2013~2016 My CX-5 LED high beams are terrible

[poka-yoke]

I have a 2016.5 with the LED lights. The low beams are fine, if a little sharp in their cutoff, and have been aimed correctly. When I turn on the high beams, however, they just put more light in the same place, which actually makes visibility even worse as it closes the pupils and adds glare...

I live in very hilly terrain and often need the highbeams to see anything. The only time I'm not unconsciously trying to turn on the high beams when they're already on is when I'm on perfectly flat highway.

Here's what I'm experiencing. Low beams on the left, high beams on the right.

Is anyone else's CX-5 like this? There's only one set of aiming screws. Anything I can do?

 

[rockethead26]

It's hard to tell the difference as your camera is most likely adjusting the exposure on one or both of the images. I can definitely see the beam throwing farther on the high beam images which is what they should do.

 

[poka-yoke]

The fact that it's hard to tell the difference makes my point for me... The excessive brightness isn't my main complaint, it's that the high beams aren't illuminating what I need them to.

Here's my other vehicle in the same spot. With the high beams you could actually tell there's a hill there, and that there's no obstruction in the road. And these are halogens... The CX-5 high beams get me about another 50 feet at best.

 

[sm1ke]

Found this post with a quick search:

2016 Headlight Adjustment

Anybody have instructions on headlight adjustment? Which one is up/down? Is one up/down and the other left/right? Or is there an up/down adjustment for each beam?

mazdas247.com

The vertical adjustment for 2016 LEDs is in the far outside corner of the headlights and is accessed with a phillips screwdriver through a small hole marked with a triangle. It is pretty sensitive and up is counterclockwise looking down on the screwdriver.

The horizontal adjustment is high near the center of the headlight. It is not very sensitive.

 

[rockethead26]

I'm at a loss, because I can plainly see the rise in the road with your brights on in the first set of images that I cannot see with your low beams on. The Mazda lights are shielded on top so that you don't blind drivers in front of you either coming at you or leading you. The light is thrown farther, not higher. Mine work just like your first pic and not like your other car.

 

[poka-yoke]

Seems like maddogg2020 here also finds this to be bad: 2013 CX- 5 - Touring awd -problem with the HID headlamps with auto leveling

I guess it’s part of the Mazda design. Too bad… I don’t understand why there would be a need to shield oncoming cars from high beams if they’re intended to be used when no cars are around. Maybe it’s a failsafe in case the auto high beams are stuck on or something. Maybe it’s an engineering trade-off to make the auto high beams even work in the first place.

Very hilly terrain and lack of light above the lens cutoff means reduced sight distance.

I’ll have to look into supplemental lighting. Thanks for the info.

 

[rockethead26]

Just as a reference, my upper light cutoff is just below the rear window of most cars in front of me on level road and the headlight level of oncoming cars. I can see all the cars I want or need to see. I live at 7000 feet and drive on mountain roads all the time without a problem. It is my first car with headlights like this, and I actually like them better because less high landscape and trees lit up in front of me reduces the amount of reflected light and glare and improves my night vision.

You may or may not get used to it, but I think it's a better way to light up the streets and highways without lighting up other drivers. My lights also don't shine into as many neighbors windows when driving around town at night.

 

[skid00skid0]

I have a 2016.5 with LED. I LOVE the lights. My highbeams light up much further down the road than the lows.

Take pics of the low beams, then the high beams, against a garage door or white wall and post it, please.

Your pics look like the alignment of the lights is majorly screwed up. Also, you need to follow a specific procedure when you adjust the lights, so that the steering motors in the housings don't act to remove what you adjusted to. I'm drawing a blank on what that is, at this time. Engine running, in park? I just forget...

 

[ColtX-5]

I have a '16.5 and consider the headlights to be among the best I've ever had. They were adjusted a low for my tastes from the factory. The vertical adjustments are on the outside corners of each housing. You can use either a Phillips screwdriver or wrench to move the adjustment. A little dab will do ya.

 

[Tomo]

I have 2016 CX 5 and the ALH system iz malfunctioning. It dosen't work anymore. I changed both left and right lights under warranty because DRL turned off. Does anyone know the solution. And on low beams the lights are not leveled, the right one is higher then left one.

 

[poka-yoke]

Take pics of the low beams, then the high beams, against a garage door or white wall and post it, please.

@skid00skid0 do your lights look like this too? High beams on top.

This doesn't seem right. They should be going well above the horizontal cutoff that exists to prevent blinding oncoming cars.

 

[HyFlyer]

@poka-yoke , are you the original owner of your 2016.5 with the LED headlamps you are having issues with? Have they ever been replaced? Perhaps with aftermarket lamps.

 

[poka-yoke]

Second owner. I purchased it at 20k miles and now have 100k. I’m not sure if the lights have always been this way; I’ve needed to drive at night far more starting last year.

The lights are genuine Mazda OEM, and the side to side automatic swivel is working fine. Is there an automatic up and down component too? If so, maybe it’s broken.

 

[skid00skid0]

I'll take pics Saturday night. I don't have that haze above the bright line. If that isn't a camera artifact, I'd guess the lenses/outer plastic housing has degraded due to ultraviolet, wax, or lots of impact from sand, etc.

 

[skid00skid0]

Second owner. I purchased it at 20k miles and now have 100k. I’m not sure if the lights have always been this way; I’ve needed to drive at night far more starting last year.

The lights are genuine Mazda OEM, and the side to side automatic swivel is working fine. Is there an automatic up and down component too? If so, maybe it’s broken.

My 2016.5 with Tech package auto-levels the lights depending on how many back-seat drivers I have loaded...

There's a procedure where you can change that level. You can NOT just crank the adjusting screw. I don't remember what the procedure is...

 

[skid00skid0]

Well! I guess I also have that eyebrow effect above the main beam... Maybe to illuminate signage?

 

[poka-yoke]

Well! I guess I also have that eyebrow effect above the main beam... Maybe to illuminate signage?

Can I ask what you high beams look like?

I’ve never tried to adjust my light aim, never needed to because the lows are correct and the high beams don’t have their own adjustment anyway. And now I’m wondering if the vertical beam auto-adjustment is broken because I’ve never seen them move vertically.

I do see the manual mentions adjustment based on cargo load. And I do have the tech package.

 

[skid00skid0]

I don't know if I've ever seen my lights 'exercise' vertically at startup. I do see them swing left/right a bit. Have a few friends sit in the cargo area a few times. You should be able to see if the lights bob up/down on your garage door, if the system is not working. I'll try to remember to get a high beam pic in a few days.

 

[skid00skid0]

Here's new shots:

Parking:

Low:

Low + Fog:

High:

 

[poka-yoke]

I really appreciate you taking the time for the photos. Looks like nothing is broken and it’s just how it’s designed. Mystery solved and case closed!

Thanks again to all