[Col Pudgebutt]

anyone have a loud 'clicking' noise if you "flash" your high beams? I did this the other day (the reason is a whole 'nother story) and just happened to have my radio on 'mute'. when I flashed my high beams, there was this very loud 'clicking' noise coming from the rear of my car. very strange. I would think that if there were a relay for the high beams, it would be up front, not in the back. but that's what it sounds like.....the clicking of a relay.

anyone else notice this?

 

[TomServo]

anyone have a loud 'clicking' noise if you "flash" your high beams? I did this the other day (the reason is a whole 'nother story) and just happened to have my radio on 'mute'. when I flashed my high beams, there was this very loud 'clicking' noise coming from the rear of my car. very strange. I would think that if there were a relay for the high beams, it would be up front, not in the back. but that's what it sounds like.....the clicking of a relay.

anyone else notice this?

I hear a loud "clunk" when I flash the high beams, more towards the front of the car. When I first tried this I thought it was odd, but then quickly forgot about it (as I rarely use the high beams).

 

[lorvar]

Have to try my car later, wife just took it to work.

 

[rrucker]

Didn't someone else report this a few months ago? Seems to sound familiar.

 

[mhutsell3]

I am not totally sure how this works, but I just picked mine up yesterday and it appears there is some sort of relay or mechanism that moves a filter or a luever in the light assembly when you flash your high beams. Again I have not completely looked at this but I had the wife switch my car to high beams and I can defintely see something moving in the HID/Projector Lamp.

 

[Col Pudgebutt]

hummmm......didn't think about the projector lamps. the sound may be bouncing around, as when I tried to determine where it was coming from, I was parked in my garage. bad idea. it is more of a kind of 'clunk' I guess than a 'click'. ****.....I"m starting to sound more like one of my customers! LOL

I'll do the same and have my wife get in the car and "flash" me!!!

 

[Deron]

Yeah, it's a filter that gets lifted up and down when the high beams are turned on and off.

 

[smark]

I never heard this noise. I'll go try it.

 

[TomServo]

I called my dealership today, and they confirmed that the sound I was hearing was that mechanical shutter going up and down in front of a single filament light. I had no idea about this until today. But tonight in the garage I turned the high beam on and off, and sure enough, if you look closely you can actually see the shutter going up and down. LOL, now that I know what it is, I think it's freakin' cool! It's like some really cool retro-technology solution, IMO. Now when somebody rides in my car at night I'm going to make a point of using the "high beams" just so that I can point it out.

 

[smark]

I just went out in the garage. Went from low beam to high and back. The car made the chucking noise. A mechanical shutter, never would have guessed.

 

[andyandrews]

My relay is quite loud. I kind of enjoy the low-tech-ness of it. Reminds me of the old light switches.

 

[lorvar]

I read about that design a couple days ago but have yet to try it. Cool.

 

[lorvar]

Man, that's loud.

 

[Tweak]

Any else thinking about the potential video of F500 when his wife "flashes" him?

 

[andyandrews]

I read about that design a couple days ago but have yet to try it. Cool.

It is cool. Try it in the driveway with the motor off. My prediction: it will be the last component of the car that would ever fail.

I have a huge original fifty-year-old transformer in my basement lighting the doorbell on my house. Low tech RULES!

 

[smark]

My wife flash me tonight. I meant the head lamps. Had to show her too the shutter.

 

[NationsKappatol]

Ah, ok. I came on to see if this was already discussed since I just noticed it yesterday. Scared the life out of me...lol. Thought the rear of the car was being kicked when I flashed the beams.

Soooo, this is normal? I am jealous of those who think this is cool. So many compromises...I thought they were positioning this car as small/premium?

 

[Bladecutter]

Soooo, this is normal? I am jealous of those who think this is cool. So many compromises...I thought they were positioning this car as small/premium?

Yes, it is normal.
Its the functionality of projector headlamps.

You use 1 bulb for the light, which saves costs for replacement bulbs, and also for designing and building the system, and when on low beam, you have a shutter in the down position, and when you switch to high beam, it lifts the shutter completely out of the way so that all of the light gets put through.

Projector headlights are a premium car feature.

I don't know where you get the idea that anything has been compromised in the headlight department.

BC.

 

[NHFiat500]

Yes this is very much a premium feature. This style of headlight has only been used in high end cars with HID lamps. HIDs when they first came out were UBBER expensive and UBBER bright. The filter high/low mechanical system was the best way to utilize this UBBER bright lite to create the best beam of lite. Not to mention they are stylish. Now with the brighter halogen bulbs this technology can be utilized in a car like these without the high cost.

I honestly prefer the regular lamps over the blue HID lamps. I can see better with the yellow / white hue, especially in the wet.

 

[NationsKappatol]

Yes, it is normal.
Its the functionality of projector headlamps.

You use 1 bulb for the light, which saves costs for replacement bulbs, and also for designing and building the system, and when on low beam, you have a shutter in the down position, and when you switch to high beam, it lifts the shutter completely out of the way so that all of the light gets put through.

Projector headlights are a premium car feature.

I don't know where you get the idea that anything has been compromised in the headlight department.

BC.

Appreciated, BC. I did not know how these worked, and appreciate the insight.

I am though wondering whether it is worth it to have the loud noise in order to save a couple of bucks on a replacement bulb when its needed. but that would be a question of preference on any car. I will take quiet/quality sounding over $8 (or whatever it is) to replace a bulb any day of the week. But, now I know how it works. Thanks!