Question on xenon headlights

[Just_George]

So, I'm kinda new (well.....completely new!) to the xenon headlights. On the '03 I'm trying to buy, the drivers side lens appears to be fogged. I'm talking about the inner lens, about 3", of the xenon light, not the outer plastic lens over the entire headlight assembly. I thought it was a defect or problem, but the more I look at it, the more I wonder if it's not.

The "fogging" is the upper 1/2 of the lens, and the line between that and the clear section is perfectly straight and perfectly horizontal, so I'm beginning to wonder if it's like that for a reason. Maybe to alter the output pattern on the drivers side, perhaps to not blind oncoming traffic??

Anybody able to shed a little light (pun intended) on this? I appreciate any help and education provided!

[ryankokesh]

Weird it's just the driver's side... Wish I had something useful to tell you!


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[az3579]

That is an AL lens. It's supposed to be "divided" like that. Maybe it isn't actually fogged, or maybe both sides are actually like that just not immediately apparent. As long as the light output is good, that's all that counts.

I have this light but swapped out the lens for the ZKW lens so I don't remember if one half of the lens was frosted or not. It's normal though, don't worry about it.


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[Vas]

Those are AL headlights and it is supposed to be like that.

[Just_George]

See now...I learned somethin'! Thanks guys!!

[LivesNearCostco]

I would say my AL lenses looked equally cloudy on both sides of the line. I'll take a closer look at them later and see.

[Just_George]

... Maybe it isn't actually fogged, or maybe both sides are actually like that just not immediately apparent. As long as the light output is good, that's all that counts.

I have this light but swapped out the lens for the ZKW lens so I don't remember if one half of the lens was frosted or not. It's normal though, don't worry about it.


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That's the interesting thing - I noticed it when I had the car parked in the garage, lights on the garage door about 3' away. The output pattern on the drivers side was distinctly different than that from the passenger side. Not as high...

[LivesNearCostco]

The cutoff on US/left-hand drive cars is designed to be lower on the left than on the right so you don't blind oncoming drivers or the driver's side mirror of the driver in front of you. Each Xenon light has that kind of pattern in the cutoff shutter. You can also adjust lights to different lights and the right-side light may be aimed higher than the left side light. Unless you're in UK/Australia/Japan--then the right side should be higher than the left.