Headlights too bright?

[foxerson]

Lately I have noticed other cars flashing their high beams at me when driving at night. It seems like they think I have my high beams on when, in fact, it is just the normal headlights. Has anyone else noticed this also?

I’m thinking that maybe the light bar plus headlights is more than people are used to seeing. Maybe a tint, like what twraps offers, applied to just the light bar would tone it down a bit?

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[Zoidz]

I had that issue when I first got my R1S . Both oncoming and following. I even had two people I was following (at more than normal/acceptable distance) slow down to get behind me and then turn on their high beams behind me. I could see that on low beam my headlights were illuminating the inside of cars in front of me. They seemed pointed 4-5” too high at stop lights.

There is a snap on panel that is easily removed over top of the headlights and there are adjustment screws. I lowered my beams and have had no issues since. If you have worked on cars before it is a 1 out of 5 difficulty. But it might be a bit of a mystery to do yourself if you are not a DIYEer. Any competent mechanic could do it, no “Rivian Shop” needed.

I love the fact that Rivian headlights are so powerful, especially when I live in a rural area with all sorts of night critters. But I honestly think they may be excessively powerful for practical purposes.

 

[Tucker74]

Going to try this as well, get flashed quite a bit.

 

[KBabione]

They're so bright that I've had that a number of times too...I just flash them back to let them know how wrong they are..."You want to see high beams? I'll SHOW you high beams."

Yes - They are probably aimed a little high if you're in standard. Perhaps they're aimed to give you sufficient light if you're in low?

 

[Glembi2]

They're so bright that I've had that a number of times too...I just flash them back to let them know how wrong they are..."You want to see high beams? I'll SHOW you high beams."

lol - that is me. If anyone asks, I’ll say I was winking at another Rivian.

 

[jeeden]

This is a common complain on modern LED headlights. If you look in reddit and many other forums (not just Rivian, but general forums) people complain about how bright the LED lights are and the color temperature being too harsh. Especially if you have an intersection where you are sitting on a hill and it is shining across an intersection or if it is raining and shining off the street.

 

[WhidbeyIsland]

There is a snap on panel that is easily removed over top of the headlights and there are adjustment screws. I lowered my beams and have had no issues since. If you have worked on cars before it is a 1 out of 5 difficulty. But it might be a bit of a mystery to do yourself if you are not a DIYEer. Any competent mechanic could do it, no “Rivian Shop” needed.

Yep, I did the same.. no more flashes. About 5 clicks on each side did it.

 

[foxerson]

I had that issue when I first got my R1S . Both oncoming and following. I even had two people I was following (at more than normal/acceptable distance) slow down to get behind me and then turn on their high beams behind me. I could see that on low beam my headlights were illuminating the inside of cars in front of me. They seemed pointed 4-5” too high at stop lights.

There is a snap on panel that is easily removed over top of the headlights and there are adjustment screws. I lowered my beams and have had no issues since. If you have worked on cars before it is a 1 out of 5 difficulty. But it might be a bit of a mystery to do yourself if you are not a DIYEer. Any competent mechanic could do it, no “Rivian Shop” needed.

I love the fact that Rivian headlights are so powerful, especially when I live in a rural area with all sorts of night critters. But I honestly think they may be excessively powerful for practical purposes.

Thanks! I’ll give that a try.

 

[foxerson]

This is a common complain on modern LED headlights. If you look in reddit and many other forums (not just Rivian, but general forums) people complain about how bright the LED lights are and the color temperature being too harsh. Especially if you have an intersection where you are sitting on a hill and it is shining across an intersection or if it is raining and shining off the street.

I guess this is what adaptive driving beam headlights are supposed to fix. I recall reading that Polestar vehicles have ADB capability based on European rules but can’t enable them on in the US because NHTSA adopted a rule that would require hardware changes.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I think it's more psychological, due to the light bar's size. Too big to be taken as accent lighting. They did slim it down a little on the R2/3. But honestly, the average person is an idiot and doesn't know the difference between any size accent lighting to real headlights. Not worth your time to acknowledge their existence or give them the satisfaction. Ignore them. Carry on.

 

[mkg3]

Lately I have noticed other cars flashing their high beams at me when driving at night. It seems like they think I have my high beams on when, in fact, it is just the normal headlights. Has anyone else noticed this also?

I’m thinking that maybe the light bar plus headlights is more than people are used to seeing. Maybe a tint, like what twraps offers, applied to just the light bar would tone it down a bit?

What setting is your ride height?

It is all likely that the headlights are "effectively aimed too high" due to your vehicle being higher than when the headlights were aligned. Unfortunately, Rivian headlights do not adjust down as the ride height is changed (they are not adaptive low-beam headlights)

In other words, if you drive on High suspension setting, it will be perceived by others to be brighter or aimed too high than it should be.

Another issue might be the you have auto high beams on and sometimes, the sensor that triggers high and low do now work properly due to the overall environment conditions. I do not have auto high beam setting on.

I have never had any issue with others thinking I have high beams on or that light up the interior of the vehicle front of me.

 

[foxerson]

What setting is your ride height?

It is all likely that the headlights are "effectively aimed too high" due to your vehicle being higher than when the headlights were aligned. Unfortunately, Rivian headlights do not adjust down as the ride height is changed (they are not adaptive low-beam headlights)

In other words, if you drive on High suspension setting, it will be perceived by others to be brighter or aimed too high than it should be.


Another issue might be the you have auto high beams on and sometimes, the sensor that triggers high and low do now work properly due to the overall environment conditions. I do not have auto high beam setting on.

I have never had any issue with others thinking I have high beams on or that light up the interior of the vehicle front of me.

All purpose mode with auto ride height. Which essentially means standard or low height.

I do generally have auto high beams on. Yes, they can get a bit wonky. However that isn’t the issue here. Last night I passed a line of three oncoming vehicles, high beams were behaving properly. The third vehicle in the line was the one that flashed their high beams at me

As @UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan noted, that third driver must have been the average idiot.

 

[350Industrial]

Just the opposite for me- I want to turn them up a bit so I get 'flashed' more

 

[Kuro-Rivian]

I guess this is what adaptive driving beam headlights are supposed to fix. I recall reading that Polestar vehicles have ADB capability based on European rules but can’t enable them on in the US because NHTSA adopted a rule that would require hardware changes.

It's America, we can't have nice things like hatchbacks, wagon and ADB headlights like the rest of the world. BMW comes with their ADB equivalent, Anti Dazzle, disabled in the US but it can be re-enabled pretty easily. Audi & Mercedes have it also disabled. ADB is AMAZING and some of the newer versions coming out can actually project arrows on the roadway for navigation purposes!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

All purpose mode with auto ride height. Which essentially means standard or low height.

I do generally have auto high beams on. Yes, they can get a bit wonky. However that isn’t the issue here. Last night I passed a line of three oncoming vehicles, high beams were behaving properly. The third vehicle in the line was the one that flashed their high beams at me

As @UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan noted, that third driver must have been the average idiot.

After trying auto-HB for one night, I disabled it. Too wonky. It should only be used on freeways and lonely country roads. In suburban areas and parkways, it was reacting constantly to false positives and effectively flashing others. This feature is not meant or ready to be left on all the time. Additional context, I had headlight set to auto, auto-HB enabled, and it was toggling between LB and HB on its own.

IMO the tinted light bars look like silly unibrows. Plus, it's not worth spending $ for sake of idiots who aren't smart enough to not stare at the "sun". Unless incorrectly aimed at the factory, outside of DOT recommendations, you aren't doing anything wrong and the headlights are functioning properly as an essential safety device: You can see and they noticed you.

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