[Biturbos4] Flickering Xenons

[Joel Liggins]

Brandon,

So, after much deliberation and discussion and theorizing with myself, I've
come to the conclusion that there's nothing wrong with your headlights.
I believe mine do it as well, but it's only perceived during extremely sharp
declines, i.e., potholes, right?  (That's when I notice mine)
I don't have a problem going over bumps or even slow declines (smaller
potholes)

The reason you are perceiving a "flicker" is, in my mind, due to the nature
of our headlights.  They are designed with much sharper cutoffs than other
American and even some Euro cars.  (My E-codes are even more so.)  So, when
you are driving along, your headlight cutoffs are in great contrast to the
darkness around them.  When you hit a bump, the location of that contrast
changes dramatically.  In fact, while theorizing and driving on some
particularly crappy Kentucky roads tonight, I noticed that mine went from
mid-tailgate height on a newer 4Runner to not even being on the bumper
during some particularly nasty (and shameful to the KY road crews) potholes
and transitions.
Your eyes are perceiving the sudden loss of light, which becomes light again
when you are through with the bump and you car has levelled out (which
happens quite quickly, even at 80 mph), as a flicker.

It's not a flicker; just a temporary absence of light.

Have fun with the theory; feel free to hypothesize as I have and test it
out.  I believe you'll find that I'm right.  Hopefully.


Joel


On 1/31/08, biturbos4-request at www.audifans.com <
biturbos4-request at www.audifans.com> wrote:
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Brandon Rogers" <brogers at terrix.com>
> >
> >
> > Guys-
> > Do many of you guys experience flickering xenons?  Sometimes if a hit a
> > sharp bump at low speed I get a flicker.  Most noticeable when on
> > slightly rough snowy/icy roads and on full gas wheels spinning (ESP off)
> > - I'm thinking the sharp hi frequency vibrations does it (?????)
> >
> > A quick visual of the elec connections didn't reveal anything...
> >
> > Is this normal?
> >
> > thx
> >
> > Brandon
> > '01.5 S4
> > '84 ur-quattro 20vt
>