My V35 .. Dash Brightness Missing? Hid Not Bright?

[R33fear]

hey guys,

While I love my V35 she's got some sore points that i've just dealt with, but wanted to know if others had the same issue.

Basically I find the headlights in it arent strong enough..

HID yes, thats great, but driving i get what seems like only 6-10m of visibilty out of them if the road is pitch black..

I can jump in my partners mitsub mirage and the headlights on that light everything up like its xmas...

anyone else have this issue ??? I just wanna know if its a common thing, (2003 model / 6spd man) or if its just the lights they come with arent that strong?

are we able to upgrade them without causing mass drama?

--

Also I have no button to increase my dash lights brightness, I know where it is supposed to be, next to the boot release switch..

problem is there is another button there, I will take a photo and post it up, but its a button that has a picture of what looks like windscreen with a squiggle line across it... ???

anyone else have that in their car ? I have no idea what it does when I press it at all... short of pulling the dash apart to trace it

thanks everyone

[V35_Paul]

The dash lights are auto.

You can tilt your lights up. There are two "bolts" that you can turn to tilt them up. They are on the back of the lights. Hard to get to but it can be done.

[V35_Paul]

That button might be your windsheild demister. Some cars have them. Not many

[jbenj]

Just wondering, I got 06 coupe, comes with xenon projector/HID if I want to change the bulb to say 6000k 55w can I just buy those HID bulbs say from eBay will it be a straight replacement? Do I need to buy like a separate ballast?

[Deep Dish V35]

ebay hid kits are generally not interchangeable.

you need to firstly check the bulb type currently fitted (probably D2R) and then order a pair of those in 6000k

but as per usual with ebay - cheaper is cheaper. buy chinese and youll still be squinting

the main thing to work out is why yours are currently poor. its not normal. as said before, get the beam alignment checked. if youre in adelaide i can help

Edited July 29, 2012 by Deep Dish V35

[R33fear]

hey guys,

thanks for the responses, nah I'm in brisbane, thanks for the offer though..

I spent a while tonight going to town on the lights with meguirs plastic cleaner to try see if that would help a bit, they were getting a bit 'grubby', took her for a drive and that seemed to improve it a little bit... not sure if they need to be pointed up much, as driving along road signs light up perfectly fine in the distance, just the light on the ground etc doenst seem "strong"..

I may very well be comparing this to cars like accords etc whose headlights seem to be almost floodlights ..I'd love to compare to some peop in brisbane perhaps, i may very well be expecting more from it than what its gonna give hehe

-

as for the mystery button, I thought it may be a windshield demister button as well, that would explain the button...

I know the dash lights are auto, i'm just picky and would like them brigher when the lights actually come on..

[Deep Dish V35]

if you want bright dash lights, youd have to disconnect the photosensor in the dash, but this will also make the "auto" position on the light switch not work

*edit* i think using the main lights position on the switch makes the dash dim anyway so that kills my idea

Edited July 29, 2012 by Deep Dish V35

[jbenj]

hey guys,

While I love my V35 she's got some sore points that i've just dealt with, but wanted to know if others had the same issue.

Basically I find the headlights in it arent strong enough..

HID yes, thats great, but driving i get what seems like only 6-10m of visibilty out of them if the road is pitch black..

I can jump in my partners mitsub mirage and the headlights on that light everything up like its xmas...

anyone else have this issue ??? I just wanna know if its a common thing, (2003 model / 6spd man) or if its just the lights they come with arent that strong?

are we able to upgrade them without causing mass drama?

--

Also I have no button to increase my dash lights brightness, I know where it is supposed to be, next to the boot release switch..

problem is there is another button there, I will take a photo and post it up, but its a button that has a picture of what looks like windscreen with a squiggle line across it... ???

anyone else have that in their car ? I have no idea what it does when I press it at all... short of pulling the dash apart to trace it

thanks everyone

Here is the DIY to headlight adjustment

http://g35driver.com...projectors.html

Don't know if 03 has projector housing? but adjustments should be the same?

Edited July 29, 2012 by jbenj

[sonicii]

*edit* i think using the main lights position on the switch makes the dash dim anyway so that kills my idea

On mine, the dash lights don't dim until it gets dark enough, so if you turn on the headlights in the middle of the day, the dash lights stay at full brightness.

[pv35gt8]

Just wondering, I got 06 coupe, comes with xenon projector/HID if I want to change the bulb to say 6000k 55w can I just buy those HID bulbs say from eBay will it be a straight replacement? Do I need to buy like a separate ballast?

Short answer --- NO!!!

The factory ballast on these cars are 35W, if you want to go to 55W you will need to change the ballast as well.

[Deep Dish V35]

i was assuming 55w was just his typing error, as all ive ever seen in hid is 35w

do they even make a 55w hid?

as for the auto dimming, just checked on my 2001 sedan, DISCONNECTING the photoeye on the dash WILL stop it going dim

[sonicii]

You can get HIDs in a range of wattages, but as pv35gt8 said, you will need the ballast to suit.

[Seano350GT]

Yeah i've got the same problem with the dash lights mate they go dim once it hits dark, it's a good thing though because you quickly adapt to the brightness whereas if it was blearing at you all night you would get tired a lot quicker.

[Deep Dish V35]

DISCONNECTING the photoeye on the dash WILL stop it going dim

just saw my typo... it was meant to say:

disconnecting the photoeye WILL NOT stop the dash lights going dim

the system is set to run in dim mode UNLESS there is enough light to operate the the light sensitive switch, which then makes the dash illuminate at full power.... so unplugging the sensor will make the car think it is night all the time

[sonicii]

^^ if you wanted it bright all the time, replacing the light sensor with a suitable value resistor will probably do the trick.

[R33fear]

cheers guys for your input on this.. really appreciate it!