Probably a Strange Question

[speedchick]

My other half has asked me to post this, we have an 07 plate Vauxhall Vectra and when he was driving home in the snow this morning, he noticed that when he corrected the steering, if he did it with some 'force' (rather than slow gentle corrections) then the headlights changed intensity (going between full and dipped apparently)

He just wants to know what could have caused this and if it's something that is particular to this make of car, or if it's something that he needs to get checked out.

Don't ask me for any more details, I wasn't in the car at the time and this is all he mentioned to me, he just asked me to ask on here.

Thanks

[mini me]

It probably has hydro electric steering pump. This is an electrically driven pump for the power steering. Takes quite a lot of power to run and so can put a drain on the electrical system when in use. Hence dimming lights and possibly notice the heater fan slow when on full blast too. perfectly normal in a lot of cars, going from main to dipped sounds a bit drastic though.

[jeff m]

Firstly correcting the steering harshly in the snow or ice is not reccomended
Unless he is from Finland.

I would guess the sudden demand by the power steering caused the fan belt to slip causing a very short interuption to the alternator.
So for an instant your headlamps ran on battery voltage around 12.5v as opposed to alt voltage around 13.5v

How's that for a contrived answer

[Brown and Boris]

Christmas pixies.

At this time of year if you hurt nature, such as deliberately squishing new snow, the pixies take your electric mojo.

[Jasandjules]

speedchick said:

if he did it with some 'force' (rather than slow gentle corrections) then the headlights changed intensity (going between full and dipped apparently)

If he's correcting with some force in these conditions, then don't worry, the car will be recovered from a ditch shortly and will be in a garage where they can look at the problem..

[speedchick]

Thanks guys, have just told him before he went to sleep, he has stressed that he wasn't driving like an ass (he likes his car too much to do that) and he has now told me that it wasn't as drastic as going from full to dipped, but there was a noticable change in the intensity. Anyway he says thanks and is happy that there isn't something wrong with the car.

Oh and he is most upset that he has caused offence to the pixies, and promises to try and drive in someone else's wheel tracks in future

[ninja-lewis]

Couldn't have been those "Adaptive Forward Lighting" headlights? The ones that change direction as you steer to give you more light as you go round a corner?

[dibbers006]

Brown and Boris said:

Christmas pixies.

At this time of year if you hurt nature, such as deliberately squishing new snow, the pixies take your electric mojo

[OJ]

mini me said:

It probably has hydro electric steering pump. This is an electrically driven pump for the power steering. Takes quite a lot of power to run and so can put a drain on the electrical system when in use. Hence dimming lights and possibly notice the heater fan slow when on full blast too. perfectly normal in a lot of cars, going from main to dipped sounds a bit drastic though.

Spot on.

[satchbot]

When my alternator went on the Miggy the steering went heavy and there were associated electrical problems. Might be worth getting it down the garage for them to test the alternator.

[Mr POD]

speedchick said:

Thanks guys, have just told him before he went to sleep, he has stressed that he wasn't driving like an ass (he likes his car too much to do that) and he has now told me that it wasn't as drastic as going from full to dipped, but there was a noticable change in the intensity. Anyway he says thanks and is happy that there isn't something wrong with the car.

Oh and he is most upset that he has caused offence to the pixies, and promises to try and drive in someone else's wheel tracks in future

some Vauxhall models have lights that move with the direct of the steering wheel. That might have the same visual effect if you are looking at one spot as the light moves across.

[RobM77]

As said above, it will strain the electrical system and in this weather he'll probably have had the fan on too. If you park up with your headlights facing a garage you can see the light intensity changing in some cars as you play with various electrical gadgets in the car Quite normal.