Maverick headlights beam shadows?

[Cherokee]

I knew a guy who mounted one of those in his pickup, for off road use only right!
The police went to his house and took him with them to help find a missing toddler.
From the top of a rise they spotted the baby about 500 yards away.

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[Glen Baker LLC]

I agree that's what cutoff is for, but the fact that these spots would never align with the oncoming driver's eyes doesn't support Google's theory.

They look like artifacts from emitter wires to me, but that's pure speculation.

Hmmm
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

 

[Toddman45]

It's just part of the cutoff shield, when low beams are on its in place cutting off the top portion of the light. When you active high beams it drops out of the way.

 

[Sig-vicious]

My understanding is that these dim spots are simply to pass (more like dupe) an antiquated compliance test for headlight assemblies.

There are specs that state there has to be a certain amount of light (or less) measured at a specific spot in space...at a specific distance from the vehicle and at specific vertical and horizontal measurements.

They design the assemblies so that during the compliance test, these litte dim spots lign up at those spots so the measuring device placed at that exact position registers a lower amount of light, and therefore the assembly passes the test and gets approved.

In theory, yes the idea of the test is that the position would represent an oncoming driver's eyes. But it doesn't take much to figure out that it only works for a rare state where both of the cars are at pretty well defined positions. Any variances in attitude, yaw, and distance from that perfect test position means that these spots wouldn't align with their eyes.

It's an old and poorly written test specification, just like a lot of our other laws and specs for headlights, and vehicles in general for that matter. The vehicle manufacturers use this design so they can squeak by the test yet still have higher output assemblies.

Another example of an antiquated headlight regulation is one that keeps the US from using dynamic beam headlights, which are used more and more overseas.

Dynamic beam headlights literally change the shape of your beams based on oncoming traffic. It does this by using many, individually controlled LEDs or shutters in each assembly. So when a car comes the other direction, your left light will lower its beam to stay out of the other drivers eyes. Your right light will simultaneously shutoff a few of their LEDs on one side to help, but the far right side of your road will be lit up with high beams. Best of both worlds, it stays out I'd the oncoming drivers eyes while simultaneously fully illuminating your lane if traffic like you had one of your brights on.

The specific law in this case, states that no US vehicle can operate with their low beans and high beams on at the same time...which the dynamic beam lights are doing. So this potentially very beneficial technology is not allowed here. The law was written for safety in mind long ago, but it's now hampering advancement in safety.

 

[MarsMav]

Guys, it’s a freakin Mini truck,
A Truck not a Lamborghini!
Auto dimming mirrors, Pffft,
I flip the mirror to night,
As for the headlights, I think they are great, I remember sealed beams, about as bright as a good flashlight.
When did we become so spoiled?

Yeah, we also used to ride horses by moonlight and take carriages with oil lanterns. It's 2025, these technologies are not exotic anymore.

What I'm actually going to miss is auto-dimming side mirrors. My Volvo has them and I've found it significantly improves nighttime visibility on the interstate. It's great that the Maverick can be had as a relatively affordable utilitarian truck but, on a Lariat, it would be nice to at least offer these features as options.

 

[Seand1109]

Guys, it’s a freakin Mini truck,
A Truck not a Lamborghini!
Auto dimming mirrors, Pffft,
When did we become so spoiled?

Mirrors? we don't need no stinking mirrors. what is behind us is not important if we are passing everything.

 

[Seand1109]

Yeah, we also used to ride horses by moonlight and take carriages with oil lanterns. It's 2025, these technologies are not exotic anymore.

My grandfather use to run loads of booze on switchback roads with his lights off... Lights, we don't need no stinking lights... we got booze to enhance our eyesight. And we don't want no stinking Feds either

 

[Seand1109]

I knew a guy who mounted one of those in his pickup, for off road use only right!
The police went to his house and took him with them to help find a missing toddler.
From the top of a rise they spotted the baby about 500 yard s away.

I had a guy at work mount a train horn to his truck... Had to put two compressor tanks in the truck to operate it. It was a heart attack maker at stop lights.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

My understanding is that these dim spots are simply to pass (more like dupe) an antiquated compliance test for headlight assemblies.

There are specs that state there has to be a certain amount of light (or less) measured at a specific spot in space...at a specific distance from the vehicle and at specific vertical and horizontal measurements.

They design the assemblies so that during the compliance test, these litte dim spots lign up at those spots so the measuring device placed at that exact position registers a lower amount of light, and therefore the assembly passes the test and gets approved.

In theory, yes the idea of the test is that the position would represent an oncoming driver's eyes. But it doesn't take much to figure out that it only works for a rare state where both of the cars are at pretty well defined positions. Any variances in attitude, yaw, and distance from that perfect test position means that these spots wouldn't align with their eyes.

It's an old and poorly written test specification, just like a lot of our other laws and specs for headlights, and vehicles in general for that matter. The vehicle manufacturers use this design so they can squeak by the test yet still have higher output assemblies.

Another example of an antiquated headlight regulation is one that keeps the US from using dynamic beam headlights, which are used more and more overseas.

Dynamic beam headlights literally change the shape of your beams based on oncoming traffic. It does this by using many, individually controlled LEDs or shutters in each assembly. So when a car comes the other direction, your left light will lower its beam to stay out of the other drivers eyes. Your right light will simultaneously shutoff a few of their LEDs on one side to help, but the far right side of your road will be lit up with high beams. Best of both worlds, it stays out I'd the oncoming drivers eyes while simultaneously fully illuminating your lane if traffic like you had one of your brights on.

The specific law in this case, states that no US vehicle can operate with their low beans and high beams on at the same time...which the dynamic beam lights are doing. So this potentially very beneficial technology is not allowed here. The law was written for safety in mind long ago, but it's now hampering advancement in safety.

The United States had a car that had a dynamic headlight.

 

[Alex M.]

Has anyone noticed these 2 shadows or something in their Maverick headlights? I just wonder what that is.

I've noticed them on my 2025 Maverick as well.

 

[Bob The Builder]

Can't say I am too impressed with those 2025 projectors. Disappointing actually. My Morimoto projectors I retrofitted on my 05 Ranger had a clear sharp cutoff with the driver's side a bit lower which helped to mitigate blinding oncoming traffic at the brow of a hill. Of course I was running 4K HID, not LED. The HID light output was very impressive and on low beam hardly ever got flashed, unlike the LED headlights in my Mav.

 

[Scott Asheville]

A bit off topic, but once you've had headlights that steer with the steering wheel, you'll forever want them. My wife's Volvo has those. Yea, it cost 2x my loaded XLT Maverick. But those headlights are totally cool.

 

[oltexboots1]

I did one better...took mine back to the dealer..they had to show me another 2026 tremor had the same headlight shadow...I fixed it though

 

[Jhmcclos]

I kind of have the same.
Also check on the alignment angle.
These, like all headlamps, should be at a slight DOWN angle. Not level. And certainly not up.

On level ground...
Mark that bright top line with tape or something. Then back up 20 or 25 feet.
The bright line should be below your original mark as you back up.

The lamps are easy to adjust with a phillips head screwdriver and a single screw.

Mine came from the factory angled up into space.

Those two dark spots are molded into the glass of the headlights. I believe it might say: "Maverick"

 

[Mav36400]

Can confirm they are used to reduce the light to oncoming traffic at eye level. Up close like the original picture they appear to be straight on but when you back up 100+ feet they converge bias to the driver side. I was driving the PA turnpike and I notice when the divider was low or going around turns the dark spots would line up right with the oncoming traffic. Even tested it with a family member driving down the street.

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