Sontat "projection lamp" headlight question.

I've been the owner of a Sontota Limited for about 3 1/2 hours now. I test drove it and picked it up during the day, but after driving about the countryside at night, I have a question.

The headlights are fine when the road is straight and level. There is a very definite line of lighted, and unlighted space ahead. There is no stray light to speak of above about 8 feet of so. The problems though, was when I hit some hilly areas. As the car is going down an incline, the lighted portion becomes very short in front of the car and visibility is unsafe to drive above about 30 mph ! If something jumped out in front, it would be a serious problem. With high beams on, it is OK.

Is this normal for the projector style bulbs? IMO, it is damned dangerous to drive on a very dark road with some hills with just low beams.

The car is going back to the dealer tomorrow for some other issues with the remote starter, interior lights. We are not off to a good start (no pun intended, but hey, it works)

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski
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Ed, I have had my 2007 Limited for one month and have the same issue. It appears to be inherent in this car. If you have the beams adjusted upwards, you risk always having on coming traffic think your high beams are on.

If there is a solution, I would like to know one as well.

Reply to
cableguy3

If the road is very dark and not well traveled, it is not a big deal to leave the high beams on. I found myself flipping them off and on far too often on at least one road as a car would approach. Turns are very dark also, but I'll admit I've been spoiled by the turning lights on my LeSabre.

My guess is that the projector bulb concentrates the light better, at the expense of peripheral vision. This is my first car with them.

One more thing, on the dashboard, is the buttons for the trip meter and reset supposed to be lighted? On mine, they are not. I have other lighting issued, but I think that is all due to the remote starter installation. This is the first care I've ever had to take back after only 40 miles.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I had not heard of anyone complaining of this Ed. My wife's Sonata is an '04, so it's not the same as your '06, but its lights rank among the best I've ever had on a car. I can only wish that my Grand Am could throw light like her Sonata does.

What lighting issues are you having Ed?

Reply to
Mike Marlow

That sucks. You're right - a competent installer should never have let the car go like that. Did it act like that when you picked it up at the dealer, or did that develop shortly after that?

Reply to
Mike Marlow

Lighting issues associated with the remote starter installation. The dealer took it to a local shop that supposedly makes their living installing these things and they either put in a defective unit or just botched the job.

The starter starts the care, then it runs ten seconds and stops and repeats four times. Lights are supposed to go on and stay on for 1 minute when you lock the doors. They do not. A competent installer should have caught all of that. It is back there now to get fixed. .

Other than that, seems to be OK.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

It did start once and we shut it right off because we were going over everything else. The dealer (salesperson) really didn't have a clue. Later in the evening I read the manual and figured out how things work, like the trunk release that uses the same button as the "unlock", just held for three seconds. .

So far, the dealer is interesting in making things right. Supposedly, Hyundai is covering things in the first year that are technically not covered, like wiper blades, just to keep customers very happy.

While I was typing this, they called and said the car is ready. Ed

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

It's typical of a lot of newer cars. The lights are brighter and have more distinct cut-offs that the lights in older cars. There's no reason you can't flip on your high beams when going down a dark hill if you need more illumination.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

Yeah, flip, flip, flip, depending on condition it is a real PITA and on some roads, the "dark spot" comes up fast and unexpected. It will take some getting used to; sometimes progress isn't.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Picked it up and seems OK for starting. I was told it was a bad connection. Problem was the installer, not Hyundai or the dealer.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I stand corrected Matt - I do recall you mentioning that.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

I mentioned this in this forum shortly after I got my 06 in December of last year. It isn't much of an issue on the highway, but on the back roads where I live, it is a real pain on the rolling hills. As you enter a dip in the road, you can't see 30 yards in front of the vehicle. This isn't good in deer country.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

**I have to agree with Edwin. I have a 2005 Impreza and the headlights cut off sharply and, I feel, don't project far enough. I'm from MI where the roads are straight and flat so I didn't have too much trouble driving around (that, plus I rarely drive at night). I still feel very uncomfortable with what they're *not* illuminating.

I'm now visiting family in CT and the other night I drove some unlit, tiny curvy roads and was *really* displeased with the lights. Every corner was a surprise, fast and unexpected is right! I wasn't even going fast (Gran was in the car) :) either but it felt really weird. I had the dealership look at it a few days later but they said that the headlights were correct. I shouldn't have to have my high beams on at all. They used to be a rare occasion but I have to use them all the time for night driving with this car. I don't think that's right.

kaboomie

Reply to
kaboom

I did find a solution, however. I just close my eyes until I'm heading up the other side and the lights become effective again. :-)

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Your high beams should be used ALL of the time at night, except when another car is oncoming or you are driving in fog, snow, etc. That is what high beams are for.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

**And all those etceteras add up to: My high beams are rarely used. There's usually always traffic, oncoming or I'm following or I'm already in a well-lit neighborhood or area. I don't like running through people's neighborhoods with my high beams on. Do I use my high beams in sparsely-populated areas, low traffic, and/or underlit areas? Yes, of course, I do. I'm saying that my previous vehicles had excellent lighting, that I did not need my high beams to see up ahead. With the Impreza, I feel that I absolutely *must* use them or else I can't see and that is my complaint and a problem. Also, some of us prefer a manual transmission so I really don't need or want to be constantly flicking the lights while I'm trying to maneuver curvy back roads.

kaboomie

Reply to
kaboom

I use high beams in urban areas as well if there is no traffic nearby. I also drive standard shift and haven't found dimming the lights to be a major hassle and I live in an area with many curvy and hilly back roads. And many deer. Using high beams as much as possible is the best prevention against a deer encounter.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Actually, that was - and still is a major gripe of mine. I believe you even suggested a way to fix it...

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Reply to
Bob

Hmmm. I daresay that if flipping the high beam switch is such a chore, driving must be real agony for you. ;-)

Seriously, it's just a matter of adapting to the car, just as you do with switch locations, heater & A/C controls, radio buttons, etc. It's really no big deal. If you quit resisting, it won't take long at all.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

On twisty roads, the fog lights can help considerably, as they illuminate the edges of the road and their beam is much wider than the low beams. However, they don't increase distance visibility and I strongly recommend that you not use them unless they're really needed, as I find fog lights on approaching vehicles to be very annoying.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

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