I am not sure if rotating is the proper word but I am referring to the way that the headlights turn in the direction that your steering wheel turns. It seems like the degree of rotation is variable and depends on speed rather than on how much you turn your steering wheel. If you are barely moving, they don't rotate at all. I can't seem to figure out the pattern. I don't think they turn enough under most circumstances. My ES has the same system but they turn relative to steering wheel position regardless of speed. The ES system works far better.

Is this normal in the GS? Have you guys figured out the pattern?

 

I dont think anyone else has brought this up yet, any other owners that can chime in?

 

Here is Mercedes's AFS headlamp system being described
http://www.germancarfans.com/print.c...7.004/lang/eng

 

I have the Mercedes adaptive lighting xenon lights on my GL450. They operate very much like the ES350. They rotate mostly based on steering wheel position rather than speed. One major difference is that on the GL450 both lights rotate whereas on the ES350 only one of the headlights rotates at a time.

My GS350's lights seem to be more speed dependent than steering wheel dependent. They really don't rotate when I want them to and the ES350 system rotates nicely all the time. I'm beginning to wonder if the steering angle position sensor is faulty on my car.

 

I read in the owners manual somewhere that they come on after 10 km/h and that the left one rotates through a higher radius than the right one (for left hand drive vehicles). Only one of the lights moves, i.e. if you are turning left then the left one moves and if you are turning right then the right one moves.

I find that the best way to notice it is when driving around 30 km/h on a dark road and you swerve the car gently left and right; it is very responsive.

When doing a low-speed turn nothing happens.

 

I would think that Speed has everything to do with where
I want my headlights pointing.

If I'm traveling at 50 mph, and turning through a semi sharp
turn, the GS points the headlights farther of axis.
Because thats where my attention is......farther down the
road. In comparison, the same semi sharp turn, but only
traveling 10 mph, my eyes are not looking "around the turn"
but rather only a few feet in front of me. I wouldnt want
the headlights aimed anywhere other then in front of the
car.

I think the system works the way it should. Look at it this
way, if your stopped (0 mph) and you turn the wheel hard
over, why would you want the headlights pointing 20 degree
off the center line of the car? You wouldn't. You would
want the AFS to point them straight ahead, with no adjustment.

Thats how I've spent my two cents.
Balnk

 

The AFS is absolutely speed-dependent. The faster you're going, the more your headlights swivel when you turn the steering wheel.

 

Sometimes I notice the lights in a turn, and at other times I don't. I haven't paid much attention to my speed and its relatation to the turn of the lights. But so far this feature hasn't risen to the degree of "I gotta have it on my next car". Perhaps with time and more use I'll find it of greater value down the road.

 

my 550i, rotates at a stop, as long as the wheel turns. (great system) constant
my gs450h, isn't constant (at least to my eyes).
but I do know it is a combo of speed and the angle of the turn (both combined)
but no I don't have a precise answer to your question.

 

Exactly, I prefer the more consistent operation of systems that are more dependent on steering angle rather than speed. I can live without adaptive headlights but if I have them, I would prefer that they worked like your 550i, my GL450 and ES350. It's interesting to see that the ES and GS are both Lexus products but utilize very different systems. Considering the ES came out after the GS, the ES must have the "revised" AFS system. I can't figure out the logic in the GS system. It seems that it's more random than it should be. Driving out of my neighborhood, I get something different everytime. At least I know that there isn't anything wrong with my lights.

 

The only time I noticed it was on a dark secondary road, night, light fog to reflect the light and driving about 40mph. Very neat, other than that it must be too subtle to really notice the movement.

 

maybe you can adjust the sensitivity of the pivit/rotation? I'll check with my dealer when i get s free minute.

 

Thanks! That would be awesome!

 

I think the one in my 06 GS works great, If it is annoying, just turn the ATF off, and its done.

 

Does it stay off or do you have to turn it off everytime you start the car?