Weak dipped headlights, alternatives?
 

I have a 2016 Mazda 6, halogen lights. I've had it for about 3 months, so far so good. The one weakness is a really weak set of dipped lights. I live in a rural area, frequently drive on unlit roads and frankly the lights are not safe.

I'm looking at changing the bulbs in the hope that brighter bulbs will help. Has anyone done this and has it helped? Did you go for Philips, Osram or another brand? Did they last or pop too quickly?

WELCOME TO THE FORUM HARVEY:)

6014 and H6014 was the most common headlight part number used on vehicles with only 2 round headlights for decades. It's funny people complained even than about poor lighting. So without it seeming like a lecture, you drive at a speed that you can safely see the road and the sides of the road. If you are having trouble seeing the road at your chosen speeds, then you are either driving too fast or the lens is aged or damaged (pertaining to plastic headlight covers). Installing higher capacity i.e. brighter lights not only give the driver a false confidence to drive faster but more than often hinders the oncoming traffic. Thats why auto manufactures have standards regarding the headlight illumination.

I understand because back in my day a few of us liked to get the none DOT CIBE headlights for our cars and especially our motorcycles, Thess headlight were clear glass with no refractory lens. Good for me but not for other sharing the opposite side of the road at night. And if caught it was a hefty $200+ citation.

I would first compare you light to other cars and see if the illumination is the same. Perhaps check your charging system Then look at the condition of the plastic lens. If all is in working order then slow down your speed at night.

The only other alternative would be to install driving light at he lower part of your front end that only increases the night driving a few feet in front of you but not past lower field of illumination set by OEM headlight alignments. And not independently powered but controlled by the OEM high beam so that you will have a dash indicator that they are on. These are still bad for oncoming traffic but not as bad as the installing high-capacity headlights.

I believe that for some the speed limits sign means that is the highest speed without violating the Vehicle code. Sure but in most states if you look at the details of that speed limit it means MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS WITH NO ADVERSE DRIVNG CONDITONS. In the vehicle code book means dry roads, in good or better condition, sunshine and adjusting for traffic condition. So legally speaking at night we all should be reducing our speeds?

I speak having more than average VC violation in my life.... LOL

Thanks for the reply but I've been driving for a lot of years, been driving the roads in question for many years, in a range of cars, and so I'm comfortable that the issue is the lights, not my driving. I do the same roads in my wife's car, a Mini, and can drive 'normally ' in that as the road is clearly lit.

I could keep driving Miss Daisy but it's pretty annoying. I'm anything but a boy racer but even so, there are limits 😄

Driving years does not always yield experience? But I understand what youare saying. I think I would check the condition of your headlights because your Mazda does not have reports from Mazda (that I can find TSB) of illumination issuse as you describe?
You spelled Mini instead of MINI was that an accident? A Mini is original while a MINI is mostly considered a BMW Big difference not only in the make but also in the quality comparing a Mazda!

It is the newer incarnation, the BMW version. However you want to type it out, the lights on it are good 😄

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...d84921fd6b.jpg

Ha ha, it's a thought but I'm in the UK and I am not sure that would pass over here.

The carpet along side is perfect... hahahaha!

Just to tie this off, I bought some Osram Nightbreakers and fitted them a week or so ago. Changing the bulbs was an absolute pig, a plague upon the designer who thought access via the wheel arch was a good idea. Anyway, once in they have brought some improvement but it is not a game changer. The lights have gone from 4/10 to 6/10. Better but not the answer. Ideally, you would just unclip the housing, remove, slot in new LED housing and away you go, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way (not in the UK anyway)

I like the car but I expect this issue will shorten the lifespan I have with it.