[Cheryls MO]

hello all, I am new to the forums and i just got my murano about a month and a half ago, About 3 weeks after i got it the alternator went bad and it had to be replaced, my driver seat creaks and snaps like its breaking, and my HID headlights arent even. The dealership says thats how the headlights are supposed to be. Dont get me wrong i love the murano but im already experiencing so many problems and from what i hear here im not the only one
any insite on the headlight problem? Is this normal?

 

[hfelknor]

Believe it or not, for once the dealer is right.
Your headlights should look like this


___________________-------------------------------


Homer

 

[Cheryls MO]

That's sad

 

[jpburk]

That's sad

No, that's a safety precaution. The driver's side headlight is lower than the passenger's side headlight so that you don't blind oncoming drivers. If you blind oncoming drivers, they might veer into your lane and crash into your new Murano. Now that would really be sad.

Jeff

 

[Doombringer]

Yes, the lights are like that on purpose. And yes, it is meant to prevent blinding oncoming drivers.

However, if you really want to, you can adjust this. There is a screw in the headlight assembly that can raise or lower them to remove the slight discrepency. I'm not EXACTLY sure of the procedure for this, but I'm sure someone can chime in...

It is also on this forum somewhere, in other threads.

Sorry to hear about your other problems... the alternator is an unfortunate occurance. I haven't had mine go, but those that have had reported it here. Replacement alternators haven't failed them (from what I've heard).

There is a TSB for the driver's seat being loose. Mine creaks, but it is actually the leather/vinyl rubbing against the side of the center console. Go fig.

 

[Cheryls MO]

I never thought about that being a safety precaution with the headlights but it does make since so i guess ill just leave it alone. thanks for all of your input!

 

[hfelknor]

You DO know that there is a knob INSIDE the car on the dash that can raise and lower the headlights, right?

Homer

 

[Eric L.]

Actually, I believe that every new US sold vehicle has the drivers side headlight aimed lower than the passenger side. It is just more noticeable with the HID headlamps because the HIDs have a more abrupt vertical cutoff.

As for your drivers seat, unless you can reproduce it for the dealer to hear, it is unlikely they will repair it for you.

 

[mrkapp]

Not all Mo's have the adjusting headlamps. Mine does, however I did adjust my HID's to my point of view. Theres a small white plastic screw on the top back side of the lamp assembly. I turned the drivers side three quarters turn clockwise, and the pass. side one quarter turn. This leveled them off together and brought them both up slightly. Ive yet to be "brighted" by oncoming drivers. Sorry to hear of your other troubles, add some miles, hopefully it'll work itself out.

 

[jaak]

Sounds like you just messed up the alignment...

 

[tigger]

I questioned the dealer as to the headlights because mine look more like: \__ than __---- with the adjustment at it's lowest the line in front of the car has a six foot 'break' in the line, being lowest on the drivers side but it's cocked at an angle so how does that prevent oncoming drivers from being blinded? My passenger side beam goes out almost perpendicular to the car while the drivers side is angled out/up: \___
| |
|_|

Seems odd even if it is done for a reason and I'd prefer to set them the same(not height but parallel to the front of the vehicle) and keep them pointed down using the dash control if necessary. Haven't gotten around to looking for the adjustment yet...

 

[Eric L.]

I questioned the dealer as to the headlights because mine look more like: \__ than __---- with the adjustment at it's lowest the line in front of the car has a six foot 'break' in the line, being lowest on the drivers side but it's cocked at an angle so how does that prevent oncoming drivers from being blinded? My passenger side beam goes out almost perpendicular to the car while the drivers side is angled out/up: \___
| |
|_|

Seems odd even if it is done for a reason and I'd prefer to set them the same(not height but parallel to the front of the vehicle) and keep them pointed down using the dash control if necessary. Haven't gotten around to looking for the adjustment yet...

Wait thats not right. Its is almost as if your drivers side light high beam shutter was stuck open. The drivers side beam should be a little lower than the passenger side, and the cutoff should be clearly visible against a wall from 25 feet away.

 

[Cheryls MO]

i do have a switch that will raise and lower them but it doesnt seem to move them at all.

 

[mfreed]

Shutter?

What is the shutter?

Do the MO use a mechanical shutter to block the high beam portion of the light beam when not in use??? If so, that does explain the perfectly horizontal line the beams make when on low.

Also explains how fast high beams engage (warm up) compared to low.

 

[Eric L.]

Re: Shutter?

What is the shutter?

Do the MO use a mechanical shutter to block the high beam portion of the light beam when not in use??? If so, that does explain the perfectly horizontal line the beams make when on low.

Also explains how fast high beams engage (warm up) compared to low.

Yes, the Murano uses a shutter to block the high beam portion when low beams are on. Flick on the brights and the shutter opens up to let the rest of the light out.

 

[tkris]

Anyone else notice that the driverside shift in the HID light seems to be in the shutter, and not just in the lamp leveling?

About 5 feet (maybe closer) from a white clean metal garage door, my lights look like this: ____----- ____------
The further away the car is from the garage door, the more it looks like what everyone is describing: ________-----------
I found I could not drive above 50 on any roads without feeling like I needed the hi-beams, so I cranked them both up a turn or so (raised it about 1/4" at 3ft) There is still the driver-side drop off, but I don't have to lean on the HI's around corners anymore.

I've been paying close attantion for people flashing hi-s at me since this, but so far the only time it's happened was driving up to the crest of a hill while accellerating..


2003 SE-AWD, Everything but Nav.

 

[Kris]

tkris,

the light pattern you describe is with compliance with European standards, which have been adopted around the world with exception of USA.

Follow this link and you will know how to correctly adjust the lights height.

link: Lights Adjustment

 

[XOC]

Virginia has an annual vehicle inspection. I think one thing inspected is the focus of the headlights. Isn't there a standard focus point for auto lights and shouldn't we leave our lights focused according to those standards? What am I missing here?

 

[Kris]

Virginia has an annual vehicle inspection. I think one thing inspected is the focus of the headlights. Isn't there a standard focus point for auto lights and shouldn't we leave our lights focused according to those standards? What am I missing here?

you are right. But there are at least two different standards: SAE - for US and ECU adopted by Europe, Australia, Japan and pretty much rest of the world.

Murano complies to ECU/Japan standard.

 

[XOC]

But my MO was inspected before it went on the street, so shouldn't it now be adjusted for US?