On Which Gear Should the Low Beam Generally Be Adjusted?

[FinnRose]

Low beams are generally adjusted to gears 1 to 2. Typically, the numbers represent the height at which the light is adjusted downward. The larger the number, the greater the downward adjustment. Gear 1 has the least downward adjustment, followed by gear 2, while gear 3 has the most significant downward adjustment. Low beams are designed for close-range illumination, with a focus on a wide coverage area but a short illumination distance, and the focus cannot be adjusted. Beyond their focal point (between 1 to 2 times the focal distance), the light emitted by low beams diverges, illuminating a relatively large area nearby. The illumination distance of low beams ranges from 30 to 40 meters, with the light-dark cutoff line appearing at approximately 12 to 18 meters. Regulations for low beam height in vehicles: Under unladen conditions, the low beam of a car or motorcycle's headlight should project onto a screen 10 meters away. The vertical position of the light-dark cutoff line's corner or midpoint should not be higher than 50mm below the horizontal plane of the low beam's light-transmitting surface center (reference center, same below) and not lower than 300mm below the same horizontal plane for vehicles with the center height of the low beam's light-transmitting surface less than or equal to 1000mm.

[DelVera]

I've driven quite a few cars, and the low beam adjustment is actually quite flexible. For regular family cars, the rotary knob on the center console usually has settings from 0 to 3. On flat roads, using 0 or 1 is the safest bet. If the trunk is packed with luggage or there are three big guys in the back seat, the front of the car tends to lift up, and adjusting to level 2 compensates for the height just right. When going downhill on mountain roads, level 3 prevents blinding oncoming drivers, but don't keep it on the highest setting all the time—under normal conditions, the lights can be as glaring as searchlights. Some high-end cars come with automatic leveling adjustment; the dashboard doesn't display the level numbers as the car calculates the angle based on the load, which is actually more hassle-free.

[ZoeyFitz]

Last week, I helped my cousin adjust the low beams on his SUV—the knob was on the left side of the steering wheel. I told him to remember two things: For city driving, keep it at default level 1—the beam covers 30 meters, which is both practical and considerate. When fully loaded with passengers or luggage, switch to level 2; otherwise, the light will point too low, like it’s shining at the ground. The key is to adjust it at night against a wall: At a distance of 7–8 meters, the upper edge of the beam should align with tire height. My old Passat even had a memory function—it automatically reset to the default level on startup—but most cars require manual adjustment.

[DelLondyn]

The low beam settings depend on vehicle design. In my Japanese car, the rotary knob is marked 0-3, while Peugeot uses a wheel with icons. There are three core principles: use the lowest setting when unloaded, go up one level when fully loaded, and increase another level when descending steep slopes. Last time I drove a friend's Cayenne, I realized luxury cars are smarter—shifting into reverse automatically lowers the beam to prevent glare in the mirrors. For regular cars without this feature, it's best to check the headlight angle when there's a significant change in load.