. Clockwise raises the beam. I did it in a dark garage and marked the original setting with a line on wall. I raised one beam 2 inches and then did the same to other beam. Test will be tonight when I drive it at night. There is some more adjustment upwards possible so I have a bit more to do if it does not fix my problem completely.
- :
- 23 CX-5 Premium
Don't go crazy raising them. The other part of the "test" is how oncoming traffic reacts to your lights. If you start getting people flashing you, you've gone too far. What I did was rotate the adjuster screws one full turn each side. That appeared to be enough when I on the road at night and I never get flashed.
SayNoToPistons
Wheels, not rims...
- :
- CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'
Well in Long Island and Metro NY, people won't be flashing him even if he had his highbeams on. There are too many idiots on the road that think "highbeams" mean "better vision beams" and frequently use them on the regular. Drivers are accustomed to them (excluding me).
1
123373
If you have the highest xenon lighting option you would have the auto leveling option? Maybe a malfunction?
SayNoToPistons
Wheels, not rims...
- :
- CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'
Better yet. Post up picture of light pattern. Your profile says you have a Touring, your posts says you have a GT.
Last edited:
GT AWD does not come with the "highest option light package". It comes with standard halogen projectors. The only way to get HID's is to get the tech package. And you must have halogens, because the adjustment bolt for my HID headlights is a plastic screw in the back of the housing.
Latitude Adj.
Member
- :
- Silver CX-5 GT AWD
There is going to be a horizon no matter which brand halogen bulb you buy, the only real difference is life. On my CX-7 I settled on SilverStars. On LI you probably can aim those lights alittle higher because you won't be cresting many hills out there blinding oncoming drivers.
My CX-5 has the HID's and the low beam is fine but the high beam doesn't reach as far down the road as my CX-7 but that had 4 headlights so the aim wasn't a compromise plus those high beams were SilverStars also.
And of course if you are changing bulbs don't touch the glass, the oil from your fingers will overheat the bulb and shorten it's life.
My CX-5 has the HID's and the low beam is fine but the high beam doesn't reach as far down the road as my CX-7 but that had 4 headlights so the aim wasn't a compromise plus those high beams were SilverStars also.
And of course if you are changing bulbs don't touch the glass, the oil from your fingers will overheat the bulb and shorten it's life.
First night drive with the beams raised and the down road vision was improved; however, I just tweaked it another half inch (about another half turn clockwise). It still has the "weird" horizon line effect that is hard to get used to for someone that has driven 40 years with regular non-projection style bulbs. No one flashing brights at me yet to tell me I am blinding them, but like some other posters have mentioned, it is pretty flat around here and many people also have the HID style lights on their cars and being blinded is getting to be the norm.
They are bloody strange eh! Never seen this before either, with standard or xenons, there just isn't any leaked light into the distance to let your eyes focus on it, just a sharp cut off horizon that seems to hypnotise your eyes! Luckily, that line is fairly high so it's not all bad, I don't do enough pitch black driving to worry about it though.
SayNoToPistons
Wheels, not rims...
- :
- CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'
Are people actually complaining about projector cut offs? There are huge communities dedicated to paying hundreds to swap lenses and projector housings from various different OEM and aftermarket HID parts just to have the best cut off and spread as possible. They are exchanging parts on cars that come with OEM projector HID's just to have equivalent light pattern as us... Wow, guys.
