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Drove over our local mountain pass this week in a heavy snowstorm (Lake Tahoe area). Our Cayenne headlights, even dimmed, illuminated the snow falling so brightly we could not/barely see the road. Solution is to run the fog lamps, but not the headlamps. Has anyone else experienced this effect? I do not think my other cars would have lit up the falling snow at windshield height as badly.....
I had this happen last winter on one occasion (MN winter) headlights actually were coated with snow and since they are projector lights, the light refracts through the snow/ice badly and you loose the sharp cut off line which both illuminates the snow falling and puts out less light. If this is the case, pull your wiper stock a few times as if you needed to wash the windshield and the headlight jets will activate and clean them up.
Actually - on my '11 CTT (958) - there is a separate button on the bottom of the washer stalk to activate the headlight washers. Took me quite a while to find it. On my '06 CS (955) - the headlight washer would trigger on every 6th use of the windshield washer.
Yup, I am always willing to drive in any condition as I LOVE to drive. I remember one night last winter, it was snowing the hardest I had ever driven in at night and it was like being stuck in Hyperspace on the Millenium Falcon for what seemed like hours. I was practically mezmerized by the snow coming right at me in the truck.
LIke you, I had also turned off the low beams and only ran the fog lights. Thankfully I upgraded them to the Morimoto LED projectors so the output is a bit better than the stock halogens.
I only have the BiXenon lights and not the LED main beams but it is still crazy bright in the heavy snow.
Many thanks to all for your replies!
BenCD I am intrigued with the Morimoto LEDs you installed and will look into them.
AGARubberDuck, I did not think to wipe/clean the headlamp covers - I will try that next time, thanks for reminding me.
Interesting post. I had the exact same problem a week ago
in heavy snow. The falling snow was so damn bright due to the oval headlights on my 15CS. I have the LED headlights. Do we all have headlight washers? I’m not aware of this. Maybe the snow piling on top caused the cutoff to be screwed up.
I just installed the Morimoto Yellow XB fogs. I got them on before the road trip but aimed them way too high. Seemed good against my garage and when I put everything back- realized it was too high. Have to adjust it downwards more, and will try running that without the low beams. Yellow gives you a bit more depth perception in snow so went for the yellow led option. Photos below.
Well, my '17 GTS has 'em, here in North America, which I'm guessing it what you mean and not 'normally aspirated' which is a whole OTHER religious argument...
12-01-2018, 02:39 PM
Blinded by headlights in heavy snowstorm
Thanks for the link!
