How to Turn On the High and Low Beams of a Car?
4 Answers
The method to turn on the high and low beams of a car is: 1. Move the light control lever on the left side of the steering wheel to the leftmost position and rotate it forward; 2. Rotating it once sets it to auto, another rotation turns on the parking lights, and rotating it one more notch turns on the low beams; 3. Pushing the entire light control lever forward activates the high beams. Car lights include: 1. Parking lights: To signal the presence of the vehicle to oncoming and following traffic; 2. Turn signals: Used to indicate turning to other vehicles and pedestrians when the car is turning; 3. Headlights: Comprising low beams and high beams, used for vehicle illumination; 4. Fog lights: Used as light signals in foggy weather; 5. Reverse lights: To alert pedestrians and vehicles behind when reversing; 6. Brake lights: To warn following vehicles when braking.
Last time I was teaching my cousin to drive, I realized he couldn't even find the high/low beam switch. Actually, in most cars it's located on the left side of the steering wheel - there's a stalk with light symbols. Pulling it toward yourself flashes the high beams (to alert vehicles ahead), while pushing it all the way keeps the high beams on (a blue indicator lights up on the dashboard). Key point: You must quickly return it to position when meeting oncoming traffic, otherwise you'll blind opposing drivers. The symbols on my old Ford's stalk are worn smooth - I operate it purely by memory. I recommend beginners practice these motions in daylight at parking lots before hitting the road. Some automatic transmission cars hide a rotary knob at the top of the light stalk - you need to twist it to the low beam position before the high/low beam toggle works properly.
Last year when I helped my mom adjust her car's headlights, I realized how varied the operations are across modern models. For her hatchback, you first need to rotate the left knob on the center console to the low beam position—that's the tilted light beam symbol. Only then can you toggle the high beams by pushing the silver stalk near the steering wheel, unlike my previous car where you could just push the stalk directly. When driving on highways at night with high beams frequently on, remember to occasionally glance at the dashboard—the blue high beam indicator confirms it's activated. Many new cars now come with automatic lighting, but you still need to manually switch to high beams in tunnels for safety, as the auto mode always reacts a beat too slow.
My friend just got his new electric car and asked me to teach him how to use the lights. There are three key steps: After starting the vehicle, first turn on the low beams by pushing the left stalk behind the steering wheel downward; when high beams are needed, push the entire stalk forward all the way. On rainy days, I noticed he often confused fog lights with high beams—the high beam symbol is a blue light beam, while the fog light is a green wavy line. I specifically reminded him that using high beams in the city would earn him curses, especially if the car in front suddenly brakes—it’s likely because their eyes were dazzled by the glare in the rearview mirror. Nowadays, new cars come with adaptive high beams, and the dashboard will display an AUTO icon, eliminating the need for manual switching.
